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“He’s awake, but he’s not looking too good,” Gwen said as they returned to the basement.
“Surely you didn’t tell him that?” Harlow said angrily.
“I didn’t have to. He said it himself,” Gwen replied. “I think he wants to talk to you alone. He wouldn’t shut up about it.”
Gwen, Atlas, and Zachary all exited the room, leaving Harlow with a barely living, resigned Colt.
“Hi,” Colt wheezed. From his chest, Harlow could hear a hissing sound every time he breathed.
“Hello there,” Harlow said, trying to keep a brave and cheerful demeanor.
“Listen,” Colt said. “I don’t know how long I’ve got, so I wanted to tell you something.”
“That’s funny. Because I’d say you’ve got sixty, seventy years? So why the rush?”
“I’m not doin’ too good, baby girl.”
Harlow hesitated. “I mean, not right now, maybe? But soon you’re gonna look like a million bucks.”
“I have a million bucks.” Colt smiled and then coughed deeply. “It’s overrated.”
Harlow smiled sympathetically.
“Anyway, about Atlas,” Colt said. “He didn’t mean it. He’s sorry.”
“Then he can tell me that later himself.”
“Will you please listen to me?” Harlow had never seen Colt so frustrated. “I know you’re insistent on some fantasy where everything works out, and we’re happy forever, and nobody dies, but I’m dying. These are my dying words.”
Harlow could see that speaking was causing him physical pain, so she stopped protesting and simply nodded.
“Atlas doesn’t know how to tell you how much he needs you,” Colt said, rasping. “He thinks he needs to keep a strong face so you’ll feel safe… So all the pack will. But if you ever left, it would kill him, and I think you, too.”
“Is that all?”
Harlow hated that Colt had given up. She hated that he was apologizing for a person mere yards away from her.
“No,” Colt continued, “I had a dream just now, that I was back at the lodge, and I was trying to catch you both. But you were too far away from me, and I couldn’t see the way forward.”
“That’s a cool dream,” Harlow said, “but what’s it got to do with now?”
“Because.” Colt coughed. “I was happy. Even if I wasn’t with you, the fact that you and Atlas could be together made me happy. That’s all I want for you. And if I can’t be with you, I’ll die happy knowing that the two of you could be together.”
“Save your energy,” Harlow said. “You need it.”
She walked back upstairs, telling Atlas, Zachary, and Gwen that she was going to step out.
Last night’s mist and fog had formed an unbroken rainbow, which crested across the horizon, sun-backed clouds wrapping around it like ribbons. How was Colt going to live if he couldn’t fight?
She considered a future without Colt and what it would mean. Through every trial and disaster, Colt had brought levity, reason, compassion, and patience. It had opened her eyes to a strength she didn’t know she had, nurturing and tending to everything Vincent had trampled over.
Harlow took a long walk alone in quiet contemplation. She felt relieved that she could walk freely through town now, but the relief was dulled.
She returned to the basement, dragging her feet the entire way.
“Where were you?” Gwen asked. “You’re not going to believe this, but he’s stabilized!”
At first, Harlow didn’t understand the words she was hearing, as though she had simply lost familiarity with the English language. Then she looked over at Colt, who smiled at her, still weak but looking much better. She ran over to him and took his hand.
