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Bodhi nodded, then helped Ravi limp his way over while Caleb grabbed a glass of water and a bottle of ibuprofen he kept above the fridge. He would have assumed Ravi was given something for pain, but with the way he was grimacing, Caleb couldn’t be sure.
When he poked his head into the room, Ravi was on his back, his eyes closed, his chest moving evenly. It helped ease some of the tension as he walked over and dropped the medicine bottle on the nightstand.
Bodhi was standing beside the window, gently rocking back and forth, his hands clenching and unclenching in tight fists.
“What happened?” Caleb asked once he had his attention.
Bodhi licked his lips, swallowing heavily. “I don’t know. He got into a fight, I think.”
Caleb’s eyes widened. “A fight?”
Bodhi nodded. “He was…” His hands fluttered like a stim, but Caleb could tell he was just searching for the signs.
“Spell it.”
Bodhi did. “Unconscious. Knocked out. At the bar.”
Caleb winced. “Ambulance?”
Bodhi nodded again and his hands began to move a little more easily. “He sent me a text when he asked for an interpreter and the nurses refused. It woke me up. Then they called our grandparents before I got there. He could hear one of the nurses talking about it, so he ran. I found him in the parking lot.”
Caleb felt odd. Sort of angry that Bodhi had slipped out without telling him, but he also understood more than he wanted to admit. He was a rational man, except when it came to the people he loved. He’d have done the same for Wren.
“They’ll come to the dorms,” Bodhi went on. “They’ll take us home.” He suddenly looked like he was about to fall into a panic attack.
Caleb shook his head quickly, approaching Bodhi and laying a hand to the side of his neck. He could feel the thrum of his pulse and he pressed just hard enough for Bodhi to focus on him and take a few deep breaths. When he was calmer, Caleb pulled his hand back.
“Stay here. You and Ravi can stay here as long as you need to. You’re adults. They can’t make you leave. They don’t pay your tuition, right?”
Bodhi blinked like he was having trouble following, but then he shook his head. “No. Loans.”
“They can’t take you,” Caleb repeated. “And they can’t take away your school.”
Bodhi’s lips parted and it took Caleb a second to realize he was laughing. He looked shattered, and all he wanted to do was pull him close. “Thank you,” Bodhi eventually said.
Caleb glanced back down at Ravi, his head a swirling mess of ideas. Ravi clearly needed medical attention, and while Caleb did have regular interpreting service that he liked, it was hard enough to schedule with them let alone get a random appointment for some college kid. But they weren’t totally out of luck. “I have a hearing friend. Peyton. The baker who brings us cookies?”
Bodhi’s eyes flared wide, then he frowned. “Yes. I know him.”
“I’m going to text him and see if he can take Ravi to urgent care. Not the ER,” he added.
Bodhi’s lips parted again, and Caleb wondered if he was vocalizing something, or if he was just trying to control his breathing.
“Peyton isn’t an interpreter, but he can sign. Ravi needs something for the pain, and to make sure he’s not seriously hurt.”
Bodhi looked miserable, but he nodded, and Caleb was grateful for it because there was no chance in hell that he was going to just let this go. Bodhi’s gaze fell back on his brother and his jaw worked, but his mouth didn’t open to speak.
Caleb waited a long beat, then gently laid his hand on Bodhi’s shoulder to get his attention. “Hungry? Thirsty?”
Bodhi frowned like the questions confused him. “I don’t know.”
Caleb smiled very softly. “I have tea.” He beckoned Bodhi out of the room, and he went to the kettle, checking the water level before flicking it back on. Out of his periphery, he watched Bodhi take a seat at the table, and then he pulled out his phone to send the SOS.
Caleb: You and Hudson very busy today?
Peyton: Not especially. Why? Need café help?
Caleb: Employee hurt in fight and hospital wouldn’t provide interpreter. He need to see urgent care. Can you help?
