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All the strength Kendall had just moments ago disappeared. Her shoulders drooped and her cheerfulness was replaced by intense sadness. With a heavy sigh, she set her head on Chess’s shoulder. “Not good.”
Kendall’s grief was infectious, and Chess felt tears crowd at the back of her eyes even as she squeezed her friend’s hand in comfort. She didn’t know what to say other than, “I’m sorry, Kenny.”
“It’s just his hand they found,” Kenny whispered. “Maybe he’s just hurt, not de-”
Her voice broke on the last word, and she began to cry.
Chess put an arm around her friend’s shoulders even as she held back her own tears. Kendall didn’t deserve any of this… she was a good person. She already had so much on her plate. Why would fate add the misfortune of losing Derrick?
Chess soothed Kendall as best as she could with reassurances that felt empty but seemed to console Kendall. Once Kendall’s tears stopped, the two ladies talked about what would happen next.
“They’re still trying to find him,” Kendall said when Chess asked if the cops had any leads on Derrick’s location. “His phone last pinged at Altoria Harbor, but they haven’t found him.”
“I’m sure they’ll find him soon.”
“I hope they will.” Kendall sighed. “Whether he’s alive or dead… I just want him home.”
Chess hoped that they would find him alive, but she had the sinking feeling that they wouldn’t. Still, she didn’t mention her feeling to Kendall. Instead, she said, “Tomorrow is your chemo appointment, right?”
Kendall nodded. “Right.”
Usually, Derrick took her to her appointments, but since he wasn’t around, Chess offered, “Should I take you?”
“Would you mind?” Hope lit up Kendall’s blue eyes. “Scott wants to take me, but he and Kyle are like mother hens. They nag and hover around, looking like they want to cry for me all the time. It’s suffocating and-” She stopped speaking and winced. “I sound ungrateful, don’t I?”
“Don’t worry, I won’t tell anyone.” Chess chuckled softly. “I’ll take you tomorrow.”
Kendall smiled. “Thank you.”
“Should I pick you up or-”
“No, no, no,” Kendall cut her off. “I’ll come to you. It’s already a lot of work for you to take me to the hospital then drop me back home.”
“I don’t mind at all.”
“But I do.” Kendall’s tone was firm. “I’ll take a cab to Synovent, then we can leave from there.”
Chess knew better than to argue with her friend when she was so determined. She gracefully surrendered, “Okay, that sounds good.”
Kendall hesitated for a second before saying, “Can I ask for a second favor?”
“Anything.”
Kendall glanced at her sleeping son then came back to meet Chess’s eyes. “Could you take Frankie with you today when you leave?”
Surprised, Chess asked, “You want me to take Frankie?”
“Yes.” Kendall nodded. “There’s so much tension and sadness around here. It’s not good for him. I just want him to have a break, even if it’s just for one day.”
As a mother too, Chess could understand. So, she immediately agreed, “I’ll take him. I’m sure Jay will love the company.”
“Thank.” Kendall left the room to pack a bag for Frankie.
An hour later, Chess and Tazeem drove off with Frankie in the backseat of the car. The little boy had undoubtedly been traumatized by the events at his home. He was very quiet on the ride home, and only responded to Chess’s attempts to draw him out of his shell with one-word answers. However, he perked up when they got to Chess’s apartment and Jay welcomed him happily.
“Do you think Frankie will be okay?” Chess asked Tazeem as they watched the two boys walk off hand-in-hand to play in Jay’s bedroom.”
“He will.” Tazeem sighed. “Maybe not today or tomorrow. But eventually, he’ll be okay.”
