A Selfish Moment

19 - Jubilee - 8:00 AM

"I received the call at eight," I state bitterly.

"Yes, I called you," she says before lifting her clipboard to show me a hand-written note that requests a nurse to call me for an update in the morning. "The nurse at the time probably didn't think it was necessary to wake you, since her condition has been improving. I called you as soon as I got in, but you hung up before I had a chance to explain."

I grunt a thank you to the nurse, shake my head at my horrendous behavior this morning, and walk back into Sophie's room.

"I should get back," Isaac says. "The nurse said my doctor was going to come around ten to give me the okay to go home."

"So you're going home today?" Sophie asks with that flirtatious smirk of hers that I wish I could copy. Even in a full hospital gown, wearing no makeup, after having abdominal surgery, Sophie is strikingly beautiful.

"Yes. But I'll come back before I go. You're not going anywhere, are you?" He says smiling.

Sophie rolls her eyes and purses her lips. "I'll be here."

Isaac waves at Sophie and then turns to me. "Good to see you again, Jubilee."

His arm rests in a sling under his blue hospital shirt, casted from his wrist up past his elbow. "You too, Isaac. How's your arm?"

"Not too bad. I'll live."

As soon as Isaac leaves the room, I turn to Sophie and shake my head with bewilderment. "I can't believe how much you've recovered."

"Oh girl, I'm in so much pain, you don't know! They are really loading me up with pain killers. I'm totally high right now, but my gut burns." Sophie leans her head back onto the inclined bed and takes a huge breath.

"Wow. That was some top-grade acting. And you look great."

"One of the nurses helped me wash my face this morning. Look at this thing," she points to a beeping box on rolling wheels, "I'm on a freaking dialysis machine."

"I know."

"But the doctor said I was looking good, probably going to be here a few more days." Sophie grins and lifts her eyebrows. "Did you see the way he lingered, like he was waiting for me to say something?"

I shake my head more, getting a bit annoyed. "Do you know how freaking scared I was last night? You were attacked. You almost died. The doctor said you could die overnight. I was planning your freaking funeral."

Sophie's voice drops an octave. "Please don't tell me you called my parents."

"Of course I called your parents! I thought you were going to die!"

Sophie starts groaning, as if her parents' knowledge of the incident is far worse than the incident itself. I explain, in over-exaggerated detail, about how her mom gave me a guilt trip and how her dad saved me, and about what the doctor said could happen overnight. If she had taken a turn for the worse her parents would never have forgiven me for not calling them immediately. I had to tell them last night... I couldn't wait and see.

"Hold on, back up," Sophie says with her hands up as if stopping traffic. "You're skipping a huge part about last night. What happened with Everett? Isaac said you guys were coming together this morning. He said Everett was with you last night."

I let out an exhausted breath and plop myself down on the hard recliner next to her bed. After I recount the events of the past twelve hours, which could have easily been an episode on General Hospital, Sophie purses her lips and shakes her head.

"I told you he was obsessed with you. Damn...that red dress was hot."

"I wouldn't call it obsessed."