35 - Relief

"...I'm telling you, if I could just have maybe ONE DRINK, everything would be just a little bit better," Anna said with a heavy sigh, "It sucks."

"But you can't do that, silly," Julia said on the other end, "Pregnant people aren't allowed."

"According to this book, no," Anna said with a smile, putting the cap back on her highlighter, "You wouldn't believe the crazy stuff I've been reading. It's so true! Like all the cravings I've been having."

"Brittany said she craved fish all the time."

"Well, I've been craving weirder things..." Anna giggled.

"Oh?" Julia snickered, "Do tell..."

"I have had sour cream on everything. Even cereal."

"Anna, that's disgusting!"

"Yeah, I know. And I don't really like sour cream."

Julia laughed, "So how is Ryan?"

"He's healing up," Anna replied, "It's been just over a week and things are looking up. The doc is keeping him on alot of medication so he doesn't feel the pain anymore. He gets kind of funny, actually."

"Oh yeah?"

Anna giggled, "He talks dirty to me."

Julia was silent for a moment.

"I thought you didn't like him, Anna."

"I don't."

"That still doesn't give you a reason to use him like that!"

"I'm not using him!" Anna defended, "We're...well, we're trying this whole 'couple' thing, you know, for the sake of the baby..."

"You have to actually be interested to be in a couple, Anna." Julia stated smartly.

Anna turned to the next page in the baby book she was looking at, and saw a photo of a couple holding a child, "Well, let me put it this way...I don't hate him anymore."

"Do you think that, for the sake of the baby, you could ever learn to love him?"

Anna bit her lip, "You know...when I was on that plane to Vancouver, all I could think about was, how would I survive without him? I've never actually felt, well, wanted until I started living with Ryan. He treats me well, I admit, but he takes care of me too. We take care of each other. So, I guess what I'm trying to say is...maybe I could."

"I'm glad to hear it," Julia replied, "Listen, I've gotta go. Call me in the morning, ok?"

"Ok, bye Jules."

"Yep, bye," Julia hung up the phone and pointed to her boyfriend, Carey, who was watching television, "You will owe me $5 come tomorrow. I can feel it."

Carey laughed, "You sound so sure."

"I am sure. And I'm gonna be $5 richer."

Carey stood up, "Oh yeah?"

Julia laughed as Carey chased her into the bedroom and shut the door.

-

"So where does she live?" Drew asked. It was way past visiting hours, but Drew slipped the head nurse a 20 dollar bill and was sitting by his brother's bed. Unfortunately, the painkillers had Ryan so drugged up was saying anything that came to mind.

"With me."

Drew smirked, "Oh yeah? Who's choice was that?"

"I don't know, actually...but I'm glad because the second night she was there was really awesome."

"Why?"

"Mind-blowing sex."

Drew was taken aback, "Really, Ryan?"

"Well, the next time was better, actually, cause we did it on the table."

"ON THE TABLE?"

"Yeah, it was a bit scratchy, but I didn't mind..."

"And this table was where?"

"At the HSBC."

"You had sex on a table at the HSBC. When was this?"

"During practice. It was great!"

Drew shook his head, "Well, Ry, I never thought you'd wind up getting someone pregnant, let alone become a nympho..."

"I'm not a nymphoid. I'm...I'm tired..."

"Oh-kaaay," Drew stood up, "I think I'm going to go check up on your, er, girlfriend..."

"She's my wifey..." Ryan said through a slur.

"Yeah, wifey..." Drew bid his brother good-bye and headed down the hall, stopping to talk to a nurse, "Say, you might want to check up on the amount of drugs you're giving that guy in 245..."