He stands before me, dipping down to catch my eye, his hands squeezing my shoulders in support.
“I know you’re freaking out right now, man. But throwing your weight around isn’t going to help.”
“Like you did when Stella was here?” I spit, remembering all too well how he acted.
“Exactly. It got me nowhere but almost thrown out. They’re looking after her. I know it fucking sucks, but you just have to wait.”
“I can’t lose her. Not after all this shit.”
“You won’t,” he says confidently.
“How can you say that? She might already be—” I cut myself off before a sob erupts.
“Because she’s got too much to live for. Look,” he releases me and throws his arm out, gesturing where Galen and Stella are huddled together, watching us with concern. “She is not leaving them when she’s only just got them back.”
“Fuck, I hope you’re right.”
“I’m always fucking right.”
“You’re a prick,” I scoff.
“Yeah, it’s all part of my charm. Now, are you gonna chill the fuck out or am I going to have to throw you out to save the nurses a job?”
I nod, not really feeling any calmer but knowing he’s right. She needs me here, not out pacing in the car park with security watching my every move.
“Great. Now go and be with them. They need you. I’m gonna go find us all some shitty coffee.”
Rolling my shoulders and holding my head high, I follow his suggestion and head back to the waiting area where Galen is sitting with his arm around Stella, both of them watching me cautiously.
Without saying a word, I lower down on Stella’s other side and reach for her hand.
Her concerned stare burns the side of my face, but I keep my eyes locked on the doors I’ve seen doctors and nurses emerge from, calling out names for loved ones of the patients they’re treating.
“I’m sorry you’re going through this again.”
My teeth grind as I try not to allow myself to think about the worst case.
If the surgery wasn’t as successful as they first thought, if the treatment hasn’t worked… All of this will have been for nothing. Everything she suffered at the hands of that monster will have been pointless.
“I’m not alone this time. Whatever it is, we face it together.”
Galen’s hand clamps down on my shoulder.
“You got that right, Son.” His words cause a giant, messy ball of emotion to form in my throat.
Seb eventually returns, amazingly with decent coffee that he passes out before dropping down beside me and attempting to get comfortable on the shitty plastic seating.
I want to point out that nothing good can come from having to wait this long, but I hold the words back. Neither Galen nor Stella need to hear my negativity.
“How was your weekend?” Stella asks eventually. “A little birdy told me you had a dirty weekend with your new girl.”
“Stella,” I growl, feeling Galen’s interest perk up at her words.
“What? Distract us. Please,” she begs, making me melt.
“She lost her job on Thursday. I took her to Evan’s cabin to get her mind off it.”
“Evan has a cabin?” Stella parrots, glaring around me at Seb. “I feel like this is somewhere we should have been.” She quirks a brow at him and he rolls his eyes in return.