Royal(18)
The correct answer to Delilah’s question escapes me. Probably because I’m not sure what the correct answer would be.
Do I tell the truth? Do I flat out admit that I’m freaking out right now because no one knows we broke up and no one will believe me?
My sister’s gaze softens, and she reaches for my arm, rubbing my shoulder. She takes my hesitance as a sign that I’m not doing well, and maybe she’s right.
“You didn’t have to fly all the way back from Chicago,” I say.
She bats her hand. “Brooks is your fiancé. He’s family. I’m going to be here for you. For him. Whatever you need. I’ve already spoken with my professors, and I’ll be telecommuting the rest of the month. I’ll go back after Thanksgiving. For the next three weeks, I’m all yours. Anything you need.”
I hug my little sister tight. The truth rests on the tip of my tongue.
“Brooks is going to be fine.” She gives me an extra squeeze. “He’s going to recover, and you’re going to marry him and live happily ever after with lots of Abbott babies and the entire world at your fingertips.”
“I don’t want to talk about the future right now.”
“Oh,” she says, though it comes out more like a question. “Okay. Sure. Understand.”
“I’m going to grab a shower.”
“I’ll be here.”
Chapter Seven
Demi
My sister takes my hand as we pad down the halls of Rixton Falls Memorial Hospital that morning. I’m not sure if she’s trying to take some of my strength or trying to give me some of hers.
“He’s in pretty bad shape,” I say before we get to his door. “Be prepared. You’ll hardly recognize him.”
She inhales and meets my gaze with glassy eyes. “I’m ready.”
Delilah hated Brooks at first. She thought he was pretentious and arrogant. But she doesn’t tend to immediately like most people she meets. Sometimes she comes across as cold and unfeeling, but I’m convinced she’s filled with stuffed animal fluff and candy hearts on the inside. Once she warms up to someone, she’s usually loyal until the end.
Which is why I’m so hesitant to drop the bomb on her just yet.
Delilah loves Brooks.
Almost as much as she once loved Royal.
We step into his room, and I hear her gasp from behind me.
“Oh, my God.” She steps past, kneeling at his bedside and taking his IV laden hand in hers. Delilah sniffs. “It doesn’t even look like him.”
She presses her cheek against his lifeless fingers.
“What are the doctors saying?” she asks.
“Nothing new since we last talked.” I take a seat in the corner and let Delilah have her moment. “Mostly just waiting for the swelling to subside.”
“Oh, good. You’re here.” Brenda Abbott hurries into the room in full hair and makeup. I’ve learned over the years that an Abbott never leaves the house without looking their best, regardless of the situation.
“There’s no excuse for looking like a slob,” Brooks once said to me when I attempted to leave the house in sweats and a t-shirt.
I was going to put gas in my car.
Brenda rushes to my side, kissing each of my cheeks before turning her gaze to her battered son.
“Good morning, Delilah.” Brenda offers a warm smile with a side of pained eyes. “Back from school?”
“I flew in last night,” Delilah says. “As soon as I heard, I booked the first flight home.”
“Such a sweet girl.” Brenda places her hand over my sister’s. “If only I had another son to marry you off to.”
Delilah tucks her face away, acting flattered. She’s not the marrying kind, but Brenda doesn’t know it. I’ll kind of be surprised if Delilah ever marries, and I dare anyone to so much as attempt to tie her down.
Brooks’s heart beats, providing a constant soundtrack for this entire exchange. We’re just three women, slapping smiles on our faces and pretending, for each other’s sake, that everything’s going to be okay.
I cross my legs and stare out the window. His room has a nice view of Meyer’s pond. In the warmer months, hundreds of ducks like to gather there. We used to walk the path and toss them torn pieces of stale bread. Brooks used to like to watch them fight over them. He’d throw a tiny piece into a group of several dozen and let them go at it. I would always chuck my pieces to the back, to the apprehensive ducks who kept their distance. They deserved the bread just as much as the others.
Looking back, it’s hard to tell where everything took a detour. Despite each of our flaws and imperfections, I think we were happy once.