Fat Chance (29 page)

"Hey, guys, thanks again for coming to keep me company," I say quietly, leaning over the table to be heard.

"You're welcome Cass; we're glad we could come. How's he been doing?" Renee asks, sitting across from me with Chelsea. They've driven up together to have lunch with me at the hospital, as most of Drew's family has work stuff to attend to today. His family and I have all been taking turns keeping Drew company in the hospital, but he's having some tests done today, so I'm in the cafeteria restaurant with my sisters.

"He's a lot better already, which is a great sign. The scrape on his throat is almost healed completely, and the incisions on his chest look good, so --"

"Yeah, I bet they do," Chelsea winks.

"Chelsea!" Renee and I exclaim together, which sends Chelsea into a fit of giggles.

"Anyway, I think they're probably going to release him soon, so that will be good, but he won't be back on duty for a while yet. I think his captain is going to send him back to therapy too, since he came so close to disaster. I still don't know the whole story of what happened, though."

"I bet the curiosity kills, huh?" Chelsea asks.

"Not really," I tell her. "I mean, I'm curious, but I don't need to know all the gory details. The whole cop thing scares me enough with just the little he's told me, so I'm pretty sure I don't want to know more, you know?"

"I think sometimes that's just how you have to look at it," Renee says, nodding as she forks a bite of salad. "It can be better sometimes, to not know everything."

"But he's doing okay?" Chelsea asks.

"Yeah, like I said, they'll be releasing him soon. He's thinking of staying with his parents while he heals up though, because the arm wound is still really stiff and grouchy, and he has to keep an eye on all the incisions, so --"

"You've got to be kidding me, Cass," Chelsea groans.

"What?" I know what she's thinking, so I feign confusion while I neatly slice my sandwich in half.

"You have an injured cop boyfriend, who's totally in love with you, and you're going to let him camp at his parents' house to recuperate?" She lifts a pickle from her plate, holding it over the table and wagging it at me for emphasis. "If he were my injured cop boyfriend, you could bet your last dollar he'd be sleeping at my house. You know, so I could, um, keep him entertained. And, uh, check on him and stuff." She winks naughtily at me, biting the tip off the pickle.

"Should I offer to have him stay with me? I hadn't thought of it, but I don't think he'd ask, even if he did want to," I laugh.

"Uh, yeah! Ask him!" she laughs, flicking a breadcrumb at me.

"I think you should," Renee says. "Not counting the little break-up thing, you guys have been going strong for a while now, so I think you can kind of pick up where you left off, you know? Besides, I'd say most men would rather have their woman play nurse than their mom," she laughs.

"Yeah, I doubt he wants his mom giving him sponge baths," Chelsea says, nudging Renee with her elbow.

"You guys! He doesn't need sponge baths," I whisper furiously. Still, I can't say I'm repulsed by the idea of Drew, walking fresh out of my shower in a towel. I'm not really disgusted with the idea of helping him get t-shirts on and off, either. "Okay, maybe I'll invite him. Satisfied?"

Knowing that this is the best they're likely to get from me, Renee nods and changes the subject. "Have you heard anything from mom about Rick?" she asks.

"I have," Chelsea says, when I shake my head. "He came to the house the other day."

"Our house?" Renee asks, turning a surprised face to her twin.

"Yeah, he just sort of dropped by to talk."

"Wow, what did he say?" I ask. I'm extra curious because I've talked to Janet, and she hasn't seen or heard from Rick even though they live next door to each other. If he sought Chelsea out on purpose, he must have been feeling some remorse over the whole family issue.

"He wanted to apologize to me, and get a feel for how everyone else was dealing with everything. He asked me about mom, and Renee. And you," she says, pointing to me with a spoon full of carrot cake.

"Me? Why?"

"I don't know," Chelsea says. "He didn't really explain where he's at, emotionally, you know? He just wanted to know where he stands, I think."

"What did you tell him?" Renee asks, reaching for her water bottle.

"I told him I didn't really know where everyone stands, but that I think he can turn things around, if that's what he wants to do. I kind of reinforced that he's been wrong to you all this time, and that whether it was guy pride or just the rejection thing, he really had no reason to attack you like he has, you know? But I also told him that we're not all closed off completely."

"And what did he say to all that?" I ask. I'm curious now, because I've had that same conversation with Rick, occasionally. He's always been closed off to me, though, vulgar and insulting. I think I'd sort of given up on him, but maybe he could be open to hearing from Chelsea.

"He said, 'Yeah I know.'"

"Wow," Renee breathes. "And then what?" She scoots forward a little in the booth, stealing a carrot from my plate and sticking her tongue out at me.

"That was really the basic conversation, you know. He asked how everyone was doing. I told him about you being stuck here, Cass, with Drew being hurt."

"And did he laugh hysterically because I'm so huge that I broke my boyfriend?" I ask, raising an eyebrow.

"No, he actually asked me to tell you he's sorry you almost lost Drew, and that once things cool down a little, he'd like to see you."

Renee and I exchange a glance, both of us showing the other wide eyes full of surprise.

"And what does he intend to say at that point?" Renee asks.

"He didn't say," Chelsea answers, turning as she catches me looking over her shoulder. "Is that your guy?" she asks.

"Yep," I whisper.

"Hubba hubba," Renee laughs, and then he's walking toward us, so the twins settle down and prepare to be polite.

Slipping into the booth beside me, he slowly readjusts his tee shirt over the incisions on his chest. "You girls mind if I join?"

"Not at all," Chelsea murmurs, sticking her hand out over the table. "I'm Chelsea."

Renee introduces herself, too, and I sit quietly as they all get to know each other, reveling in the easy way they seem to get along. Watching him smile at my sisters, and welcome them into his life, I know that I've got a really good guy, one who will be a seamless fit into my world, who will accept those that I love, because he's grown to love me.

"So, what's your partner like?" Chelsea asks, and Renee and I erupt into giggles.

"Hey! Oh my God, what are you doing here?" I exclaim, walking through the door into the sunshine. I've just finished my yoga class, and the last person I expected to see in the parking lot is Drew, but there he is, grinning at me.

"I made them discharge me this morning," he says, trying not to grimace as his stiff arm protests his efforts to hug me. "I had Cameron drive me so I could see you. My car's still at the station," he explains, gesturing into the little red car he's been leaning on. Leaning to see around him, I wave through the window to his sister, who smiles and waves back before going back to the book in her lap.

"How'd you know I was here?" I ask, confused.

"Silly girl, you told me you had class today. And since I'm supposed to be lounging around like a poor sad injured man, I thought I'd surprise you, and maybe we could do something," he laughs.

"Oh. Well okay. Hi, then," I say with a grin. "I have to go home and change and stuff, but if you want to ride with me, we can go out and grab some lunch or something. Maybe a movie?" I offer, thinking again of the twins suggestion that I have Drew stay with me.

"Sounds great! Let me get my stuff," he says, grinning. He leans gingerly, bringing his face to the car window. Cameron lowers the window, and as I toss my yoga gear into the backseat of my car, I can faintly hear them talking. She laughs, as he declines her help with moving his things from her car to mine, refusing to open the trunk unless he lets her carry his stuff.

"You two are hilarious," I mutter, walking back to listen to their good-natured bickering. "You're like me with my sisters."

"Well, you know," Cameron says, gently nudging Drew in the stomach with her door. He moves, and she unfolds her slender body from the tiny car. "Someone has to keep him in line. Hopefully you can help us with him; we're all exhausted."

"Hey!" Drew protests, laughing. "Listen, here, you two."

Cameron looks over at me and winks, then we both turn our faces to Drew, eyebrows raised in challenge. "You sure you can handle the both of us?" she asks, pressing the trunk pop and closing her car door.

"No, that's why I'm going to break you two up, as soon as possible," he says, trying to look devious. "You, sister, are leaving, and I am going to annoy Cassaundra for as long as she can stand it. Now scat," he laughs, waving his hands at Cameron as we block his efforts to get into her trunk.

Finally, he throws his hands up in surrender, hissing as the movement of his arm causes the wound to hurt him in some way. Stepping back, he allows us to move the two duffel bags he has acquired during his hospital stay, and once they are safely in my trunk, Cameron says her goodbyes.

"Well, just the two of us," he murmurs as we settle into my car. "How was yoga?"

"Uh, yoga was good," I say, reaching to help him fasten the seatbelt. He can't seem to twist enough to do it himself, and I'm thinking I'm going to love having him around my place. That is, if I can muster up the courage to ask him. "Why did you ask to be released today? Are you sure you're ready?"

"Yeah, I think so," he says. "I was just sick of being poked all day long, and other than some minor stiffness, I really feel fine. They just said to keep an eye on the incisions on my chest, and I'm good. Sent me home with a bunch of scripts for pain meds and antibiotics and stuff."

"I see. And I take it you haven't been home yet?"

"No way, had to come see you quick, before you could break up with me again," he says, winking at me.

"Har, har," I say, trying to look stern. I don't succeed for long, with him giving me his best wounded puppy look. Soon enough I'm laughing at him, and he turns to grin out the window, triumphant.

"Alright, so do you think you'll be able to survive while I shower and get ready to go out?" I tease. "I have a date, so you're going to have to keep yourself occupied while I'm getting all dolled up behind my magic make-up door."

"Oh, God, you're just like the sisters and my mom! Going behind some secret door to do all that girly magic!" he exclaims in mock distress. "And who's the date with? Some hot cop or something?" He flashes me another wink, and I'm thankful again that we didn't miss our chance to be together. I'm thankful that he is alive, that he is well, and that for today, he's mine.

"Well, you know, it's just this guy I know. I owe him some attention because he fixed my car once," I tease, and he arranges his face into a traumatized expression, placing his hand gingerly on his chest. Too bad the illusion of hurt feelings is shattered by his laughter.

"Well, you'd better make sure you show him a good time, then. Working on cars is dangerous business," he chuckles, unable to contain his amusement.

"I shall do my level best," I promise, meeting his eyes as we come to rest at a stoplight.