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While Luna relaxes against the pillows, Farrow pulls me to the side to talk privately, and the first thing I say is, “She doesn’t remember anything about me.”
“She’s missing about three years?”
“You know?”
He keeps his voice low. “Man, she thought Declan just retired.” He combs a hand through his hair. “I can’t say too much without breaking HIPAA.” Patient-doctor confidentiality, I know that. “Once she’s able to give consent about discussing her health—and if she does consent—I’ll talk to you more.”
“I get that also means I can’t know about Lily…but how’s she doing?” Last I saw, he rushed into her room.
“She’s okay. Lo is with her now.”
“She’s out of the coma?”
He just slides me a look that means, yes. “Did you tell Luna about her mom?”
“No way. I couldn’t.”
“Anything about what happened?”
I do a quick run-down of the bits and pieces I shared with Luna. Nothing major. “How long will the amnesia last?” I ask him just as quietly.
“We won’t know yet,” he admits. “You want a shirt?”
“Nah.” I try to breathe in something lighter. “I like the chill on my nipples. Keeps them perked.”
He rolls his eyes into a slight smile. “She’s watching you.”
She is studying me from afar like I’m the most interesting patient and she’s the most inquisitive doctor. When I catch her, her cheeks go rosy. It’s cute. Gotta say that I’m glad I still have some positive effect on her. If she completely feared me, I don’t know what I’d even do. Go sob on a deserted island for a solid millennium. Befriend a volleyball.
That’s not too accurate, really. In my heart of hearts, I know I’d use every ounce of self-given, self-accumulated resilience to show her I’m not someone to fear.
I wouldn’t give up.
Farrow’s brows rise. “She’s really watching you.”
Yeah, she’s not being shy about it. “Don’t know why,” I whisper to Farrow. “She doesn’t know me.”
“She knows you meant something to her. Clearly, that’s enough.”
“She’s also had exes,” I remind him. “Firsts with other guys. Once she figures that out, she could want to go explore those too.” If her memories never resurface, the chances of Luna moving on from me could skyrocket. She might want to stay single. She might want to date around.
She might want everything but me.
“She fell in love with you for you,” Farrow says with the tilt of his head. “You don’t believe she could fall for you again?”
It might seem far-fetched, but I have to believe it’s possible. Perseverance is what I’m good at. That never-giving-up attitude has saved my ass more than once, and I won’t give up on us now.
Maximoff is the only family here at first. They’re easing Luna into seeing everyone, but after she asks about their parents, he’s the one who drops the news: their mom was admitted to the ICU; their dad is at her bedside right now. Luna’s been crying for the past three minutes, but she’s hugging her brother and it’s making this horrific situation more bearable.
Farrow keeps checking his buzzing phone.
I’m sitting in my chair in the corner. “Security, I’m guessing?” He’s not wearing a radio, so he’s probably stuck in group chats. Unlike my phoneless self, I still have no communication with anyone, and it’s not fun. But it beats sitting in jail.
“Yeah.” His voice is tight.
“Police still wanna send me back to jail,” I guess again.
His jaw muscles tic.
I think about information I could pry from my family if they lock me in their holding cells. Maybe I could learn about the original plan, but some of them aren’t that stupid. They’re not gonna talk in jail.
Still, there are loose ends, and if I’m the best shot to tie ‘em up… “I could go back.”
Farrow stares down at me like I’m the one who’s lost my mind. “Your family could be locked up for months. The hearing has no date yet. We don’t know when it’ll take place, so if you go back, the police will try to keep you there.”
“Am I supposed to hide for months? They’re gonna know I snitched on them if my dad is in there while I’m out. He has as much to do with this as I do.”
“Of what I’ve heard, they don’t want to release him.”
“Well maybe they should.”
Farrow side-eyes the wall, glaring. “I hate your dad, and being honest here, it’s a little disturbing you want him out—”
“I don’t like him either,” I remind him. “But I couldn’t have found Luna without him. You know that, and if letting him out means I can be seen freely in public without blowing my cover, then maybe that’s what should happen. Or else, throw me back in and let me get more information—”
“You’re not going back in,” Farrow forces out. “And this isn’t even me trying to shake you. She needs you.” He motions with his head towards Luna. “She’s more important than whatever you’ll find sitting in jail. Which could be nothing.”
