by D. R. Graham
“No. My parents come here every year for their anniversary.” He thanks the busboy who just filled our waters and brought a basket of bread.
I choose a slice of the warm sourdough. “Are you close with your parents?”
“Not really. We’re cordial I guess.”
“Why?” I ask before I take a bite.
He shrugs as if he would rather not talk about it. “We’re just different. They’ve never really understood me and eventually gave up trying.”
I finish my bread and take a sip of water to give myself time to come up with a different topic. “Do you like your job?”
He frowns and tears off a slice from the loaf. “No. Not really.”
“What would you rather be doing?”
“Wow, you almost never ask me questions, and now you’re throwing all the tough ones at me at the same time.”
“You know everything about me, but I don’t know anything about you.” This could be fun. “Well, I actually know a few things about you because Cara raves on about you.”
“What did she say?”
“She seems to think you’re pretty hot shit.”
He touches my cheek. “What do you think?”
“I don’t know enough about your personality to judge yet, but I think you’re okay looking.”
He laughs. “Yeah, you’re okay looking, too.”
“So far, I also think you’re sweet. I like that you do things like open doors for me, give me your jacket, and pull out my chair. That could all be just an act, though, so I guess I’ll have to get to know you better before I form my opinions.”
He nods with a hint of determination as if he has vowed to himself to convince me that it’s not an act. “What impresses you most in a guy?”
“I only need two things. He needs to be honest and to be there for me when it matters the most.”
“Are you always honest?” he asks as he hands me a menu.
“No.”
He laughs. “You seem to like your double standards.”
“Take it or leave it.” I poke his arm playfully. “That’s how I am.”
“Well, nobody’s perfect.” He winks and wraps his fingers around mine.
I glance down at Aiden’s street again.
The waiter arrives and Leland lets me order first. Then he chooses a wine from the wine list. Everything about this place makes me feel so refined.
Our conversation flows easily and he makes me laugh a lot. Before the food arrives, my phone rings. “Sorry.” I’m still laughing as I pull it out of my purse to turn it off. Panic hits me when I notice who it is. He knows I’m on a date. He wouldn’t be calling unless it was important. “Excuse me.” I stand and rush over to the hall that leads to the bathroom to answer it. “Hello… Why? What happened?” Shit. I knew it had to be bad. “Okay, I’ll be there as soon as I can.”
When I return to the table, shaking, Leland stands. “What’s wrong?”
“I need to get to the hospital.”
Chapter Eleven
The hospital waiting room is full of people I don’t know. As soon as Leland and I arrive, I scan the room looking for Blaine, Elizabeth, and my brother, but the first person I recognize is Cara. Although she has obviously been crying, a flash of something other than worry crosses her expression when she notices Leland’s fingers laced around mine. I drop his hand and give her a hug. “How’s Sam doing?” I ask her.
“We don’t know yet. My parents are waiting for the doctor to come back with an update, but he was unconscious when the ambulance arrived.”
That doesn’t sound good, but I say, “I’m sure he’ll be okay,” to reassure her. Then I walk over to hug Cooper. “Come with me.” Leaving Leland with Blaine and Elizabeth, I pull Cooper out into the hall. “Who did this?”
“I don’t know.” He buries his face in his hands. “We went for ice cream with Blaine and Elizabeth. Sam went outside to answer a phone call and when he didn’t come back after like ten minutes, I went to check on him. I found him unconscious next to the ice cream shop. There wasn’t anyone around when I got there. Whoever did it took his phone and wallet.”
“Do you think it was just a random mugging?”
“I don’t know. Someone might have seen us holding hands when we walked from the car to the shop.” He shakes his head and breathes heavily. “I shouldn’t have done that. It was stupid.”
“It’s not your fault. You should be able to hold hands if you want to.”
“Should be able to and should are two different things.”
“Where did it happen?”
“The Double Dip on Forty-Ninth.”
I pull out my phone and text Gylly: Cooper’s boyfriend was jumped and robbed outside the Double Dip on 49th while they were with my aunt and uncle. He’s in the hospital. Find out who did it, please.
On it. After a pause, a second text comes through. How was your date?
None of your business. I fire that one off angrily, then remember he doesn’t have to help me. He will because that’s how he is, but he doesn’t have to. I quickly write another: Thanks for helping Cooper.
I stuff my phone back in my purse. “Gylly’s going to try to find out who did it. Let’s go back inside.”
Cara glances up at me as I walk in and then she stares down at her fingernails. Leland is sitting next to Blaine and Elizabeth with his elbows on his knees. He smiles with concern in his eyes before he moves over to let Cooper sit next to Elizabeth. She’s holding her arms out to give Cooper a hug. I take a deep breath and sit beside Cara. I might as well treat it like ripping off a Band-Aid and get it over quickly. “Sorry about Sam.”
She nods.
“I’m sorry about Leland too. I should have told you that he asked me out on a date.”
“Yeah, you should have.” She folds her arms across her stomach and sighs. “I knew he liked you the minute he saw you.”
“Sorry,” I say.
“Don’t be sorry about that. I don’t care if he likes you. I care that you lied to me. You’re not supposed to treat friends like that.”
“You consider us friends?”
“Yes. Don’t you?”
“Uh, I don’t know. Besides the people at theater, I’ve only ever had guy friends. The girls in my old neighborhood were all backstabbing bitches. I don’t even know how to be close friends with a girl.”
“Evidently.” She nudges her elbow against my arm. “I still like you, though.”
I laugh. “I didn’t expect to make friends when I came to live with Blaine and Elizabeth, but I’m glad I met you. Can we start over?”
“Yes.” She smiles, but it is strained with worry for her brother. I know exactly how she must feel. She glances over to see if Leland is watching us. He’s talking to Blaine, so she whispers, “Where did he take you?”
“The restaurant on top of Mount Scott. It got cut short, though, when Cooper called to tell me what happened.”
“Is he a good kisser?”
That’s an understatement that makes me smile a little bit, then nod.
“Oh my God! You’re so lucky.”
A doctor pokes his head into the waiting room and asks for the Livingstones. Two people who I assume are Cara’s parents stand and meet the doctor out in the hall. Cara squeezes my hand and then joins her parents to get the update.
While they’re gone, my purse vibrates with a text from Gylly. Who needs the police when the Noir et Bleu are on the case? Shit gets done and it gets done fast. Two homeless tweakers jumped him for the cash. Mickey got the wallet and phone back. He’ll drop them off at Sam’s house. How is he?
Not sure yet. How did Mickey find out so fast?
Eyes everywhere. Don’t forget it.
The fact that they even need constant surveillance to protect the people they care about says everything. I don’t want Noir et Bleu eyes watching me. Tell those eyes to stop watching me. We’re not together anymore. Don’t forget it.
There is a pause before he responds. Hard t
o forget that. The gaping hole in my chest that was left when u ripped my heart out kind of reminds me every time I breathe.
Oh my God. I close my eyes and cover my mouth with my hand. Shit. I didn’t need to know that. Pretending that I walked away because he cheated allowed me to delude myself into believing that it was his fault. Knowing for a fact that it crushed him opens a floodgate of guilt that slams into my gut. The phone nearly drops out of my fingers as I buckle over and rest my forehead on my legs. How could I do that to him? He must hate me. It takes a long time for me to recover enough to sit up and write him back: I’m sorry. I never meant to hurt you. Thanks for helping Cooper.
I press send and turn my phone off. That’s all I can manage before the room starts to spin. Someone wraps his arm around my shoulders, holding me up. “Tienne, what’s wrong?” It’s Leland. He sounds panicked. “Elizabeth, there’s something wrong with her. Her nose is bleeding.”
Their voices blend into a strange jumble. Then everything goes black and I hear nothing but silence.
When I come around, I’m in a hospital bed with a doctor leaning over me, flashing a penlight into my eyes. Her forehead creases and I assume it’s not only because she has a naturally serious personality.
“What’s your name?”
“Tienne.”
“When’s your birthday?”
“May twenty-first.” She writes on a chart, then removes the blood pressure cuff from my arm. She would be good at poker. I can’t get a read on her at all.
“Have you taken any narcotics this evening?”
“No.”
“Are you on any medications?”
“Birth control.”
“Have you fainted before?”
“No, but I do get nosebleeds when I’m stressed.”
“Have you been more fatigued than usual?”
“Sometimes.” Should I be worried? “But my dad died a few months ago. We moved to a new house, I started a new job, and I’m rehearsing for a play.”
She slides the clipboard into a slot on the end of the bed. “Okay. I need to run some tests. Do you want someone to stay in here with you?”
“My brother.”
She nods to a nurse who walks out, presumably to get Cooper.
Jesus, why is she acting so serious? It was a nosebleed. “What do you think is wrong with me?” I ask.
She pats my knee awkwardly, as if her supervisors told her that’s how to convey a bedside manner, but she doesn’t fully get it. “Let me run some tests. You don’t need to worry.”
Cooper rushes in and looks so grateful that I’m awake. “You scared me, T Bear.”
“Sorry.” I reach my arm out to comfort him, and he clutches my hand into his chest. “The doctor is going to run some tests, but I feel better now. I’m sure it’s nothing.” He closes his eyes in relief for a second and I ask, “How’s Sam?”
“Good.” He smiles. “He needed stitches near his eyebrow and he has a concussion but, other than that, he just has bruises. They’re going to release him tonight.” He looks over at the nurse who is drawing blood from my arm. “Okay, don’t get mad, and keep in mind that there is a needle in your arm, so don’t try to hit me.” He cringes a little. “I called Mom.”
“Cooooooper.”
“Sorry. I didn’t know what was wrong with you. Uncle Ronnie is bringing her down.”
That is the last thing I need right now. “You know I get nosebleeds when I’m stressed. You didn’t need to call her.”
“She’s our mom.”
“Great. Whatever. She probably won’t even show up.”
Cooper sits on the side of my bed and rests his arm across my shoulder, which makes me feel better. “They’ll all be here. You know that.” He laughs. “Sorry.”
It’s not funny. I shake my head and punch him lightly in the ribs. “Yay! I guess Leland is going to get to meet the whole fam damily.” I groan.
“You like him, don’t you?”
“I should, shouldn’t I?”
He shrugs as if he’s not sure. “You still love Gylly, don’t you?”
Yes. I love him so much that the guilt of turning my back on him with no explanation just landed me in the emergency room. I close my eyes and bite at my bottom lip. God, why does everything have to be so hard?
Cooper chuckles. “You seem to have gotten yourself into a little bit of a pickle.”
“A pickle? I think it’s more of a shit show.”
“Wait until Mom gets here with the entourage. Now that’ll be a shit show.”
“Can you smuggle me out the back door?”
“Nope. Not until we know what’s wrong with you.”
“Nothing’s wrong with me. Gylly sent me a text that upset me and I guess I got overwhelmed. I’m just tired. By the way, Mickey took care of the guys who jumped Sam, and he got his wallet and phone back.”
“Really? How?”
“I don’t know. Gylly said they have eyes everywhere. Whatever the hell that means.”
“Oh Jesus.” He bolts up.
“What?”
“Your nose is bleeding again.”
I cup my hands up near my mouth to catch the blood, but it dribbles through my fingers and onto the bed sheets. Cooper darts out through the break in the curtain and returns a few seconds later with the doctor. She’s frowning again.
The doctor doesn’t release me until the morning. Cooper stayed with me all night, and we walk into the waiting room together. Our mom and uncles are sprawled out asleep on the far side of the room. Uncle Blaine is asleep sitting up. Elizabeth’s head is resting on Blaine’s shoulder, but she’s awake, so when she sees us, she springs to her feet and hugs me. Leland is also awake. He stands when Elizabeth bounces past him. He smiles, but he has dark circles under his eyes and his hair is curled out in wonky directions. He waits until Elizabeth lets go of me, then he steps in and hugs me so tightly, it almost hurts. “Are you okay? What did the doctor say?” he whispers in my ear.
I glance over at my mom and all three of my uncles in their cuts and grungy jeans. Ronnie’s and Terry’s legs are stretched out, their heads rested back against the wall. They are both snoring, and their round bellies rise and fall with each breath. Len is slouched to the side with his elbow on the armrest and his head propped up on the heel of his hand. His knuckles are all scraped open and his hand is bruised. Len is the youngest Desrochers brother, only fifteen years older than me. He’s not bulky like his brothers. He’s muscular in a lean way and not quite as tall as the rest of them, but he’s tougher than all three put together. I’ve heard stories. Even my dad didn’t mess with Len.
My mom is stretched across two chairs with her head resting on a folded leather jacket. Her hair is pulled back in a ponytail and she almost looks like me in her jeans and white sweater. I don’t want to talk to any of them right now.
“Can we just go?” I whisper to Leland. At the same time, I notice that Cara is still here.
She smiles in a way that seems like she feels sorry for me as she walks over to hug me. “I’m glad you’re feeling better.”
Maybe it wasn’t pity that I saw in her expression. It feels like she actually cares. “You didn’t need to stay all night.”
“That’s what friends do.”
“Thanks.” I swipe away a tear that came out of nowhere. Geez, it’s going to take a while to get used to having a friend who is actually thoughtful and caring. “Please don’t tell anyone at the country club or at work about—” I point at my family.
She smiles and squeezes my hand. “Don’t worry about it. I’m going to head home to see if Sam is awake, but call me if you need anything.”
“Thanks, Cara.” I give her another tight hug before I turn to Elizabeth and whisper, “I’m going to head home, too. We can talk about what the doctor said there.”
Elizabeth raises her eyebrow, disapproving of my plan to give my family the slip. “You can at least say hello to them. They’ve been here all night.”
“No tha
nks. I think we’ve all had enough drama for one night.” I pull Leland’s hand and tiptoe toward the door.
Elizabeth unleashes a huge fake sneeze and then sings, “Tienne, darling!”
My uncles all wake up with a jolt, and my mom opens one eye slowly before pushing up from the chair. “T Bear.” She stumbles a little as she stands. “How’s my T Bear? Wow, you look so fancy in that dress.” She spreads her arms and wraps them around me. I stand stiffly as she half hugs me and half hangs off me. She feels like a skeleton with skin and she smells like cigarette smoke. “What did the doctor say?”
“She said I’m totally fine. I was just stressed and dehydrated and a little anemic. Sorry to drag you all down here for no reason.” Ronnie bends his towering six-foot-five frame down to kiss my hair. Then Terry lifts me off the ground in a gentle bear hug and presses his beard against my cheek. It scratches. Uncle Len isn’t very touchy feely, so he pats his hand on my shoulder briefly, then moves to stand near the wall. He’s the only one who smells like he’s showered recently.
“Who’s this?” my mom asks and rests her hand on Leland’s arm.
“Leland.”
Terry, Ronnie, and Len are always overwhelming, but they amp up the intimidation as they glare at Leland, probably because they don’t approve of me being with anyone who isn’t Aiden. Leland shifts his weight, then rubs the back of his neck as he stares at the floor, avoiding eye contact with them. My mom is joyfully oblivious to all the silent threats. She says, “We should all go out for breakfast.”
Only in my nightmares. I tug Leland toward the exit. “Uh, no thanks. I’m really tired. The doctor said I need to get my rest, but you all should go for breakfast. Leland can drive me home. Okay. Nice seeing everyone. Bye.”
This time we make our escape. We walk quietly to the elevator. Once we’re inside, the mascara tears roll. “Sorry you had to see all that shit.”
“See what?” Leland asks. “A family that loves you?”
I wish it were that simple. I choke back the emotion and lay my hand over the ring to hold it against my heart. Sometimes love isn’t enough.