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Chapter Twenty-Three
Niko
“What?”I whisper in a hoarse voice as my stomach drops to my toes.
“Oh, honey, I’m so sorry to tell you this over the phone but—”
I cut her off to painfully supply, “Is he…?” My voice drops abruptly, unable to finish the thought.
“No, no, no! God, no. God, please, no, don’t even say that. He’s in the hospital, honey. His heart stopped in the ambulance but they got him back,” she sobbed. “They got him back.”
“What happens now?”
“They’ve taken him back for an angioplasty with a stent. The doctors believe surgery will treat his severe blockage better than a drug that breaks up the blood clots. The angioplasty treats the underlying issue of the blockage and will reduce his chance of a future heart attack.”
Fuck.
“Is anyone there with you?” My mind flies a mile a minute, making plans and preparing to take off. As I lift my head, I notice Doe stepped up beside me sometime during the past few minutes. She’s not close enough to touch me but near enough to show her presence is meant to be a comfort. But at that moment, I’m not feeling so comforted. It’s nice to have another person near, but right now, she’s more of an obstacle. What am I supposed to do with her while I rush off to Florida? I can’t leave her all alone, can I? I can’t exactly shove her on a commercial flight when she has no idea who she is, let alone any form of identification. Do I have time to book a flight for myself and see if she can stay with Tavers and Mindy? Is it quicker to take her with me?
Mom’s voice derails my thoughts. “My neighbor Denise drove me here. We followed the ambulance, and she’s waiting with me until your sister arrives.”
“Have you called Reece?” I clear my throat after his name, almost as if because I haven’t said it in so long it was hard to get out.
“Tori was calling him while I called you. I didn’t want you to have to…” She trails off, her voice filled with a mother’s pain that her only two sons don’t get along. Fuck.
“I’m going to my truck, Mom. I have to take care of something, and then I’m on my way down. I’ll be there tomorrow afternoon.”
A silent beat passes then, “You’re going to drive? Niko, that’s a good fifteen-hour trip if you don’t stop. Why don’t you grab a flight with Reece? The two of you could have some time to talk.”
“I can’t. I’ve driven to Florida before, and I’ll be fine. I’ll explain when I get there, but I don’t have time now. I have to pack and…” I pause. My eyes going to the door as Doe bolts out of it. Shit, shit, shit! I don’t have time for this. “I’ll be there soon as I can. Love you, Mom.”
“Drive safe, honey. I love you, too,” she murmurs, and we disconnect.
I’ve barely tucked my phone into my back pocket before I’m tearing out the door after Doe. I cross the short span of grass between the two houses and push myself to run through the open back door.
“Doe!” I shout, the breath heaving from my lungs. A noise sounds from down the hall. Movement of some sort. I jog in that direction. “Doe, I need to go. My family needs me.” I stop when I hit the open doorway to my bedroom. The breath is sucked from my lungs at the scene playing out in front of me, and I brace a hand on the doorframe. I can’t move even though I’m nearly desperate to hit the road. I physically can’t unstick myself from the doorway.
A painful constriction starts in my chest as Doe steps up to me and hands me a heavy black duffle bag.
“I packed your clothes for you,” she whispers. Her tone strikes something inside me. It sounds worried but also hopeful. Hopeful for… what?
I try to speak, but only a strangled grunt comes out.
“If you wait, I can pack you some snacks.”
I swallow hard, “No,” and watch as her face falls.
“I-I’m sorry. I d-didn’t—”
“Go pack your things,” I command gruffly.
To my surprise, her face manages to fall further. She doesn’t reply, though. Without touching me, she squeezes between myself and the doorframe at my back and swiftly walks down the hall.
“You’re coming with me,” I growl after her, and watch from the entrance to my bedroom as she stops in her tracks. Her head cocks slightly as if she’s turning her ear toward me in order to hear me better.
“If you think for one second I’m kicking you out, get that thought out of your pretty little head. I’m taking you with me. For one, I can’t stand the thought of leaving you all alone here without knowing when I’m coming back. For two...” I pause, not sure if I should say the next bit. Maybe it’s the adrenaline from the phone call or the rawness of the situation, but I push forward and lay out my honesty. “I can’t trust you’ll still be here if I did. Go grab the spare bag in your closet at the other house and pack a few days’ worth of clothes. Hurry, Doe. My mom needs me.”
She scampers off without another word, and I’m finally able to unstick myself from the mouth of my room. I complete the task of grabbing us some snacks. A few bottles of water, a bag of chips, and some string cheese to get us through the first leg of the journey. It’s late, nearing ten p.m., so I hope we can make it until breakfast before stopping.
