CHAPTER TWENTY-ONE; Anna

Rose parked her car and smiled at her phone. She should have just given in and called then, but old habits die hard. She locked her car and started the walk up to her father's room. It was past 2:00 am but when she'd woken up alone in bed with a smile on her face, it had been difficult to go back to sleep. She felt positively giddy but she wasn't going to do what she really wanted. Which was to place a call to Laurent and see if he was up for a chat. So her father was a close second. She smiled when she remembered that just three weeks ago, her father would have been her first choice. 

Taking a detour, she grabbed a cup of coffee from the cafeteria. A taste confirmed that 'Yes, hospital food was as horrible as people made it out to be, but she just continued drinking it. She was in that much of a good mood. She took the elevator alone and had to firmly tell herself not to start squealing. Her father was still her father, so she couldn't really tell him everything but boy, she wanted to. She wanted to open her mouth and talk for hours about Laurent; meeting him, approaching him, and the fact that he insisted on their make-out session being one-sided, 'bathing her in the tub and putting her to bed." she covered her mouth with a hand but still managed a small squeal. Oh, how she missed her bestie at that moment. Anna had been the life of the room when they roomed together in college. Always getting invited to parties, Rose had lived vicariously through Anna's stories.

Biting her lip, she made a decision. They'd been close once, but then life got in the way. It wasn't like they'd had a fight or something. They should be able to pick up from where they stopped, right? Before she could rethink her decision, she dialed her line. Anna had always been a night owl, and it was only 11:00 pm in Philly, which was where she'd been based the last time they'd spoken. On the third ring, Anna answered.

"Hey babe. I was just thinking about you tonight.

"Awww. You could have called," she responded excitedly. Things were just going in the way she wanted. Had she stepped on a good luck charm or something?

"I know, right," her friend sighed, "But given the fact that I was pleasuring myself when that thought came, I knew it might have made things awkward."

She choked on a laugh, "TMI, Anna. I definitely didn't need to know that."

"Right? That was what I thought too."

She laughed again, "So, how are you? And do I want to know why you remembered me when you were pleasuring yourself?"

The elevator dinged and she stepped out, leaning against the nearest wall.

"Not really," her friend's bell laugh came over the phone. "I was bored and wanted a challenge. So I got it in my head that I was going to use the strongest vibrator I have while remaining silent. It brought back memories of doing the same when you weren't aware."

"You naughty girl," she laughed, "I shouldn't have asked."

"Whatever. So, what's up, babe? I don't remember you being a night owl. What are you doing up before 5:00 am?"

She sighed dreamily, "I woke up and couldn't go back to sleep."

Over the phone, Anna gasped, "It's about a guy, right? It's about a guy," she finished on a high note, and Rose had to massage her cheeks. They were already twinging from laughing too much. That didn't mean she didn't laugh again, though.

"Yeah, it's about a guy."

"Oh my God, Oh my God. Rosie is awake because of a guy. My baby has grown old."

"Oh, shut up."

"Awn. I wish I could give you a hug right now."

"Me too, I swear, me too."

"Wow," Anna squealed again, "Rose voluntarily asking for a hug. "I need to meet this guy. Where are you? I can drive over."

She choked, "Aren't you in Philly?" 

"No, I flew in to see my parents in New York last night."

"Really?" she shouted and covered her mouth when a passing couple glanced at her sharply, "Sorry," she apologized with a wide smile. The woman frowned, but the man gave a small smile back.

"Yup. So, where are you? You can't tell me about your love life over the phone."

"That's true," she agreed, then remembered where she was, "Oh, shoot."

"Now, what?"

"I completely forgot. I texted my dad that I was coming to see him and then got distracted."

"Your Dad?" she asked incredulously. "Wait, are you guys at a party or something?"

"Oh, no," she chuckled, "He's much better now but he spent the last few nights in the hospital. I lodged in a hotel nearby and just texted him that I was on the way."

"Oh"

"Yeah, he said he'd be expecting me and that was about 10 minutes ago. You know what? Let me just pop in and say hi and then we can continue this."

"Sure, tell him hi from me."

"Better still, stay on the line and tell him yourself. He'll understand; I don't want to keep him from sleeping because he's waiting for me."

"Okay, that's nice, then. Let's goooooo," she sang, and Rose had to move the phone away from her ear with a laugh.

"Don't do that. I'm in a hospital."

"So? Is his room that far?"

"Not really. I'm in front now. Behave yourself, he wasn't really a fan of you before.

Anna sighed, "I know. He didn't want me to corrupt his daughter."

She swallowed a laugh and knocked the door before she entered, "Hey, Dad..."

She stumbled to a halt and just stared.

Her father and Laurent stared at her. The former with a poor attempt at a smile, and the latter with a clear face. "What... what's going on here?" she asked in fear. The tension between them was palpable.

"Rose," Anna called in her ear and she turned around. "My Dad has an unexpected guest, Anna," she whispered. "Let me call you back."

"What's the name of the hospital?" she rushed to ask, and Rose smiled gratefully. Whatever had happened or was happening, she had a feeling she'd need her friend.

"Princeton memorial," she answered and hung up the phone.

"Am I interrupting?" she asked into the cloying silence.