Total pages in book: 141
Estimated words: 134212 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 671(@200wpm)___ 537(@250wpm)___ 447(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 134212 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 671(@200wpm)___ 537(@250wpm)___ 447(@300wpm)
“He has an infection.” Lo sniffles and breaks away from me, wiping at her eyes. “His immune system is so weak, he can’t fight it off. I need to call his mother.”
“I brought your phone.” I drag it from my pocket and hand it over. “Do you want a drink? Water? Coffee?”
She shakes her head and lifts her phone to her ear. I don’t want to, but I force myself to give her space to make the call, heading for the nurses’ station again. The scowl I get landed with would bother me . . . if I was at all bothered. “Where can I get drinks?” I ask.
“The cafeteria is closed. There’s a coffee machine and vending machine at the nearest entrance.” She turns away and gives her attention to the computer.
“Thank you.”
Lo joins me, cutting the call. “I said I’d keep her updated. There’s no point her coming down. He’s as comfortable as he can be.”
“Can I do anything?” I feel so fucking helpless.
“No,” she says, looking past me. “There’s nothing you can do.”
“What about Boris?” I ask.
“Oh God, Boris.” Lo comes over all panicky, and I rush to assure her.
“He’s fine. I made sure he had plenty of water. Would you like me to pick him up and take him back to mine? I’m sure Steve won’t mind a sleepover.” I force a smile, wishing I could pick Lo up, too, and take her home to hold her all night.
“You’d do that?”
“Of course. I have your keys.”
We’re interrupted when a doctor approaches, smiling at Lo. “Mrs. Harper.”
“Dr. Smith,” she greets in return.
“Shall we?” He indicates to a private room to the left.
“Yes.” She looks at me. “Would you come in with me?”
I’m taken aback, but I don’t hesitate. She wants me with her. I swallow hard and nod, following them into the small, clinical room, with a few high-backed chairs pushed against the walls. I take a seat next to Lo and look down when she reaches for my hand and squeezes it.
“I’m sorry, sir, we haven’t met,” the doctor says, pulling my attention away from our held hands.
“I’m . . .” I stall, not sure how to introduce myself.
“This is Luke,” Lo answers, looking at my dazed face. “He’s my best friend.” Her eyes linger on me, her lips smiling a small smile. I’m her best friend. I’m caught somewhere between elation and devastation, and I’m utterly perplexed by it. A friend. Shit, my chest starts to ache. What the hell?
The doctor’s light cough brings me back into the small room, where Lo is clinging on to my hand and my heart is thumping painfully. “We all knew it would take this to get him into hospital, Lo. Like I’ve explained, his immune system is weak. He has a urinary tract infection that his body is struggling to fight, so we’re giving him antibiotics intravenously. Hopefully by morning we’ll see an improvement. We can then think about an MRI to see what our options are.”
“You told Billy when he came for his appointment last week that there’s nothing more you can do.”
The doctor frowns. “I haven’t seen Billy for months, Lo.”
Her mouth falls open. “He said . . .” She looks at the floor and takes a deep, shaky breath. “Never mind.”
The doctor smiles. It’s a sympathetic smile. “I’ll have an update in the morning, but for now he’s comfortable. I suggest you go home and get some rest.”
“Can’t I stay?” Lo asks, sitting forward in her chair.
“There’s nothing to be done until morning. Come back then. You need some rest, Lo. I’ll be on the ward around ten. We’ll talk more.” He gets up and rubs her shoulder affectionately. “Billy’s in the best place he can be. We’ll look after him.”
Lo nods, the doctor leaves, and silence descends, a horrible, uncomfortable silence. She stares at the wall on the opposite side of the room for an eternity. “He told me he’d seen Dr. Smith,” she says to herself. “He lied to me.”
“You mentioned a specialist in America.”
Her gaze dropping to the floor, she breathes in. “It’s impossible.”
Impossible. Because of the cost. But the doctor mentioned options. They have options. “I’ll take you home,” I say, standing and pulling her to her feet. She’s fit to drop. She needs rest. Eat. Drink.
Lo looks up at me blankly, her beautiful gray eyes overflowing with a sadness that cripples me. “I don’t want to be alone,” she murmurs raggedly.
I clench my eyes shut, tormented by her grief and fear. Because after those few days where I thought I’d lost her forever, I know there is no way I could leave her right now, whether she asked me to stay or not. I’d felt lost. Bereft. That I’d been missing my soul. But she isn’t yours. She. Isn’t. Mine. “I won’t leave you alone.” Not ever. I hook my arm around her neck and pull her into me, letting her tears soak my shirt. “We’ll get Boris, and you can come to mine, okay?”