Pig.
There is no exception when it comes to men, is there? They are all disappointments.
Two more hours pass and my phone vibrates again.
Carter
I know you’re busy saving lives and all of that, just give me a time when you have a chance. I don’t want to be late. Can’t wait.
Again, I don’t answer, even when my heart begs me too.
About eight hours into my shift, which is in the literal middle of the night, my phone buzzes for a third time.
Carter
I’m going to assume you’ve seen the podcast. I was going to wait until after your shift to bring it up. I’ll explain. It’s not the truth. None of it. It’s just you, Red. Since day one.
I roll my eyes. I’m sure. I can’t take his word for it, even though I desperately want to. The stuff that woman said made sense. Over thirty minutes of pure information that added up far too perfectly.
She mentioned being with him on all the days that I wasn’t. She knew my schedule, knew when I was at games, at events with him, or spending time with the team. Things that she shouldn’t know, because she can’t be everywhere at once, and she definitely couldn’t have been at ninety-nine percent of those places at the same time that I was.
I storm to the vending machine, in desperate need of chocolate to get this bitterness out of my heart, when my phone starts ringing. I immediately move to decline the call, since if I’m not texting him, I’m definitely not talking to him on the phone—but I stop short when my sister’s name stares up at me instead of Carter’s.
The world stills.
Oh god.
Serena is calling me. At three AM.
That’s a death notice.
I answer it quickly with a shaking hand.
“Hello?” I say into the phone, my voice breathless.
“Biggie?” she sniffles.
Mom.That’s my first thought.
Mom, please be with my sisters right now. Before you take Dad’s hand, take theirs.
“Are you okay?”
“I’m so sorry for calling so late.”
I lean against the wall beside the vending machine to keep myself upright. I shut my eyes and take in a big breath, forcing myself to stay composed. For her. I’m a nurse right now, not their Biggie.
“You call whenever you need to, Smalls. Alright? What’s wrong?”
“I got a call from one of his doctors,” she says quietly, her voice breaking. “He’s having heart complications. He can’t eat or chew on his own anymore.”
My heart stirs, and relief rushes through me. I sink forward, confused by the emotion that surged forward in this situation. I’m relieved he is still alive?Why? I don’t want him to die, but I know he’d be better off if he did. My sisters would be, too. I didn’t expect to feel this guttural, all-consuming relief to hear he isn’t dead when I expected him to be.
“Oh, Rena,” I say gently.
“I’m so scared,” she whimpers. “I can’t tell Anya. She’ll lose her mind. I called you instead.”
My heart aches. Another Biggie looking out for the littlest of the Smalls. “Okay. It’s okay. Walk me through it. What did the doctor tell you?”
