Wiping away her tears, Lois asks, “So she’s okay?”
“Christina will recover, but I need to be straight with you, Ms. DeMarco. If there’s a next time, her heart won’t be able to handle the stress.”
“I can’t lose her, doctor. She’s my entire life.”
Squeezing her shoulder, Dr. Fletcher adds, “I understand. You will need to seek treatment for Christina – would you like to meet with a social worker to discuss options?”
Shaking her head and wiping away dry tears, Lois states, “I found a place in Florida near my parent’s house that offers a payment plan. When will she be released?”
“It’s too early to say, but as long as everything remains clear the next few days, she could go home as early as Monday.”
Exhaling in relief and dropping her shoulders in exhaustion, Lois says, “Thank you, Dr. Fletcher.”
“There’s no need for you to be here until she’s moved to a room. Why don’t you go home and get some rest, Ms. DeMarco.”
“I don’t want to leave her, but I do need to make a few phone calls and arrangements. I’ll be back in a few hours.”
“I’ll keep you informed,” the doctor adds with a comforting smile before heading back through the ICU doors.
Lois drops into the nearest chair – weak and completely weightless. She closes her eyes once again and smiles . . .
Only this time, it’s the future dancing across her eyelids.
“Do you normally close on Saturdays?” Shelby asks while running a box cutter over the FedEx tape of a box.
“We’re not really closed, but I don’t post the hours outside the shop. Our schedule is so screwy around here that we decided to just let things flow.”
“Ah, so what happens if someone comes in while we’re unpacking all this shit? And why is the bubble wrap yellow?”
“Why so many questions, baby brother?”
“I’m cranky, I guess. What do you have to eat back there?” Shelby motions to the kitchen as Thessaly’s phone rings.
Grabbing it from the island and recognizing Lois’ number, she quickly mumbles, “Lots of healthy stuff. I need to take this call.”
Shelby closes the blade and nods to Thessaly. He stretches his arms and twists his torso in opposing directions before announcing, “I’ll grab some breakfast.”
“Iced latte,” Thessaly shouts at Shelby as he leaves the store. Swiping her phone to answer the call, Thessaly says, “Lois?”
“Tess, I have great news! Christina will be discharged in a few days.”
Sighing and praying to the heavens, Thessaly expresses, “Thank God, Lois. What can I do to help?”
“Tess, I’m afraid I have bad news as well.”
“Okay.” Thessaly bites her lip as she sits at the island.
“Christina will start a rehab program in two weeks.”
Glancing at the vase of flowers from Levi, Thessaly replies, “That’s a good thing, Lois.”
“The rehabilitation facility is in Florida,” Lois whispers.
“Oh.” Slouching over the counter, Thessaly props head on her arm.
“And I’m moving in with my parents so I can be close to Christina and eliminate my living expenses. The rehab is going to cost me nearly fifty-thousand dollars.”
“Holy crap, Lois. Maybe we can host a fundraiser or something?” Thessaly suggests.
“That would embarrass Christina, and she has to trust me.”
Thessaly’s phone vibrates with an incoming text, but she ignores it to finish her conversation with Lois. “Last night, Seth and Meg agreed to give you their remaining vacation days to help out with some of the medical bills. It’s not a lot, but it would give you another week’s salary on top of your early holiday bonus I can offer. I wish I could do more, Lois.”
Lois sobs, “You three are like family to me.”
“I feel the same way,” Thessaly replies.
“Tess, thank you for stealing me away from King’s last year and offering me an exciting adventure. I wish you all the success and happiness.”
“Don’t make me cry, Lois! Promise me, when Christina’s feeling better, you’ll pop in and let us give you two a proper New York sendoff?”
“Deal. I have to meet with my landlord now – I’ll call you in a few days.”
“Take care, Lois.”
“Bye, Tess.”
Ending the call, Thessaly walks to the kitchen while reading a text.
Mason: Let’s finish our conversation.
Thessaly: Give me the weekend to think about it.
Tucking her phone in the pocket of her shorts, Thessaly opens the small wall safe behind the mixing bowls. She removes the company’s book of checks and places it on the work station. Grabbing a pen from the canister near the refrigerator, Thessaly makes out a check to Lois DeMarco for two-thousand dollars. She then accounts for the check in the register and returns the book to the safe.
“Tess?” Shelby shouts outside the kitchen door.
“In here,” Thessaly responds while addressing an envelope.
Shelby pushes open the door carrying a caddy of Dunkin Donuts coffee and a box of donuts. “Strawberry frosted with sprinkles,” he ploys.
“Ugh, their iced coffee is watery.”
Removing a large iced vanilla latte from the cardboard caddy, Shelby suggests, “Chase it with a glazed donut.”
Thessaly leans against the work station and sighs. She gouges the plastic cup with an orange straw and groans.
Talking with his mouth full, he asks, “What’s up, sis?”
“Mason asked me to marry him. And move to London.” Taking a sip from her coffee, Thessaly adds, “Or maybe it was move to London and hypothetically get married.”
“Weren’t you engaged once before?”
“He’s never really proposed, or maybe I never really answered – God, I’m so confused.”
“So he asked you to move to New York with him, and now he wants you to move to London, but you’re not together?” Shoving the rest of his donut in his mouth, Shelby adds, “Seems like he just wants a moving buddy.”
Thessaly stomps her foot and laughs. “Holy shit! Mason’s such a pussy!”
“I could’ve told you that,” Shelby drawls.
“He needs me, but once he’s settled, he doesn’t want me. I’m like his, his . . .”
“His blankie,” interjects Shelby.
Thessaly nods while her eyes expand in horror. “Oh, my God – Mason had this torn flannel blanket at Duke. He’d sleep with it every night, and I mean every night. He’d also wear it like a cape when he was sick. One time, I tossed it in the hamper to take to the laundry room, and he went ballistic!” Tilting her head and frowning, she mumbles, “I’m his flannel blanket.”
“Nah, you’re just really sweet.”
Reaching for a strawberry donut, Thessaly exhales and lowers her head. “I don’t want to move to London. I want Levi.”
“Then buy some,” Shelby replies as he leaves the kitchen. “These boxes won’t unpack themselves, TayTay.”
Laughing, Thessaly grabs her coffee and follows him into the shop. “I really like the square jars, don’t you?”
“Amazing. Sometimes, when I’m sitting in my neurology clerkship discussing brain anomalies, I’m actually daydreaming about square jars.” Shelby positions the containers of raw honey on the island and whistles along to the music blasting through the speakers.
“Shelby?”
Crouching down near the stack of boxes and removing his box cutter, Shelby says, “Yeah?”
“I love you,” Thessaly proclaims.
“You should.”
While Shelby and Thessaly organize the inventory and argue over the best television spinoffs, Seth and Meg waltz into the store holding hands.
“Did you hear from Lois?” Meg asks, ripping her hand away from Seth.
Smiling at her friends, she replies, “I did. Christina is going to be fine. Although, they’re moving to Florida.”