I know I’m not going to change his mind, but I’ll be the one coming back to find him as soon as I’m sure Mom is okay.
I need to see her with my own eyes.
And when I do, I know it’s going to take a long time to get back to Eli.
She’s inconsolable, worried sick about Michael and Troy.
Sil is okay, thankfully, and stays quiet in the corner of the room, but he does have a chair. Admiration for him flares right up inside me. He’s fucking dedicated to keeping Mom safe, that’s for sure.
“There was so much blood,” Mom cries out. “They wouldn’t let me see him, they took him away.”
She hasn’t been able to speak calmly, to tell us what happened, so Ally, Dad, and I focus on reassuring her.
But we can’t, can we?
We have no freaking clue what the hell is happening with Michael.
“Troy’s in surgery already, they’re taking good care of him.” I try reassuring her with that, but it just sets her off again.
Her sobs are rattling enough that I’m thinking of asking a nurse if they can give her something to calm her down before she hyperventilates and passes out, and that’s when Eli comes in.
He’s pale.
Almost translucent.
The fluorescent lights of the hallway make his platinum-blond hair look like a halo over his head, but that doesn’t disguise the dread in his eyes.
“No, no, no.” Mom’s sob sounds pleading and devastated before her eyes roll back and she passes out.
22
Lex
“Fuck,” Eli hisses and runs out, leaving me frozen and Dad and Ally frantic as they try to get Mom to wake up. But he’s back with a nurse a few seconds later.
The nurse gets to work right away. I pull Dad back to give her space, but the pain I see in his eyes is enough to have tears gathering in my eyes again.
I turn to Eli, knowing he’s going to be the one who needs me the most, but he’s shaking his head, eyes wide and scared.
“Dad’s going into surgery too, he’s not—he’s going to befine.” He says it with enough conviction that I know he’s mostly trying to reassure himself.
“But then why—what happened?” I demand.
“Lex, I need.” His eyes dart all around the room before he shakes his head. “Not here. Look, I’m sorry, Lex. I’m so fucking sorry, but I need you to come with me. I know your Mom needs you but?—”
“Whatever you need, angel.”
There’s no room for doubt in my voice.
I mean it with every fiber of my soul.
Eli sighs then looks at Dad.
“I’m sorry, Ruko, but I need Lex to come with me. It’s an emergency.” Dad’s eyes go hard so Eli holds up his hands. “Not as bad as this one but more urgent. Tell Lyla Dad’s in surgery. Brain surgery ’cause?—”
He cuts himself off as his breath hitches, but then he straightens again, like he’s been doing all afternoon. He’s doing it to stay strong.
My brave angel.
