Sorry for the delay of this chapter.
I have to admit that I was in a major block for this chapter. As I've said many times, I always have a general idea of the direction I want the novel to continue in. The problem with this chapter happened when I sat down to write it. I knew what I wanted to happen in the chapter, but I couldn't write it.
So, I did what any normal person would do—I took a break.
But I'm back.
Enjoy.
...
When I heard Bob's words, I froze for a second, needing to process what I had just heard. Diane, who was beside me, gently placed her hand on my arm, a small gesture enough to snap me out of my state of shock.
Immediately, with Diane right behind me, I quickly left the kitchen. Standing behind the couch in the living room, Bob was completely frozen with his hands raised near his head, seemingly unsure of what to do with the information he himself had just given. It was rather surprising that after three children, the man still didn't know what to do.
"And what are we doing here?" Gabe, who, along with Frank and Georgie, had jumped up from the couch, asked incredulously. "We need to go to the hospital!" he added nervously.
"Everyone stay calm!" Once Gabe snapped him out of his trance, Bob suddenly exclaimed, being the most agitated of everyone present.
"What's going on?" Teddy, opening the door to her room—which was still vibrating with loud music—asked.
"Your mom is having the baby," Diane, who was possibly the only calm person in the house, explained simply to Teddy.
Just like I had been a few seconds earlier, Teddy froze for a moment to process Diane's words before shouting at me, "What?!"
"Yes," I replied, nodding. "Now calm down. You guys have a plan for this, right?" I asked, pointing at Bob. "A bag?" I added, tilting my head. I remembered Mom mentioning something about a bag with everything needed for her stay and discharge from the hospital.
"Yes! The bag!" Bob declared quickly, nodding as he turned 180 degrees and clapped his hands before running to his room.
"Now, Teddy, get all the kids and go to the Coopers' house. I'll drive Mom and Dad to the hospital," I ordered quickly, remembering how Bob and Mr. Cooper had been drinking.
"What? No, I'll go too!" Teddy immediately replied, frowning.
"If Teddy goes, I'm going too!" Gabe said quickly upon hearing Teddy's words, starting a rapid and disorganized argument between him and Teddy.
"Okay, shut up!" Annoyed, I shouted, silencing the yelling in the living room as I saw my siblings were not planning to end their argument.
Following my command, my siblings—and apparently all the noise around us—fell into complete silence. Teddy and Gabe, visibly startled, looked at me with a bit of fear, which, surprisingly, Georgie and Frank also shared as they stared at me.
"This is not the time for this," I said calmly, lowering my voice, which made everyone relax.
"But Mom—" Gabe, the first to recover from the surprise of my shouting, began to say before I interrupted him.
"No, I don't want to hear it," I said, raising my finger and slightly raising my voice again.
I completely understood what Teddy and Gabe were going through. I was also extremely worried about Mom, but at that moment, she needed to stay as calm as possible—for her sake and the baby's.
"Now, Teddy, please take the kids to the Coopers' house," I ordered slowly but firmly, making Teddy clench her jaw.
"All right," Teddy murmured, obviously disappointed, causing Gabe to lower his head in defeat.
"Mom might be in a lot of pain right now, which is normal. Don't worry about that," I quickly explained after achieving my goal. "So I don't want you to start arguing under any circumstances in front of her. She needs to stay as calm as possible. Are we clear?" I asked, tilting my head slightly with a hint of severe warning behind my words.
I wasn't a monster; I simply wanted the trip to the hospital to be as stress-free as possible for my mom. If necessary, I would come back for Teddy and Gabe to visit her myself, but I highly doubted it would come to that. I was sure the Coopers would go even without being invited.
"Yes," Gabe and Teddy answered at the same time.
"Good, go on," I ordered, nodding as I carefully studied my siblings' reactions, especially Gabe's.
"Come on, Frank," Teddy said, shaking her head, still disappointed, as she motioned for the boy to follow.
"Yeah," Frank murmured, nodding while glancing at me with a bit of fear as he walked with Teddy.
"I hadn't noticed before, but you're kind of scary," Missy, who had been silently enjoying the spectacle, said with a wide grin as she stared at me. "So manly," she declared with a slight huff, shaking her head lightly as she walked behind my sister.
"What about me?" Georgie asked nervously as my siblings, along with Missy and Frank, left the house.
"What do you mean, 'What about me'?" I asked incredulously. "Go home man," I said with a sigh.
"Great, good luck!" Georgie replied, nodding and looking oddly relieved as he practically ran after the group of kids.
Once I had dealt with the kids, the nerves I had buried resurfaced. Pressing my hand to my forehead, I breathed steadily, trying to clear my thoughts.
"I just need to drive her there, make sure Dr. Stratford is on duty. If he's not, have them call him," I murmured to myself, keeping my breathing steady and calm.
"You know, she's right," Diane said suddenly, breaking my concentration. "I didn't know you could raise your voice like that," she added with a strangely amused smile. "It was really manly," she said, leaning slightly with amusement sparkling in her eyes, visibly forcing herself not to smile as she bit her lip.
Yeah, I really like her.
"Well, you know me—being manly is all I do," I declared jokingly with fake arrogance. "Though I don't usually raise my voice," I assured her a little more seriously. "I think I should do it more often. It's surprisingly liberating," I added with a wide grin.
Seeing the small but beautiful smile on Diane's face helped ease my nerves incredibly. Her surprisingly calm demeanor was very reassuring.
"Diane, I—" I began, staring into Diane's wide eyes, only to be interrupted once more.
"I got it," Bob declared, returning at that moment with a rather bulky bag, obviously packed by my mom.
"All right, give it to me," I said, immediately taking the bag from Bob's hands. "Go get Mom. I'll drive," I added quickly, guiding—really, pushing—the man toward the front door.
"Yeah, all right," Bob replied, still in shock, nodding firmly. A second later, he quickly turned on his heels, looking ready to run out of the house. "Wait!" he exclaimed, suddenly stopping in the doorway. "The kids—Teddy and Gabe need to go to the Coopers'," he added nervously, searching the house as he remembered his other children.
"I already took care of that," I assured Bob quickly, forcing his attention on me as I pushed him out the door again.
"You did? Good," Bob said, nodding firmly at my words. Once we were outside the house, he quickly ran to the Coopers' house, allowing me to close the door with Diane.
With the bulky bag in one hand and the keys to Bob's hideous van in the other, I did a quick mental check of what still needed to be done.
"You need to move the car," Diane murmured calmly, placing one of her cold hands on my arm as I thought about stupid things, like whether the stove had somehow been left on.
"Yeah, right," I muttered, still lost in my thoughts as I looked at her. "Let's go," I added a few seconds later, once again losing myself in Diane's eyes, as I naturally took her hand and jogged lightly toward the car.
After opening the passenger door for Diane to get in and placing the bulky slightly heavy bag in the trunk, I got in the car and immediately started the engine.
"Your mom's outside," Diane said, pointing to the Coopers' house. For the first time since we heard Bob's shouting, a hint of concern crossed her face.
Without responding to Diane, I quickly moved Bob's van to the front of the Coopers' house. Mom, obviously in pain, was walking with the help of Bob and Mrs. Cooper as she said goodbye to my siblings.
"PJ, drive carefully," Mrs. Cooper said, clearly worried, as Bob carefully helped Mom into the truck. Leaning slightly toward Diane's window, she added with a hint of condescension, "We'll stay here and wait for your parents to arrive," gesturing at Diane. "After that, we'll head straight to the hospital to join you."
"Perfect, Mrs. Cooper, thank you," I replied quickly, glancing over to see Mom repeatedly wincing in pain as she got into the truck. "Don't worry, I'll drive carefully," I reassured her as Bob settled into the truck next to Mom.
"Good, call us if you need anything," Mrs. Cooper said, stepping back and clasping her hands in front of her chest.
"Will do. Thank you," I responded.
After a quick farewell, I sped off in the direction of the hospital.
As I drove, I kept track of the time between Mom's contractions. Thankfully, nothing seemed out of the ordinary.
"I'm so glad you came along with PJ, Diane. That's very kind of you," Mom said cheerfully, despite the effort it clearly took between her practiced breathing and a painful grimace.
It was pretty surprising that, even after enduring inexplicable pain and focusing on her breathing, Mom still had the energy to play matchmaker.
"Oh, don't mention it, Mrs. Duncan. I just didn't want PJ to be alone," Diane replied a bit stiffly, turning slightly to offer a somewhat forced smile.
It was odd. Diane had been chatting comfortably with Mom and the other women in the house earlier that day. Now, she seemed nervous about speaking to her.
"I told you not to call me Mrs. Duncan. You can call me Amy," Mom playfully reminded Diane between her breathing exercises.
Before anyone could say anything else, another contraction hit Mom, and she groaned loudly, leaning forward slightly in pain.
This made twelve minutes between contractions, each lasting an average of forty seconds. Given that Mom had already been through three previous pregnancies, these were good numbers. It was quite possible she was already halfway through the latent phase of labor.
As I mentally reviewed everything I could about labor stages, timing, and potential risks, Diane's cold hand on mine suddenly snapped me out of my deep thoughts.
I turned briefly to look at Diane and found her giving me a small but reassuring smile.
"Thank you," I murmured, feeling slightly embarrassed.
"You have to be born in record time, my beautiful baby," Mom said from the backseat once her contraction had passed, stroking her belly with a pained expression. "It's going to be a completely painless birth, so quick the doctor will want to write about how incredible it was," she added almost pleadingly.
"How much farther, PJ?" Bob asked, flexing his hand with a pained expression, likely because of Mom's death grip.
"We're almost there," I replied, accelerating slightly over the speed limit while keeping my eyes on the road.
And it was true. Not long after, I arrived at the hospital, parking quickly before jumping out to help Bob with Mom.
"Come on, Mom," I said, taking her free arm to help her walk alongside Bob.
"Where's the bag?" Mom stopped after just a few steps, wincing in pain from another contraction, and asked in a strained voice.
"I'll go get it," I assured her immediately.
"I can carry it," Diane quickly volunteered, shamelessly reaching into my pants pocket to grab the truck's key.
"It's heavy," I warned, holding onto Mom for support.
"Don't worry, I can handle it," Diane nodded confidently, assuring me with conviction.
"You're such a treasure, honey," Mom said, even in the midst of her contraction, digging her nails into Bob's arm and mine simultaneously, leaving me unable to continue my warning to Diane.
Despite Diane's kind offer and confidence, I knew her physical limits. I was absolutely certain she couldn't carry the bag on her own.
Leaving Diane behind, I helped Mom into the hospital.
"Nurse, my wife is having a baby!" Bob said with some panic, letting me take most of Mom's weight as he approached the reception desk.
"All right, sir, if you could register your wife with this form," the nurse responded calmly, not looking up from the documents she was working on. Her tone followed a procedure that was likely tedious, slow, and somewhat insensitive, but necessary for the hospital.
"Marianne, it's me," Mom said, sounding slightly exasperated as she clutched her stomach.
"Wha—oh, Amy!" The nurse, Marianne, finally looked up, surprised. "Don't worry about that then. You can fill it out later," she added quickly, picking up the papers she had placed in front of Bob. "Let me get you a wheelchair," she said, pressing a button among many on her desk before walking over to Mom.
"I'll go get Diane," I said as Bob returned to help support Mom, checking my watch.
"Yes, I need my bag," Mom said through gritted teeth, barely able to speak as another contraction hit.
Outside the hospital, I immediately spotted Diane, clearly exhausted, sitting in the open trunk of the truck with Mom's bag on the ground just a step away from her.
"I can't carry the bag," Diane admitted, pressing her lips together in slight embarrassment.
"Really?" I exaggerated, pretending to be shocked. "Who would've thought?" I asked sarcastically, easily hoisting the heavy bag onto my shoulder.
"You're not funny," Diane said, frowning. "It didn't seem that heavy when you carry it," she explained, frustrated, gesturing at how the bag hung comfortably on my shoulder.
"Well, it doesn't seem that way because I have actual muscle mass," I joked, leaning down to grab her slender arm. "We really need to bulk you up," I added, playfully squeezing her bicep.
"Working out isn't my thing," Diane said slowly, raising her face to look at me properly since she was sitting lower than my height. "And besides, I don't think I'd look good with giant muscles," she added with a small smile.
"Oh, I promise you that no matter how much you work out, you're not going to get gigantic muscles," I assured her, amused by her reasoning. "But even if, somehow, you managed to get muscles as big as some bodybuilder..." I slowed down and lowered my voice as I locked eyes with Diane, her makeup making her eyes appear even larger. "It would be really funny," I declared after a brief moment of silence, barely holding back my laughter.
Diane pulled her arm free and pouted, pressing her lips together in a small, adorable expression.
Totally unfair.
"Diane—" I began, once again summoning the courage to speak, only to be interrupted for the third time that day.
"Oh, I hope I'm not interrupting anything," came the easily recognizable, sarcastic voice of House from behind me.
"I can't believe this," I murmured incredulously, tilting my head toward the sky. "Is this some kind of bad joke?" I asked no one in particular, turning slowly to face House.
"I really don't care, but do you two live in the hospital parking lot now?" House asked, standing with his bag slung over one shoulder, clearly ready to leave for the day. "If so, I'm calling security. That truck is hideous, and I come out of that door every day," he said, gesturing toward the hospital's entrance.
"No, House," I replied, pressing my jaw in frustration over yet another interruption. "My mom is having the baby," I added, remembering why I'd come out in the first place—I needed to get the bag to Bob before they went into the delivery room, where no one else would be allowed.
"Like I said, I really don't care," House said without missing a beat, shrugging before heading toward his car.
"PJ, the wheelchair is here," Nurse Marianne called out, appearing at the hospital door while House got into his car. "Your mom told me she really needs her bag," she added nervously.
"Oh, yeah," I nodded, quickly adjusting the bag on my shoulder. "Did you catch your breath?" I asked Diane, turning back to her.
"Yup," Diane said, hopping to her feet and stepping aside to let me close the truck's trunk.
Inside the hospital, Mom was already seated in the wheelchair, waiting with Bob just a few steps from the reception desk.
"Oh great, thank you, Diane," Mom said with a smile directed at Diane when I handed the bag to Bob, even though it was clearly me who carried the bag all the way.
"It was nothing, Mrs. Duncan," Diane said with a small smile, showing no trace of embarrassment, while entirely avoiding looking at me and keeping her face expressionless.
Chuckling lightly, I followed Bob, who was wheeling Mom down the hospital corridors toward the maternity ward.
"You know the drill, PJ. You can't go past this point, even if we wanted to let you," one of the maternity ward nurses, Nurse Betty, said as she took over pushing Mom's wheelchair and pointed toward the waiting area.
"All right, Mom, we'll be right here," I assured her with a forced smile, nodding at the nurse.
"Great, thank you, honey," Mom said through gritted teeth, clearly in pain. "Don't let Teddy and Gabe stay up too late," she added quickly as she was wheeled away.
"No, don't worry," I quickly replied.
As Mom, Bob, and the nurse disappeared through the doors to the private labor rooms, I stood with Diane, completely lost in my thoughts.
It was strange how worried I felt about something that, theoretically, wasn't all that dangerous. I knew the stats—percentages of complications in normal deliveries, the hospital's success rates, Mom's physical condition, and so many other factors that should have reassured me, but they didn't.
The more I thought about the numbers and potential complications, the faster my breathing became. My chest tightened, and I became uncomfortably aware of the sweat pooling in my palms.
Once again, my mom was out of my reach, and I couldn't do anything to help her.
I knew I was having a panic attack; I recognized all the signs—I remembered each and every one of them. But for some reason, I couldn't recall what I was supposed to do to manage it.
Focusing painfully on the sensation of my nails digging into my palms, one of my hands was suddenly wrapped in Diane's cold ones. "Everything's going to be okay," she said softly and calmly, with a small smile on her face to reassure me.
"Yeah, I know," I replied, now aware of the rest of the hospital's noise—people talking, phones ringing, laughter, and even a baby crying somewhere in the distance. I hid what was surely a nervous expression behind a composed smile.
"Do you want to sit down?" Diane asked, tugging lightly on my hand, which was still held securely between her own, and guiding me toward the waiting area chairs.
"Yeah," I responded, still feeling slightly dazed, as I relaxed my hand releasing the tight fist I hadn't realized I was making.
"So, what's happening in there right now?" Diane asked after we sat down, her curiosity evident as she gestured with her head toward where Mom and Bob had gone.
"What?" I asked, startled.
"Yes, your mom is in there. What is she doing right now? Is she already pushing?" Diane asked calmly, her tone clearly meant to help distract and soothe me, her large eyes sparkling with interest.
"No," I replied with amusement, shaking my head slightly. "Right now, Dad and some nurses are probably helping her put on the hospital gown," I explained, thinking through the general process. "Then, a nurse or an obstetrician will come to do an obstetric triage—basically, they'll assess the urgency to prioritize care," I continued, taking a deep breath and thinking back to the signs I'd noticed in Mom.
"What kinds of things do they check to determine the urgency?" Diane asked, slowly rubbing her thumbs over the back of my hand.
"Things like blood pressure, the heart rate of both the mother and the baby, the time between contractions, the duration and intensity of each contraction, and cervical dilation," I replied, mirroring her gesture and gently stroking her hand with my thumb.
"And with all that, they decide if it's time to start pushing?" Diane asked, releasing my hand for a second to adjust her glasses using her sweater before immediately taking my hand again.
"Yeah, basically," I answered, nodding slowly. "If the dilation is more than four centimeters, the contractions are regular, and the baby is doing fine—in other words, if all the signs are good—then they move the mother to the delivery room or the labor area. If not, she has to wait under observation."
"Sounds like a pretty easy process," Diane said with a slight tilt of her head, smiling.
"Theoretically it is," I snorted, "but it's usually a slow and painful process," I added seriously, "widely accepted as one of the most extreme forms of pain outside of torture methods," I added a little sadly.
"So not pretty easy got it" Diane muttered nervously.
"No," I murmured amused, "although with the advances in modern medicine the process can be made more bearable, although painful and tiring, but bearable," I added, not wanting to scare Diane completely.
After finishing my explanation, Diane and I sat in comfortable silence for a few minutes until the same nurse who had escorted Mom and Bob earlier reappeared, smiling calmly.
"How's everything?" I quickly stood and asked, walking up to Betty.
"Everything seems normal. Your mom and the baby have excellent numbers. I don't think it'll be long before the expulsion phase begins," the nurse explained with a reassuring nod.
"Good," I murmured, nodding slowly. "Oh, who's the obstetrician on duty?" I asked, remembering to check.
"Don't worry. Dr. Stratford just started his shift," the nurse quickly replied.
"All right, thank you," I said with relief, knowing Dr. Stratford was the head of obstetrics.
"No problem, I'll be here if you need anything, PJ" Betty said calmly. Then, with a warm smile toward Diane, she added, "And it's nice to finally meet you, Diane."
"Likewise," Diane replied, a bit puzzled but maintaining her manners with a stiff nod.
"She's really cute," hiding her face from Diane the nurse mouthed silently with raised eyebrows, nodding in approval.
"I know," I mouthed back with a grin, watching the nurse return to her workstation.
"How many nurses know about me?" Diane asked curiously as we sat down again in the waiting area, her intrigue evident.
"By now? I'd say every single one of them," I replied, nodding slowly and thinking about how terrifyingly efficient the nurses' gossip network was.
There were plenty of nurses I hadn't even met yet, but it seemed like all of them already knew me—and probably Diane, too.
While we waited in the waiting area, and as time passed, nurses periodically came by under the pretense of checking for updates on Mom, only to try striking up conversations with the 'famous' Diane.
That was how we spent a couple of hours, with Diane and me only occasionally left alone for brief moments.
"How many nurses work at the hospital?" Diane asked nervously during one of those rare moments when no nurse was in the waiting area with us.
"I'd say around three hundred, but for this shift, about a hundred," I answered, shrugging slightly and watching Diane's concerned reaction.
"And how many do you think will 'visit' your mom?" Diane asked slowly, clearly trying to hide her discomfort.
"Knowing Mom… all of them or almost all of them," I replied, pretending to think for a moment before giving her a sheepish smile.
"Okay," Diane sighed deeply, as if bracing herself.
This was exactly what I had anticipated when I got home earlier today. Diane had made surprising progress in overcoming her social discomfort over the past week, but it was clear she wasn't ready to meet hundreds of new people in just a few hours.
"You don't have to stay here if you don't want to. I can take you back to the Coopers' so you can wait for your mom if you're feeling uncomfortable," I said gently, squeezing Diane's hand, which had been clasped in mine since I sat down next to her. The last thing I wanted was for Diane to feel uneasy.
"No!" Diane quickly responded. "I want to be here," she added firmly, calming her sudden burst of emotion.
"Okay," I murmured with amusement, noting Diane's obvious attempt to mask her discomfort. "Tell you what, I'm going to grab some coffee. Want to join me?" I asked, knowing Diane needed a break from the nurses' questions and trying to suppress a smile at how quickly her expression changed.
"Yes, please," Diane responded immediately, standing up and practically pulling me along with her.
Since Diane hadn't had a chance to see much of the hospital during her last visit, I decided to take the long route to the hospital café, showing her the wings we passed through. Helping Diane recharge her social energy after dealing with so many nurses was just a useful extra.
The fact that the walk gave us a little alone time was just a pleasant bonus.
Not long after, we arrived at the café, where I got myself a coffee and Diane a tea.
As we walked back to the waiting area, I watched Diane, now completely at ease, blowing softly on her hot tea. "I'll ask this one more time: are you sure you don't want me to take you back to the ranch?" I asked. "It's a really short drive," I assured her.
"Why are you asking?" Diane asked, stopping for a moment, clearly surprised. "You don't want me to be here?" she added, her curiosity piqued but showing no sign of worry.
"What? No, not at all," I immediately said, incredulous. "It's just that I know you're uncomfortable with all the nurses trying to make conversation with you," I quickly explained. "I'm really glad you're here," I added a moment later, looking at Diane, who continued to blow softly on her tea.
"Oh," Diane murmured, with the disposable cup covering half her face. "Is my discomfort really that obvious?" she asked a moment later, lightly biting her lip in concern.
"I think only I notice it," I assured her, seeing the worry on Diane's face, though it was actually quite visible at times.
"Great, so your parents and siblings didn't notice, right?" Diane asked with interest, pressing her lips together.
"I don't think so, no. Why?" I responded, fairly certain this time as I recalled how Teddy had practically kidnapped Diane at the dinner table and later in her room and Gabe, well was just Gabe.
"I just wanted to make a good impression on your family," Diane declared with an odd formality, narrowing her eyes slightly.
Unable to help myself, I chuckled in amusement, nearly choking on my own coffee.
"What? Do you think I failed?" Diane asked, tilting her head, seemingly recalling every interaction she'd had with any member of my family. "I thought I was a success."
"No, that's not it," I quickly said, forcing the coffee down where it needed to go, trying to stop coughing. "I'm pretty sure it was a resounding success," I declared seriously, leaning in slightly.
Mom was practically an open book with her intentions for Diane, just like Mrs. Cooper and Meemaw. They all seemed united in their idea of formalizing a relationship between Diane and me.
Teddy seemed to have taken an unexpectedly quick liking to Diane, dressing her up and sending her to me with the excuse of wanting water. Even Missy, who I was pretty sure had a tiny crush on me, seemed to approve.
"Really?" Diane asked, her eyes widening. "Good," she added a moment later, smiling.
Diane's smile, unlike many of her smiles over the past few days, was unhidden this time.
It was beautiful.
"I like you," I declared seriously, determined not to be interrupted a fourth time that day.
Caught off guard by my sudden words, Diane, who had been smiling without a care in the world just a second ago, stared at me, completely speechless.
"I'm sorry, I just had to say it," I quickly apologized, embarrassed, realizing how abrupt I had been. "Although it's not a lie. I really do like you," I added seriously, keeping eye contact.
"Romantically?" Diane asked after several moments of silence, her large, beautiful eyes still focused on mine.
"Yeah," I said, chuckling at Diane's strange question. "I'm in love with you," I admitted seriously. Once I said it the first time, it surprisingly became easier to repeat.
Biting her lip to keep herself from smiling—something I now easily admitted drove me crazy—Diane nodded quickly.
"What does this mean?" Diane asked with excitement in her voice.
"Well, if you feel the same way about me, it means we can start a relationship… a romantic relationship," I explained slowly, puzzled, adding the last part quickly to avoid confusion.
"Okay, and how is this romantic relationship different from what we already have?" Diane asked, visibly suppressing her smile as she shifted on her feet.
That was actually a very good question. "I don't know, really, not much," I quickly replied, thinking about the past few days. "I mean, I think it's practically the same, just with a couple of added things," I said, pressing my jaw, strangely embarrassed to explain as I took a sip of coffee.
"Like kissing and copulating," Diane declared completely shamelessly, making me choke on my coffee for the second time during the conversation.
"I mean, yeah," I said after coughing repeatedly. "When we're both ready," I added, trying to avoid any weird self-imposed pressure on Diane's part.
"Great," Diane murmured, nodding firmly. "Then I in love with you too," she added a second later, smiling broadly once again.
With how the conversation had gone, the start of our relationship strangely didn't feel entirely like a sentimental victory—more like signing some sort of contract.
"Great," I murmured, a little awkward but amused, as I watched Diane's radiant smile.
"Now we should kiss, right?" Diane asked, shifting on her feet.
"Well, if you want to," I said, laughing. I knew that at least I really wanted to.
"Oh yeah, ever since we went to see Edward Scissorhands in the theater, I've really wanted to do it with you," Diane declared, nodding firmly once again, completely unashamed.
"Since then?" I asked, smiling with interest. The movie theater had been one of our first dates.
"Well, yeah," Diane replied for the first time since the beginning of the conversation, looking slightly embarrassed. "I'm a very impressionable girl," she added, pressing her lips together.
"Yeah, you are," I declared with amusement, taking a small step toward her.
The sudden closeness visibly startled Diane, making her jump slightly in place.
"We can postpone it until you're comfortable," I assured her, amused, keeping my attention fixed on her eyes.
Though I was maintaining a calm front with Diane, I was honestly a little anxious myself.
"No, I want it now," Diane murmured softly but firmly, also keeping her gaze locked on mine.
"Great, I want it now too," I declared, relieved, joking. A moment later, I leaned in as Diane stood on her tiptoes, meeting me halfway.
Our first kiss tasted like cheap hospital coffee. Beyond that, Diane's lips were exactly as I had imagined—like the rest of her skin, cold and incredibly soft.
"I really like that," Diane said after a second that easily could've been an hour, pulling back slightly with her eyes still closed.
"It was good," I murmured sarcastically, though I had thoroughly enjoyed it.
"Shut up," Diane retorted, cutting me off. She stretched up to kiss me again, wrapping her arms around my neck to keep me down.
I was quite grateful that no one interrupted us this time.
"Diane!" a furious English woman's voice suddenly called from the end of the hallway.
I totally take that back.
"Mother?" Diane asked, quickly pulling away from the kiss, surprised to see her mother at the end of the hallway.
"What is the meaning of this?" Mrs. Adler asked incredulously, visibly upset as she marched toward us.
"PJ and I have started a romantic relationship," Diane replied to her mother's question without an ounce of shame, as if she were talking about the weather.
"Oh, I see," Mrs. Adler declared, exaggerating the widening of her eyes, as if she had truly needed Diane's explanation to understand. "We're leaving," she added, pressing her jaw tightly.
"Mrs. Adler—" I began, despite not really knowing what to say to try and calm her down, but I was interrupted.
"Do not speak to me, boy," the blonde woman exclaimed, raising a finger, momentarily losing all composure. "I don't want to hear a word from you," she said, relaxing slightly but still visibly agitated, in a tone that made it clear she was warning me.
"Mom, what's going on?" Diane asked, confused by her mother's behavior. "I know you don't entirely like PJ."
I'd say that was an understatement.
"But I like him a lot," Diane added.
"Oh, please, darling," Mrs. Adler declared exasperatedly, shaking her head. "It's just a stupid infatuation with a stupid boy. You have more important things to focus on," she said, casually insulting me.
I'm not stupid.
"My feelings aren't stupid," Diane immediately said, visibly offended by her mother's words. "And neither is PJ," she added a moment later.
Thank you.
"You can't get distracted by this, Diane," Mrs. Adler said, forcing a smile to hide her irritation. In a tone of false calmness, she continued, "Tomorrow morning, we're taking our flight home, and I promise you that in a couple of days, this silly infatuation will be forgotten once you dive into all the mathematics Shankland has prepared for you."
With her words, I felt as though a heavy sack of stones had dropped into my stomach. Somehow, I had completely forgotten that Diane was only in Texas for a week.
"I told you my feelings aren't stupid or silly," Diane declared firmly, snapping me out of my thoughts about how complicated it would be to maintain a relationship with Diane living in Boston. Maybe I'd need to finish high school early, accept Dr. Thomas's offer, and start medical school under his mentorship.
"You have your entire future in mathematics ahead of you, your dream—" Mrs. Adler was saying, stepping closer to her daughter with a sweet smile.
"No," Diane resolutely interrupted her mother, taking my hand without even looking at it. "It's your dream," Diane added, squeezing my hand surprisingly tightly, "and I'm not going to keep wasting my life on it."
Clearly not expecting such words from her daughter, Mrs. Adler was left completely speechless for a few seconds, studying Diane's face. Slowly, her gaze shifted to me, lingering on Diane's and my joined hands.
"You," she murmured, pointing at me with her nostrils flaring in rage. "This is all your fault. In one week, you've managed to fill my perfect Diane's head with conformist and mediocre ideas."
"Stop it, Mom," Diane said angrily, stepping in front of me before I could even think of something to say. "Conformist and mediocre ideas?" she asked, clearly offended. "PJ showed me the beauty of living my life the way I want, and you, of all people, have no right to insult him for that," she declared, pointing a finger at her mother in a gesture that mirrored Mrs. Adler's earlier one.
"Diane—" Mrs. Adler began, raising her hand and once again smiling with that infuriatingly fake tranquility.
"No, now you're going to listen to me," Diane interrupted surprisingly firm. "I'm done living my life under your guidance. It's over," she said, nodding emphatically slowly pressing my hand harder. "And whether you like it or not, I will live it the way I want."
Mrs. Adler blinked, stunned by the conviction in Diane's voice. Her false composure cracked slightly, but she quickly straightened up, regaining her calm demeanor. "You're being foolish, Diane," she said sharply. "Living in this small town, clinging to some boy, throwing away your potential—it's beneath you. What can you possibly accomplish here?"
"I can accomplish everything want," Diane replied surprisingly without missing a beat. "I'm pretty sure that Texas Tech would offer me anything position I ask for. I'll continue studying mathematics, but on my terms, not yours. I'll stay here, work hard, and build the life I want."
"And where are you going to live, Diane?" Mrs. Adler snapped, her voice rising. "In this boy crowded small house, with the income of an exterminator and a nurse?" The woman sarcastically asked. "This is not sustainable! It's reckless and irresponsible."
Before Diane could respond, a voice cut through the tension like a knife. "Now, wait just a minute!" With her Texas accent marked by anger, Mrs. Cooper appeared seemingly out of nowhere said. "I don't think you have the slightest idea who you're talking about, or how strong and capable Diane is."
Mrs. Adler looked at the woman with thinly veiled disdain. "This is a private family matter," she said coldly. "I don't see how this concerns you."
"It concerns me plenty," Mrs. Cooper shot back. "Diane is like family to me, and if she wants to stay here and not go back to Boston with you, she has a place to stay—with us." She crossed her arms defiantly, as if daring Mrs. Adler to argue.
It was quite interesting that with the little that Mrs. Cooper knew about Diane she already held her in such high regard, I was pretty sure that somehow the woman saw in Diane everything that scared her of Sheldon growing up to be.
"With you?" Mrs. Adler repeated incredulously, as if the very idea was preposterous. "Your only gifted son is locked in because of your shortsightedness, What makes you think you can take care of her better than I can?" she asked mockingly.
"Don't talk about my family with that false superiority of yours," Mrs. Cooper seeming ready to fight said threateningly. "What I do with my son and what I plan to do with Diane, unlike you, is give her the space and support she needs to make her own choices. She's old enough to decide what's best for her life, and she doesn't need you hovering over her every move. And just so you know, Diane's not running away from responsibility—she's standing up for herself."
Mrs. Adler opened her mouth to respond, but Diane cut her off. "This isn't up for debate, Mom," she said firmly. "I've already made my decision. I'm staying here" Diane resolutely declared.
"Diane-" Once again nervous now, Mrs. Adler tried to say.
"No" Daine interrupted her abruptly. "You only have two options rigth now mother, accept it and maintain the little contact that I am willing to have with you, or force me to go with you, wait for me to complete my petition for emancipation and lose absolutely all contact with me, forever".
Mrs. Adler stared at her daughter, clearly at a loss for words. For a moment, the tension hung heavy in the air. Then, from the same place where Mrs. Cooper had arrived a moment ago, Hank, Diane's stepfather, walked calmly next to his wife, taking her by the shoulders and speaking weakly in her ear.
Staring at her daughter for a second, pain in her expression, Mrs. Adler nodded slowly as she walked with her husband to the opposite side of the hallway, toward the hospital exit.
...
As I mentioned at the beginning of this chapter, this chapter was quite challenging for me to write. However, near the end, the words flowed easily. It's not one of my favorite chapters, but I'm quite satisfied with the result. I look forward to reading your comments.
Author Thoughts:
As always, I'm not American, not a doctor, not a fighter, not Magnus Carlsen and not Michael Phelps.
Another chapter has passed, so new thanks are in order. I would like to especially thank:
11332223
RandomPasserby96
Victor_Venegas
The top has changed, with that said,
I think that's all. As always, if you find any errors, please let me know, and I'll correct them immediately.
Thank you for reading! :D
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