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A faint smile curls his lips and he dips his head to press a soft kiss to my lips before he digs for his keys again, pulling them out and unlocking the doors. I slide into the passenger seat and he gets behind the steering wheel, starting up the car.
“You okay to drive?” I ask, hoping that he is. I’ve had too much to drink. He seems fairly sober.
“I had a beer a couple of hours ago, but that was it,” he says, as he puts the vehicle in reverse and starts to back out of the space. “I’m fine.”
It’s a tension-filled car ride the entire way. Eli’s worry radiates off of him in waves, and his brother calls about thirty minutes into the journey, frustrated that we aren’t there yet.
“Where the fuck were you anyway?” Ryan asks, sounding furious.
“Up by the lake at a costume party,” Eli tells him, his voice ragged. “The house was over an hour away from the hospital. We’re halfway there.”
“We? Who are you with?”
“Ava came with me.” He sends me a quick look.
“I thought you two were broken up.”
Eli winces. “We’re—back together.”
I don’t correct him because I feel the same way, even though we didn’t actually say those words to each other. I don’t do anything but stare straight ahead, curling my hands into fists, hating how shaky and nervous I feel. I need to be strong for Eli right now. He needs me. I can’t be all worked up over what his brother is saying and how he’s treating Eli. He’s just worried.
“Well, what the fuck ever, just call me when you get there and find out what’s going on with Mom, okay?”
“Will do,” Eli says, his voice determined.
They end the call and, once again, there’s silence. But I don’t think I can stand it. I want to ask questions, but should I? I don’t want to upset Eli more.
I’m curious though. I want to know.
“Do you know what happened? With the car accident?”
He nods. “She was by herself. And her blood alcohol level was over the legal limit so I guess the cops want to arrest her. Even though she hasn’t done anything or hurt anyone but herself. Fuck, I don’t know. I guess we’ll find out.”
“What are the extent of her injuries?” I ask.
“That I don’t know. Ryan didn’t say much, so I guess we’ll find out.” His jaw hardens. “She’ll be fine. She has to be.”
I hope so. The relationship Eli has with his mother has always been described as volatile, but I know he’d be devastated if something horrible happened to her.
Completely devastated.
We make small talk, but it’s forced. Eli is completely distracted. Worried. And I don’t want him so preoccupied he gets us in a car accident as well, so I stop trying to keep up the conversation. By the time we’re at the hospital, it’s late, yet the parking lot is crowded. Eli finds a spot to park and whips into it, shutting off the car and climbing out without waiting for me or talking to me at all.
I feel invisible as I follow him into the emergency room. My phone dings with a notification and I check to see it’s Ellie, who I texted right after we left to let her know what’s going on.
Ellie: You at the hospital yet?
Me: We just got here.
Ellie: Keep me updated, okay? When you get a chance.
Me: Will do.
“She’s in a room,” Eli says to me after he’s spoken with someone at the front desk. “The nurse didn’t go into detail, but she said we could head up to the second floor. That’s where she’s at.”
“Let’s go,” I say, going to him and taking hold of his hand. “Come on.”
I take the lead, finding the elevator, the two of us standing close as we wait for it. We stand even closer as we ride the elevator. I wish I could comfort him. My arms literally ache to do so, but he’s so tense, his body practically vibrates.
