505 Friends Healing Friends


(Lisa)

I carry the tray carefully into the room, the smell of generic hospital soup wafting up.

Winona's sitting up in bed. She looks pale but more alert, her eyes flicking toward me as I set the tray down on the small table beside her bed.

"Dinner is served," I announce, gesturing to the soup like I'm unveiling a five-star meal. "Courtesy of the world-renowned Hospital Cafeteria. I am willing to risk my life and my palate eating this with you."

Winona lets out a faint laugh, the sound weak but genuine. "You're a true hero, Lisa. Braving the wilds of hospital dining for me."

"You'd better appreciate it," I say, as I sit beside her again. "I even got crackers. They didn't come with the soup, so I had to charm the grumpy lady at the counter. She now thinks I'm a struggling single mom of five kids, so you owe me." Winona raises an eyebrow, a small smirk tugging at her lips. "Five kids? Really?"

"Hey, I panicked, okay? She looked like the kind of person who gives you the stink eye for even asking. But the point is, I got the crackers. Now eat before I start spoon-feeding you like you're Henry."

She smiles but picks up the spoon, stirring the soup slowly. "You're ridiculous, you know that?"

"It's part of my charm," I reply, as I take a spoonful of soup.

"Mmmmm mmmm. Tasty as fuck." I lie. But it could be worse.

"You forget, I've had plenty of hospital soup. I know you're lying." Winona takes a tentative sip of the soup, and I watch her closely, noting the way her shoulders relax just a fraction. "See, it's not that bad, is it?"

"Not terrible at all," she admits. "But not Lobster Bisque either."

"Take me back to Europe, please! The food is to die for."

"I will miss the food."

"Wait... You aren't going back?"

don't know, I mean I was. That was the plan...but now...I really want to explore this financial app and I can't do that from Brussels, not

sad to see

and I haven't fully discussed it. I have to consider

a mother. I'm just too selfish, you

"You are not selfish."

like you. It's too tough a

me, her spoon pausing mid-air. "Yeah," she says softly. "Tough doesn't even begin to cover it at times. But it's also... everything.

it up

on the cracker thoughtfully. "I don't know how you do it. Kids are cute and all, but the idea of being responsible for tiny whole other humans?

for everyone. And that's okay. I don't

Winona pauses.

don't have to feel incomplete or less than because yours

will get there. And if you

and I... we talked about it. As you

me her full attention. "He did love you. He just was never sticking

trying to keep

was

thought maybe that's what I

We'd

down one day, have a

build

but I'm

forced

would've been a mistake."

""You sure?"

I say firmly. "And that's okay. I'm not... maternal like you are. And I'm not built

Winona's lips

The Novel will be updated daily. Come back and continue reading tomorrow, everyone!

Comments ()

0/255