We’ve traveled down one winding path for some time only to realize the parking garage is in the opposite direction. With a sigh, we turn around and start heading back in the direction we just came from when he says, “All right, I really want to know.”
From his mildly agitated tone I think losing most of his chips to me has been bothering him more than he wanted to let on. Or maybe he’s just realizing I was playing him when I told him I needed his help. I could see how that could bruise a man’s ego, but in my defense… well, I don’t have a defense for that. It was kind of mean. “Okay—” My phone rings before I can finish that thought. To my surprise, I see it’s Dad. He never calls unless he needs something. He probably wants to borrow money because he lost all of his. I don’t know why he even bothers, I always tell him no. But here he is again. “Hey, Dad. What’s going on?”
The line is silent. Did he butt-dial me by mistake?
“Hello?”
Nothing. That’s weird.
I’m about to hang up, but I can hear him breathing.
Wait, is he… crying?
Oh no.
My breath lodges in my throat. No, no, no.
“Dad, what happened? Tell me,” I shout.
His voice is trembling, barely a whisper when he finally mumbles, “She didn’t wake up.”
That’s it. He doesn’t say anything else. She didn’t wake up? What is talking about?
“Dad, tell me everything. Are you—”
“She’s gone,” he yells.
The line beeps like the call dropped. Did he hang up on me? Wait, what did he just say?
My head is spinning in a fog of confusion as I try to process what’s happening. Desperate, I try to clear my head but an overwhelming cacophony of cha-ching-ching-chings from a million greedy slot machines surrounding us drown out all reason and I can’t seem to process any of it.
She didn’t wake up? She’s gone? What did he mean by—
It hits me all at once, like a thunder bolt from a dark storm cloud and I can’t breathe. This can’t be happening. I drop my phone screaming, “Nooo!”
“Maddie!” I feel pressure around my arms. “Maddie, what happened?”
I look down to see Riggs’s hands gripping me and without warning, my legs give way. He tries to catch me, but I fall to the floor, my back landing against the cold metal of an annoying slot machine that won’t shut up. Riggs crouches down, concern in those beautiful blue eyes. Tears start to flow as I look up to meet his gaze. “She’s… ” I convulse with a sob. I can’t bring myself to tell him, like saying the words out loud will somehow make it real.
He grabs my shoulders with a firm grip. “You’re scaring me. What happened?”
I feel like I’m going to be sick. “She’s…” My body is shaking so hard my stomach hurts. I bite back another sob. The whole room is spinning. “She’s… gone.” It comes out so softly I don’t know if he could hear me, but it’s all I can muster.
“Oh, Maddie,” he exhales. He comes to his feet pulling me up with him then wraps his arms around me like a protective shield, but he can’t protect me from this. Nothing can and all I can do is bury my face in his chest and cry.
He’s holding me tight, not saying a word and I can’t stop as reality sets in. I’ll never cook for her again. We’ll never play Rummy again. I’ll never be able to hug her again. She won’t be there late into the night, keeping me company while I make dresses. She’ll never make me laugh again. This is it. I’ll never see her again. It hurts so bad.
I turn with my cheek pressed against his chest and through teary eyes I see several people gathered around us. They’re all standing there, just staring. I must be quite the spectacle, but I don’t give a shit. Fuck them. Fuck everyone! I turn back and bury my face in Riggs’s shoulder and let the tears flow.
He says something, but it doesn’t register. I can’t believe she’s gone. It’s too much. The pain is too much. The world is closing in on me, my vision narrowing as my breaths turn shallow. I can’t… I go limp and everything goes black.
I’m only half-aware of being cradled in Riggs’s arms as he carries me through the casino. Instinctively my hands come up and clasp around his neck. It feels like I’m floating as we rush through the maze. “Hold on,” he whispers, “I’m getting you out of here.”
When we’re finally outside, he stops a good distance from valet parking, far enough away for us to be alone.
“It’s okay,” I tell him. “You can put me down.”
“Are you sure? I think you passed out.”
