31 - Terms

                                    

                                          
Lily looked at Victoria as she came out of her patient's room. Her friend had been withdrawn and quiet all weekend. It was the Fourth of July and instead of watching fireworks; they had an overnight shift. 
Lily hadn't slept well because the cottage was bursting with relatives from Massachusetts. Even Robbie had come home from Nashville for a week. Lily promised her brother she'd spent time with him on her days off.
Lily frowned. "Are you okay, Vic? Do you miss Garrett?"
"First, he keeps showing up and second, I'm so glad to be done with him."
Lily nodded. "Lilli didn't come home, but you probably know that from Matthew."
Victoria just shrugged. Lily had been trying to figure out Victoria and Matthew's relationship. Based on Victoria's long face, it might have been nothing. 
Lily studied her friend's drawn face. "What's the matter?"
Victoria gritted her teeth. "More important things than my personal life. I came out for a breather. It's the f'ing Fourth of July and my patient is delivering a thirty-seven week stillborn. So yeah, nothing in my life matters in comparison. At least I'm with a midwife who is comforting our patient."
Victoria disappeared and Lily had to force her mouth to close. She didn't realize what was happening with Victoria's patient. They had all had their turn at bad outcomes - premature births, stillbirths, and other tragedies.
It left Lily feeling empty and powerless as she went about her own work. Her patient was a relaxed third time Mom whose husband kept trying to convince her to name their son Sam for Uncle Sam, if he arrived before midnight.
Ignorance was bliss. The couple would never know what was happening further down the hall. They chatted, since mom felt relaxed with the epidural Danny had inserted. 
"That guy who did my epidural was nice and cute."
The dad said, "Don't tell me you're flirting while in labor!"
"Not me. I'm too old for him, but Lily isn't. Do you think he's cute?"
Lily wanted to deny it, but her face gave her away. Trying to ignore her, she looked at her phone when it buzzed with a text from Robbie. We miss you! That was the caption for a picture of Robbie, Matthew, and Brady sitting together on the beach with beer bottles. All three were smiling. 
She hadn't seen Brady since they broke up. It was easier that way. As she looked at him, she felt something she didn't like, but didn't want to admit she missed him. Lily wanted him to look miserable without her, but he looked good.
The mom winked. "Share with the class."
Lily forced a smile. "My brother is hanging out with my ex-boyfriend on the beach."
"Did he break your heart?" 
Lily contemplated milking the sympathy, but shook her head as the husband rolled his eyes. 
"I thought I broke his, but he doesn't look broken." She stared at his smiling lips.
"Did you want him to be?" Lily shrugged. She didn't, but she didn't want to be forgotten either. "Let me see."
Lily handed her phone over. "He's the chubby one."
She looked up at her. "None of them are chubby."
"The one with the darkest hair." Robbie was not as fair as her, but lighter than even Matthew's."
"They are all good looking. Your ex reminds me of my high school crush. He's really cute but not sizzling like mister epidural."
Lily laughed. "Danny is hotter than my father's grill."