Page 45 of That Wedding (That Boy 2)
"I can see that."
But Wayne's brave, so he says, "You got any big gloves?"
About twenty minutes later, Phillip strolls leisurely through the front door.
"Phillip, it's been TWENTY minutes. The office is only six minutes away DURING morning traffic! You didn't even hurry!"
"I needed to get gas. So where is this HUGE spider?" He looks at me in that way. That way people do when they think you're a stupid idiot, and they're just humoring you.
Which makes me really mad.
"Phillip, you should've been so worried about me that you drove over here on fumes, and when the car ran out of gas, you should've ditched it, and ran as fast as you could to save me."
He rolls his eyes at me. "I think maybe we're being a tad overdramatic?"
"No! I AM NOT! And you missed out. Wayne was outside in his yard, and so I screamed like a maniac from the coffee table. He came over and saved me, and the spider was so big, it gave even him the willies. And he's an ex-RANGER! And I'm just little old me!!!"
Phillip starts to protest, but I continue. "Yes, Phillip, the ex-ranger, special forces, top military guy told me he wished he brought his gun it was so big. And yes, he did kill it. Well, eventually."
"Eventually?"
"Yes, well, first, he put on oven mitts because I didn't have any kind of protective gloves. He also used a spatula, which is now in the trash. Then he took a paper bag and like herded the spider into the bag with the spatula. He has the spider in the bag on his deck if you'd like to go now and see its carcass."
I watch Phillip go over to Wayne's deck. Wayne walks in his condo, comes back out with beers for the two of them, and shows him the bag.
I go on a massive spider hunt. Checking everywhere I can think of, making sure he had no friends in my house.
Phillip comes back over with a beer in his hand. "Wow. I'm sorry. That WAS a big freaking spider."
"I know. I'm very traumatized," I pout.
He sets his beer down, pulls me in close, and starts kissing down my neck. "Let's see if I can help you forget about the spider."
"Phillip, you didn't save me. You don't get to have thank you sex. I should be having sex with Wayne."
"Hmmmm, but I'm here now, and he's calling all his friends to come over and see the dead spider."
He lets go of me, and for a second, I'm worried he doesn't want me after all. But he gives me a grin, locks the patio door, then picks me up and throws me over his shoulder like I'm a sack of something.
I scream and giggle as Phillip carries me through the maze of boxes and into our bedroom. He tosses me on the spider free bed.
"I think maybe I need to earn my own, uh, special forces badge."
And, wow.
Oh my.
I really should find big spiders and have a neighbor kill them for me more often.
Seriously.
I don't know about special forces, but I'm pretty sure Phillip could medal in sexual olympics.
Phillip and I are in the car heading to Kansas City. He's signed a lease on a temporary office space, and we're actually ordering the office furniture today. Once we're done, we're meeting Lori and Danny for dinner. Tomorrow, we have more meetings, and then we're hanging out with them this weekend. Lori wants to help me shop for our new house, and I wanna find a couple new bikinis for our honeymoon.
Phillip excitedly says, "I got an email yesterday. The custom Nikes just shipped!"
I'm about to reply when my phone buzzes. I look down and see a text from Danny.
Danny :) I NEED YOU NOW!! WHERE ARE YOU?
I'm about to type a smart ass remark about him needing me, but then I notice how the words are all in capitals, and there are no winky faces. A feeling of dread washes over me. Something's wrong.
Me: Danny, what's wrong? Call me. We're still about two hours away.
Danny :) Can't talk. Lori. Bleeding. Hospital. Miscarriage?
Danny :) Pray.
Me: Do you want us to come? I'll cancel our appointments.
Danny :) Please. I'm freaking out. I'm afraid we're gonna lose the baby.
Me: You won't. Like you can't. We'll be there as fast as we can. What happened?
Danny :) Doctor is here. Gotta go.
I told him we'd be there as fast as we can, but I can't say anything to Phillip.
Not yet.
I can barely breathe.
I'm in the middle of a flashback.
Phillip's talking on the phone with his dad.
We're rushing to the hospital.
Phillip's dad meets us at the door.
He takes my hands and tells me my mom didn't make it.
I'm rushing up to see my dad.
It's been four years, but it feels like yesterday.
I close my eyes.
I see my dad.
I hear him say, Angel.
I lay my head on his chest.
He stops breathing.
Phillip says, "Princess, what's wrong? Why do you look like you just saw a ghost?"
I close my eyes tight and take a deep breath. "Danny just sent me a text. They're at the hospital. Lori's bleeding. He thinks she might be having a miscarriage, and he wants us to pray. He also wanted to know how close we are, wants us to go there, says he's freaking out."
Phillip grabs my hand tightly, looks worried, and drives faster. "We'd better hurry then."
While Phillip drives, I say a very long prayer.
I pray that they're okay. I plead with God not to take them away from me too.
I'm surprised I still pray. I prayed hard for my dad, but it didn't work. I hope it works today. I've texted Danny a couple times, but he hasn't replied, which can't be good.
After what seems like an eterni
ty, but is really only a couple hours later, we pull up to the hospital. We get out of the car, and Phillip grabs my hand, pulling me quickly toward the hospital entrance.
The closer we get, the more I sweat. I don't know if I can do this.
I hate hospitals. I really do. Only bad things happen in hospitals. I haven't been in a hospital since that night, except for when I had strep throat really bad.
I've never visited anyone in the hospital because people die in hospitals.
But then I think about Danny's message, how desperate he sounded, and I know I have to go. He needs us.
Just like I needed Phillip that night.
We get their room number from the information desk and ride up the elevator.
As we walk down the fourth floor corridor, I'm bracing myself for the worst. For Danny to tell me that Lori and the baby are dead.
I get super hot.
And then feel lightheaded. Like I'm gonna maybe pass out.
I stop, lean up against the wall, and close my eyes. Take a deep breath.
Phillip realizes I'm not walking next to him anymore and turns around to look for me.
He walks back toward me. "What are you doing? We need to hurry."
"I have to get out of here, Phillip. I can't do this. I think I'm gonna throw up and then maybe pass out."
He wraps me in a one armed hug and pulls me close, exactly the way he did when he walked off the elevator that night.
My mind flashes back again.
How he was mad at me.
How we'd fought.
How I was so afraid he'd hate me forever.
How I couldn't believe my mom was dead.
How dad had stopped breathing.
How the alarms had gone off.
How they rushed me out of the room and didn't tell me anything.
My own breathing is ragged. I need to get out of here.
Now.
Phillip touches my face and says, "Princess, it's gonna be okay. I promise."
"You can't promise that, Phillip. You don't know." I start to cry.
I CANNOT DO THIS.
"Danny said he needed you. If it's bad, he's going to need you even more."
He's right. If it's bad, he's going to need me, and I love Danny. I won't let him go through whatever this is alone even if I feel like I'm gonna be sick.
Shit.
Phillip holds my hand and leads me down the hall in the same way he led me through most of their funeral.
Tears are rolling down my face.
I've been able to hold my tears back since my parents died, but I can't seem to push them back right now.
