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I nod and step back, ushering her toward Jo’s room.
“Heard your head decided to get in a fight with a floor,” Anika says as she brandishes a flashlight from the small bag she brought.
Jo smiles warmly. “It was a poorly concealed coffee table, and I lost.”
“I’m sure the coffee table looks worse.” Anika crouches in front of her. “How about I check those eyes of yours?”
I wait in the living room while Anika takes care of Jo. I pace an edgy line. Try to hear what’s going on, but their words are too quiet. I pace faster while I tug at my disheveled hair, picturing her falling over and over, worry frothing in my gut. By the time Anika comes out, I’m surprised I have hair left in my head.
“You look exhausted, Cal.” Anika is in the living area, watching me with concern.
I fit on a smile. “Long day. How is she?”
“I cleaned and bandaged her shin, and her pupils are responding well. She’s not dizzy and doesn’t exhibit any memory loss, but she has a headache. If you can keep an eye on her for the rest of the night, that would be best. Make sure she doesn’t develop signs of nausea or ringing in her ears. Slurred speech or confusion are signs of a concussion too. If any of that happens, take her to the hospital.”
Concern worms through my stomach. “Should I wake her hourly? They do that for possible concussions, right?”
“Old myth,” she says, brushing her bangs out of her eyes. “Sleeping is good for healing. But stay with her in case she wakes up and doesn’t feel well.”
Right. Sure. Stay in Jolene’s room. No problem at all.
“Of course,” I say, unsure when my life turned into a torture chamber. Actually, that’s not true. It’s been twelve years of turmoil and strife. Why should this be any different?
I walk Anika to the door, dragging out my impending doom. “If you need anything fixed in your place, you know where to find me.”
“Don’t you worry, Callahan. I’ll be cashing in.” She waves at me with her flashlight. “Make sure you get some sleep too.”
While in Jolene’s room? I’d have better luck sleeping in an erupting volcano.
chaptertwenty-eight
Callahan
When I was sixteen, I was in a car accident. Mom was driving. She’d picked me up from football practice. We’d grabbed Lennon from a tutoring session and E from his friend Avett’s. E and Lennon were goofing off in the back seat, ragging on each other about who had to take out the garbage when we got home. Mom usually took our arguing in stride, but she was distant that day, seemed distracted and snippy.
“I’ll take out the garbage,” I told my brothers, just to shut them up and give Mom some peace.
She smiled at me. A tired smile.
Then a car slammed into the driver’s side.
My head swam as my heart rate shot through the roof. “Mom.” I reached over, grabbed her shoulder with a shaky hand. “Are you okay?”
She blinked. Didn’t seem to recognize me. Then she said, “Yeah. Yes, I think so.” Her eyes shot to the rearview mirror. “Lennon? E?”
They didn’t reply. Something in my chest ruptured. I tried to turn, but my seat belt locked me in place. My throat wouldn’t work. Fear like I’d never known had me tearing at my buckle as I thought,they’re hurt.My brothers are trapped, maybe bleeding. Maybe worse.
When I finally got the belt undone, I whipped around to find E and Lennon grinning, shushing each other in a silent pact to terrify the living shit out of me.
“Assholes, the both of you,” I muttered while my pulse pounded in my head.
Lennon laughed, but E’s face pinched. “Sorry, Cal. That wasn’t nice.”
He looked chagrined, and I waved him off. Got out and helped Mom deal with the driver who’d hit us. Kept her calm and made sure everyone was really, truly okay. The car was too damaged to drive. Word got around town, as word did, and a friend of Mom’s drove us home. We went inside. Ate dinner that Mrs. Moon had dropped off and Desmond heated.
Jokes abounded as usual. Even Mom jumped in to tell Des about Lennon and E’s horrible prank. I didn’t join in the fun, just poked at my food. Could barely eat, let alone act as though I hadn’t had the life scared out of me.
“You okay?” Desmond asked as E and Lennon started clearing the table.
