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“No,” Don said hesitantly. “We’ve been doing the rounds, calling families etcetera, and my last call was with Aunt Rosa.”
His gaze dropped to the floor, and he swallowed heavily. The grief he was feeling over his loss today was all too clear.
“She’s not taken it very well, which is understandable. She has people, lots of people. I know I should be there for her, helping out with funeral arrangements, but what if I’m just in the way? Or what if she blames me? I don’t know what I should do.”
He didn’t sound like himself, he was cycling through those stages of grief as manically as I would have been.
I thought for a moment then wriggled up the bed until I was sitting with my back against the headboard.
“Call her back. Tell her you’ll be on the next flight out if she needs you, but that we willallbe there in a couple of weeks once the dust has settled.” I said firmly.
“We will?” he asked. Looking up and glancing between me and Toby.
Toby shrugged and nodded his head. “Yeah, of course.”
“Oh.” Don said, then pulled his phone from his pocket and left the room.
“He isn’t used to people caring, is he?” Toby said quietly once Don was out of earshot.
I shook my head and Toby laughed quietly.
“I’m going to have my work cut out for me with the pair of you, aren’t I?” he teased.
He was so accepting. I admired how he just took everything in his stride, I was nothing like that. I made everything more complicated than it needed to be, so did Don. But we had Toby. I felt so blessed to have him, even though I’m sure he actually likes Don more than he likes me.
“You’re amazing Toby.” I gushed. “How did you get so amazing?”
“Good genes.” he said with a wink.
His face dropped as he realised what he had said, and I leaned forward to raise his chin with my fingers.
“Have you heard from your mum?” I asked.
“Still no news.” he said quietly. The sadness in his voice was almost too much to handle.
“Oh Toby.” I breathed but he shook his head gently.
“I’m fine. My entire life I’ve known that Dad’s life could end at any given moment. It comes with the lifestyle. You know that. If he doesn’t make it, its ok. It’ll suck, but I’ll be ok.”
“No, it’ll hurt like hell.” I said, fixing him with an apologetic look. “Let’s just keep our fingers crossed for now though.” I said, trying to push some optimism his way. Although I wasn’t really the right person to do that. Dammit, why was Coop still sleeping, he would be great at this.
Toby leaned in to kiss me, then looked down at Coop’s sleeping form beside me.
“I hope he’s ok.” he said. “I really think he should be in hospital though, not here.”
“He will be fine, and Coop hates hospitals, he’d kill all of us if we forced him to stay in one.” I grimaced; I’d never do that to my best friend. “I’m hungry.” I said, changing the subject so that I didn’t have to think about the possibility of losing my friend. I was sure he would be fine, I’d even spoken to him, seen him awake. But the image of him lying there bleeding half to death before I’d passed out earlier was haunting me.
Don walked back into the room with a small smile.
“She’s happy for us to come over in a couple of weeks. Did I hear you say you’re hungry?” he asked.
“Starved.” I confirmed.
“I’ve given the girls the night off. Chinese?” he asked, cocking his head with a grin.
My favourite.
“Perfect.” I purred and Toby looked over his shoulder and nodded eagerly at Don.
