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“It really was.” And Simon isn’t buying my lame excuse for a second.
Jonah’s heavy boots stomp up the porch stairs. He pushes open the door and I catch a flash of movement next to his feet. It’s Bandit, scurrying in ahead of him, his beady eyes shimmering against the glow of the Christmas lights. He lets out one of those high-pitched chattering sounds.
I cringe. “Hey, Simon, what’s your professional opinion about someone who has a pet raccoon?” I ask loudly, to make it clear to Jonah that I’m on the phone with my stepdad.
“Considering we seem to have two, who am I to pass judgment? Good night, Calla. Call me whenever you need to.”
“’Night. Love you.” It just rolls off my tongue for Simon. And I have yet to say it to my real father even once.
Jonah’s gaze drifts over the ceiling of the porch. “You and Mabel did a good job.”
&nbs
p; “Yeah. It’s kind of cozy out here now.”
“Sorry, I didn’t realize you were on the phone. You feel better after talking to him?”
“I don’t know,” I answer honestly. “Maybe. It doesn’t make it okay, though.”
“Nothing’s gonna make this okay. Not for a long time. Come on.” Jonah holds a hand out for me.
I take it and let him pull me to my feet.
And I can’t help but think that it’s Jonah who makes me feel better.
Or, at least, he makes me hurt a little bit less.
Chapter 24
My dad’s dressed and sitting beside his bed when Mabel and I knock.
“Hey . . . How are my girls?” he murmurs, his gray eyes flickering to mine.
“Ready to whoop your butt tonight. And don’t think I’m gonna let you win,” Mabel says with a smile that isn’t nearly as bright as usual, but is there nonetheless. She wanders in ahead of me, dragging her sneakers along the dull linoleum floor.
“I’d expect nothing less from a shark like you.” My dad’s lips twitch. “Did your mom drive you guys here?”
“No, Jonah did. He had to get his stitches out anyway.”
My dad thumbs the collar of his jacket. “Well, that was good timing, then.”
“What’s this?” Mabel picks up the white folder sitting on the bed.
“Oh. That’s just some paperwork I’ve got to go through. Nothing interesting,” he says, smoothly plucking it from her grasp in a way that makes me think he doesn’t want her seeing it at all. “Hey, kiddo, why don’t you go and grab yourself something at the cafeteria.” He pulls a bill out of his wallet. “We’ve got another few minutes before the nurse comes back.”
Mabel snatches it up eagerly. “You guys want anything?”
He waves her away. “I’m good.”
I shake my head and smile, watching her skip out the door.
Awkward silence lingers for a long moment, as I lean against the wall and my father fumbles with the folder in his hands, then casts it aside. What’s it like to be him right now? To know your clock is almost up?
“Kinda thought you might be on a plane, heading back to Toronto.”
“No.” As angry and shocked as I was—as I still am—oddly enough, that thought never crossed my mind. “How are you feeling today?”
He takes a deep breath, as if to test his lungs. “Better.”
