Natalia took a long drink and headed back to the hospital room. Horatio was standing by the window, Ryan was at the head of the bed. Alexx was sitting on the edge of the bed holding Calleigh's hand and Eric had Ani on his lap on the only armchair in the room.
"You ok Nat?" he asked.
"Fine thanks. It's the hospital smell it gets to me." She smiled and took Ani from him. " I'm so sorry Calleigh but I have to get her home to bed. It's been a long day"
"Oh that's perfectly ok. Thanks for waiting Nat. sorry if I worried you." she smiled. Natalia turned to Anissa.
"Say good bye to everyone Ani."
"Bye Bye. Feel better Cal-Cal." The little girl waved.
"I'll walk you out." Ryan stood up.
"Nah I'll go. Stay where you are Ryan." Eric smiled and stood up. They walked out together, but Natalia made sure to keep her distance.
"You sure your ok Nat?" Eric asked again.
"Yeah I told you."
"I don't remember you ever having any troubles with hospitals before."
"It was just worst this time." she murmured and tied Anissa into her seat. "I'll see you at home."
"I'll stay with Calleigh a while they wont let her go home tonight. So don't wait up for me." She just nodded and drove off.
Ani was in bed and all the jobs around the house were done. She needed something else though to stop her thinking. She grabbed a cloth and started scrubbing the kitchen floor. One tile at a time she slowly made her way around until her fingers were raw. She saw a speck of red on the clean white floor that she paused. What am I doing! She laughed. She actually couldn't decide if she was angry or upset. How twisted was that she was upset that her best friend had lost her husbands baby. Unset that her husband was in pain over this. Upset because she wasn't as angry as she should be. She threw the cloth into the sink washed her hands and went back up to bed.
Eric didn't leave the hospital until the early hours of the morning he and Calleigh hadn't spoken after everyone had left. They'd just lain on the bed and he held her like he had before. He let himself quietly into the house and went to go up the stairs, but stopped. It was late and he didn't want to wake everyone. So he headed to the kitchen and pulled out a bottle from the drinks cupboard. He wasn't meant to drink. Not with the thing in his head. The doctors were afraid he'd hurt himself more and cause even more damage. But tonight he didn't care. He sat at the kitchen counter and took a swig. Anything to rid him of the blunt numbness.
An hour later it was still there. that awful feeling. Eric could barely stand himself his wife was asleep upstairs and all he could think about was Calleigh. His train of thought was broken when a phone lit up on the counter. He picked it up and opened the message that had come through. It was Ryan
"Hey u ok you seemed out of sorts earlier." It read. He wondered for a second what Ryan was doing texting so late before texting back.
"I'm grand tnks. Was just worried bout Cal."
"I am 2. Poor thing. Did you no she was pregnant?"
"No. she didn't say anyting." He lied.
"Wonder who the father is."
"I wouldn't no. I mean you no Cal. Private's private." He sent that message then looked down at the phone. The wallpaper caught his eye. It was a picture of Nat and Ani that he didn't recognize. He was nearly sure is was just of Ani. Then Ryan's reply came through.
"Yeah I know. So you u stil comin over tomorrow? Eric probably doesn't have work with Calleigh but like he thinks you have an appointment right?" that stopped him dead. This was Nat's phone. Not his. He laughed. Ryan and Nat. that was just perfect. He threw the phone back onto the counter and pulled out another bottle. Just fucken perfect.