Page 87 of Mountain Trial

“I’ve known you for a short time, but I’ve known Kat for a long time. I’ve never seen her―”

“How is she?”

“I think she’s hurting. More than she’s letting on. She said you were giving each other some space, but that’s not what happened, is it?”

Luc shook his head. He was seconds away from sobbing into his beer. And, suddenly, he found himself opening up to Jens.

“Do you know what it was like, to sit there in that helicopter, and know those men could do anything to her, and I wouldn’t be able to protect her?”

“Things turned out okay.”

“This time,” Luc said darkly.

“So what, you think it’d be easier to have a relationship if you were Superman, or something?”

“Fuck you. You don’t know what it’s like―”

“No. I don’t,” Jens acknowledged. His brown eyes blazed with something Luc couldn’t quite identify.

Anger. Sadness. Despair.

“I do know what it’s like to lose someone you love. I know how much it hurts. And I can tell you, I would have given anything for the chance to spend one more hour with her. So, sorry if I don’t consider your paraplegia to be a valid excuse.” Jens pulled his lips together in a tight line, as if he’d said too much.

“I’m sorry you lost someone.”

Jens inhaled and exhaled once, then let out a short, forced laugh. “It was a long time ago. If that’s all you got from this conversation, I didn’t do a very good job. My words were meant to kick your ass into action.”

Consider my ass kicked.

“You’re right. I’ll go … I’ll go talk to Kat,” Luc said. “Before the waitress decides to lecture me as well.”

Jens smiled a wry smile.

“I’ll pay for your beer. Least I can do. Get out of here.”

Kat’s light was on when he arrived.

She’s home.

He pressed the downstairs buzzer, grateful she didn’t live higher than the third floor, as he wouldn’t have been able to reach those buttons.

He said his name and she buzzed him in. By the time the elevator door opened, Kat’s front door was open as well.

“Hi Luc,” she said. She looked surprised to see him.

“May I come in?” he asked.

She nodded, and moved back into the apartment, making space for him. He wheeled himself in, taking a moment to look at her. There were dark bags under her eyes, and she’d lost weight. Her jeans hung loosely from her frame in a way they hadn’t just a month earlier.

Is she sick?

“Are you okay?” he asked, concern for her outweighing everything else. “Have you been injured?”

“No,” she said. “I’m okay. I’m actually glad you’re here. I wanted to speak with you.”

“Let me go first, please,” Luc said urgently. He licked his lips. “I’m sorry, Kat. I thought losing the use of my legs was hard, but it was nothing compared to losing you. This month was … I’ve never felt so lost, so―”

“What does that mean, though?” she asked. Her look was cautious―Luc could see how much he’d hurt her. “I want to hear you say it.”