Page 42 of Hot Mess
“So what’s with the wake-up call? Kindness of your heart?”
“Nope. Don’t you ever check your messages?”
“Not really.”
“Elle had her baby last night.”
Yeah. I’d seen those messages, late last night.
“You hear me?” he said.
“Yeah. I got the message from Brody. And Seth. And everyone the fuck else… Just had some beers to sleep off.”
“Well, you can go over now,” he said. “They’re at the Women’s Hospital. Seth says visiting hours are noon to two.”
“Yeah. Maybe.”
I could totally hear the inaudible sigh in the silent pause. “Ash, don’t be an asshole on this. Just go by. I can’t.”
“Okay.”
“Are you getting up?”
“I’m up.” I creaked slowly to my feet. Stretched out my aching body. My head was telling me that the rest of me was in pain. It was telling me to drink some water, eat a vegetable or two and sleep for a couple more days.
I trudged toward the bathroom.
“Are you going to the hospital?”
“On my way there now.” I turned on the shower in the dark, yawning. “Almost there.”
“Give Elle my love and send me a pic.”
“Yeah.”
“Ash?”
“Yeah.”
“See you soon, okay?”
“Uh-huh. Soon.”
I hung up. Put the phone on the counter, took a piss and guzzled some water. Then I showered in the dark, by the faint light of the lamp from the bedroom. Gradually came back to life.
I’d read all the texts last night, about the baby. Like seven different people had messaged me about it. All of them excited.
Couldn’t say I was.
I actually wasn’t sure how to feel about it.
But then there were beers and tequila shots, and feeling anything about anything became irrelevant.
Now, hungover and gradually regaining sober consciousness, I still wasn’t sure how to feel about it.
Okay, Iwantedto feel happy for Elle. And Seth.
I’d always liked Elle. A lot. Even when she ditched my ass. Didn’t love the way she did it, but I still liked her. Still cared about her.
