By the time Monday morning rolled around Erin hadn’t experience any great epiphanies. What she knew was that she missed Brody immensely and wanted to be with him again. She just needed to work up the nerve to call him.
She had a light breakfast and then exited her apartment through her private entrance so she didn’t disturb her parents. Then she met Brad for their run. He didn’t mention Brody at all that morning and Erin was relieved that she didn’t have to discuss it again.
She hit the showers and then made her way to the nurse’s desk to check in for the morning. There had been some health crises overnight and two of the infants were going to need watched rather closely that morning to make sure they didn’t relapse.
Erin shoved the morning’s newspaper out of the way and spread the charts on the desk, ready to brief Kelly and the other nurses when they arrived. She was thankful for the distraction that her job provided.
Kelly arrived on time, as usual, but she wasn’t her normal perky self.
“You okay Kelly Jo? Where’s all the enthusiasm? Did you use it up last week?” Erin teased.
Kelly offered her a half-hearted grin and glanced up as one of the other nurses approached the desk. “I’ll tell you later. There’s something I need to talk to you about.”
Erin’s brow drew together in worry but Kelly didn’t elaborate. It obviously wasn’t something she wanted the others to hear about.
So, Erin pushed it to the back of her mind and went on to debrief everyone else of the night’s events and the day’s tasks. They set about their duties, checking on the babies, taking vitals, making notes and starting feedings. She was well into her shift when she heard Kelly paging her from the nurse’s station.
Erin found that odd but figured it must be important. Kelly motioned to the phone as she approached the desk.
“What’s up?”
“Your mom’s on the line. Said it was important she talk to you.”
Erin felt her stomach drop. Her mother rarely called her at work and if she did, she just left a message on her cell phone for Erin to find when she had time. She picked up the phone with a quick, “Mom, what’s wrong? Did something happen to Dad or Alyssa?”
“No, honey, none of that. To my knowledge they’re both fine.”
Erin felt the tension drain from her body, leaving her stomach wobbly with relief. “Then what’s wrong? You never call the hospital directly.”
“Have you seen the morning paper?”
Erin had to stop a minute and switch her train of thought. Her mom’s question caught her off guard. “No. It’s here but I haven’t had time to look at it. Why?”
“You need to take a minute and read the front page. You’ll understand why.”
Erin glanced at the paper she had shoved to the end of the desk that morning, giving it a dirty look. “Okay, Mom, if it’s that important.”
“It is sweetie. Give me a call later, okay?”
“Okay. Bye.”
Erin hung up, meeting Kelly’s questioning glance with a wrinkled nose. “She called to tell me to read the paper.”
“Huh?”
“That’s what I said.” Erin responded, striding to the end of the desk and picking up the newspaper. She peeled off the front page, unfolding it and laying it on the desk. As she focused on the picture and read the caption her stomach dropped.
It was a picture of the fire company dousing flames at a local restaurant – one of Marlin’s Delicatessens. She quickly scanned the article to find that Brody’s mom had died in the fire and his father had been admitted to a “local care facility” in serious condition. That had to be WBMC. There was no other care facility around that could handle ICU patients.
Erin grabbed the desk, unsure if she might faint or vomit or both.
“Erin, what’s the matter?” Kelly asked, coming to stand beside her.
Erin pointed at the paper, at a loss for words.
“Oh. My. God.” Kelly breathed as she read. Then she looked up at Erin, their eyes meeting and neither knowing what to say.
“He’s gotta be here, in ICU. Have you talked to Brody?” Kelly asked.
Erin shook her head. “I hadn’t worked up the nerve to call him. I can’t believe this. His mom is dead Kel.”
And suddenly she grabbed the paper, hurriedly folding it up, and scurried around the desk. “Cover for me. I’ll be back ASAP.”
“Where are you going?”
“To find Brad.”
Knowing that she could get her butt chewed out for leaving the wing in the middle of her shift, she took her chances and hurried down the stairs anyway, heading straight for Brad’s office. Thankfully his door was open when she approached and she didn’t hear voices floating into the hall. He looked up when she stepped into the doorway, surprised.
She held up the newspaper, demanding, “Did you know about this?”
Brad saw what she was indicating and wilted a bit. “Not until I got here. If I had, I would’ve told you as soon as I saw you.”
“Is he here?”
“Who? Brody?”
“His Dad!”
Brad nodded. “He’s got some pretty serious burns. They’ve got him in ICU, sedated. We got notice this morning that we’re doing a feeding tube until they feel comfortable bringing him around.”
“Do you know anything else? Have you talked to Brody?”
Brad shook his head. “No, I haven’t, but I’m going to assume he’s here.”
Erin nodded, having no more questions to fire at him. “Thanks. I’ve gotta get back before I get fired. Call me if you hear anything.”
Brad nodded in agreement and then she turned, hurrying back the way she had come. Once back at the nurse’s desk she filled Kelly in on the little that Brad had told her. Then she took the time to re-read the article. There wasn’t much information available yet as it had happened late last night as they were closing the deli and prepping for the next day. The fire marshal would be investigating for cause as soon as possible. There was no word on how his Mom died.
Erin felt tears sting her eyes and she closed them, lowering her head into her hands. She needed to find Brody. She needed to put her own issues aside. He had much bigger things to think about right now.
“Erin, you need to get ahold of him.” Kelly told her quietly, reaching out to squeeze Erin’s arm.
“I know Kel. But it’s not like I can just abandon my job. I’ll finish my shift and when it’s over, I’ll go down to the ICU and see if he’s there. If not, I’ll call.”
Kelly nodded and then moved away.
Erin picked up the phone to call her Mom back. She answered on the second ring.
“How much did you find out?” Jane asked, not bothering with pleasantries.
“Not much. Brad confirmed that Mr. Morgan is in the ICU here under sedation and being tube fed until he recovers more. I don’t have any other details about the fire or his mom. I’m going to go down to the ICU after my shift.” Erin informed her.
She paused and her Mom waited, probably already knowing what Erin was going to ask. “Can you take care of Alyssa tonight, see she gets a bath and goes to bed? I don’t know how long I’ll be here.”
“Of course Erin. That’s why I called you.”
Erin breathed a thank you before hanging up. This was going to be the longest shift of her life.
* * * * * * * * * *
Erin stepped off the elevator and turned down the hall that led to the ICU. The din of the hospital rang around her as patients talked with visitors and the dinner cart was wheeled around. Alarms beeped and monitors hummed. Erin felt as if she was walking in slow motion, every sense heightened.
She stopped at the desk that sat just outside the entrance doors, thankful to see someone she was vaguely familiar with after her years in the hospital.
“Is it okay if I go in? I want to check in on a patient who was admitted earlier.”
The woman waved her in and pressed the button for the doors to open.
The ICU unit was basically set up like a large square, the patient rooms on the perimeter with the nurse’s desk smack dab in the middle. Erin approached, her eyes scanning the rooms around her. She caught sight of Brody in a room on the other side of the desk. He had his back to the door and someone appeared to be with him.
Erin felt a lump form in her throat and she had to swallow a few times before she could speak. She stopped at the nurse’s desk, asking for an update on Mr. Morgan.
“He’s stable but still in serious condition. The family is in with him now. They’ve been here all day. I’ve tried to tell them to go home, get some rest, get something to eat, but they haven’t listened.”
Erin nodded and thanked the girl. Then she rounded the desk and approached Mr. Morgan’s room, her stomach turning flip-flops. This is not how she had wanted to see Brody again. She stopped just outside the door, her shoes not making a sound on the tiled floor.
Brody sat in a chair facing his Dad’s bed, his head in his hands. A woman sat beside him, her hand on his knee in a gesture of comfort. Erin recognized her as Courtney, Brody’s ex-girlfriend. She shoved back the bit of jealousy that crept up, knowing that was the least important issue at the moment.
She cleared her throat before softly calling, “Brody?”
Courtney looked up right away, her gaze curious but unaffected by Erin. She probably assumed Erin was just another nurse coming to check on Brody’s dad. Brody reacted a bit slower, swiveling to see who was at the door. It took him a moment to see past the scrubs and realize it was her.
“Erin?” he whispered.
She nodded and took a small step inside the room, her eyes moving to the still form on the bed. They had a ventilator on him as well as multiple IVs. Erin recognized the feeding tube that Brad had mentioned earlier. He was wrapped in loose bandages that were absorbing the weeping from the wounds below them.
Erin’s heart broke, seeing how awful Brody’s father looked and knowing that his Mom was gone.
“I read the paper this morning. I came to check in as soon as I could.” She explained, feeling like it was nowhere near enough.
But Brody rose from his chair, ignoring the girl who sat next to him, and strode to Erin. He wrapped his arms around her, crushing her to him. He buried his face in her neck and one hand slipped into her hair, cradling her head.
She held him, wondering how in the world she could have pushed him away but knowing that she had to be here for him now. Brody finally pulled back far enough to meet her eyes, his own red with unshed tears.
“I’m glad you came.” He whispered.
Behind them, Courtney cleared her throat, a reminder that she was still in the room. Brody closed his eyes in what seemed to be a gesture of annoyance but then he turned and obediently introduced them.
“Courtney, this is a good friend of mine, Erin. Erin, this is my ex-girlfriend, Courtney.”
Courtney held out a hand to give her a half-hearted shake. The girl wasn’t dumb. She could see that Erin was more than a friend.
Erin turned her attention back to Brody, asking, “What happened?”
Brody shook his head. “We’re not really sure. There was only one other person with them last night and they were out in the front when it happened. She said it sounded like something exploded. Hopefully the fire marshal will know more today.”
“Does your sister know?”
“Yeah, I called her this morning, once the chaos had cleared a little. She can’t get a flight in from Pittsburgh until tomorrow.”
Erin nodded. She had so many questions, but nothing that Brody needed to talk about now. So instead she settled for, “Do you need anything? Can I get you anything?”
Brody gave her a lopsided smile. “You.”
Erin felt her insides melt. Even in the midst of his pain, he was still thinking about her.
“Well, you’ve got me. As long as you need me. Or at least until my shift starts tomorrow.” She told him, keeping her tone light.
Brody looked relieved. “You mind staying here for a while? I’ll see if I can scrounge up another chair for you.”
Courtney stood then, once again garnering their attention. “No, it’s okay. I’ll head out and leave you two alone. She can have my chair.” She gathered her purse and stepped around them towards the door. Then she turned to look at Brody one last time, a mix of emotions on her face. “Call me if you need anything.”
Brody nodded but didn’t say anything as he watched her go. Once he was sure she was out of earshot he let out a sigh. “I’m glad she finally left.”
Erin slid into the vacated chair, motioning for Brody to sit down next to her. “I was surprised to see her here.”
“Apparently her mother called her when she found out about the fire. For some reason Courtney felt compelled to drive all the way up here to be with me.” He looked up at Erin, adding hastily, “I didn’t ask her to come.”
Erin smiled. “It’s okay Brody. I wasn’t really worried about it.”
Brody returned her smile with a grateful one of his own. “I’m so glad you’re here. You have no idea how much I’ve missed you. When Courtney showed up all I could think was that I wished it was you.”
“I’m sorry Brody. I’ve wanted to call, I just-”
Brody cut her off. “I don’t need your apologies Erin. I’m just thankful that you’re here now.”
Erin nodded, knowing she did need to apologize, but then continued. “Well, anyway, my Mom’s the one who actually called and told me to read the paper. I had another several hours left on my shift and I couldn’t duck out or I would have been here sooner.” She explained. “I’m so sorry Brody.”
Brody reached out to take her hand, giving it a squeeze. Then he glanced over at his Dad. “Me too.”
Erin had nothing else to give him, no great words of comfort or wisdom, so she just sat there with him. Occasionally he’d ask her medical questions, knowing that she probably had better answers or explanations than the nurses in the ICU.
Eventually Erin started to get hungry, realizing that she had never eaten dinner. And then her stomach growled, announcing it to the entire room.
Brody looked over at her with a grin. “Are you hungry?”
Erin nodded. “I sort of skipped dinner to come see you.”
Brody glanced at the clock and realized it was well past seven. “Don’t you have to get home, take care of Alyssa and stuff?”
Erin shook her head. “My mom’s got it covered. She knew I was coming here and that I might not make it home until late.”
Brody sighed. “Thank you. But I can’t keep you here all night.”
“Brody,” Erin began gently, “They aren’t going to let you stay here all night either. Visiting hours are over at eight and they adhere to that pretty strictly in the ICU. And I understand from the nurse on duty that you haven’t eaten anything either.”
“I haven’t exactly had much of an appetite. And I’m not really looking forward to going home tonight.”
It dawned on Erin that he would be in the house by himself with nothing to do but grieve for his mother and worry about his father. “Come home with me.”
Brody looked up at her in surprise. “I can’t do that.”
“Why not? You don’t want to be alone and I don’t want to leave you alone. At least for tonight, until Bates gets here.”
“But what about Alyssa? And your parents?”
“I’ve got separate quarters. Alyssa has a room in my parents’ home. I’ve got an apartment above the garage. It’ll be fine. I think my Mom even expects this.”
Brody still didn’t look convinced.
“I’ll call ahead and tell her we’re coming. I’m sure she’s got plenty of leftovers that she can leave in my kitchen. I’ll eat. You can watch me eat. You won’t have to be alone.”
Brody glanced back at his Dad, contemplating and then finally gave a resigned sigh. “Okay.”
Erin smiled. “Good. I’ve got to run back up to the floor and get my bags. Do you want to come with me or should I get you on my way back down?”
“No, I’ll come with you.”
He stood and walked to the edge of his Dad’s bed, obviously fighting his emotions. There was nowhere to touch him because his hands and face were all affected by the burns. Finally he offered a quiet, “See you tomorrow Dad.”
Erin held out her hand and he accepted it, following her from the room.
Erin phoned her mom on the drive home and she readily agreed to have some dinner waiting in Erin’s apartment. Erin quietly told her that she had asked Brody to stay with her tonight and as suspected, her Mom accepted it without question.
The rest of the ride was quiet until Erin turned into her parents’ small driveway and cut the engine. “Welcome to the Mitchell residence. My place isn’t much, but it’s home.”
Brody gave her a small smile. “As long as you’re in it, I couldn’t care what it is.”
He unfolded himself from the car and followed Erin up the exterior stairway that led into her apartment. Thankfully she hadn’t left it in too much disarray before work that morning. As promised her mother had some soup with rolls and butter waiting on the small dining table.
She kicked off her shoes and dropped her bags by the door, figuring she’d deal with it later. She realized Brody had nothing but the clothes he was wearing and wished she had thought to stop by his house and let him get some things. She’d just have to bum some stuff off her parents.
“Make yourself at home. I’m going to go check on Alyssa and then I’ll be right back.”
Brody nodded, his eyes roaming around her apartment. He walked towards the pictures she had hanging on the wall, surrounding her TV.
Erin pushed through the French doors and hurried down stairs to find her Mom. She found both of her parents and Alyssa in the kitchen, having a bed time snack. Erin paused long enough to give Alyssa a kiss and a hug.
“How is he?” Jane asked.
Erin shrugged. “I think he’s still in shock. I’m not sure it’s all had time to sink in yet. He spent all day at the hospital with his Dad in ICU. He doesn’t know many more details than we do, other than they think something might have exploded, causing the fire.”
Jane shook her head, her face scrunched in sympathy for the family. “Is there anything we can do?”
“Not at the moment. I think we’ll know more over the next couple of days. His sister is coming in from Pittsburgh sometime tomorrow. The only thing we need right now is a toothbrush and maybe some of Dad’s sweat pants and a t-shirt. I’m going to offer to wash his clothes so he has something clean to wear in the morning. Neither one of us thought about stopping to pick up his own stuff.”
“Of course. I’ll go gather it up now.” Jane agreed.
Erin slid into her empty chair, watching as Alyssa happily munched on some cookies with her milk.
“What’s going on Mommy? Nana said you were bringing home a friend tonight.”
Erin nodded. “Remember Brody, the guy who helped pick out all your seashells?”
Alyssa nodded.
“Well, his mom and dad own a restaurant and there was a fire there last night. His dad is in the hospital because he was hurt pretty badly.” Erin paused, wondering how much she should tell the little girl. Alyssa was a tough cookie, and Erin figured she could handle it as long as she didn’t know the details. “His mom died in the fire and Brody is really sad right now. I offered to let him sleep here so he doesn’t have to be by himself tonight.”
Alyssa thought about that for a moment. “That’s really sad. Maybe I can make him a card tomorrow to cheer him up.”
Erin smiled, reaching over to give Alyssa’s arm a squeeze. “That would be very nice of you, Alyssa. I’m sure he’d like it.”
When Jane returned with the requested items Alyssa informed her of the project she had planned for the next day.
“That’s a wonderful idea Alyssa. We’ll have to work on it when you get home from daycare.”
Erin rose, ready to get back to Brody. “Thanks a lot you guys. I really appreciate this. I’ll see you tomorrow Alyssa, okay?”
Alyssa nodded and allowed Erin to give her a hug and a kiss. Then Erin headed out of the kitchen and back to her apartment. She found Brody still standing in her living room, studying the sea shells that Alyssa had lined up on the coffee table. He looked up when he heard Erin enter.
“I take it she likes her shells?”
Erin nodded. “Oh yes. She had to wash them all and lay them out to dry until she decides what to do with them.”
Brody smiled and then noticed the pile of stuff in Erin’s arms. “What’s all that?”
“Well, I realized you came here with nothing but the shirt on your back. So I bummed some of my Dad’s clothes and a new toothbrush for you. I thought I’d throw your clothes in the washer, if you’ll let me.”
Brody nodded as he realized she was right. “I’m glad you’re thinking about these things, ‘cause I’m sure not.”
“Under the circumstances, I wouldn’t expect you to.” She held out the clothes. “Do you want to go change? My room’s just through that door, as well as the bathroom.”
Brody accepted the clothes, giving Erin a grateful look. “Thank you.”
“You’re welcome.” She answered, wishing there was more that she could do.
While he changed she ladled out soup and buttered some rolls, then got them both a glass of water. When he emerged she motioned for him to sit down.
“I know you said you weren’t hungry, and I get that. But I really do think you should try to eat something.”
Brody sank into the chair next to her with a sigh. “This has been a long day.”
“Did you get any sleep last night?”
Brody shook his head. “No. I’ve been up for about twenty four hours straight, save for a few times I nodded off in Dad’s room.”
Erin watched as he dunked one of the rolls in his soup before taking a bite.
“Brody, when I saw that picture in the paper and read what had happened, my heart broke. I wish there was something else I could do.”
Brody looked up at her, meeting and holding her gaze. “Erin, seeing you standing in the doorway tonight was more than I could’ve asked for. There’s nothing else you can do other than to be here. And that’s enough.”
He reached across the table to take her hand. “This past week was torture. I think I was going through withdrawal.”
Erin laughed, despite the current situation. “Yeah, well, if it makes you feel any better I wasn’t making out too well either. My Mom confronted me about it, told me I looked miserable.”
“So, I take it she knows about us?”
Erin nodded. “She found the pictures of you and I that I had tried to keep separate. She pretty much told me to stop being a wussy and just go for it.”
Brody grinned. “I like your Mom.”
Erin rolled her eyes and motioned to his food with her chin. “Just eat your soup and don’t rub it in.”
They managed to make small talk, keeping it light and avoiding the heavier issues surrounding them for the moment. Erin was glad to see that Brody finished the soup she had given him, as well as one of her mom’s rolls. His body needed it, even if he didn’t feel it.
When she stood to clear the table he rose to help her, not wanting her to do it all by herself. She then took his clothes to the laundry room and threw them in, wanting them to be ready by morning. Brody was leaning against the back of her couch, his hands in the pockets of her Dad’s fleece lounge pants, looking tired and deflated when she returned.
“Brody, if you want to go to bed, I understand. You look exhausted.”
She crossed the room to stand in front of him and he pulled his hands from his pockets to reach for her. “I’m not sure I could sleep even if I wanted to. There’s just too much going through my mind.”
She let him pull her against him, his arms wrapped around her and his chin resting on her head. She held him, listening to the beat of his heart and feeling the rise and fall of his chest. She had missed this so much. She had missed him. Despite the current situation it felt wonderful to be with him again.
He obviously felt the same way because eventually he loosened his hold on her and tipped her chin up to look at him. Then he kissed her, the same longing evident now as it had ever been. His kisses grew deeper and Erin felt her belly tingle.
“Erin?”
“Hmm?” she mumbled, opening her eyes to look at him.
“I want to be with you tonight. I want to make love to you again.”
She hesitated, knowing that her daughter and her parents weren’t that far away. But they would be behind closed, and locked, doors. She knew her mother had no intentions of coming up to check on them.
She started to pull away from him, meaning to close the French doors, but Brody didn’t realize what she was doing.
“Erin, please don’t push me away. If it bothers you, we don’t-”
Erin placed a hand on his lips to stop him. “I’m just going to lock the doors.”
“Oh.”
She smiled and slipped from his grasp, quietly closing the doors and sliding the deadbolt to make sure no one accidently slipped in. Then she took Brody by the hand and led him back to her room. She left the lights off, the windows in the room giving them enough moonlight not to trip over anything.
This time, she made love to him, letting him know that she still wanted him as much as he wanted her. Afterwards, Brody wrapped her in his arms, unwilling to let her go. She could tell he was beyond exhausted but knew he needed the release.
“Erin, please tell me that when I wake up tomorrow, you’ll still be here.”
Erin smiled, knowing he couldn’t see her in the dark. “I’m not going anywhere Brody.”
“Does this mean you decided to keep me around? Can I officially claim you now?”
Erin laughed. “That’s exactly what it means. Now stop asking so many questions and get some sleep.”
She heard his soft laughter beside her. “Yes, ma’am.” He whispered.
She shifted in his arms so she could lay her head against his chest, glad that for the time being her presence was enough to put his pain at ease. She waited until his breathing grew steady and even and she felt his body relax before she slipped away from him.
She pulled her pj’s on and then went to throw his clothes in the dryer. She took the time to brush her teeth and turn off the apartment lights, as well as text Brad to tell him she wouldn’t be running in the morning. Then she took a deep breath and placed a call to her nursing supervisor, requesting some personal time off for the following day. She explained the situation as best she could without going into too much detail. Thankfully she was on good terms with the supervisor and she easily agreed. Then she headed back into bed with Brody.
He hadn’t moved and for that she was thankful. The next few days were going to be rough. It wasn’t going to be easy to rest. She snuggled back up to him, relishing the smell of him and the feel of his body against hers.
She had missed the way it felt to be with him. And this time she wasn’t going to let him go.
* * * * * * * * * *
Erin woke before Brody the next morning, later than she normally slept but still earlier than most people would get up on their day off. A glance at the clock told her she still had a chance to see Alyssa before Jane took her to daycare.
Erin quietly slipped from the bed, hoping she didn’t wake Brody. She had no idea how long he’d sleep seeing as he’d been up for a whole twenty four hours the day before. His sleep had been restless and he mumbled a few times making her wonder if he was dreaming about the fire and his parents.
She tiptoed from the room and then headed downstairs to her mother’s kitchen, figuring Alyssa would be eating breakfast. Sure enough, all three were at the kitchen table.
“Good morning.” Erin greeted, stepping into the room.
Jane looked up in surprise. “Erin, I didn’t realize you would still be here.”
Erin shrugged. “I made a last minute decision last night to take a personal day. Brody needs his sleep and I have no idea how long he’ll be out. I wanted to be here when he woke. Plus, I thought I’d offer to stick by him until his sister arrives today. I’m sure they’ll have to talk to a funeral home and make arrangements for his Mom. Plus, Brody was hoping to hear from the fire marshal.”
Her Dad looked up at her with a smile. “You’re a good girl Erin. Just let us know if there’s anything we can do to help.”
“I will Dad. Right now, I know Brody is just grateful he could come here and not have to be by himself all night. I heard him talking in his sleep a couple times. I’m sure it would have been worse if he’d been in his parents’ home all by himself.”
Jane nodded. “It’s the least we could do. Somebody’s got to take care of the boy since his parents can’t.”
Erin smiled at the way her mother called him a boy. But she supposed that she still thought of Erin as her little girl, too.
Alyssa listened as she ate her cereal, taking it all in. “Will you be here when I come home from daycare?” she finally asked.
Erin shrugged. “I’m not sure honey, but if I’m not I’ll definitely be home a lot earlier that I usually am.”
“Is Brody coming again?”
“I don’t know that either. Why?”
“Because I want to give him his card.”
Erin smiled. “Well, I’ll tell you what. If he doesn’t come back to Nana and Papa’s tonight, I’ll make sure he gets it ASAP, okay?”
Alyssa frowned a bit before agreeing. “Okay. But I really wanted to give it to him myself.”
Erin reached out to brush the little girl’s nose. “I’ll see what I can do.”
“Do you want some breakfast?” Jane asked, rising from her chair. “We’ve got a few leftover pancakes from yesterday. Alyssa didn’t want them again this morning.”
Erin hesitated until her Mom added that she had fresh fruit and whipped cream for on top and then she caved. She stayed with them until it was time for Alyssa to leave for daycare. Then she took the few remaining pancakes and a bowl of fruit back to her apartment, hoping she could convince Brody to eat again. He wasn’t awake yet when she returned, so she headed to the laundry room to retrieve his clothes from the dryer. She folded them and placed them in a neat pile next to his pancakes.
Then, not quite sure what to do with herself, she unpacked her bags from the day before and did the few dishes from the previous couple of days. Then she pulled out her cell phone and sent Kelly a text, telling her she’d be in to the hospital later with Brody and that she’d stop by to give her the details.
Erin was surprised when Kelly texted back almost immediately. She must have caught her in a moment of down time. Her response said – Okay. And when u have a minute, I still need 2 talk 2 u about sumthin.
Erin then remembered the brief conversation she’d had with Kelly the morning before and how something had seemed to be bothering her. She’d forgotten all about it once she’d read the paper. She’d have to ask her about it when she went in to the hospital that day.
As she was texting Kelly back she heard Brody stirring in her bedroom and soon he emerged, her Dad’s fleece pants back on but bare chested. He seemed relieved to see her sitting at the dining table.
“Morning.” She greeted.
“Shouldn’t you be at work?” he asked, stopping next to her chair and leaning down to give her a kiss.
Erin glanced at the time on her phone and realized it was nine o’clock already. “Yeah, about three hours ago. But I talked to my supervisor last night and explained that I needed to be with you today, so she let me take the personal time.”
Brody’s eyebrows went up in surprise. “Really?”
Erin nodded, hoping that she hadn’t done the wrong thing and inserted herself where she wasn’t wanted. “Is that okay?”
Brody sank into the chair next to her and reached for her hand. “Of course it’s okay. I could definitely use you by my side today, but I wasn’t going to ask you to miss work. You never even met my parents.”
Erin smiled sadly. “Doesn’t matter. I know you and because of that, I hurt too. I want to do whatever I can to help you through this.”
Brody leaned forward in his chair, tugging on her hand until she came close enough that he could lean his head against hers. “Thank you.” He whispered, his voice cracking with emotion.
“No thanks necessary.” She assured him.
When he finally pulled back she motioned to the pancakes and fruit on the table. “Breakfast, courtesy of my mother. I know you may not feel like eating, but it’s going to be a long day. You’ll need it.”
Brody stared at the food, and she saw tears glisten in his eyes. His jaw worked as he fought the emotion. She guessed that it reminded him of his own Mom, and the fact that she was no longer with him.
Erin stood and wrapped her arms around his chest from behind, pressing her cheek against his. “I’m sorry Brody.” She whispered. His hands came up to grip hers and he ducked his head. She felt his body shake and soon his tears dripped from his chin onto her hands.
She held him, letting him quietly cry, knowing how hard it was for a man to let it out and show emotion. She was glad Brody didn’t feel the need to hold back because of her. Finally, he took a couple deep shaky breaths and sat up straighter, wiping at his face.
Erin let go and moved to find her box of tissues. Then she retrieved some silverware, napkins and a glass to take to the table, giving Brody a chance to compose himself. While she warmed up his pancakes she poured him a glass of milk. Then she slid back into her chair to sit beside him while he ate.
“What time is Bates supposed to get here?” she asked.
“Her flight’s at ten, so they should be at our airport by eleven. She was planning to rent a car and come straight to the hospital. So, I’d say we’ll see her around eleven thirty.”
Erin nodded. “Is her fiancé coming with her?”
Brody nodded. “Derek. I don’t know him real well; I haven’t had the chance to spend much time with him. But from what I can tell he seems like a good guy. He puts up with my sister, which says a lot.”
Erin grinned at the brotherly barb.
“Well, then, I’m going to go grab a shower and make sure I’m ready whenever you want to leave.”
Brody nodded. “I’ll be there as soon as I’m done with these pancakes. I need to get a thank you card or something for your Mom.”
“Believe me Brody, she doesn’t expect a thank you. She does this because it’s who she is. She wants to help you in any way she can, and right now, this is all she has to give.”
Brody shrugged. “Doesn’t matter. I still need to thank her.”
Erin smiled and continued to her room, knowing she wouldn’t change his mind. She showered quickly and was mostly dressed when Brody made his way back to her room. He was carrying his clean laundry that Erin had laid on the table for him.
“Thanks for taking care of me.” He told her, motioning to his clothes.
Erin smiled. “You’re welcome. I figured if you had to wear the same clothes, they should at least be clean.”
Brody laid them on the edge of her bed and then headed into the bathroom.
“I laid some towels out for you. And don’t mind all the bath toys. Alyssa tends to think tubby time is just another form of play time.”
Brody glanced back at her with a smile. “No sweat. I haven’t played with a rubber ducky in ages. It’ll be a good change of pace.”
Erin shook her head at him as he closed the door, glad to see he could still be in good spirits despite the day ahead of him. She finished dressing, making sure she had her sneakers on her feet. She had a feeling she would be on them often today, even if she wasn’t working.
When Brody finally emerged again, she was patiently waiting in the living room, studying Alyssa’s seashells. She wanted to get them off her coffee table but hadn’t been able to come up with a good idea for them yet.
“Well, I guess I’m ready.” Brody announced. The heavy sigh that followed told her he was anything but.
She rose and made her way around the couch, taking the time to wrap her arms around him before they left. He gladly reciprocated, his hold on her firm but gentle. She wasn’t sure he was going to let her go.
“Did I happen to mention how much I missed you? Or that I’m really glad you found me last night?” he asked.
Erin chuckled and pulled back to look at him. “Oh, maybe a few times. But that’s a conversation for another day. Let’s get to the hospital and check on your Dad before Bates arrives.”
Brody nodded and followed her as she grabbed her purse and headed out the door. They settled back into her car and as she pulled out of the driveway Brody asked, “So, how much do you know about burns? I keep forgetting that you’re a nurse. I didn’t recognize you yesterday when I saw you standing there in scrubs.”
Erin grinned. “I could tell. I’m not much to look at, but it sure makes picking out my wardrobe for work pretty darn easy.”
Brody reached over to give her knee a squeeze. “I think you look good in anything.”
Erin could feel herself blush, but she ignored him. “Anyway, I know a little bit about burns. It’s not something I deal with on a regular basis, but we’re required to go through as many different units as possible. I worked in a burn unit briefly before I got my R.N.”
“So, what can you tell me about my Dad? In plain English, I mean. They threw a lot of stuff at me yesterday and I don’t know that I really understood it. But I was too tired and shell shocked to ask questions.”
“Well,” Erin answered, slowly, thinking back to what she had seen of Brody’s Dad and what she remembered from school. “Your Dad’s burns appeared to be third degree. Which means he not only burned his skin but also all his sweat glands, hair follicles, all that stuff that lives under our skin. Those things don’t come back. The hair isn’t such a big deal, but once he’s recovered he won’t be able to spend a whole lot of time in hot weather because he won’t be able to sweat to cool off.”
“Huh. I had no idea.” Brody grunted.
“The biggest issue right now will be to fight off infection and keep him from getting dehydrated. He’s going to lose a lot of moisture through those burns and he’s got a lot of surface area exposed to germs. I didn’t look at his chart last night, but I’m guessing they’ll be pushing IV fluids, as well as antibiotics and maybe even steroids. The good news is that he’s not going to be in a lot of pain right now because most of his nerve endings were destroyed as well. But they’ll still give him painkillers, I’m sure.”
“Any idea how long it’s going to take him to recover?”
Erin shrugged. “I can’t even guess. A lot of that depends on how healthy your Dad was before this happened and how well his body responds to treatment. If we can keep infection at bay and keep him properly hydrated and nourished, the recovery time is actually rather quick, considering how bad it looks. It’ll probably take a month before they’ve healed enough to allow him to get off his meds and start some more intensive physical therapy. As painful as it sounds, they’ll probably have someone come in now to move his arms and legs, keep his joints limber while his skin heals.”
“I just want to talk to him. I wonder how long they’ll keep him under?”
“I can’t tell you that either. I doubt it’ll be real long because they’ll want him to assist in his recovery. I’m thinking they did this just to get him stable and assess how much damage there really is.”
Brody ran a hand through his hair in a worried, nervous gesture.
“It’ll be a long road and probably unpleasant at times. But he’ll heal Brody.”
He nodded. “Yeah, I know. I’m not so much worried about the physical stuff. I just hate the thought of having to tell Dad that Mom’s gone. I don’t know if he knows that. I don’t know what he knows. This is all such a nightmare.”
Erin reached for his hand and gave it a squeeze. “One day at a time, okay? One step at a time. We’ll get through this.”
Brody leaned his head back against the seat and closed his eyes, once again fighting tears. Finally, his eyes still closed, he gave her hand a return squeeze. “I’m so glad you’re here. I don’t think I could do this without you.” He whispered.
Erin turned her gaze back to the road with a sad smile. She would never have wished to reunite with Brody like this. But she was glad to be with him too.
The silence in the car was broken by Brody’s cell phone, not long before they turned into the hospital parking lot. He dug it out of his pocket, looking to see who it was.
“Bates.” He told Erin before answering.
“Hey, Bates, what’s up?”
Erin listened as she pulled into the parking lot and looked for a space to park.
“Did they tell you how long the delay will be?”
Pause.
“That’s not too bad. . . . . .No, we just pulled into the parking lot now. I’m going to check in on him first thing. . . .No, not Courtney. Erin.” Brody looked over at Erin with a grin but she wasn’t sure what that meant.
“Yep, we’ll be here whenever you get here. Just call me when you’re on your way and I’ll meet you in the main lobby. . . .No, Bates, I don’t know anything else yet. I haven’t spoken to the medical examiner or anyone from the morgue. I’m hoping to hear from them and the fire marshal today.”
Erin finally pulled into a parking spot within reasonable walking distance of the hospital and patiently waited for Brody to get done talking. She could tell that whatever Bates was saying was upsetting him too. His jaw had tensed again and his voice cracked as he talked.
“I know Bates, I know. But one thing at a time, okay? Just focus on getting here and we’ll work through it all together. You can’t think about it all at once or it’ll consume you. . . . .Okay. And I love you too. See you soon.”
Brody hung up with a heavy sigh and stared at his phone a minute before looking at Erin.
“She’s a mess. Thank God Derek is with her or I don’t think she’d think straight enough to get on the right plane. They’ve been delayed about half an hour, nothing big.”
Erin nodded. “You haven’t said much about your Mom. I take it they were going to do some sort of autopsy on her?”
Brody nodded. “They wanted to be able to determine official cause of death.” He scrunched up his eyes, as if trying to block out a bad memory. “I don’t even want to think about what they went through. I know most people die of smoke inhalation, not fire. But if there was an explosion. . . . . I just hope it was quick and painless.”
Erin reached over to hold his hand, feeling helpless. “I don’t know what to say Brody. I can’t answer any of that stuff for you. But I hope too that she crossed over before she knew what was happening.”
Brody turned his head to look at her and the pain on his face made her heart hurt. “It’s okay Erin. You don’t have to say anything. Just keep holding my hand. The rest will come eventually.”
Erin gave him a lopsided smile and then motioned to the hospital. “You ready to go in?”
Brody nodded and moved to open his door. Together they made the trek across the parking lot and through the lobby to the elevators. They rode in silence up to the ICU unit but Brody kept her hand in his, caressing the back of it with his thumb.
They paused briefly to check in with the nurse at the desk and she admitted them to the ICU unit without a problem. Once inside Erin stopped at the nurse’s station to check on Mr. Morgan’s status.
“He’s stable. No major changes since last night. He’s still under sedation but you can go on in. The doctor should be in this afternoon to talk with you.” She informed them.
Brody thanked her and then moved around the desk to his Dad’s room. He stopped and stood by the bed, staring down at him, his eyes roaming over the bandages and the tubes.
Erin checked the bags that were hanging above the bed and pointed out to Brody that he had IV fluids, an adult formula for nutrition, and a bag of antibiotics.
“If you want, I can go out and check with the nurse for a little more information. See what other meds they might have him on, if they’re doing any kind of physical therapy with him, and how long they think he’ll be sedated.” She offered.
Brody nodded. “Thanks Erin.” He responded, his voice a bit hoarse.
She paused to give him a kiss on the cheek and a squeeze of the arm and then went back to the nurse’s station to get more information. She had been right when she guessed they were starting steroids. The rest the nurse said they would have to wait to talk about with the doctor. Erin thanked her and headed back to Brody.
“Well, I didn’t get much, other than they’re doing steroids too. Helps deal with some of the swelling. Unfortunately it also messes with our immune system, which means it can increase his chance of infection. But hopefully with the antibiotics, it won’t be an issue.”
Brody looked over at her, a baffled expression on his face. “I’ve learned more from you in the past forty-five minutes than I did from anyone at all yesterday. It’s nice to have someone around who speaks doctor.”
Erin grinned. “I knew I was good for something.”
Brody reached for her hand and pulled her close to his side. “You’re good for a lot more than that.” He assured her.
Eventually he slid into one of the chairs and reached for the pen and paper laying on the stand next to his Dad’s bed.
“What are you doing?” Erin asked, curious.
“Making a list of all the people who are going to want a piece of me. I have a feeling that I’m the one who’s going to have to handle most of it. Bates is going to be way too emotional.”
He began jotting down a list that included a funeral home, his Dad’s insurance company, the fire marshal, and the M.E. Unfortunately, there wasn’t much they could do about the funeral until the autopsy was finished and the insurance company wouldn’t do anything until the police and fire marshal had made a ruling on the fire.
So, at this point it was a waiting game. Erin sat with him until about eleven before she mentioned to Brody that she wanted to run up to the NICU and talk with Kelly. She figured she might catch her close to a lunch break.
“She said she needed to talk to me about something and I wanted to give her an update on your Dad. Do you want to go along or stay here?”
“No, you go. I’ll stay here. I don’t want to get too far in case the doctor shows up.”
Erin nodded. “I won’t be long, I promise.”
Brody gave her a small smile. “Just as long as you come back, you can take as much time as you want.”
Erin reached out to touch his face, cupping her hand around the curve of his jaw. “I won’t push you away again. I promise.”
He caught her hand in his own and moved it so he could kiss her palm. Then he gave it a squeeze. “Just making sure.” He told her, before releasing her.
Erin left the room, her own eyes tearing up at how vulnerable he seemed. If she thought he’d worn his heart on his sleeve before, if was even worse now. It was obvious how much it had hurt him to give her some space. But he had, no matter how he felt about it, because he put the needs of her and her daughter first. That was something that Tyler had never done.
No matter what kind of fears she had, she was determined to get past them. There was no way she was letting Brody go.
Erin made her way up to the NICU unit and was relieved to find Kelly behind the desk, her fingers clicking away at the keyboard, eyes trained on the monitor.
“Hey Kel, how’s it going?” Erin called, stepping up to the desk.
Kelly looked up, startled, and then gave Erin a tired smile. “Not too bad. We’re limping along without you. How’s Brody? And his Dad?”
“His Dad’s hanging in there. He’s got third degree burns over his arms and most of his torso. There’s burning on his face too but it’s not as bad. I get the feeling he threw his arms up trying to protect himself. There’s still no official word on what happened but Brody says the other employee that was with them that night said it sounded like something exploded.”
“Oh, Erin, this is awful.” Kelly breathed. “What about his Mom? Do you know anything else?”
“Not yet. They’re doing an autopsy to determine official cause of death. There’re so many loose ends right now and not a lot of answers.”
“And Brody? How is he?”
Erin frowned. “He’s okay. Doing better than his sister, by the sounds of it. She’s due to arrive soon.”
Erin looked up and met Kelly’s gaze. “Kel, I’ve never seen Brody like this. Not when he worked here four years ago and definitely not on vacation. He just seems so vulernable. I don’t know what to do for him.”
“What did he say when you talked to him last night? Was he down in the ICU?”
Erin nodded. “Yeah. His ex was actually there, which was kinda weird. She left not long after I showed up.”
Kelly wrinkled her nose. “What was she doing here?”
“I guess her mother called her to tell her about the fire and she felt compelled to come up here. She didn’t look too thrilled to see me. Or to see the way Brody greeted me. But she hasn’t contacted him since.”
“So he was happy to see you?”
“I think he’s told me at least five or six times how glad he is that I showed up.”
“And, not to make light of the situation, but what does that mean for the two of you?”
“It means I’m done being afraid. There’s no way I can leave him alone through this and I don’t want to. The moment he hugged me down in that ICU room I knew I was a fool for pushing him away. Even now, no matter how crazy his life has suddenly gotten, he’s still worried about us. I had to convince him I was coming back before I could leave to come up here.”
“Aww, Erin.” Kelly crooned. “See, I told you this guy was crazy for you. I’m so glad you’re giving him a chance.”
Erin grinned and then changed the subject, not wanting to dwell on her love life at the moment. “So, what’s this thing you need to talk to me about? Can you do it now?”
Kelly glanced around her, looking to see if anyone else was close by. There was only one other nurse at the desk and she was at another computer, just as engrossed in her screen as Kelly had been when Erin arrived.
“Hey, Brandy, I’m going for a quick pee break. I’ll be right back.” Kelly called to her.
Brandy lifted a hand without looking. “Got it Kelly. I’ll hold down the fort.”
Kelly quickly rounded the desk and grabbed Erin’s hand, pulling her towards the bathroom down the hall.
“Kel, what the heck?” Erin cried when she pulled her inside and shut the door.
“Relax. I don’t actually have to pee.” Kelly assured her. “I just wanted privacy.”
When she turned to meet Erin’s gaze, Erin was surprised to see her expression so anxious. “Kelly Jo, what’s going on?”
Kelly closed her eyes and rubbed at her forehead. “You know how I was thinking of a spring wedding? May, fresh flowers, sunshine, the whole nine yards?”
Erin nodded, wondering why they had to discuss wedding planning in the bathroom.
“Yeah, well, we’re going to have to move that up a bit.”
Erin’s eyebrows went up in surprise. “Why?”
Kelly dropped her hand and looked back at Erin, heaving a sigh. “Because I’m pregnant.”
“What?!” Erin shrieked, half in surprise and half in excitement.
“Sssh! I don’t need the whole unit coming to check on us!”
“Sorry, sorry.” Erin apologized, laughing. “When did you find this out?”
“Sunday. It finally dawned on me that I had finished my week of fake pills and started another pack but never got my period. So I took, like, ten tests and every freakin’ one was positive!”
“Does Tobey know?”
“Yes.”
“And?”
“He’s excited. Scared, but excited.”
“And you?”
“Terrified! I don’t know the first thing about being a Mom. I can intubate an infant and feed IV lines, no problem. But to be a mother? Oh my God, Erin, how did this happen? And to top it off I spent two weeks drinking beer like a fish while we were on vacation. My kid is going to end up retarded!”
Erin had to bite back a grin. “Kelly Jo, relax. I’m assuming this is the first period you skipped?”
Kelly nodded.
“So that means you likely got pregnant while we were down there. I doubt the alcohol you had did much damage at this point. This kid still looks more like an egg than a baby.”
Kelly gave Erin a small smile.
“And. . .” Erin drawled. “There are worse things in life than becoming a mother. You think I had a clue what I was doing? This is one of those jobs where you learn as you do it. You’ll be fine. You and Tobey both have good jobs, you’re getting married. You’re as stable as it can get.”
Kelly snorted. “Stable? I don’t feel stable. Not mentally, anyway.”
Erin grinned. “Well, that’s a given.” She quipped.
Kelly shot her a dirty look before she said anything. “Yeah, so, anyway. . . .This means that I can’t wait until May to have a wedding. I’d prefer to be married before the baby is born, not after.”
“No sweat. We can do this Kel. Just let me get Brody through the next couple of weeks and then you and I will plan this thing slicker than you-know-what!”
Kelly closed her eyes but she couldn’t help but grin at Erin’s confidence.
“So, can we leave the bathroom now? I don’t think anyone saw us come in, but if they did, they’ve got to be wondering what we’re doing.” Erin asked.
Kelly heaved a sigh and nodded. “Yeah, let’s go. Just keep this quiet, okay? I don’t really want everyone to know about it. At least until after I’m hitched.”
Erin reached out to hug Kelly. “I promise, it’s our secret. But don’t stress, Kel, it’ll be fine.”
“I hope so.” Kelly grumbled, reaching for the door.
Thankfully, no one was lurking in the hall when they emerged.
“I’m going to head back to Brody. Call me if you need me, okay?”
Kelly nodded. “Tell him I said hello and that I’m thinking about him.”
“Will do. I’ll see you tomorrow.” Erin called, heading back for the elevators.
She rode back down to the ICU, trying to wrestle the grin off her face. This was an interesting turn of events.
Erin made it back to Brody just as Bates texted him to tell him she had arrived.
“Do you want me to stay here, keep my eyes out for the doctor?” she offered.
Brody shook his head. “No, I’d rather have you with me.”
“Still afraid I’m going to disappear?” she teased.
Brody grinned. “Well, yeah. But that’s not my main reason for taking you along. I would rather introduce you to her in the lobby, before she gets up here and gets too emotional. And she’s been looking forward to meeting you.”
Erin raised her eyebrows, a bemused grin blooming on her face. “Looking forward to it, huh? And why is that?”
Brody shrugged. “Guess I might have mentioned you a few times.”
“Did you leave out the part about me ditching you when we got back?”
“Nope. Told her that too. But she seemed to think I was charming enough to bring you back.”
“Huh. Guess she was right.” Erin teased. “Don’t let it go to your head.”
Brody held out his hand to her and pulled her into his arms. “No worries. Despite everything going on around me, I still feel lucky when I look at you.”
Erin gave a small laugh, still not quite sure she hadn’t conjured him up from her imagination. “Thank you. I’m not sure I’d agree, but I won’t argue. How about we go find Bates before she thinks you forgot about her?”
Brody nodded his agreement but gave her a kiss before he released her. Then he slid his hand into hers and let her lead him from the room. They stopped to let the nurses know they would be back shortly and then headed for the elevators and the lobby.
Erin had never met Bates before or even seen a picture of her. But when they reached the lobby it wasn’t hard to figure out who she was. She was tall and slender like Brody with the same dark hair and brown eyes. They couldn’t deny they were siblings.
She saw them about the same time they noticed her and she stood from her seat, calling, “Brody!”
Only then did Brody let go of Erin’s hand and allow Bates to rush forward, into his arms. She buried her face in Brody’s neck and Erin heard the soft sob that escaped her lips. Erin watched the two, tears stinging her own eyes at their shared pain.
Behind Bates stood a bulkier blond haired, blue eyed guy whom Erin assumed was Derek. He wasn’t overweight but had broad shoulders and a thicker build. Erin wondered if he was a weight lifter of some sort. He offered Erin a smile and she returned it, stepping around the siblings to introduce herself.
“I’m Erin Mitchell, a friend of Brody’s. I’m assuming you’re Derek?”
Derek nodded an affirmative as he reached to shake Erin’s hand.
Brody spoke up from behind them, still a bit muffled by Bates. “Amend that Derek, that’s my girlfriend Erin Mitchell.”
Erin felt herself blush a bit, her mind still not used to their “official” change in status. It seemed so much less important than getting Brody and his family through their immediate needs.
Bates pulled away from Brody and turned to face Erin, carefully swiping at her tears so as not to smudge her mascara. “Sorry, I’m such a mess.” She offered.
Erin smiled. “No apologies needed. I’d be the same way in your shoes. You’re obviously Bates. It’s great to finally meet you.”
Bates smiled, her tears momentarily forgotten. “Same here. I heard quite a bit about you from Brody. My brother sounded so head-over-heels about you that I couldn’t imagine you telling him to get lost for good.”
Erin laughed. “Yes well, let’s not dwell on it. His ego is big enough as it is.”
Bates looked at Brody with a grin. “Sounds like she knows you well, Brody.”
Brody shrugged. “She’s still here. That’s all that matters.”
Bates turned back to Erin and motioned to Derek. “This is my fiancé, Derek Brown. But I guess you already covered that.”
Brody reached out to shake Derek’s hand. “Good to see you again, D-man. How have you been?”
Erin looked at Bates with a grin. “D-man?” she asked quietly.
Bates just shook her head. “Don’t ask.”
“I’ve been good. Up until your phone call. How are things here?”
Brody sighed and ran a hand through his hair. “I wish I knew. We haven’t seen a doctor yet today and I haven’t heard from anyone else yet either about Mom or the fire.” He reached out a hand, pulling Erin back to his side. “Erin’s been the only thing keeping me sane.”
“Have you tried calling anyone yourself?” Bates asked.
Brody shook his head. “Wasn’t sure if I should or not.”
“Why don’t we go upstairs and check in on your Dad?” Erin suggested gently. “If we haven’t heard anything in a few hours, I’ll see what I can do about checking with the morgue.”
Bates glanced at Erin quizzically.
“She’s a nurse here in the NICU Bates. She’s got connections.” Brody explained.
“Oh. Makes more sense.” Bates drawled. “And yes, I do want to go see Dad. Is he awake yet?”
Brody shook his head. “Not yet. That’s another question I have for the doctor when we see him.”
“You guys need anything before we head up?” Erin asked.
Derek shook his head. “We hit the bathrooms when we got here. I think we’re just anxious to see Stan.”
Erin was caught off guard by the use of Mr. Morgan’s first name. She had only ever heard him referred to as Dad or Mr. Morgan. She had to remind herself who Derek was talking about.
“Well, then, let’s head on up.” Erin declared, motioning them towards the elevators.
Bates grabbed her purse and then followed Derek to the line at the elevators. Brody gave Erin’s hand a gentle tug and squeeze. “Thank you.”
“For what?”
“For being you. For being here. This sucks, no matter which way we look at it. But somehow the past twenty four hours have seemed a lot easier than the first. I had no doubts about you Erin or the fact that I wanted you with me, but after you stepped in that door last night and so quickly and easily started taking care of things, I knew for certain I hadn’t been wrong.”
The admiration in his eyes and the adoration on his face made Erin want to blush again. “It’s not a big deal Brody. I don’t feel like I’ve done anything special or anything more than anyone else would do.”
She watched as a coy grin spread across his face. “I don’t know about that. I’m not sure just anyone would have let me take them to bed.”
If she hadn’t been blushing before, she was now. Brody actually laughed at the expression on her face.
Bates and Derek looked back at them, curious.
“Can we not talk about that right now?” Erin hissed, sending them a smile and a wave. “Your sister’s going to want to know what’s so funny.”
Brody took her face in his hands and forced her to look at him. “Don’t worry. I never kiss and tell.” He told her.
Then he leaned down to kiss her in front of a lobby full of people. Erin appreciated the irony.