Slow Grind (Men of Mornington)

“Because you needed time with him. I didn’t want to impose on that.”

“I was just watching him until I finally passed out. You didn’t have to sleep in this chair, Mum. I could have called for a cot or something.”

“It was you he needed, Aubrey. He’s had enough of me. I can tell when my own children are sick of my presence.”

My heart aches at her admission. We all know we don’t see eye to eye on a lot of things, and we fight more than we don’t, but for anyone to feel unwelcome, especially with their own children … it’s heartbreaking. “Mum,” I whisper sympathetically, my Australian accent peeking through over my American. “Nobody is sick of you. We might not have a typical mother-daughter relationship, but I don’t hate you, and neither does Max. We just hate hovering.”

“That’s what a mother does, Aubrey. You’ll never know the strain of a mother until you become one. You’ll never know what it’s like to sit up all night and worry that the last words your child spoke may be his last. Hovering is how I prove I’m here for the long haul. It might seem oppressing to you, but I swear it’s not meant to be. I just need to be useful, however that comes across.”

I know exactly what she means. I guess, in my own way, I’m a hoverer, too. I might not helicopter Max, but in one way or another, I’m always there. I’m constantly checking on him, trying to help. My mother and I aren’t very different after all.

“I think I might stay a while, if that’s okay with you,” I tell her, not admitting that it’s not to mend our relationship, but to see Max through his treatment and find out exactly what’s going on between myself and Drew.

“I’d like that, Aubrey. I missed so much of your life, I’m scared you don’t even think of me anymore. You’re getting older, maybe you’ll get married soon, and there are so many things I don’t want to miss out on because you hate me. I want you to get to know me.”

“Maybe we can start small? A few lunches and mother-daughter date nights?”

“I’d like that a lot, angel girl,” she sighs, using the name she called me before my pre-teen years exploded in my face.

“Well, Max is awake. We should get in there. He’s going to need his girls to see him through this.” I reach my hand out toward her, helping her stand from the uncomfortable position she slept in, and keep hold of that same hand as we walk through Max’s hospital room door.

“What the fuck is this?” Max asks when he turns his head to see us coming in together.

“It’s called bonding, Max,” I tease.

“Yes. Bonding.” My mother looks over at me and gives a wink meant only for me. When I reach Max’s bed, I press the button requesting a nurse. She comes in quickly and heads out just as fast in search of the doctor assigned to the case.

Within moments, the doctor comes in, welcoming Max back to the land of the living. He explains to Max what happened in the last twelve hours or so, then informs us that as soon as Max’s lungs are clear of fluid, he’ll be able to fly. He even tossed in a few words about how amazing the experimental treatment was and the success he’d heard about it.

With everything going on, I forgot about Drew not being in the room. I pull out my phone, which is nearly dead, and place a call which goes straight to voicemail. I’m sure his phone’s out of battery and he’ll be back shortly. I can’t see him leaving me alone without even a note or something.

The doctor leaves, Mum goes to get something to eat and Max goes back to resting so his lungs can clear. All the while, I’m wide awake and staring at the clock. Deciding to head back to the apartment to shower and change, I use the last of my phone battery to hail a taxi from the app. Once I get to Max’s, I get a little nervous. There’s no Jacey.

It’s not like she has other friends on the continent, so where would she have gone? Maybe sightseeing? I didn’t have time to really explain to her what was going on with Max. She could have found Nate and is eating or shopping or whatever else it is tourists do in Melbourne. There are a hundred different possibilities, and the only thing I’m concerned with at this exact moment is taking a shower, washing off the hospital grime and changing into some clean clothes.

I take an extra-long, scalding hot shower, remembering to shave my legs and scrub my scalp. I even make the extra effort to dry and straighten my hair and apply a little bit of makeup to hide the bags under my eyes and the stress lines that are sure to be forming. When I’m presentable again, I pull out my phone and immediately kick myself in the arse for not plugging it in to charge while I w

as getting dressed. Refusing to let anything get me down on this beautiful, abnormally warm, late fall day, I lock the door behind and figure the doorman will allow me to use his phone to call for a taxi.

I get down to the lobby and wait behind one of Max’s neighbours talking to the concierge. Once he leaves, I ask the gentleman about a taxi service and without hesitation, he does some weird thing on a walkie-talkie and seconds later, a cab is out front waiting for me.

“Thank you, sir. I’ll make sure to let Max know how well you took care of his little sister.” I think that might be the first time in forever I didn’t mind being Max Rosewood’s little sister. Everything seems to be coming up sunshine and rainbows today. It’s a great feeling, and I want to live in this moment for as long as possible.

It’s a short ride back to the hospital and when I reach Max’s floor, I spot Jacey from all the way down the hall. How the hell did she get here? Then I see Drew come out of Max’s room, my backpack slung around his shoulder.

“There you are,” I say, grabbing Jacey in a bear hug. “I thought some hot Australian dude kidnapped you and you were never coming back.”

“Well,” Jacey drawls, winking over her shoulder at a smiling Drew. “You got the hot Australian dude part right. But I kind of kidnapped him and made him bring me here. Do you know this hunk of sexy came to the apartment at like six in the morning to find you clothes and shower stuff? How much hotter does that make him?”

“A lot hotter, I suppose,” I say with a grin.

“Okay, I need to run downstairs. I get shit service up here and I need to call my folks so they know I wasn’t taken or anything.” Jacey rushes past me and off the floor.

“So, you’ve told your friend about me?” Drew’s eyes sparkle as I blush.

“I tell Jacey everything. And I do mean everything,” I slyly mention, hoping he catches the drift.

“Since you’re telling your friends, does that mean I can tell mine?”