He shook his head. “It’ll happen. Trust me. About thirty minutes after you left, his mom took a turn for the worse. She’s in a coma now. Her doctor doesn’t think she’s going to wake up. That’s why Vince was a little… distraught. I was holding him up to keep him from punching the wall.”
My jaw dropped. “I was just talking to her a couple of hours ago. How could she…?”
“It’s been expected,” Darren said. “His dad is there now, and Vince had to leave for a bit to clear his head. He’s going to go back.”
“Did she get to talk to him? Did she… say anything to him?”
“I don’t know.”
“I should go with him,” I decided. “I should be there for him.”
“He won’t let you,” Darren said kindly. “He doesn’t want you to—”
“Maybe I don’t give a fuck what he wants,” I interrupted. “Maybe I should just do what I think is right.”
“Don’t push this, Paul,” he warned. “He can’t be worried about what you’re thinking when he’s starting to grieve.”
I was pissed off again. “So what the fuck do you want me to do?”
“For now? Nothing. I’ll have his back until he needs you.”
I couldn’t help the jealousy I felt at that, but I couldn’t ignore the logic, either. Darren knew him better than I did. Darren had cared for him longer than I had. Darren was his family. I was not. It burned, but he was right. “Fine,” I relented. “But you call me if something happens and I’m needed. You promise?”
He nodded. “Yeah. I will. I promise.”
“Does he know you’re out here?”
He looked down at his feet. “I kind of yelled at him for being a dick to you and he went to his room and slammed the door shut. He doesn’t know. We’re supposed to go back to the hospital in a few. I think he just needs time to cool off.”
I thought fast. “Will you do me a favor?”
“Yes.” No hesitation as he looked back up at me.
“Will you tell him something for me?”
“What?”
“Just… can you tell him that I said it’s real? That if I have to, I’ll tell him every day that it’s real. Just… can you tell him that for me?”
“Sure, Paul.”
I nodded.
And then I left.
Chapter 20
Lost And Found
SANDY was still at my house when I got back. He looked up from the couch as I opened the front door, and I swear to God, it was like he could see everything all at once. My face screwed up tightly as I began to shake, and he leaped up and surrounded me, whispering quietly in my ear like he was my shelter.
I didn’t cry. I didn’t feel like crying. I don’t think I was sad. I don’t think I was angry; at least, not fully. I think I was tired and worried and sick to my stomach. I was trying to fight, as I’d done the entire way home, the urge to say “screw it” and drive to the hospital almost overwhelming—promises and Vince be damned. I knew that if something had happened to my mom, he would be one of the few people I’d want to be there. This led to spending a few minutes considering just when I’d started thinking of Vince as part of my family. It was made worse when I realized I didn’t want to think of a time when he wouldn’t be.
Sandy petted my hair as my head was in his lap. I turned to lie on my back, staring up at him, and he smiled sweetly down at me. Wheels was asleep on the floor near my hand, where he’d been since I got home, and I stroked his fur. I felt better. Well, a little better.
“I already called in to work,” Sandy said quietly. “I let them know that you both would be needing some time off, at least next week. Vince will be good to go a little longer than you. You have vacation time saved, right?”
I nodded. “Didn’t really have plans to use it, so that’s okay. Thank you.”
He smiled softly. “Of course, baby doll. I know this is hard on you too.”
“It’s not about me, though, and I think I kind of made it that way.”
He snorted. “You mean you asked for something for yourself for the first time in your life? You’re right, Paul. That’s so selfish of you. How dare you.”
“Har har. Hysterical it had to happen right at this moment.”
“Hey, at least it happened. I’ll take that over it never happening at all.”
“Yeah.”
“Paul?”
“Yeah?”
“Everything’s going to be okay. You know that, right?”
I did and I didn’t. I couldn’t figure out which was louder. I gave the easier answer. “Sure, Sandy.”