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“I know. I just…” Sighing, he turned and reached up to circle his arms around Bas’ neck. “Never mind. So, what do you have going on today?”
“Another delivery at the club. Want to come?”
“Will there be cheese?”
“Obviously.” Crowding closer, he dipped his head for a kiss, but paused when his cell phone rang in his pocket. “Hold that thought.”
“Is it work?” Kai asked when he frowned down at the screen.
He shook his head. “Hey, Nettie. Can I call you…Angie?” Turning, he fisted his free hand in his hair and began pacing the length of the living room. “Angie, Angie, slow down. What happened?”
“Is everything okay?” Kai started toward him but stopped when he threw his hand up to keep him back.
“No, that’s okay. You did the right thing. I’m on my way.” He bobbed his head. “Good girl. Stay on the phone with me, okay?”
“Bas?” Kai asked, trying again to get close to him. “What’s going on?”
“It’s Nettie. I have to go.” His entire demeanor had changed from only seconds before, and a completely different person stared back at him from the front door.
“I’ll come with you.”
“No.”
His harsh tone gave Kai pause, but he recovered quickly, pulled on his jacket, and zipped it. “I’m coming with you.” He didn’t know what had happened, or if he could be any help to Melissa, but he could be there for Bas. “Let’s go.”
By the time he had pulled on his tennis shoes, grabbed some money from the emergency stash, and jogged down the stairs, Bas had already hailed a cab. He looked up when Kai jogged toward him, but he didn’t say anything until they were both in the backseat. Then, it was only to rattle off his sister’s address to the driver and tell him to hurry.
Sitting rigidly, he stared straight ahead, unmoving, barely blinking, as the driver wove in and out of traffic at speeds far exceeding the limit. By the time they’d cleared downtown, Kai couldn’t stand the silence any longer.
“Bas, what’s going on?”
He held his hand up, index finger extended. “Angie, are you still there? Good, okay, where are your sisters?” He nodded slowly. “That’s good. You’re doing great. Just a few more minutes, okay?”
“Bas, you’re really starting to freak me out.” Kai’s heart raced, and he had to ball his hands on his thighs to stop them from shaking. “What happened to Nettie?”
Bas kept the phone to his ear, but lifted his other hand to cover the mouthpiece. “She passed out, and the girls can’t wake her up.”
“Oh, my god. Did someone call the paramedics?” He instinctively reached into his jacket pocket for his cell phone.
“Angie called 911.” He grinned a little. “The operator told her to stay on the line, but she hung up to call me. She’s afraid she’ll be in trouble.”
“She did the right thing.”
Bas nodded. “That’s what I told her.” His eyes darted to the front of the cab and the road beyond the windshield. “Okay, let the paramedics in, but stay on the phone with me. I’m almost there. Are you going? Good girl.”
Not two minutes later, the cab rolled to a stop in front of the duplex. “Go,” Kai urged as he tilted his head toward the driver. “I’ve got this.”
“Everything okay, sir?”
Kai passed the driver a couple of crumpled twenties, then threw open the back door. “I hope so.”
An ambulance idled next to the curb, its lights flashing red and blue. A few neighbors stood on their porches, pointing and shaking their heads as they spoke in hushed voices. No one seemed inclined to come closer or offer to help, though.
Jogging up the walkway, he paused on the porch, unsure if he should go in or not. The decision was taken out of his hands when the screen door swung open, and Angie came rushing out of the house. She didn’t pause as she ran right into Kai, throwing her arms around his waist and squeezing him hard. Her little shoulders shook, and when she spoke, the words were barely intelligible through her sobs.
“Is my mom going to die like my dad did?”
“Oh, honey.” Kai didn’t even know what had caused Annette to collapse, and he wouldn’t make a promise he couldn’t keep. “The EMTs are going to do everything they can.” He held the girl to him and kissed the top of her head. “You were so brave, Angie, and so smart. I know your Uncle Bas is very proud of you.”
