Here I Am

I broke speed limits, getting Delia to the hospital who was in shock in my passenger seat. “What is going to happen to Riley?” she asked, pulling her knees up to her body. That moment right there, I would never forget for exactly one reason. I had never seen Delia look so scared in her life and it terrified me.

I swung into the first empty space I could and we both jumped out of the car, her sprinting into the hospital where surprisingly the guys were already waiting.

“What are you guys doing here?” she slowed down to a walk and then a stop.

“Crow called us,” Tazer said. “We’re so sorry Delia.”

She nodded numbly. “I need to get Riley. Oh God, Riley!” tears started to well in her eyes and all eyes turned to me. They were obviously not well equipped for a horror stricken nanny.

I pulled her close to me, one arm wrapped securely around her waist and we walked toward the nurse’s station when a doctor and what looked like a social worker appeared.

“Delia Staal?” the doctor addressed her first.

She only nodded her head numbly.

“I am so very sorry for your loss.”

“Where’s Riley?!” she blurted out, more or less glaring at the social worker.

The young woman stepped forward. “Here’s here at the hospital ma’am.”

“What’s going to happen to him?” she demanded.

“Once their lawyer comes and discusses the will, you will know,” she said. “Until then, he stays in the state’s care.”

She made a disgusted noise before ripping herself away and stalked to the nearest bathroom.

I turned back to the social worker. “I’m sorry,” the words tumbled out of me.

The woman smiled sadly. “Don’t be. She’s in shock right now and what she needs is a good boyfriend to comfort her.”

She was already walking away while I stumbled through a response that tried to convince the air that we were not together.

“What did they say?” Krugs and Tazer came up to me. “Where is she?” Kruger looked around.

I pointed to the bathroom. “I don’t know what to do. She can’t see Riley until their lawyer gets here and determines what happens to him.”

“Go into the bathroom, hope there aren’t any other girls in there and comfort her like a man,” Tazer said firmly.

“Uh okay,” I said and was about to open the door, when it swung open and I was face to face with Delia herself.

“Corey, this is the women’s bathroom,” she said, looking at me funny.

“Uh yeah, I know,” I started awkwardly. “I was coming to check on you,” I finished lamely.

Her eyes immediately softened from the hard look she had on seconds ago and she managed a small smile. “Thanks Corey. I’m as okay as I can be in this situation.”

“When do you think their lawyer will show up?”

She held up her phone. “I just called him. He said he can meet at my apartment tomorrow morning to discuss the will.”

I nodded. “Then let’s get you home.”

“I think I should stay here,” she said, looking down a hallway. “What if they do let me see Riley?” she sounded so hopeful. “He’s going to think I abandoned him.”

I took her by the shoulders so she had to look at me. “Delia you are not abandoning him. You can’t see him until their lawyer determines as much. Staying here is only going to make things worse. I am going to take you home, okay?” I told her.

She nodded and bit her lip. “Under one condition,” she said quietly.

“What is it?”

Her eyes met mine and she took a breath in. “Don’t leave me alone tonight,” it came out as a whisper, but I understood her perfectly.

I nodded my head. “Of course I won’t leave you.”

I walked her towards the doors and told the guys that I would call them with an update the next morning.

We got into my car and she just stared at the dashboard. “I feel like. . .like life sucks,” she finally came up with the words.

I could only nod.