Chapter 6
I nodded.
"Got it," I said.
Henry went to the bathroom.
Jane watched him walk away and sighed.
"Such a stubborn kid. Told him to go home, but he wouldn't budge," Jane said.
Kid.
She called him "kid."
He was only a year younger than her.
He was six feet tall.
He weighed 176 pounds.
She actually calls him "kid".
"He's really into you," I said.
My tone was as casual as ever.
Like I was commenting on the weather.
Jane didn't notice anything strange.
"I got stabbed protecting him. Of course he feels guilty," Jane said.
Guilt.
She believed all of Henry's kindness came from guilt.
Nothing else.
Or maybe she didn't want to consider any other possibility.
Or maybe she had thought about it, but decided to act like she didn't know.
Because if she admitted it, things would get complicated.
As long as she didn't, they could stay "good partners."
I went to the cafeteria to get breakfast.
Plain oatmeal, toast, and some pickles.
I fed her myself.
She only managed half a bowl of oatmeal and a couple of bites of the toast.
"I don't want to eat anymore," she said.
"Just a little more," I urged.
"I really don't want any more. My stomach's upset."
I set the bowl down.
Henry came back.
He had a cup of warm milk in his hand.
"Jane, try this. It might settle your stomach," he said.
Jane took a sip.
"Henry really gets me. What I really wanted was something sweet," she said.
I'd asked if she wanted sugar earlier.
She said no.
Henry's milk was sweet, though.
She drank it.
And she even smiled.
I stood up.
"I'm going to ask the doctor about the pain shot," I said.
I stepped out of the room.
I didn't go see the doctor.
I stood in the hallway.
I leaned against the wall.
I slipped my hand into the inside pocket of my coat.
My fingers found the folded agreement.
The edge of the paper was stiff, pressing into my fingertips.
Not now.
Wait until Henry leaves.
Wait until she feels better.
Wait,
Wait for what?
Wait for her to ever choose me over Henry?
Like that's ever gonna happen.
Not in three years.
Not in thirty.
I took a deep breath.
Then I went back into the room.
Henry was pulling on his coat.
"Simon, I gotta head out. Something came up at the Criminal Investigation Unit. I'll swing by again this afternoon," he said.
"Okay," I replied.
He gave Jane a wave.
"Take it easy and get some rest, Jane. Don't go wandering around," Henry said.
"Yeah, yeah, I got it. Now get lost," Jane shot back.
Henry grinned and walked out.
The door closed.
The room went quiet.
Only the sound of the heart monitor remained.
Beep.
Beep.
Jane leaned against the headboard, scrolling through her phone.
I sat down in the chair by her bed.
I watched her.
She didn't look up.
"What did the doctor say?" she asked.
"Sorry?" I replied.
"About the pain shot."
"Oh, the doctor said we can switch to a long-lasting painkiller. They'll start adjusting it tomorrow."
I lied.
I never even talked to the doctor.
"Okay," she said, nodding as she kept scrolling through her phone.
I watched her bowed profile.
Her jawline was clean and defined, her lashes casting a delicate shadow across her cheek.
"Jane," I said.
"Yeah?" she replied.
"Put your phone down for a second."
She finally looked up.
She caught the way I was looking at her.
Her fingers paused, mid-swipe.
"What's up? Why that face?" Jane asked.
I pulled the agreement out from my inner pocket.
I unfolded it.
I laid it on her blanket.
White paper.
Black ink.
The divorce papers.
My signature was already there, right where it belonged.