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Tears stream down her cheeks.
“Are you going to keep seeing Freya?”
I hope so.
“If she’ll have me.”
“You love her?”
“Yeah.”
She nods and looks at the floor.
“You’ve really changed, dude.”
“I’m happier.”
“I can see that.” Her voice is sad.
I straighten out her oxygen tube wrapped around the bedrail.
“There’s an agency that’s going to stay with you and make sure you get to the facility safely. Your flight leaves around noon. I’ve already spoken with the person assigned to your case, and they’ll meet you here in an hour. When I leave, I’ll get your ID and clothes so you can get on the plane without any issues.”
Her lip trembles. “Are you saying goodbye?”
“Yeah, this is goodbye. You’re my sister, I love you, Anna. I will always love you. Make Mom and Dad proud. Make yourself proud. Do the work, and fucking fight for yourself.” My eyes well with tears. I know she will struggle with this. But the only way to get my sister back is if I send her away first.
Her tears fall faster. I’m proud of her for making the right choice.
“I love you too.”
THIRTY-EIGHT
Don’t get your hopes up.I can’t assume he’s getting her help, or I’ll be disappointed if it’s not true. Disappointed is an understatement. I’ll be heartbroken and devastated. Not just for Rhys, but for Anna. I don’t want her to face the same fate as Kyle. I want her to have a relationship with her brother; they’re all the family they’ve got, and they need one another. But if Anna stays with him, I’ll need to step away. I can’t make him leave with me, but I can’t stick around and put my physical safety in jeopardy. There can’t be a repeat of tonight. Which means I’ll need to find a new apartment... and a new job.
Between Rhys and Sugar & Ice, I’ve cried enough this week. I don’t know if this thing we have is over or not. He seems as far away from me as he’s ever been. At least when we hated each other, we felt anger. This is like I don’t even exist to him. The ambivalence is suffocating.
I put the oxygen mask back on my face and breathe in more. It’s kinda nice. Can’t believe he made me come here. Fresh air would have sufficed.
I know it was an emergency, but feeling his hands on me again when he picked me up was like being wrapped in a warm blanket. It’s amazing how much a person can miss a sensation like touch.His touch.
Tilting my head to the ceiling, I close my eyes. He better come back for me. I have no way of getting home and don’t have my phone.How long do we have to be here anyway?A house inspector is supposed to go through the space and make sure it’s safe for us to reenter. They said it would be a few hours before Rhys’s apartment would be safe to return to. They want to make sure there isn’t a leak in either of our apartments or at Top Shelf.
Once work found out, they told me to take the next couple days off. Fine by me. It’s not like I’m on some financial deadline anymore. I wouldn’t mind a little vacation from my life. Hideaway in my apartment. Stay in bed with a good book. Only leave the room to answer the door for food delivery. Sign me up.
The glass door to our emergency room bay opens. I crack open one eye, and Rhys slides it closed behind him. Metal chair legs scrape over the floor as he pulls it next to the hospital bed.
“Lemme get a hit of that.”
Without opening my eyes, I hold out the oxygen mask. He scoots his chair closer to the hospital bed and inhales.
“Hey, I want to talk to you.”
Great. Here we go. The we-need-to-talk talk. I dig deep and put up the biggest wall I can, I will not cry in front of him when he breaks up with me. Who breaks up with someone in the emergency room?
Assholes, Freya. Assholes.
I open both eyes and sit up straight, ready for the grand finale of my shit week to rain down on me. I’m a solid wall of deflection, he will not see me break.
