Chapter 18 – A Boring Evening
The next morning I was up early. I gingerly got out of bed, careful not to disturb Mindy. She was still fast asleep and looking like an angel. I was quite pleased with myself in that moment as I stared down at her. I had been completely honest with her, answered all her questions and was nothing short of everything she needed last night. Either I was really good at this game or I was a complete fraud. I hoped I was good at the game, I feared that I was indeed the fraud. Only time would prove which was actually the case.
I pondered that thought very heavily as I headed downstairs, my cloths in a pile in arms. I made a pot of coffee and sat at the dining room table. As I dressed, I sent Brooke a quick text message to see what time Leslie would be discharged from the hospital. The response took me by surprise. It seemed that Leslie was feeling great and was being sent home at 10am. I looked at the clock, 8:15. Time was no longer on my side.
I was trying to determine what time I should go wake Mindy when I heard her footsteps on the stairs. She was awake. She made her way into the kitchen and got a cup of coffee for herself before joining me in the dining room. She sat across from me, but did not say anything. She looked at me with what appeared to be a burning desperation to talk but not wanting to go first.
"Is there something on your mind," I asked her between sips of my coffee.
"Yes," she sighed heavily. "You don't think that I am in love with you, do you?"
I was very surprised by that statement. I wondered where it was coming from. How did that lost little girl I saw last night get so smug overnight?
"Why do you ask," I asked easily, not wanting to put her on the defensive but quite curious about where she was headed with this.
"Well, last night was tender and emotional," she admitted. "You were very honest with me and I didn't want you to get the wrong idea about me."
"What would the wrong idea about you be," I asked simply, in a very unassuming tone.
"That I am in love with you," she repeated. "I'm not. Last night was one of those rare occurrences where I let my guard down. I don't do it often and you got lucky to see it. I really prefer being misunderstood to understood."
"I see," I stated flatly. "You don't love me. Got it. Thank you for clearing that up before it got messy."
"Exactly," she added. "You'll see. The next time we are together I will be a complete slut. I prefer it to all the mushy tenderness. I would rather fuck like rabbits then that sappy slow shit."
Her last remarks sounded like false bravado. I don't think she wanted me to see her as a weak female, especially since she was the youngest woman in the game. She was putting on a show, but I knew that was not who she really was. She was young and insecure. She did not want me to think her inexperience or unwise because of her age, she wanted me to think those things because of her attitude, as if it were her chose to be so.
"I can't wait," I furthered.
"I bet you can't," she giggled. "I am going to get dressed."
She stood from the table and briskly walked past me into the kitchen. I heard her put her cup in the sink and run the water briefly. As she exited the kitchen she turned to look back at me. She then turned her head and looked straight out the window at the foot of the staircase.
"Thank you for everything you did last night," Mindy said clearly.
As the last word left her mouth she turned and headed up the stairs without so much as a glance towards me. I knew that would be the last we spoke of that. I put my cup in the sink and waited patiently for Mindy to return. She did shortly, dressed and ready to go. She had a blue backpack slung over her shoulder as she headed out the front door. I followed closely behind her, securing the door behind me.
As we drove the hospital, Mindy mentioned that she was heading directly back to school when she got to her car. She was going to see her aunt and then take off. I wondered if she was alright internally, but couldn't bring myself to press the subject upon, so we drove mostly in silence.
When we pulled into the parking lot at the hospital, I could see Brooke standing outside of the emergency room doors. I pulled the car directly up to where she was standing. I came to a stop and both Mindy and I burst from my vehicle. Mindy threw her arms around Brooke in a very big hug as I made my way around the hood of the car towards them.
"Where's Leslie," I asked.
"She's signing out," Brooke revealed. "The doctor will be bringing her out in a moment."
I nodded as Mindy finally released Brooke from her vice-like grip. We were all quiet for a moment until the silence was broken by the opening of the automatic doors of the emergency room. The young doctor was pushing Leslie towards us in a wheelchair. The doctor's expression gave nothing away but Leslie smiled when she saw us. When the doctor reached where we were standing, he stopped pushing. Mindy threw her arms around Leslie and hugged her tightly where she sat.
"How are you feeling," I asked her as Mindy relinquished her hold on her.
"I'm sore and tired and hungry," Leslie disclosed.
"The appetite is a good sign," the young doctor added.
I looked at him, quite confused. I didn't say anything to him; I didn't think it was my place at that point. I turned my focus back to Leslie.
"Ready to go home," I inquired.
"More than you know," she replied.
I opened the passenger door of my car and helped Leslie stand from the wheelchair. Rather than make things complicated, I scooped her up into my arms and carried her the few steps to the car. I placed her gingerly in the passenger seat and shut the door. Brooke hugged Mindy goodbye and then climbed into the backseat of my car. I had forgotten that she had arrived at the hospital with Penny the night before, so her car must still be at the office.
Mindy gave me a hug as well before making her way to the car to say goodbye to Leslie through the window. Our embrace was short and emotionless. I made my way around and into the driver's seat. Mindy headed for her car and I pulled away from the emergency room entrance, headed back to Leslie's house.
As we pulled up, I noticed that Penny was waiting for us on the front porch. I stopped the car in front of the house.
"Brooke, go open the front door," I instructed.
She opened the door of the car and made her way swiftly to the front porch, greeting Penny with a big hug as she arrived there. I was surprised by this display of affection between these women. It warmed me.
I got out of the car and made my way around to the passenger door. I opened it gently and scooped Leslie up into my arms once again. She had fallen asleep on the ride home. I carried her up the walkway and through the open front door.
Once inside, I deposited her softly onto the couch, managing not to wake her. I cover her with the blanket that was on the back of the couch and then made my way into the kitchen where Brooke and Penny were now talking. They stopped when they saw me enter the room. Brooke looked at me shyly and then moved to where I was standing. She arched her neck towards me and kissed me softly on the cheek. I melted where I stood. I closed my eyes for a moment to compose myself.
"I'm going to change and grab some things from upstairs for Leslie," she said as she exited the kitchen.
As I heard her footsteps on the stairs, I looked at Penny. Penny was wearing a very wide smile and glaring at me. I looked at her curiously before breaking the silence.
