Our only real understanding of silence is in comparing it to the hustle and bustle of everyday life. In libraries, movie theatres, churches, we step out of the ruckus of life and into a silence, a voluntary silence. However, the key in the above silences is that they are voluntary. They aren’t painful. They aren’t heavy with unsaid words. The silence between Ashley and Spencer as they sat on the cold metal table outside the medical center was anything but voluntary.

They had been sitting outside for nearly an hour, with Ashley’s hand still intertwined with Spencer’s and their eyes focused on the sky. Well, mostly on the sky, but in truth, on anything other than each other. There was a small comfort in sitting and touching like this, and neither of them wished to jeopardize this momentary calm. So, they avoided eye contact and reveled in the feel of the other’s hand, which they both knew would be fleeting. And fleeting it was, as Ashley’s cell phone vibrated and squealed announcing an incoming call. Their contact was lost as she opened her phone.

“Hello”

“Hey Ash,” Aiden sounded nervous. “Is Spencer with you? I mean I would have called her, but I didn’t know if she… I mean… She probably wouldn’t even… Is she with you?”

Ashley chanced a look at the blonde and responded, “Yeah, we just went to get some food.”

“Well, the doctor just came in. I think that she should get up here as soon as possible.”

He was using a voice that Ashley could only remember him using once before. It had been in this very same hospital, when she woke up after losing the baby. He hadn’t even needed to explain the situation. His greeting to her as she awoke in that hospital room had been all the explanation she needed. And here she was a year later, hearing the same voice, but this time it wasn’t for her. It was for Spencer, and Ashley was scared witless.

“Ashley? Are you there? Ashley?”

Ashley’s thoughts snapped back to the present. “Yeah, I’m here. We’ll be up in a minute.”