I nod. “I think so?”
“Do you mind if I go in there with you?”
“That would be good.”
He opens the door, and I step in before him.
“Max,” Mom says, delighted when she spots him behind me.
“How are you feeling?” he asks Mom.
“Better now that I see the bride and groom standing together again.”
I feel Max stiffen next to me, but he doesn’t say anything. Instead of correcting her, he steps forward and sets the flowers on the nightstand next to her bed.
“You didn’t have to do that,” Mom says.
“I wanted to,” he assures her.
Mom sighs and leans back against her pillows. “Thank you all so much for stopping by, but I’d like to rest, if you don’t mind.”
“Of course, Mom,” I whisper.
“I can’t help but worry about my girls,” Mom says as we’re heading to the door.
“You don’t need to,” I promise, but I’m wondering what she means by that.
After we exit, Liz closes the door behind us and exhales heavily.
“I’m sorry she still thinks we’re getting married,” I whisper to Max. “I can’t bring myself to tell her the truth right now.”
He winces. “Of course. I wouldn’t expect you to…” He drags a hand through his hair and exhales slowly. “I wouldn’t expect you to break it to her while she’s in the hospital.”
“It’s just for now,” I promise. “I’ll tell her when the doctor says she’s in the clear.”
Lizzy’s eyes grow big. “The wedding is in three weeks. You can’t put it off for long.”
Liz is right, but I can’t wrap my brain around a solution. My mind is swimming with everything that’s happened in the last few days. “I know.”
Liz smacks Max’s shoulder. “I’m pissed at you.”
“Liz!” I hiss. I wave my hand, leading the two of them away from Mom’s door. This is probably the worst possible place to do this.
“A baby?” Liz growls at him when we reach the elevators. “With Meredith?”
Max doesn’t say anything, but his jaw hardens.
“Liz, let it go,” I warn.
She pokes Max in the chest. “Maybe Hanna’s not upset anymore, but I—”
“Stop!” I say. She must hear the desperation in my voice, because she does. She steps back and drops her hands.
The elevator dings, and I force myself to follow Liz and Max inside.
“Can we talk?” Max asks. “Tomorrow?”
I nod dumbly. As confident as I was just yesterday in my decision to end this, anxious even, now I want to drag my feet to the finish line. Not only because of my mom, but because I love Max.