Brooke waited in the hallway with Dan while the doctor checked her mother over for the fifth time. They’d been at the hospital since three that morning—it was now almost midday, and she’d just barely remembered to text Gabe. He’d mentioned he had plans in the morning but would come by the house around noon. She hoped her text arrived early enough to keep him from driving to her house.
Around seven that morning, she’d run into Jacey as she left at the end of her shift. Surprised she had a friend at the hospital, Dan had encouraged her to grab a coffee. She didn’t spend much time with Jacey, just long enough to wait in line at the hospital coffee shop and quickly update her. Jacey had pressed for information about her relationship with Gabe but Brooke wasn’t interested in even thinking about that. It, too, would be coming to an end.
The doctor came out and gave them what information he could. He told them she was in the final twenty-four hours, and at this point, all they could do was make her comfortable. She was sleeping now and might not wake up again. He promised to check on her often.
She was about to walk back into the room when she heard her name being shouted from down the hall. Turning, she saw Gabe rushing toward her. Dan patted her shoulder and told her to take her time, and then he disappeared into the sunlit room.
“Gabe, what are you doing here?”
He wore dress pants with a nice shirt, leaving her to wonder where he’d been that morning. Quickly, she realized it wasn’t any of her business.
“I came as soon as I got your text.”
“But why?”
He seemed confused. “To be with you. I wanted to make sure you were all right.”
She shoved at his chest. “That’s not funny, Gabe. This shouldn’t be part of your act. You don’t need to be here with me. Tell your family you sat with me if it makes you happy, but don’t waste your day playing a part.”
His frown deepened. He grabbed her hand and held it against his chest, drawing her closer to him. “I’m not play-acting. This isn’t some game—not anymore. I understand how serious this is, Brooke.”
Tears clogged her vision. “This is it, Gabe.”
He pulled her in and hugged her tight. His hands rubbed along her back. “Please let me stay with you, Brooke. I want to be here to help in any way I can.”
Against his chest, she nodded. She was probably getting his nice shirt wet. “Okay, but promise me you’ll go home in a few hours.”
He looked at her with compassion. “If that’s what you want.”
She led him into the private room. Gabe sucked in a deep breath, his hand tightening in her hold when they spotted her mother. It wasn’t a pleasant sight. Tubes surrounded her, an IV coming out of her hand, oxygen being pumped into her nose. The machine beside her beeped quietly in the corner.
* * *
They sat in silence for hours. Gabe held Brooke in his lap and was happy when she drifted off. He found himself dozing in and out of consciousness a few times. At one point, Dan went and got them all coffee.
He hadn’t known what to expect when he joined her at the hospital, but accusations and anger had surprised him. He hated that she still thought of their relationship as temporary and fake. He wanted to show her that it meant more to him than that—that she meant more to him.
He knew it would be best to give her some time to grieve before he pushed ideas of permanency on her. She needed to focus on other things right now, and he understood that.
As the afternoon turned into evening, Brooke encouraged him to go home to his family. He didn’t want to leave her at the hospital, but she’d insisted. He could feel her withdrawing from him and hoped that, when her circumstances improved, she wouldn’t keep him at arm’s length. Reluctantly, he left the hospital.
The next day, he received a text from Brooke telling him the time, date, and place of the funeral. He was also asked to pass the information on to Kevin.