I lifted my mug, thinking how at least some things never changed. Karen had been in the middle of dieting ever since we’d met.
Maybe focusing on the things that were the same, rather than all of the new developments in my life, would help me regain some balance. Which would be better than feeling like I was constantly on the brink of a panic attack.
“I wonder if they have someone here I could talk to … you know, like a therapist,” I mentioned cautiously as I snagged a forkful of pie.
“I’m sure they do,” Karen said, her tone encouraging. “I’m surprised they haven’t mentioned it.”
“They may have,” I said with a shrug. “A lot of information has been thrown at me over the last few weeks, I probably missed most of it.”
“Want me to ask your doctor about it?” she offered.
“No, that’s okay, I’ll do it,” I said, feeling hopeful at the thought.
Ten
Jacob
“What do you think about going with me?” I asked, pausing my mouth’s descent down Ally’s throat.
Ally sighed and moved slightly to look at me.
“To see your mother?” she asked. “In the hospital?”
“Well, yeah. It’ll still be a little longer before she can come home, and it seems crazy to me that you two haven’t met yet. I think it would make her happy, ya know? She’s curious about what my life is like now … what I’m like. And, you’re a big part of it.”
Ally looked pleased at my admission and rewarded me by moving her hand between us and cupping my cock over my jeans.
My hips thrust instinctively and I quickly looked up to make sure no one was around. We were in the parking lot, which had mostly cleared out, making out against my Jeep.
“Fuck, that feels good,” I managed, wishing we were anywhere but here.
“I can make it feel better,” Ally whispered, her breath hot on my ear. “Let’s skip the hospital and go to your place.”
Disappointment filled me and it took every ounce of self-control I had to take a step back from Ally … and her roaming hand.
“Come on, Ally,” I protested.
“What?” she said, giving me a clueless look, which we both knew was fake.
I hated when she acted like she didn’t know what I was talking about.
“You know what … don’t do that. Look, if you don’t want to go with me, just say so, but I’d really like it if you did. We don’t have to stay long,” I said, hoping the compromise would get her to say yes. “Then we can go to my place afterwards and finish what we started.”
Ally gave me the little pout she put on when she wanted to get her way and asked, “Promise?”
There’d been subtle changes in her since my mom woke up. Expressions and reactions to things that made her seem more like the girls in school I’d always avoided, than the Ally I’d grown to love.
But since I knew I’d been distracted a lot lately and she wasn’t getting my undivided attention like usual, I decided to ignore it for the most part.
“Yeah,” I assured her, grabbing her hand in mine. “What do you say?”
“Okay, but I fully expect you to go down on me later as payback.”
I grinned and my dick became so hard it was almost painful.
“It’ll be my pleasure,” I said, because it totally fucking would. “Let’s go.”
We walked around and I opened the door before helping her up into the Jeep.
“Thanks for doing this, baby, you’re the best,” I said as we pulled out of the parking lot.
Once we got to the hospital and were riding the elevator up to my mom’s floor, I took her hand in mine once again and grinned at her.
The look on Ally’s face was strange, but I simply chalked it up to nerves over meeting my mom for the first time.
She’d met my dad and I’d met her parents, but this felt different.
When we walked in, my mom was standing by the window looking outside. Rather than using her walker, she was leaning against the sill and I wondered if she’d walked over from the bed, and if that meant her legs were getting stronger.
Maybe she’d get to come home soon.
I cleared my throat to let her know she wasn’t alone without startling her, and when she turned, the look on my mom’s face was so sorrowful it hurt to see.
“Mom, are you okay?” I asked, leaving Ally in the doorway so I could move to her.
She blinked and tried to pull off a cheerful expression, but it fell flat.
“Jake, hi, it’s so good to see you,” my mom said, just like she had the last time I was here.
I guess she was trying to make up for the first time.
I took her arm and helped her back to the bed. She leaned on me pretty hard and when I got a closer look I could see her cheeks were tear-stained.
That’s when it hit me … Dad told her.
Fuck.
When she was settled on her bed, I looked up to see Ally glaring at me and thought, shit, before hurrying to take her hand and bring her closer to my mom.
“Mom, this is my girlfriend, Alison. She goes by Ally. And, Ally, this is my mom,” I said, smiling proudly.
“Hello, Ally, it’s so lovely to meet you,” my mom said graciously.
“You too, Mrs. Talbot. I’m glad you’re feeling better,” she said, although neither her expression nor tone suggested she was glad about anything at all. In fact, she looked like she’d eaten something sour.
What the fuck?
Mom looked up at me and I could tell she was surprised by Ally’s rudeness.
That makes two of us.
There was an awkward silence before my mom asked, “How do you like school, Ally?”
Alison shrugged and said, “It’s okay.”
“Do you play any sports or are you involved in any other after school activities?” she asked.
“No,” Ally replied.
That was it … just no.
My mom shot me a helpless look and, feeling uncomfortable and unsure of what to do, I said, “You know what, Mom? I’m sorry, but we’ve got to go. We only had time to pop in so you could meet Ally. I … ah … have homework to do, but I’ll come back as soon as I can.”
I felt bad for lying, but this wasn’t fun for any of us and the need to get out of there was so strong I was seconds away from running out of there with or without Ally.
“Don’t worry about it,” she replied, and I was sure it wouldn’t hurt her feelings if I took Ally away. “Thanks for coming by. It was nice to meet you, Ally.”
Now who’s lying, I thought, almost feeling like smiling.
Ally simply nodded and allowed me to take her hand and pull her out.
Eleven
Sean
I paced nervously in the waiting room of the hospital.
It was silly, to be nervous about going to visit my wife, but after what happened last time, I was unsure of where I stood, which had never been the case with Kelly.
She’d always worn her heart on her sleeve.
She was always happy to see me when I came home, even if I’d only gone to the store. She was thoughtful, loved to make the food I enjoyed, and take care of me in little ways to show me she loved me.