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“Awesome and devious.” He chortles as he accepts the envelope and tucks it under his pillow. His laughter fades as he turns back my way and his smile settles into one of gratitude. “You’ve done a lot of nice things for my family.”
“I happen to like your family,” I reply, and I hope he hears the sincerity.
Aiden nods as if that was a given and he understands it’s as simple as that. “I especially appreciate the way you’ve helped Lilly. That day when Dad came drunk to the hospital, you just swooped in and handled it. And now you’re helping my dad. I don’t think Lilly could have done that on her own.”
“I’m pretty sure your sister would have figured it out.” Pretty sure there’s nothing Lilly Hoffman can’t do.
Aiden smirks in agreement. “Yeah… she probably would have. But you made it easy on her and that means a lot. I worry about her.”
“She’ll be fine,” I assure him.
“I worry about her if something happens to me. If I die, she’s going to be so lost since I’ve pretty much been her entire life.”
It feels like an electric current zips through my body and I straighten in my chair. “Whoa… why would something happen to you?”
“I’m not saying it will. Just that if it ever did, she’d be lost, and I worry more about that than I do about myself.”
I’m overwhelmed with so much emotion as I realize how utterly complex the situation is with this family. A kid battling a life-ending illness, a sister who has given up everything to care for him and a drunk father who can’t cope. And they’re all just terribly worried about one another and none of them know what the future holds past today. A sudden appreciation for how good I have it sweeps through me and makes me feel even worse for Aiden, Lilly and Steven. It’s at this moment I realize I’m deeply invested here.
Reaching out, I put my hand on Aiden’s shoulder and give a gentle squeeze. “You’re going to be just fine. You’re recovering great from the transplant and you’re going to have a long, beautiful life ahead of you. Your dad will get the help he needs and as life gets back to normal, your sister is going to have all the opportunity to pursue her dreams.”
“You think so?” Aiden asks. The yearning in his expression for this to be true slays me.
“I really do,” I reply with a smile. And I do believe it. I think the tide is turning for this family.
There’s a soft knock on the door before it opens. Lilly and Steven walk through, both in protective wear. Lilly clearly came straight from work as I can see her uniform under the pale yellow paper gown.
“Boone,” Steven exclaims when he sees me, moving my way with his hand out. I stand from the chair and we shake. I haven’t seen him since I helped him into his apartment. “I didn’t know you’d be visiting this evening.”
My eyes cut to Lilly as I’m not sure if she gave her dad a heads-up. That question is answered when her hand slips down to take his and she brings it up to hold between them. “Dad… I asked Boone to be here.” She slides her gaze to Aiden who smiles and gives her an encouraging nod. “We all wanted to talk to you about getting into a rehab program.”
I can’t see much of Steven’s face behind his mask but his eyes go wide before his gaze flits from Lilly to Aiden to me and then back to Lilly. He stammers. “Rehab? I mean… I’m not sure that’s necessary. I’ve cut down on my drinking since—”
“Since the day you showed up drunk at the hospital,” Lilly provides sternly. “And while you might not be drinking much the past few days, you are drinking. I can smell it on you now.”
I sense panic rolling off Steven and he attacks. “I don’t think this is appropriate to bring up in front of a stranger.”
“Boone isn’t a stranger, Dad,” Aiden says, and that seems to shock Steven that Aiden would voice an opinion about any of this.
“He’s not family,” Steven mutters.
“Lilly,” I say to get her attention. “I can step out.”
She shakes her head. “No. I want you here because you’re the only one of all of us who has been through this before and I’m hoping my dad will take comfort in that at some point.” She then leads Steven to one of the chairs and eases him down into it. He looks like he wants to collapse from the shock of being hit with this.
Squatting before him, she puts her hands on his knees. “Daddy… Aiden and I love you so much. But more importantly, I know you love us. I know you love us so much that you just can’t handle all the pain that’s been bestowed on us. We understand what you’re going through and your need to escape into alcohol. But we can’t go on like this. Aiden’s getting better and now we want you to focus on getting better. I want our family to be whole and to do that, we need you sober. I’m so very tired of doing everything on my own. I need you by my side and I need to be able to count on you, okay?”
Christ… I have to blink my prickling eyes. My heart breaks for Lilly and how alone she is.
She’s been fucking alone for years.
Steven leans forward, putting his elbows on his knees, which forces Lilly to scoot back a bit. His face falls into his palms and his shoulders hunch. I glance over at Aiden who watches his father carefully, his hands wringing with anxiety.
Lilly rises, crosses her arms over her stomach and waits her father out. I’m not sure what more she can say.
“Dad,” Aiden says quietly, and Steven jerks as if he’s been hit. His head lifts and he turns to look at his son with tired eyes. “If I can fight, you can fight.”
I let out a quavering breath because as impassioned as Lilly’s speech was, Aiden’s seven little words pack the punch of a tsunami.
