Graham smiles, places an arm around my shoulders, and pulls me into him for a side hug. “No worries. You're my baby sis. I do feel bad for the guy. But I guess if people hurt you, they hurt me.”
My throat feels tight at his words, and since my emotions are already heightened, it doesn't take much to bring a glossy sheen to my eyes.
Not wanting to let sadness take over, I shake it off internally and force out another smile. “What, did you wake up on the mushy side of the bed?”
“Hey, I was being serious,” he complains.
“I know,” I answer, trying to keep that same lightness in my voice. “I do appreciate you, Gray.”
“Good.” He nods. “Alright, well, go get dressed for the day. We can grab you some breakfast before going to the first showing, so you don't get cranky, and then afterward, we'll go visit the aquarium. It'll be a good distraction.”
Twenty minutes later, we're just getting into Graham's car when my phone starts ringing. I fumble with my bag, trying to pull it out as quickly as possible, only to have a wave of disappointment hit me when I see that it's the hospital and not Cam. I answer it despite Graham shaking his headnowhen he sees it's my work.
“Hello?”
“Oh, Jasmine, hi.” I recognize Sandra's voice immediately, but there's something in her tone that puts me on high alert.
“What's wrong?” I ask, sensing that she's going to tell me something I don't want to hear.
Graham's gaze swings to me, and I can feel his eyes boring into the side of my face as he waits to see what's going on before he takes the car out of 'park'.
“It's Mr. Robertson,” she says quietly, and I feel all the air rush out of my lungs at the same time the color drains from my face. “Well, he took a turn for the worse last night.”
“What?” I choke out.
“He doesn't have long, Jasmine. He was asking for you.” I cover my mouth, the back of my eyes burning with the onset of tears forming while my head shakes back and forth.No, no, no. Waltercannotdie. “Jasmine?”
I sit up, swiping the wetness off one cheek where a tear had escaped, only for it to return a second later. “Yes,” I whisper and then swallow past the thick lump that's taking up all the space in my throat. “I'm coming.” I hang up and drop the hand holding my phone into my lap. “Take us to the hospital. Quick.”
Graham doesn't question anything as he throws the car into 'drive' and pulls out onto the street, heading in the direction of the hospital. I send a quick text to Cam, telling him where I'm heading, and then stare straight ahead, gripping my phone tightly and trying not to crumble into a million pieces.
Maybe there was a mistake.
Maybe he'll be okay.
But deep down, I knew this was coming. I could sense that this time was different when I first walked into his room the other day.
My chest aches, feeling like there's a vice wrapped around my heart, tightening with each second that passes, while my eyes burn with more unshed tears.
“What's going on?” Graham finally asks when we're almost there.
“Walter,” I whisper, unable to force any other words out.
“Shit. The old guy you always talk about?”
I jerk my head a few times in response. If I speak, I'm going to start bawling, and I won't be able to stop.
“He's not doing good?”
I shake my head, and he doesn't ask anything more.
Instead of parking first, Gray stops at an entrance closest to Walter's room, and I burst through the car door without another word. I don't even remember the walk from the car to his room, but suddenly I'm standing outside his door, finding it hard to make the final steps into his room.
I don't want him to die.
I don't want to say goodbye.
I'm not ready.
