Page 91 of The Run Back Home

Did she just—

"Did you just—"

"Alright." A nurse walks in wearing light blue scrubs, the opposite of Lenny's dark teal ones and waves. "We're all ready for the patient."

She couldn't have.

"Oh, hi." The nurse smiles brightly at Lenny. "Are you family?"

Lenny grins awkwardly and looks at me, pointing over her shoulder. "I'll just wait outside."

She slips past the nurse, and at almost exactly the same time, my mom and Tom walk back into the room.

"Sorry," Mom mutters as they move toward Vienna's bed.

"Perfect timing," I say, still staring at the door.

The nurse goes through the next few steps one more time—everything they'll do from the time V is wheeled out of this room until the next time we see her again. And after we've said our goodbyes and I love yous, they do just that—take my baby sister back to surgery.

"I'm gonna grab a coffee," Tom says. "Jace?"

I shake my head. "Nah, I'm good. Thanks, though."

He presses his lips together.

"I'll come with you," Mom says. She follows him toward the door, stopping to squeeze my arm on her way out. "You… hang back."

My forehead creases as I watch her leave, then move hesitantly toward the hallway, not realizing I'm holding my breath until I exhale at the sight of her.

"Hey," Lenny says eagerly, pushing off the wall just a few feet from the door. "She looked good. Calm."

"Did you sign in there?"

She pulls back, surprised. "Oh, I… just one word."

She doesn't explain further, and so many questions fly to the forefront of my mind.

Why?

When?

How much do you know?

But instead of asking, I relish in it. Someone—her—knowing even a word of the language hits me harder than I expected.

I take a step toward her. "Do you want to do something?"

She pauses.

So do I.

"Sorry," I laugh, dropping my head and bringing my hand to the back of my neck, trying to ease the tension this rollercoaster ride of emotions has caused. "Do you want to do something with me? Maybe later when you're done? We play at home tomorrow, but we're off today, and V will have to rest after so—"

"Yes."

I grin. "Yeah?"

She nods, stepping aside to let someone walk by, but also stepping closer. "I'm off at seven."