I wasn't getting into that tonight.
"Your bike is taken care of. What are they saying about his mom?" Juelz asked.
"Appreciate it. Nothing yet. We're still waiting," I told him.
Solana tucked herself into my side. Vinny sat on the other side of me, quiet and still. Jessa had come in a few minutes after us and was sitting with Aubree, scrolling on her phone.
Juelz moved toward the empty seat next to Aubree and she shifted her purse into it without looking up. He picked it up, held it in his lap, and sat down like she hadn't done a thing. If the situation had been different I would have smiled. She was giving him hell, which was exactly his type of problem to have.
The doctor came through the double doors and everything in Vinny went still beside me.
"Is she okay?" he asked before anyone else could speak.
The doctor's expression settled into something measured but not grim. "She's stable. She experienced a severe asthma attack, likely brought on by a respiratory infection. Her airway wascompromised by the time paramedics reached her. She's going to need to stay with us for a few days so we can monitor her oxygen levels and make sure her breathing stays where it needs to be."
A few days.
I felt the moment it landed on Vinny. He looked up at me like he was trying to work out what that meant for him.
I rested my hand on the back of his neck.
"You're not staying here alone," I said quietly. "You're coming with me."
He looked back at the doctor. "She's going to wake up, right?"
I watched the doctor's face carefully.
"Your mother is being well taken care of," the doctor said directly to Vinny. "We have her on supplemental oxygen and we're going to monitor her closely through the night. She's in good hands. I want to make sure we have your contact information at the desk so we can reach you with any updates."
I gripped Vinny's shoulder, then looked back at the doctor. "When can he see her?"
The doctor checked his watch. "Give us about ten minutes to get her settled, then we'll come get you."
He headed back through the doors. Solana stood and walked over to us.
"I'm going to go pick him up a few things to sleep in tonight. He shouldn't have to wear the same clothes to bed." She looked at me. "Your place or the loft?"
"The loft. I want to be close enough to get back here fast if we need to."
She nodded and glanced at me. "I also want to stop by the shop and grab those letters from my mom and a couple of things. It'll be quick."
I shook my head because this woman never stopped moving, but her heart was something else entirely. She saw exactly what Vinny needed and was already handling it without being asked.
"Juelz is going with you. It's late and you're not moving around out here by yourself anymore, not now that the whole world knows who you are."
Solana exhaled and started to turn away. I caught her chin and brought her back to me, then kissed her a few times until the tension in her face softened into a smile.
"Hold all of that. You know I'm right."
I looked over at Juelz, who was already on his feet.
"Take her to grab what she needs."
He nodded.
Jessa stretched and stood up. "I'll stay here. I can drop you and Vinny at the loft when you're ready."
"Thank you," I told her.