The Way We Feel

Chapter 20

Jeff chuckled a little, but I could tell he wasn't that amused. I leaned forward to adjust the ice around my ankle, and he jumped up to help me.

And I could tell by the way he pressed his lips together that he was weighing his next words.

"Should I call Maddie now?"

"No," I said quickly, just as I had both times he'd already asked. He only pressed his lips together more. "I'll tell her when I get home."

Jeff sighed as he stepped back. "She's gonna be pissed."

"It's better than her worrying. Or rushing here with the baby. I'm not dying. It's just a sprain."

"Hopefully," Jeff said pointedly.

I didn't dignify that with a response, surly to think that it was something worse. A break would put me out of commission for weeks. A sprain, maybe a few days. I didn't like either option, but days I could deal with.

"Alright, Harry," the doctor said, pushing the curtain aside as he returned. I'd already forgotten his name. "Someone from radiology'll be here in a few to take you in, okay?"

"Okay, thank you."

The doctor gave me one more nod before disappearing again.

Jeff and I were quiet for a few moments, only the steady beeps of machines, squeaks of wheels, and grainy sounds of voices over the loudspeaker calling for "Dr. So-and-so to come to here-or-there" disturbing the silence between us.

Until Jeff said, completely resigned where he sat with his hands folded over his stomach, his legs extended like he'd already given up, "She's going to kill me."

I didn't have to ask who he meant. "No, she's not."

"Easy for you to say," he said, more emphatically. Still with a glum sort of self-assurance, lined with annoyance underneath. "You're the injured one. She can't be too angry with you. But me... I'm the one who should've called to let her know what was going on."

I almost rolled my eyes. "It'll be fine."

"Right. After she kills me."

I couldn't help but laugh, then. Mads was going to be upset, no doubt about it. Probably even angry with me. But I was hoping that whatever frustration she might feel, it would pass quickly once she saw that everything was fine.

To call her now, to tell her that I was in the hospital, even if it was only for a sprained ankle—she'd show up here. I knew she would. And I didn't want her to get herself and Lila together only to get here and have to hurry up and wait, just like we were doing. It was enough that I had Jeff here.

"She's not going to kill you, you knob," I said, still chuckling. "If anything, I will if you don't shut up."

It made him smile. And he listened. He shut up. Even if his knee was still bobbing up and down incessantly as we waited.

After another fifteen minutes before heading in for the X-Ray, another hour and a half passed for them to tell me it was only a sprain and I'd need to rest it for at least a few days, ideally, a week before getting back to work. And even then, the doctor didn't suggest I do any running or jumping around.

I kept to myself the part about more than likely needing to.

It would probably take at least two weeks to heal fully, and that's if I was good and didn't push myself too much. But it was bad enough that I'd be unable to work for a week, setting everyone and everything back. To think that I had to return to set and take it easy was already humiliating.