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“You should be grateful I didn’t use my cane on your testicles. Sit up and look at the front page. I’m about to change your life.”
“I’ve had it with newspapers, Nana,” I mumbled, trying to throw my hand over my eyes again. She leaned close enough that I could feel her breath on my face and poked me in the chest.
“I already have two great-grandchildren. I want more, but have no problem ruining your chances of giving me any if you don’t stop this god-forsaken pity party and sit up, young man.”
Fuck. Fine. I’m up. Leave my balls alone.
I made a pitiful groaning noise that was only halfway exaggerated and sat up, spreading my legs wide and rubbing my palms on my thighs.
“Read the front page, stupide ours polaire.”
I unfolded the paper she’d thrown on me and focused on the headlines, my eyes fuzzy from lack of use. Or sleep.
Disgraced College Professor Arrested After Accusations Confirmed
Reported By: Addison Allison and Stacy Carter
The words blinked in and out of focus like a lite-bright, my brain not registering the implications of what I was reading.
“I don’t… What the…”
Phrases jumped out at me, but I might as well have been pouring water through a sifter for all the good I did retaining the facts.
“Yes. Is it making sense now, you dunderhead? Your girl was playing a part, and you trampled on her heart,” Nana said, raising her cane above her head, ready to strike me again.
I reached up with one hand, not taking my eyes off the paper, and tugged the cane from her grasp, setting it beside the couch and patting the cushion next to me. She sat down with a muffled humph and crossed her arms over her chest, mumbling. I swear I heard the word douche-nozzle, but my brain had probably been deprived of leafy greens and fruits for too long.
“But she asked me to trust her, then looked me in the eyes and lied,” I whispered, rubbing my hand over my mouth and turning the paper over to continue the article. It was skillfully written, painting the women as crusaders who were finally given a voice to tell their stories.
“Of course, she lied to you. Would you have seriously been fine with her saying, ‘okay, I have to go pretend to seduce my intern’s professor now? Don’t wait up.’ Admit it. You would have lost your cool.”
“Oh my god, she tried to tell me.”
I let the paper fall to the floor and threaded my fingers behind my head, leaning between my legs to keep from passing out. It wasn’t shame that covered my body like the funk and body odor of not showering for days, it was devastation and regret that she tried, and tried, and tried again to tell me what had happened, and I shrugged her off. She ran after me in heels, chased me down the street and begged me to listen, and I drove away as she cried.
I’d confirmed her fears—confirmed I thought she was nothing more than a cheater. I popped up so fast that black spots danced in my vision, and Nana sat back with her hand on her chest, sucking in a deep breath.
“Oh, my mercy. Calm down, or you’re likely to pass out,” she said, fixing her glasses that had fallen askew on her face.
Calm down?That was the worst thing to say to a person to get them to calm down. I was wrong—so fucking wrong. She shouldn’t have lied, but I understand why she did it. Addison’s in every hope, every dream, every thought I’ve had. She’s my present and my future. If she lets me, I’ll never let her second guess my feelings.
“I can’t. There’s no time. I have to shower and get to her house. It might already be too late. Oh, fuck, it can’t be too late. How do you know all this? Wait. Don’t tell me right now. I wonder if groveling’s enough? I’d give her the Seabee house if she’d give me another chance. I’m not above bribery.”
I scrambled past Nana, then turned around and bent to kiss her wrinkled cheek. “Thank you. Give me twenty minutes, and I’ll take you home.” I’d made it halfway to the bedroom with my shirt thrown behind me when I heard Nana’s voice echoing down the narrow hallway.
“There are more pressing matters than whether she’ll forgive you. But I will let you in on a little secret. She loves you very much, Simon, and was a wreck when she called me after leaving the Ball.”
“Hold on,” I said, running back into the living room sans shirt. “You talked to her after?”
“Yes. How do you think the article is reaching such a wide audience? Now, I’m done meddling. Well, almost. Go shower. Then you need to drive us to the hospital.”
“The hospital? Nana, oh my god. Are you sick? Is Mom okay? Why didn’t you start the conversation with let’s go to the hospital?”
The black spots were peeking through the corners of my vision, wearing top hats and tails while tapdancing to a Fred Astaire number. I braced my hands on the back of the couch and squeezed my eyes shut until the spots turned technicolor, counting by threes until I felt my heartbeat slow.
“I’m sorry, mes étoiles. I felt someone needed to drag you out of your pit of despair and let you know how much Addison loves you. It will make the next part easier. Beth’s on her way into surgery. Her infection got worse and Dr. Granger didn’t want to wait.”
I felt her small hands lay over mine, and I released the breath I’d been holding. My heartbeat racketed again, and even Nana’s soothing touch couldn’t calm my racing thoughts.
