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“More than ready,” Steven said. The nurses had allowed him to briefly wander the grounds, but it had been a while since his last outdoor adventure.
“The doc says they’ll spring you in an hour or so.”
He’d been throwing himself a pity party for long enough. The transition to the rehab facility sounded like just the distraction he needed.
“Have you heard from Lanie?” Steven asked, trying to sound casual.
His father gave him a strange look. “I mean, we keep different hours, but she does still live with me.”
So much for trying to sound nonchalant. “I, uh, figured she spent most of her time at Nate’s.”
“She’s been spending several hours at your law firm this week.” His father raised an eyebrow. “Hasn’t she checked in with you?”
Steven shook his head. Sandra had called and texted a few times, which he appreciated. It helped break the monotony of the hospital stay. But his messages to Lanie had gone unanswered.
“Well, she’s meeting us at the rehab center this afternoon, so you’ll see her then.”
The fact that his father sounded unbothered by Lanie’s absence alleviated some of Steven’s concern, but the churning in his stomach wasn’t likely to subside until he saw his sister.
“I saw Rose yesterday,” Dad continued, and there was an edge to his voice.
“Oh?” Steven took deep breaths to calm his racing heart.
“Ran into her on my way here. Seems she’s keeping busy with extra shifts at the hospital.”
A million questions bubbled on his lips, but he didn’t know how to ask them without sounding as desperate as he was. Instead, he nodded and stared straight ahead, trying to look like he didn’t care.
Dad ran a hand through his salt-and-pepper hair. “She looked good.”
Steven opened his mouth, but nothing came out. What was he supposed to say? That he was happy she was doing well while he wasted away in a hospital bed? That he wished she’d come see him?
“Anyway…” His father shifted his weight to his other foot and dropped his gaze.
Steven took some comfort in the knowledge that their conversation was as awkward for his dad as it was for him.
“Just thought you’d want to know.”
“Why?” Steven blurted out without thinking, and he immediately regretted it.
“Look, things aren’t good between you two, but I think it’s temporary—”
The thin hold he had on his emotions broke. “Temporary? Oh, okay. So she just temporarily broke my heart. That makes everything better. Thanks, Dad.”
“Don’t be like that.”
“Like what?” And all the pain he had pent up inside since Rose left him erupted like a raging river breaching a dam. “What good does it do me to hear Rose is moving on? That she’s doing great while I’m lying here, day after day, with little to distract me.”
“You’re about to be discharged,” Dad protested, though the fact that he wouldn’t meet Steven’s gaze betrayed how weak those words sounded.
“To an inpatient rehab for who knows how long.” When Dad opened his mouth again, Steven held up a hand. “And before you tell me it’s good for me, I know. I get that it’s what I need, but it doesn’t mean I’m happy about it.” He stared at his hands, clenching them into fists as he fought to push his anger and pain back down his gut, where it belonged. “I was this close to having everything I ever wanted, and now I may lose it all. So forgive me if I’m having some trouble processing it.”
Before Dad could respond, a familiar blond head appeared around the doorframe. “Everything okay in here?”
The joy Steven felt at seeing his sister was tempered by the memory that she hadn’t been by sooner. He forced a smile, determined not to let her know how much her absence had hurt. The last thing he needed to do was alienate his entire family in one day.
“Lanie!” Dad said with faux excitement. Steven suspected his father was more grateful for the interruption than he was happy that Lanie had arrived. “I didn’t expect to see you here.”
“I finished helping Sandra with a major project at the law office. I was able to slip away earlier than expected.” She slipped past Dad and wrapped an arm around Steven. “How’re you holding up?”
