Brynn's dad was right when he said I'd still feel insane even though I'm right here in the hospital waiting. This is torture. Gran filled me in on some of the other details of how all this works.

We had to wait until they gave us an update. At that time, the surgery would be either wrapped up or they would let us know why it was delayed. Then Brynn will be moved to recovery. We most likely won't be allowed back to see her until she's come out of anesthesia, so it may take a while.

I kept checking my phone every five minutes. Time seemed to slow to a snail's pace. My phone vibrated and I'd seen a text from Tyler.

T- Any news?

Me- Not yet. Not until 12:30.

T- I'll text back at lunch then. Hang in there. The whole school said a prayer for Brynn today, during your mom's announcement.

My mom? Tyler's mention of her made me realize I should probably give her a call.

Me- Thanks! I know she'd appreciate that.

T- Keep me updated, Brother. I'm here if you need me.

Me- Will do.

I still had another hour or so to go before we would get any news. I asked Gran and Brynn's dad if they wanted anything to eat or drink from the cafeteria. Gran asked for some water and Brynn's Dad a cup of coffee - black and I was on my way. I made sure to take note of the directions I took so I could easily find my way back. I didn't want to get lost in this habitrail of hallways.

I call my mom on the way and she picks up instantly on the first ring.

"Finn? How's Brynn? Everything okay?" Her words come out rushed, almost panicked.

"I don't know anything yet, Mom. I just wanted to talk to you."

"Oh? How did things go this morning?"

"They took her back around 10:30 and said we probably wouldn't hear anything until noon or 12:30."

"Then you don't have that much longer to wait, right?"

"Waiting feels like an eternity."

"Oh, Finn," my mom empathizes, "I know this hard on you."

"I think that but then I think of Brynn's Gran and Dad and I can't help but think things must be so much harder on them."

"I imagine you're right. What they had gone through with Rebecca has to be playing in their minds."

"The not knowing is the worst. I feel so... powerless."

My mom is quiet for a second. "You're never powerless, Finn. If you hold on to hope."

"I'm sure they held onto hope for Brynn's Mom but that didn't change the outcome."

"No, it didn't but that doesn't mean we should give up on the idea of hope. Hope is the desire for a certain outcome but it also means trust and sometimes you just have to trust whatever the outcome is, it is what meant to happen."

"So I need to trust that if they come back and say things are worse with Brynn that this is what is supposed to happen? I can't do that Mom. I can't just accept that I may lose her."

"You're not going to lose her. That's why you hold on to hope. Your faith will pull her through this."

I thought of Brynn's face as she went into surgery and saw some sense to what my mom was trying to tell me but part of me just doesn't think this is something a human brain can really understand. Not completely.

I had to have faith that Brynn would pull through this ordeal unscathed, but my confidence with each tick of the clock begins to waver.

"I know this is scary, Finn. And unfortunately, I can't say you won't have more moments like this in the future. Want to be worried and scared every moment of your life? Wait until you have children." She laughs. "You'll never be fully rested again. But you have to have hope and faith that they'll be okay and you'll do your best to be there for them when things aren't okay. You're already doing what is most important by being there when someone really needs you."

"Just like you are for me. I don't know what I would do without you, Mom."

I hear her sniffle a little on the other end of the phone and I know she trying to stifle her tears. "I love you. I'll always be here for you. You know that."

"I know but I don't think I always tell you how much I appreciate you and dad and all that you both do for me. Thank you!"

I can hear the smile back in her voice when she said, "What are parents for?"

I hung up promising I would text her the moment I had word. I got myself a snack, 2 bottles of water, and a coffee and headed back to the waiting room. Gran and Brynn's Dad appeared to be in a strained conversation upon my return. I wasn't sure if it would be better to take another turn around the hallway but they had both spotted me.

"Finn!" They exclaim in unison with such relief I felt more confident in returning. I handed Gran her water and Mr. Shelby his coffee. "I'm guessing no news?"

"Too early, yet. I see you got yourself some cookies," Gran said smiling at me.

"They are nowhere near as good as yours but yeah," I tell her taking a seat at the table with them.

"I need to use the restroom. You didn't happen to see it on your way here?" Gran asks me.

"In fact, I did. It's down the hall and on your left. Right near the elevators."

"Thanks, Loveface," Gran gets up and heads in the direction I told her to go.

Mr. Shelby looks at me, eyebrow raised over the brim of his coffee. "Loveface?"

I can feel my cheeks flush with heat from the word. I cough a little, "Yeah, its sort of her nickname for me."

"How did you come by that?" he inquired taking a longer sip of coffee.

"Brynn told her about me but not my name because well..."

"Your mom." He filled in.

"Yeah. Brynn said she showed her a picture of me and Gran said, 'Careful that's a face you can fall in love with.' And so hence..."

"Loveface." Mr. Shelby smirked.

"Exactly," I said still feeling embarrassed by the confession.

"You know that means, Gran knew who you were from the very beginning. She must have really liked you to have encouraged Brynn to go for it, knowing our family history."

"What do you mean? How would Gran know who I am?"

"Dorthea and your mom are really close since Rebecca grew up with her. Rebecca and your mom were inseparable. Well, until I came along."

I look away feeling uncomfortable for a whole different reason now. Still, I found myself asking. "Why did you separate them?"

"Is that what she told you?" Mr. Sheby shook his head in dismay. "I didn't separate them."

"My Mom said that you made Rebecca choose her or you."

"Is that so?" He smiled into his coffee again and I suddenly wondered. "What really happened?"

"You sure you want to know?"

I wasn't but shook my head yes.

"Your Mom had a long time crush on me."

"WHAT?!" Okay, whatever I was preparing for him to say this wasn't even on the list.

Mr. Shelby laughs. "I was the school's bad boy, Finn. It was only natural at the time but when she saw I had no interest in her and worse was interested in her best friend things got...tense between them."

"But she said you ..."

"What drank, smoked, and was an all-around bad influence on her best friend?"

Again I nodded yes.

"I was," his grin grew as he took another sip of his coffee, "I was all those things and probably worse. I'll be the first to admit I never deserved Rebecca, but I wanted to be worthy of her. She was something special."

His look became reminiscent and wistful as he thought of his wife, and it was impossible to miss the love he had for her.

"When Veronica knew her and I were never going to be she went into a full-on campaign to ward Rebecca off the idea of dating me. Things got better slightly when Rebecca introduced her to your dad, but your Mom still couldn't accept Rebecca being with me.

Guess she was too good at convincing herself I was no good and one day, though it broke Rebecca's heart, she let her best friend go. Rebecca couldn't take the arguing anymore. She wanted your Mom to accept the fact that she was happy with me and your mom just couldn't do that. Rebecca cried for weeks over losing her. Besides battling cancer it was the hardest thing I've ever had to watch her go through."

I sat there stunned by this news. It didn't sound right, but he said it with such sincerity. Right or not, this is what he believed to be the truth.

I decided to change the subject. "What was Brynn's mom like?"

Mr. Shelby put down his coffee and smiled a genuine smile that took years off of his face. "She was a lot like Brynn. Fiery, spirited, that's how she drew me in. I was helpless like a moth to the flame. Even though I knew I would probably get burnt. I didn't care. I had to be with her. If she'd have me. No one could be more surprised than I was when she accepted my proposal."

"You loved her a lot." It seemed obvious but I didn't know what else to say.

"Yeah. I do."

I couldn't help but notice he said "do" instead of did. He spoke of her as if she were still here and I found the thought oddly comforting.

"How did you and Brynn meet?" he inquired.

Laughter burst from me as the image of our first meeting sprung to my mind. "She was told by her keychain to blow me off and leave me hanging at the bus stop."

Mr. Shelby nearly spits out his coffee but managed thankfully to swallow. However, he went into a coughing fit.

"Sorry," I said, handing him a napkin.

Once he had things under control, he said, "I didn't know she still had that thing. Her mom gave it to her. Brynn would worry about everything but we couldn't blame her. It's tuff on a kid whose parent is sick all the time and ..."

Mr. Shelby's look of shame was hard to miss. "I really was of no help. I didn't know what to say. I didn't exactly grow up with parents like you had or Rebecca had. There was no support or deep conversations so, when the shit hit the fan I was at a complete loss. Then Rebecca came up with the creative idea of that eight ball for Brynn to use when she got overwhelmed. Huh... can't believe she still has it."

"Yeah, she asked it if she should hold the bus up for me and it disagreed. She blew me a kiss, so I'd know, no hard feelings." I see Mr. Shelby's look of shock and disbelief.

"Yeah, exactly! So, of course, when I got to school I planned to have it out with her. I confront her and she starts talking. I swear to you although I knew she spoke English... I could have sworn she spoke a different language that day as nothing she said to me made sense."

Mr. Shelby laughed hard at this information or me it was hard to tell.

"Talked circles around you, huh? Made you think you were somehow at fault when it was all through?"

"YES!" I said empathically waving my hands.

"Well you better get used to that if you're plan is to stick around. I never won an argument with Rebecca... EVER."

"Great," I said sounding dejected but I really wasn't. I'd happily argue with Brynn if it meant she was sticking around to argue with me.

"So are you?"

Lost in my thoughts I had to ask, "Am I what?"

"Planning on sticking around?" Mr. Shelby wanted to know and his tone was all dad - a dad that wants to protect his little girl from getting hurt.

"I'm not going anywhere. She's tried to kick me out of her life several times but I won't let her do it. She needs me. As much as I need her, we're no good apart. We belong together."

"You got your work cut out for you kid. With losing her mom and well my stupidity of abandoning her, she's going to have a hard time believing that."

"I don't care. If I have to remind her every day I will."

"You're a good kid, Finn. I still can't say I like the idea of you dating my daughter but I honestly don't think I'd be okay with any guy dating my daughter. So, if she's made her choice, she could have done far worse for herself than you."

It struck me funny how his statement sounded like an insult and compliment at the same time. I didn't realize that was possible until right now.

"You two boys getting along?" Gran asked upon her return.

"Yeah, of course," I reassured her.

"Good because Brynn needs you both."

"And she'll have us both, Dorthea. No more running for me. No matter the outcome. I'm here to stay," Brynn's dad declared.

"You know I'm not going anywhere," I tell Gran.

"You better not. Not after spending the night with my Granddaughter."

My eyes go wide and I nearly choke on the cookie that turned into sawdust in my mouth.

Mr. Shelby's face turned red and I hear, "When the hell did you spend the night with my...?"

Just then, Dr. Alterman came into the room and that question got put on pause for another time.