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She looked up at him with a mixture of sadness and disliking, her contours slowly hardening. “Because I can.”
Gwen got up and added her dirty dishes to the sink and left the kitchen without another word. She went upstairs where he heard her grab her bag and walk back down. He rushed to the door and opened it, quickly grabbing the car key.As she walked out, Silas grabbed her arm holding her back.
“Don’t be angry with me.”
Silas’s tone was a little too harsh for Rayen’s liking but he didn’t say anything, this was between her and Silas.
“It’s a fair question. Every time you visit her you return upset and angry.”
“And you are being a dick. Let me go.” She pulled away from him, but he didn’t let go.
“Being with her upsets you and I don’t like that. She doesn’t know if you’re visiting or not.”
“You don’t think I know that?” Her voice was filled with rage, but Rayen wasn’t entirely sure it was all towards Silas. “Let go!”
He let go of her instantly. “Gwen…”
“No, I don’t need to hear it.”
She turned and stormed out. Rayen quickly unlocked the car and rushed past her to open the door for her. Sitting down she took deep slow breaths, her eyes full of wild emotions.
“League City.”
He nodded and started driving off. The whole ride was quiet while she stared out of the window. As they came closer, she directed him towards the care home. After parking the car, he took her hand gently squeezing it.
“I don’t need to go inside with you. It’s okay if you’ve changed your mind.”
“No, it’s okay,” she said softly and climbed out.
He followed her inside a very modern and light building. At the front desk she signed in, before following a light hallway that led past a few common areas. Stopping by what seemed to be a dining room, she popped her head in. “Hi Stacy, is Evangeline in her room?”
“Yes, she is, but I’m not sure if she is in her wheelchair yet. I’ll be right there.”
“Don’t worry. As long as I have the hoist, I can do it.”
He followed Gwen down another light hallway with lots of personalized doors. She opened one with a picture of her and her sister. In the picture they looked so identical that he had trouble telling them apart.
“Evangeline? It’s just me,” she said timidly as she stepped inside. “I brought someone with me.”
To his surprise, Gwen took his hand and pulled him into the room with her. Evangeline looked different than in the picture, paler and sicker. She definitely had lost weight; her cheek bones no longer hidden beneath the warm rosy cheeks he’d grown accustomed to in Gwen.
Evangeline was laying in one of those hospital beds that he’d seen in movies. The head rest was slightly raised so it seemed as if she was sitting up. Her eyes were open, but he couldn’t see any life within them.
Still holding his hand, Gwen stepped closer to her sister. “This is Rayen, remember I told you about him.” Then she shook her head and let go of his hand. “I know she can’t hear me, it’s just…I can’t not talk to her…” her voice broke.
He wrapped his arms around her shoulders, hugging her from behind. “You don’t need to explain yourself to me.”
She looked around the room before pulling the blanket away. Evangeline was fully dressed, though her clothes seemed loose.
“Let’s get you out of bed, shall we?”
He let go of her so she could get the wheelchair and set it beside the bed. “How do you usually get her out?”
Gwen pointed at a machine in the corner of the room. “The hoist. I just have to put the mat under her and it picks her up for me.”
“Would it be easier if I picked her up and sat her down? Only if she wouldn’t feel uncomfortable.”
She gave him a sad look. “I don’t think she would ever deny a good-looking man picking her up.”
