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Solomon clears his throat. “He’s fine, but his son has gotten into a bit of an accident.”
“Which one?” The nauseous feeling in my stomach tells me I already know.
“Nathan. While he was surfing. A freak accident. I don’t know all the details, but–”
“Oh my god, is he alright?” Though I don’t love Nate the way I used to, I would never wish ill upon him. I can’t help but feel this is my fault.
Solomon nods. “Yes. I mean, he will be. He has a spinal cord injury that apparently is going to take some rehabilitation. Edwin wants to be there.”
“Of course, he does.” I’m unable to contain a smile.
He’s a good man. A bad father wouldn’t do that for his child.
“So, I’m going to make sure that everything is still going according to plan. As if he never left. And that means you and I should touch base about how things work around here since I’m not normally in the fray, as it were.”
Tears start streaming down my face, and I turn from Solomon. “Sorry.”
“Oh, Sonia…” Solomon comes over and pats my back. “It’s alright. Everything will be alright.”
I don’t know what he knows or doesn’t know. Not sure if his comforting is out of pity or out of a sense of duty.
Right now, it doesn’t fucking matter. It feels nice for someone to tell me everything is going to be okay because deep down, I know the truth.
Nothing will ever be alright again.
25
EDWIN
“I have to admit,this is nice.” Nate grins.
Jack, Abigail, Nate, and me, all in the same place. That hasn’t happened in years.
And now that Nate is more cognizant of what’s going on around him, it means a great deal more than having us all fawn over his half-comatose form.
Jack chuckles. “Yeah, I think that’s the painkillers talking.”
Abigail punches him in the arm. “Don’t be a jerk. It is nice, isn’t it, Natey?” She bats her eyes, squeezing Nate’s hand.
“I’m injured, Abs, not five.”
I am posted up in the corner of the room where I’ve been since I came to see Nate in the hospital that very first day.
Abigail fetched me a few changes of clothes so that I didn’t have to leave.
And though everyone has encouraged me to go home and get some meaningful sleep in a bed instead of on acouch that is too short for my legs, I have been compelled to be with Nate every step of the way.
I know the doctor said he didn’t hit his head, but from the way Nate is smiling at me from time to time, I have to wonder if we’re dealing with a small case of selective amnesia that has just wiped out all the wrongs Nate feels I’ve done to him and replaced them with happy memories.
Or maybe Jack’s right. Maybe it’s the drugs.
“Knock, knock.”
I turn to the door. “Come in.”
A nurse with a blonde ponytail sticks her head in. “Hi there, I’m Laney Briggs, I–” She scans the room. “Oh my god.”
Her face is somewhat familiar.
