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He looked around. “Where’s your stuff? Your phone? I was texting.”
“It’s at Bash’s house. I was so panicked to get into the ambulance that I forgot it. Then I couldn’t get in touch with Bash...”
Sid pulled out his phone and began texting. “Let me talk to Bash and see what’s going on. First, I’ll see what he needs, and then I can take you home.”
Slumping back into my chair, I shook my head. “I don’t want to go. I’ll stay here.”
“If you need to be with someone, I can take you to Kaylie. You look like hell. You can stay over at our place tonight.”
I shook my head. “Thanks, Sid, but I don’t want to leave them.”
“You need a coffee? Or some food?” He sat down next to me.
“No, I don’t think it would sit well in my stomach.”
Sid was busy on his phone while we waited. It was another 45 minutes until Bash came into the waiting room. His hair was sticking up like he’d been pulling at it.
Sid and I both stood up, but it was clear that Bash was avoiding me.
He addressed Sid. “He needs surgery. They’re going to have to put screws in his elbow or some shit. They can’t do it tonight because he’s eaten, so they are going to schedule it for first thing in the morning. Tonight, they’ll set the bone and then discharge him.”
“Shit,” Sid blew out a breath. “Poor kid. Whatever you need, let me know. If you need me here tomorrow—“
“Thanks, man. My parents are coming tomorrow, but I might need you. I’ll go crazy just sitting here waiting.”
I was wringing my hands, feeling like an outsider. Bash wouldn’t even look my way.
“Bash, I’m so sorry—“ I stepped forward, lifting my hands up to hug him, but he stepped away from me.
The expression on his face was ugly, a mixture of revulsion and contempt. “Just go home, Lacey. We don’t need your help.”
Chapter 31
Bash
Everything was slowly getting back to normal. The horrible day of the surgery was three long days ago. My parents helped me settle Kody back at home and stayed over a few nights. They were gone and Kody had already milked his injury for all the balloons and ice cream that my friends and family could give. It was just the two of us again, except that Kody was bored and frustrated with the limitations that his cast imposed. Tomorrow I would get him back to preschool and hopefully, that would help him feel less cranky.
Over the past three days, I’d seen or talked to most of my good friends, but for one glaring exception. Lacey. Still upset with her, I’d told her not to come over because I needed some time to get Kody situated. I’d barely spoken to her, just enough to update her on his progress.
I wanted to talk to her, but I was still so pissed off. And I felt guilty that I’d left Lacey in charge to babysit, especially since my reasons were so selfish. I wanted to come back home and have sex with her. Fuck, it was so stupid. I should have dropped him off at Kaylie’s and stayed there overnight instead of wanting to get back to her so badly. Then Kody wouldn’t have gone through all this trauma.
I was mostly feeling guilty and angry at myself, but Lacey had let me down, just like I’d let down Kody. I trusted her to keep him safe, and she failed. It felt like a betrayal.
My cell phone was in my hand, my finger hovering over Lacey’s name when the doorbell rang.
A quick glance out the window let me know it was Mrs. Travis, the lady who lived across the street and walked her black labrador through the neighborhood twice a day. She was holding a plate wrapped in aluminum foil.
I opened the door. “Hello, Mrs. Travis.”
“Hi, Bash.” She smiled weakly. “I didn’t want to bother you while you had all the activity going on, but it looked quieter over here today. I wanted to see if Kody was okay. I saw him being loaded into the ambulance and I was so worried.”
“He had surgery on his arm, but he’s doing just fine now.”
“Oh, I wasn’t sure what happened...” Her voice trailed off.
She was a nice woman, so I didn’t mind her prying. “He climbed up on the table and fell off. He broke his arm and there was some worry about spinal injury or a concussion, but luckily it was just the broken arm.”
“Oh, thank God! I saw the neck brace when they wheeled him out. It was scary.” She frowned.
