“Claire.”
“Claire is here to see her husband. What’s his status?” She purses her lips as she listens to Chris’s status then hangs up the phone. “They just moved him out of the trauma unit and into the OR.” She grabs a piece of paper off the desk and hands it to me. It’s a floor plan of the hospital. “You can wait in the Critical Care Waiting Room. They’ll keep you updated on his status and when you’ll be able to see him.”
Senia and I follow the map through a few more corridors.
“Claire Knight,” Senia remarks with a shake of her head. “Nope. I don’t like the way it sounds.”
“How else are they going to let me see him? Everybody knows he’s an only child.”
We reach another quiet lobby where a woman with poufy brown hair is sitting behind yet another counter.
“May I help you?”
“I’m here to see my husband, Christopher Knight,” I reply without hesitation.
“Claire!”
I turn my head at the sound of Rachel’s voice. “Rachel?”
She looks exactly as I remember her, messy brown bangs and clothes that fit too loosely over her tiny frame. Jackie stands from her chair and they both stride toward me. Rachel throws her arms around me first, but I note that her makeup seems untouched as if she hasn’t shed a tear. I look over Rachel’s shoulder at Jackie and her makeup also seems to be intact.
“What happened?” I ask Jackie and she smiles a bit sheepishly.
“They’re resetting his fibula.”
“His fibula? You mean, he broke his leg?”
Rachel lets go of me and Jackie holds her arms out for a hug. I give her a quick hug then look up at her questioningly.
“When I called you I didn’t know his status yet. If I had known it was just a compound fracture I wouldn’t have asked you to come.”
“Just a compound fracture?” Rachel says. “That’s some serious shit.” Typical Rachel, always eager to speak her mind. “Did you just refer to Chris as your husband?”
I’m sensing some hostility from Rachel, but I don’t want to make any incorrect assumptions. “They wouldn’t let me see him otherwise.”
Her lip curls up in disgust. “Don’t let him know you did that. It will kill him.”
Jackie purses her lips at Rachel. “Come now, Rachel. Be nice.”
“It’s true. He’s been miserable the past few weeks. Claire’s the reason he was upset when he got on his bike.”
“What?” Jackie looks confused as she looks back and forth between Rachel and me.
“What the fuck are you talking about?”
Jackie’s eyes widen at me. “Claire! Watch the language.” She turns back to Rachel. “But, yes, what are you talking about?”
Rachel shakes her head. “Nothing. He was just upset when he left and I know it’s because of everything that’s happening between you two.”
“What’s going on between you?” Jackie asks me.
There’s no way Rachel knows about Abigail. Chris told me he hasn’t spoken to anyone about her and I believe him. She’s probably referring to Adam. I don’t think Chris would tell Rachel about the fight, but I wouldn’t put it past Tristan to blab about it to everybody he knows.
“Nothing. We’re still trying to work things out. We’re just friends.” I whisper the last sentence like it’s a dirty secret because it is, as far as Jackie is concerned.
“Just friends? Did you friend-zone my baby?”
Rachel cackles at this remark and I probably would too if it didn’t make me physically sick.
“No, Jackie. It’s just that a lot has happened since we broke up.” Oh, no. This is not how I wanted her to find out. “I don’t know what to say. I’m sorry.”
Jackie looks as if she can’t decide whether she should be confused or disgusted. I want to sink into the floor or disappear. I can’t bear to see the scrutiny and disappointment in her eyes.
“I’m so sorry,” I repeat this mantra a few more times before she pats my shoulder.
“It’s fine. I know you two will work this out. You can’t just throw away four years and an engagement without trying to work things out.”
Engagement? Chris told her we were engaged?
I don’t want to be pissed at him right now. He probably had a good reason to tell her this, though I can’t figure out what that could be. Jackie knew Chris and I were having sex the last two years we were together. She told us to be safe and that was the end of our birds and bees discussion. Why would he tell her that? I was nineteen when we broke up. We did promise to love each other forever, and we talked about getting married many years down the road, but there was definitely never an engagement. I would never have put myself through the pregnancy and adoption alone if we were engaged.