Standing up, Starr announced she was going home as well. “Like Ava said, us girls have to work. We can’t sit home all day eating ice cream and watching that ridiculous daytime television.”
“Heifer shut your mouth! You’re supposed to be on my side! Remember, I do know how you two sneak into patient rooms watching the same ridiculous daytime television, acting like y’all working.” Summer chanted and pumped her fist in the air, “Jerry, Jerry, Jerry.”Summer playfully pointed at Ava wagging her finger. “Didn’t I walk pass a room one day and saw you doing that while your patient was at a test? Weren’t you supposed to be making the bed?”
Ava and Starr cracked up. The sight of Summer with her big belly imitating those fools on television was hysterical.
“Come on crazy pregnant woman and walk us to the door.” Ava teased. “And no, that wasn’t me. It was my twin. You know they say everybody has one.”
“Heaven help us, Ava, if you have a twin.” Summer drawled out as she walked them to the door.
Everyone laughed as Ava feigned being offended. Starr hugged and kissed Summer on the cheek. “Bye honey, I’ll call you tomorrow.”
Following behind her, Ava hugged Summer and squeezed her tight. “You know I love you, right?”
Summer nodded, her eyes suddenly welling up. How could she have ever doubted her girls loved her?
“I just don’t want to see you get hurt again, you’ve been through so much. So when I get excited and start tripping please, please understand it’s because I love you, and you.” Ava said rubbing Summer’s belly.
Summer smiled at her friend. “I know, Av. And we love you too.”
Chapter 15
Brrrg. Brrrg. Brrrg.
The offending sound of the ringing phone seemed to be in a faraway distance. Summer thought she was dreaming, except the ringing never stopped. Opening one eye, she looked at the digital clock on the nightstand.
11:45. Who in the world was calling her so late?
“Hello?” Summer answered in a voice raspy with sleep.
“I woke you up?”
Rolling over on her back holding the phone between her ear and shoulder, she said, “It’s okay.”
“I won’t keep you, I just wanted to make sure you’re still okay with us getting together to talk?”
“Yes. Friday is fine. Are you coming over here?” she hesitantly questioned. No way was she going back on his turf. “No. I was thinking we could go to the cabin,” he smoothly said as he sat in his home office tapping a pen on the desk waiting for her response.
All traces of sleepiness evaporated. She was fully awakened by his suggestion of going to the cabin.
What? That’s where all the drama started! Nope, no way! Finally finding her voice, Summer squeaked out, “The cabin?”
“Yes.” He answered her as if it was the most reasonable request.
“Summer?”
“Huh?”
“What’s the matter, baby?
Coming up with a believable excuse was what Summer was in search of. How could she out right refuse to go miles away with him to a deserted cabin, in the middle of freakin’ nowhere? Sure, things for now were cool between them, but what if he went off on her again. A tiny voice in her head reminded her he’d promised not to do that again. Yeah, whatever. As far as she was concerned, no way was she crossing state line with him. She didn’t care how fine he was, how nice he’d been, or how much ice cream he’d brought her. No, no, no! She wasn’t doing it.
“I don’t know, Nick. That’s kind of far,” Summer mumbled after talking smack in her head.
“It’s only a few hours.” Nick reasoned with her.
“I know but―”
“But what? Don’t you trust me?”
Silence.
Summer sat on the other end of the phone not knowing what to say. How did she tell him the only time she could trust him is when he was in a good mood?
The silence was becoming deafening. Nick rolled his shoulders trying to ease the building tension. He knew convincing her was going to be difficult, maybe impossible.
“Summer, I told you I would never hurt you.”
You already have. “I know you did. It’s just that…” Summer’s voice was soft as it trailed off.
Counting to ten, keeping his voice even, Nick coaxed, “What Summer?”
Summer cursed her wayward hormones, as her voice quivered; she quickly wiped a tear from her cheek. “It’s just that I make you so angry, Nick.” Here I go again blaming myself.
The quivering of her voice unsettled Nick. He could tell she was tearful. Choosing his words carefully he said, “Summer, I just want to talk somewhere where there are no distractions.”