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“He wanted to wait for his big brother to get better,” the woman says. “Honestly, there’s no telling him no, and he wanted to meet you, Lucy. Sorry, where are my manners? I’m Juliet Simpson with Child…”
But I don’t hear the rest. I hear nothing except my heartbeat as Zack approaches. I look nervously up at him. I can see parts of Dad in him, parts of myself. His black eye has mostly faded, but it’s still there. Suddenly, there are tears in my eyes and tears in his eyes. We’re both sobbing as I fall to my knees, and he collapses into my arms.
“I heard them,” he croaks, clinging onto me tightly. “Dad and Jamie. He said Dad—that Dad—he… to you…”
“He hit me too,” I whisper. “It’s okay. It’s all going to be okay.”
“I don’t want to go into a home,” he sobs. “I want to be with Jamie. He promised.”
“You’renotgoing into a home,” I say, standing and glaring at Juliet. “You’re going to stay with us.”
“You shouldn’t say things like that, Lucy,” Juliet says.
“I’ll make it happen,” I snap. “He’s my brother. I’m old enough to take care of him. When Jamie gets better, he’ll have the father figure hedeserves. Not-not…”
“I understand that, but at this stage, it’s unwise—”
“Stop yelling at her,” Zack snaps at Juliet, throwing his arms around me.
I return the hug. “She’s not yelling. We’re just talking.”
Zack starts crying again. I offer Juliet a smile, and she offers one in return. There are too many emotions running wild for us to tame them. I lead Zack to a chair, and Juliet sits nearby, her hands in her lap.
“It’s good to meet you, Zack,” I say through tears.
He smiles at me as if summoning all his strength to speak, like he knows this moment is important.
“It’s good to meet you too, sis.”
* * *
“He’s stabilized,” the doctor says, a kind-looking man wearing thin-framed glasses. “All signs are looking positive. He has some injuries, bruising to the chest, and a fractured finger, but with time, he’ll heal. I don’t predict any lasting injuries.”
“Can we see him?” Kylie says, beating me to it.
The doctor winces and nods. “Yes, but maybe not all at once.”
Kylie squeezes my hand firmly, and then I take Zack’s hand. We all turn to the doctor.
“Just us three,” Kylie says. “Please, doctor.”
Juliet, the social worker, stands and follows at a respectful distance. Earlier, Tommy whispered that Zack’s only allowed here because of the bad press they might get later about separating a sister and her brother when the brotherdemandedto be with her.
Jamie’s plan paid off. The news cameras circling the hospital like bloodhounds prove it. I don’t like it, but it’s better than the alternative. We can build a life together. With this press, the city can’t afford to be callous.
We walk into the hospital room to find Jamie sitting up with much more strength than last time. He’s even got a light smirk on his face, his eyes glimmering when he turns and spots me. Even in the hospital gown, I can see his muscles swell.
“Lucy,” he says passionately. “Lucy. Lucy.”
Each time he says my name, his voice gets huskier, breathier. I almost feel a little guilty as I rush to him. His gaze completely fixes on me, like he doesn’t even see the others.
“I dreamed he got you too,” Jamie says, throwing his arms around me and hugging me tight. “I’m having crazy dreams coming off that filth. I dreamed he got you, but you’re here.”
“I’m not going anywhere,” I tell him, struggling to fight off more sobbing. I’ve done enough crying lately for several lifetimes.
Jamie strokes his hand through my hair. “I love you, Lucy. I don’t care if the world won’t understand. I don’t care ifIeven find it hard to understand. I love you. I want to spend the rest of my life with you. I want…”
I think he’s going to say,To marry you…
