Beck’s eyes flash to mine.
“They wouldn’t let us in unless we were immediate family.”
“Oh,” Simon says. “Sneaky. I thought it was real.”
“It is,” Beck and I respond at the same time.
I’m sure, all things considered right now, keeping secrets isn’t the right choice anymore.
My brother must sense the tension because he backs up.
“I’ll give you two a minute. I’m glad you’re okay, man. I better go call Grey and his babysitter.”
The room returns to its silence.
I have so much to say but now isn’t the place. I still need time to think, and being away from him will help me do that, but I also can’t leave him on his own.
“I’m not moving out yet,” I tell him and sit next to his bed. I reach for him but stop myself, opting to just pat the bed next to him. “I’ll stay to help you, but once you’re healed and can take care of yourself, I’ll move into my own place,” I say, cutting to the chase.
“You don’t have to do that.”
“No, but I want to.”
“Do you really?”
I can’t look at him.No, not really.But his entire life was almost taken from him today. If I stay, I take the future he’s dreamed about with a family.
“I’m not just going to leave you to fend for yourself, Beck.”
“I have a family who can crash with me for a bit. I don’t want you to feel forced into anything.”
“I know you don’t, but I’m already living there, and even if I didn’t stay, I wouldn’t be out of my room right away. Whoever is helping you will know that I live there and ask questions. Right now, there are more important things to focus on.”
He coughs, so I grab the water and ice chips and help him take another small sip.
“I’ll do exactly as the doctor says so that you don’t have to be there any longer than necessary.”
I nod. “Thank you.”
“For what it’s worth,” he says quietly, “I’m sorry I hurt you.”
I swallow hard and look away to keep the tears from falling. He deserves better than this.
“Okay, so I got apple juice and chocolate muffins,” Simon says, joining us at the perfect moment.
“Aww, look at you two. The newlyweds are happy to be reunited.”
I cringe.
“Can you not tell my family that we’re married?” Beck asks once Simon is seated.
“What? Why?”
“Because,” I interrupt, “it…” My words trail off as I look at Beck.
“Calla and I are still trying to figure things out, since it all moved so quickly,” he says, and I nod.
He’s not wrong, and this answer definitely detours my brother from asking a lot more questions.
