The nurse wheels me back to my room and helps me into bed.
I lay there for a long time, staring up at the roof as I fixate on why Maya would be here.Is she okay? Is the baby okay?
Eventually, I find myself getting to my feet and wandering around in search of my friend.
“You can’t be up and walking around, sweetie. Come back to bed,” one of my nurses tries to guide me back to bed.
The first bit of feeling I’ve had in weeks hits me as I yank my arm out of her hold. “No,” I growl. “I want to see my friend.”
Her eyes widen in surprise, probably because this is the first time she’s heard me talk.
“Your friend? Do you want me to call her?”
I shake my head. “I saw her earlier. Maya Danvers.”
“Oh,” she says. “Mrs. Danvers. Yes, she was admitted yesterday.”
“Is she okay?” I ask in a rush, dread filling me.
“Yes, she’s fine,” the nurse smiles. “She was admitted because she had her baby.”
“She did?” My voice cracks as tears fill my eyes. “Can I see her, please?”
“It’s late,” she says. “I don’t know.”
“Please!”
“Okay, okay,” she soothes. “Let’s go see if she's awake.”
The nurse takes me to Maya’s room, and by some miracle, she’s still awake.
“Maya, honey, I have someone here to see you. Are you okay if she comes in?” the nurse asks. Maya looks over, her eyes widening at the sight of me.
“Ally?” she questions, her voice filled with concern. “Yes, yes, let her in.”
I rush over to Maya, a wave of emotion crashing over me as I climb into her bed and let her hold me as I break.
She might be Lulu’s best friend, but she’s quickly become one of mine, too. Between working with her on her movie, then all the hours on video calls with her and Lulu, she’s become someone very important to me.
“Well, we’ll be back,” I hear Phoenix say. I didn’t even see anyone else in the room when I came in.
“Oh, Ally, honey.”
“Everything is so fucked up,” I cry, body shaking with sobs.
“I know, hun, I know.”
We lay like that for a long time, just the two of us. She tells me all about her new baby girl, Layla.
And I tell her all about everything that's been eating at me. All my fears and pain.
“Ally?” Maya starts.
“Mhm?” I blink over at her.
“Is it worth it?”
“Is what worth it?” My brows furrow.
