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Was he for real? “Sort what out, exactly?” Lucy asked.
“First that whole fiasco in California, now here. You need to quit winding up in the hospital.”
Lucy scrunched her eyebrows together and opened her mouth to respond.
Her mother made a face at her. “Darling, you look atrocious. Do they not have combs at this hospital? We can pop out and get you one.”
Lucy scowled. “Good to see you, too, Mom.”
She pressed her eyes into slits and attempted to make Katie’s head explode with only her mind.
It didn’t work.
“Thank God I don’t have to plan your funeral, Lulu. Can you even imagine?” Her mother flicked something from her fingers and wrinkled her nose as though the place smelled awful. At the moment, it was scented with industrial strength cleaner, gumdrops, and extreme irritation.
“I try not to, Mom.”
Katie made big eyes at Lucy and mouthed, “I’m so sorry.”
“She doesn’t want to talk about death, Berta. She’s in the hospital, for Pete’s sake.” Her father crossed his arms over his argyle sweater vest.
“Here we go,” Lucy said under her breath.
“This is kind of fun to watch,” Katie whispered.
Lucy disagreed. And she’d finally had enough.
“Mom. Dad. I had a really rough night. And you know what? It’s actually been a really rough ten years. So, if you don’t mind, I’d appreciate it if you’d go.” Lucy gestured to the hallway. “Like. Now. Now would be great.”
“That’s very rude.” Her mother dug through her Louis Vuitton purse. “Have you eaten? I thought I had some crackers from the plane. Darn, where’d they go?”
“You ate them while we waited for our bags.” Her dad gave his condescending look he’d practiced to perfection.
“Right, well we can order something up. That’ll make things better.” She leaned to Katie. “She always had the strangest moods. Food’s the best way to calm her down.”
Lucy seethed, and the monitor at the side of the bed started to chime.
“Out. I mean it.” Lucy pointed to the door. “You march in here uninvited telling me all the things that are wrong with me. If you want to come and support me, great. But you’ve been here less than three minutes, and you’ve insulted me, criticized my hair…and…I don’t need you here for that.”
“Is she on drugs?” her father asked Katie in total seriousness.
Lucy exaggerated a strangling noise.
“Luce.” Will’s hoarse voice came from the entry.
Her dark knight had come to her rescue again. Where had he found jeans and a T-shirt? And when did he have time to shower? He dropped a bag from the nearby café known for their breakfast burritos on the tray table next to her bed.
“You brought me food.” Lucy’s stomach rumbled at the thought.
Her mother raised an eyebrow at Katie.
“Who’d you have to bribe to sneak it in?” Lucy asked.
“No bribes, just some well-placed phone calls.” He gestured to her parents and Katie. “Who are all these people?”
“My family.”
“Hello, Lucy’s family.” He shrugged off his jacket.
