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“There’snothing you could have done.Therest of usarehere.Dad’sthe one who started driving the tractor by himself after everyone headed home for the night.”
“Istill should have been there,”Imutter, rubbing my jaw to ease the tension.
“Getyour ass here now.That’swhat you can do.”
“Doeshe need to be moved to a different hospital?Justtell me what he needs.”
“Thedoctors think they have it under control.Thisplace is state-of-the-art now, after all the money you poured into it when mom was sick.”
There’ssilence between us.Iwish our cell phones crackled like old telephone lines did, to fill some of it.
It’sa game of chicken, neither of us saying what we’re both thinking.
Jarretbreaks first. “It’snot going to be likeMom.It’snot.Justget your ass here now.”
“I’mon my way.I’llbe there as soon asIcan,”Iwhisper, pushing up out of bed to stand.
“Jarret?”
“Yeah,Jacks?”
“TellhimIlove him.TelleveryoneIlove them.”
“Willdo.Butyou get your ass back up here and tell him yourself.”
Mybrother hangs up on me.It’sa good thing, becauseIdon’t thinkIwould have been able to do it.Ialways miss my family, but when something happens,Ihate how far awayIam.Whenmom was sick…
Thisisn’t going to be likeMom.
Ineed to call my pilot.Ineed to pack.Ineed to tellAlanandVal.
Whatelse?WhatamIforgetting?
Selena.
Shit,Ineed to tellSelena.Idon’t know how longI’mgoing to be gone, and she’s my girlfriend.Orshe’s supposed to be.Ican’t just leave without even telling her.Valwas pushing us to make a couple more public appearances this week, since the whole fake relationship thing is going over so well.Selena’sexpecting to see me.Ican’t think about anything other than my family right now, butIcan’t just disappear on her either.
Reachingfor my phone,I’mpressing on her picture and typing beforeIeven make the conscious choice to do it.Sheprobably won’t even get this until the morning anyway, but letting her know now feels like the right thing to do.
Jackson:Ineed to go out of town for a few days.Maybelonger.Sorry,Idon’t know.I’llfill you in tomorrow morning.
Selena:Thanksfor letting me know
Selena:Iseverything okay?
Jackson:Honestlyno.Butit’s not your problem.I’llsee you whenIget back
BeforeIcan toss my phone back down on the bed and start packing, it rings.Oatslifts his head up from the foot of the bed, glaring at me for interrupting his beauty sleep.
I’mreally not in the mood to talk to anyone right now who isn’t family.Ineed to updateValandAlan, butIdon’t plan on doing more than sending a couple of texts.
Tiltingmy phone up,IseeSelena’sface across the screen.Mythumb slides to answer her without thinking.
“Hey.”
“Hey…Ijust wanted to see if there was anythingIcan do to help?”
“Convincemy dad that he’s too old to ride the tractor by himself at night anymore?Convincehim to let me pay for some more help at the farm?”
