Polaroids and Postcards | ✔️

Chapter 41: Hands Touching Hands

"When a man is a traveler, the world is his house and the sky is his roof, where he hangs his hat is his home, and all the people are his family." - Drew Bundini Brown

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It turns out that nurses like to gossip. And to be honest, after the commotion that went on with the wreck, Derrick's psycho episode, my attempted escape, and Gracie going into labor all within the same hallway, I don't really blame the nurses for talking about us. We kind of brought it on ourselves. But my plan to get me to the Maternity Wing in full-on stealth mode absolutely failed because the nurses who had helped Grant and Gracie talked to each other until the news of their kid made it back to my hall.

One of my nurses came in and the first thing she said was, "So I hear you're an uncle now!"

Derrick wildly flung a look at me, as if to reassure me that he hadn't spoiled anything. I waved him away, burning my don't-be-suspicious face in his mind.

"Um, yeah, I am," I admitted, casually picking at my callused fingers. "I was really hoping I could go see them, but Doctor Marshall says I have to stay in bed for one more day."

Pity welled up in the nurse's eyes. "Oh, that's so disappointing!"

"Yeah, I guess," I shrugged, trying to seem indifferent.

The nurse stood there, contemplating something for a moment. Then finally, after thinking it over, she simply said, "I'll be right back. I have something I have to do. Stay here. I'd better see you in bed when I get back."

She turned around and started to walk away, but before leaving the room entirely, she pointedly looked at me... and winked.

I nodded my thanks in her direction and she slipped through the door.

Before I knew it, Derrick had me flying through the halls in the wheelchair he'd stolen out of the service closet for this moment. The nurse must have somehow run interference for us because we didn't run into anyone who was working in my room and aware for my situation.

Eventually, we reached the elevator and rode to the floor with the Maternity Wing. From there, we all but sprinted down the hallway to find Grant and Gracie, because we knew it was only a matter of time before that nurse would have to stop covering for us and we'd be caught.

When we finally rounded the corner to their room, Grant was waiting outside for us.

"They actually let you leave?" Grant asked, skeptically.

Derrick and I shared a look. "Something like that."

Grant didn't seem to care at that point and simply dragged us into the room, muttering something about being quiet and behaving, but he said it all with the biggest smile I'd seen since his wedding day.

Gracie was curled up in her hospital bed, gently clutching a tiny bundle in her arms and-quite literally-glowing. She didn't even look up when we came in, she was so mesmerized by the little thing she held so close.

Grant tiptoed over to Gracie's side and kissed her forehead in such a loving manner, it made my heart ache for a brief moment. I imagined if Della had her camera there right then, it would've been the 'perfect shot' for the scrapbook.

"Congratulations," I murmured, unable to tear my gaze away from the serene scene before me.

"Yeah..." Derrick softly echoed, his eyes wide with wonder.

"Well, Jason, do wanna meet your nephew?" Grant asked, grinning with pride.

I smiled in response and Gracie handed the bundle off to Grant, who carefully walked over to me and presented me with their baby.