Page 54 of Thanks for Coming Along
"My mom," he croaked, his voice strained and barely audible. His forehead was beaded with sweat, and his trembling hand tried to wipe it away.
Eden's heart tightened in her chest as she reached him. She placed her hands gently on his arms, feeling the tension in his body.
"What happened? Is she okay?" she asked, her voice soft but filled with concern. He shook his head, the movement almost imperceptible.
"I got a call... She's in the hospital. They're trying to figure out what's wrong," Ronan said, his voice shaky, eyes wide with a helplessness Eden had never seen in him before. Without thinking, Eden pulled him into a tight hug.
"I'm so sorry, Ronan," she whispered. "We'll get through this together." Her mind was racing as she held him, trying to figure out what to do next. They needed to get to the hospital. She pulled back slightly and looked up at him.
"You need to be there," she said firmly. "Let me make a call." She grabbed her phone, fingers shaking just a little as she dialed Quentin. Speaking quietly, she filled him in on the situation. Quentin didn't hesitate, offering up the jet he used when he traveled for work, no questions asked. "Of course, Eden. The jet can be ready in two hours in Tahoe. I just landed in LA, so I'll handle everything from here. Just get to the airport."
"Thank you," she said, relieved. She hung up and turned back to Ronan, still visibly shaken.
"Quentin's arranging a jet to take us to San Diego," she told him softly. "We need to get to the airport." Eden moved quickly packing their things. Every now and then, she checked on Ronan, who was trying to steady himself. In just thirty minutes, they were out the door, ready to face whatever came next—together.
Quentin hadhis driver ready to pick up Ronan and Eden as soon as the jet landed. They made it to San Diego in just five hours from when he got the call from Sadie. Erin, his mom, had suddenly started feeling disoriented and weak on one side of her body. His dad and Sadie had rushed her to the hospital, and the staff was working non-stop to figure out what was going on.
Sadie was doing her best to keep Ronan informed, sending him regular updates about their mother's condition. Her messages detailed the ongoing lab work and brain scans.
As the car zipped through the city toward the hospital, Ronan’s leg bounced restlessly. His eyes were fixed on the window, but he wasn’t really seeing anything. He still hadn’t let go of Eden’s hand, not on the plane, and not in the car. It was like he thought if he released his grip, she might just disappear.
"We're almost there," she said softly. "Just a little longer."
Eden didn’t have the kind of parents Ronan did, but she could still imagine what it would feel like to lose someone like Ingrid or Quentin. Or Ronan. The thought of losing any one of them was enough to make her stomach turn.
The car finally pulled up in front of the hospital, and Ronan turned to her, his eyes red and strained. "Would you come in with me? I... I need you with me," he said, his voice shaky. His hand still gripped hers tightly, like he was afraid to let go.
Seeing him like that twisted something inside of Eden, she nodded. "Of course I will," she murmured, giving his hand a reassuring squeeze. Ronan’s thumb brushed over her knuckles, a small gesture of thanks, and for a second, she could see a flicker of relief in his eyes.
Together, they made their way into the hospital, the sound of their footsteps the only noise in the quiet halls. As the elevator doors closed, Eden couldn’t shake the heavy feeling weighing down on her chest, a gnawing sense of unease that seemed to settle deeper with each passing second.
When they got to the right floor, hand in hand, they rounded the corner and came face-to-face with a petite girl with auburn hair standing in the hallway. Eden instantly recognized her as Ronan’s sister, Sadie, from all the pictures Ronan had shown her. Sadie’s eyes went wide when she saw them, and before either of them could say anything, she rushed over to Ronan.
They hugged tightly for a few moments, Sadie’s tears quickly filling her eyes as she clung to her brother.
"Ro, I’m so glad you’re here," she murmured into his chest, her voice thick with emotion. Ronan’s eyes were glossy, and Eden could feel her own throat tighten at the love between them. When they finally pulled apart, Sadie looked up at Eden, her teary gaze meeting hers.
"Holy crap! Eden Percy, I can't believe you're here! Ronan won't shut up about you!" Sadie said, her smile watery as she pulled Eden into a tight, warm hug. Eden hugged her back with a gentle squeeze.
"I wish it was under better circumstances," Eden murmured into Sadie's hair, her voice soft.
"Yeah, me too," Sadie replied, pulling away from the hug. "Come on, let’s go see Mom."
"I’ll wait out here," Eden said quietly, taking Ronan's hand and giving it a reassuring squeeze. Ronan squeezed it back, his eyes full of thanks, before pressing a quick kiss to her knuckles and walking off with Sadie.
Eden made her way to the hospital café, grabbing some water and snacks for Ronan and his family. With her arms full, she headed back to the waiting room. She found a quiet spot towards the back, leaned her head against the wall, and silently wished for Erin to be okay.
A while later, Sadie came into the lobby, scanning the room until her eyes landed on Eden. She gave her a small but warm smile as she walked over and sat down next to her, placing a gentle hand on Eden’s arm.
"Thank you for being there for my brother," Sadie whispered, her green eyes glimmering under the harsh fluorescent lights. "And I don't just mean right now. I mean, since you two have met. He was a mess after returning home from his last overseas job."
"Well, the feeling is mutual. I was a bit of a mess for a while there. I think I was lost in a lot of ways until I met him." Eden said. Sadie smiled softly and patted her arm reassuringly.
"How is your mom doing?" Eden inquired, her voice laced with concern, her brows knit together in worry.
"Better, much better," Sadie said, her eyes reflecting the relief that softened her features.
"She's back to her usual self. The doctors said it was a transient ischemic attack, basically a mini-stroke. They want to monitor her for a few hours, but they think she should be able to go home tonight once she gets an MRI scan."
