by K. C. Crowne
Ryan chuckled. “Kid’s like me back in the day.”
“Is that right?” I asked, intrigued by this little tidbit of information he was treating me to.
“Oh yeah,” he said. “I was a total jock when I was his age. But I was more into rugby than basketball.”
I allowed myself a little moment to think about Ryan dressed in nothing but a rugby shirt and a pair of shorts, his body glistening with sweat and his hair mussed in a totally sexy way. It was enough to get me turned on right then and there.
“See,” I said, coming back to the moment. “It’s a good thing we know each other now. Because I was a total dork back when I was in high school.”
“A dork?” he asked. “No way. You’re gorgeous – I doubt you were anything but one of those popular girls who every guy wanted to get with.”
My eyes were on the game, Adam rushing up and down the court with his team.
“Not even close. I was a major theater nerd. And I had no idea how to dress, how to talk to guys, or even how to laugh without making this painfully awkward snort.”
He laughed. “Alright, I’ve got a new life goal. I’m going to make you laugh until I hear that snort.”
Still watching Adam, I saw him stumble a bit. He bent over for a second, his hands on his knees as he caught his breath. He shook his head as if frustrated with himself, then was soon back into a run. Something about the scene sparked in my brain. Adam worked out often and was in top form. It wasn’t like him to lose his breath like that so early in the game. After a few seconds, he seemed to be fine, so I tried to shake it off, but I was keeping a close eye on him.
“No way, no way. I’ve put tons of time and energy into suppressing my snort. Not a chance in hell you’re going to ever hear that.”
“In that case, I’m going to consider it a challenge.”
I grinned. “Then you’d better work on your material.”
I took my eyes off Adam for a moment, turning to Ryan.
“Trust me, I can be funny as hell when I –”
The whistle blew hard, cutting Ryan off midsentence. People stood up all around me, Ryan among them. Gasps sounded out from the crowd.
Something had happened.
I rose to my feet and saw that there was someone sprawled out on the ground in the middle of the court, both teams gathered around him.
To my horror, I realized that it was Adam.
An hour later I was in the waiting room at the nearest hospital, my stomach feeling like it’d been tied into knots. Ryan’s hand was on my back, his touch making me feel a bit better.
“He’s going to be fine,” Ryan assured me. “Last I saw him he was getting his color back.”
I was still in a daze. All I could think was how damned lucky we’d been that Adam’s emergency had been in the middle of a crowded gym. Ryan had hurried to him, checking his pulse, and making sure he was still breathing. Both of us were allowed in the ambulance that had taken Adam to the hospital, and while none of the paramedics could say what had happened, the guess was that it had to do with his heart.
We arrived at the hospital and Adam was brought inside. Since then, all we’d been able to do was wait. That had been the hardest part. Being in the hospital, waiting to get the news on what had happened to my loved one…
It brought me back to when we’d lost Mom and Dad, when I’d been a kid waiting under the bright hospital lights, the doctor approaching with a somber look on his face that let me know right away the news was bad.
“There,” Ryan said, placing his hand on my shoulder and snapping me back to the moment. “There’s the doctor.”
My stomach tensed as I tried to read his expression. But it was blank, impossible to read. He approached and greeted us, the fear I felt like nothing I’d known.
I couldn’t lose Adam, I couldn’t.
“Alright,” the doctor started. “First thing is that Adam’s going to be fine.”
The relief I felt was the exact opposite proportion of the fear that had taken hold of me only moments before. It was so intense, in fact, that I could hardly stay standing. Ryan placed his hand on the small of my back and guided me down into the nearest chair.
“Thank God,” I said. “Thank God.”
“What’s the problem, then?” Ryan asked, his tone clear and professional. “Seemed like an issue with his heart?”
“As far as we can tell, that’s right.”
I rose, feeling a touch better now that the news had sunk in.
“You aren’t sure?” I asked.
“He had what we call a cardiac event,” the doctor said. “The elevated level of stress on his body from the game triggered something in him. But it’s difficult to say what, exactly.”
“That’s impossible,” I said. “Adam’s always been in good shape. He’s never had anything like this happen before with his heart or anything else.”
“It’s not unheard of for conditions like this to emerge seemingly spontaneously,” the doctor went on. “And you never know until it happens.”
I wasn’t in the mood to press him for answers about something he couldn’t explain.
“When can I see him?” I asked. “And when can he go home?”
“You can see him in half an hour or so – we just want to observe him a little while longer. He’s conscious and stable, but a little out of it. And if he’s feeling up to it, you can bring him home tonight. But he needs to see a specialist soon – a cardiologist who can take a closer look at him.”
“I know just the bloke,” Ryan said, not a shred of hesitation to his voice. “My good friend Dr. Hayden Frost. Best heart doc in town.”
The doctor nodded. “I’ve heard the name. And if you’ve got a chance to get Adam in as soon as possible, I’d suggest you take it.”
With that, he excused himself.
Adam was going to be OK – for now. But once it was only the two of us standing there, the weight of it all bore down on me.
I collapsed into Ryan’s arms and he held me while I cried.
Chapter 25
RYAN
The rest of the night had been something of a blur. We’d brought Adam home, the poor kid as groggy as if he’d been slugged in the side of the head. Once he was back, we got him to bed and by the time that was taken care of, Carly and I had exactly enough energy left to strip out of our clothes and collapse on top of her mattress.
I was up early the next morning, Carly still sleeping. Figuring breakfast was the last thing she wanted to worry about, I dressed and slipped out of the room, making sure not to wake her.
Once I was in the hall, I heard strange banging noises coming from Adam’s bedroom. I inched closer, and as I did, I could make out what sounded like gunfire.
Video games. I knocked on the door.
“Yeah?” The voice on the other side was weak.
“It’s Ryan. Mind if I come in?”
“Sure.”
I opened the door to see Adam in bed, a PlayStation controller in his hands and his eyes on the screen. Sure enough, he was playing one of those first person-shooter games, the action on the screen fast and frenetic.
Adam didn’t look his best. His face was gaunt, purple bags under his eyes. The kid was otherwise tall and strong, built like a horse. It was hard to see him like that.
“You know,” I said, crossing my arms and leaning against the doorframe with a smirk on my face. “When I was a kid if my mom saw me playing video games when I was home sick from school, she’d pull my ass out of bed and send me to class.”
He smirked back at me, flicking his eyes over for a second. “Hey, I like going to school – all my friends are there.”
I chuckled. “I was the same way. But bad news for you is that you’re staying in for at least a few days. And no basketball, either.”
He scowled, but I could sense he knew I wasn’t just talking out my arse.
“When can I play again?” he asked.
“I’m going to call my friend Dr. Frost. He’s
a heart doc, and he’ll squeeze you in ASAP. You’re young, so it’s probably nothing. But we’re going to get the all-clear, first. So, until then the only ball you’re going to be playing is NBA Live on the PlayStation.”
He allowed himself a small smile, but I could tell he was bummed by the news.
“I’m ordering some breakfast. Anything sound good?”
“Uh, sure. Mind getting some pancakes from the Red Mug diner? It’s only a few minutes away.”
“Perfect. I’ll get a few things.”
I began to leave, but before I did Adam spoke again.
“Hey, Ryan.”
I turned right around.
“What’s up, big man?”
Adam pressed pause on his game and set the controller down. “You’re not screwing around with my sister, are you?”
“Huh? How do you mean?”
“Carly doesn’t date much. Like, at all. She spends all her time working and taking care of me. I know you guys are having a kid and everything, but I’m pretty sure she likes you even besides that.” I could sense it was hard for him to say the words. “Anyway, I want to make sure you’re not going to leave when you get your kid or something.”
“Not a chance. I happen to like her a lot too. She wants me around, then I’m sticking around.”
He nodded, pleased with my answer. “Good.”
“Get some rest, bud. Doctor’s orders.”
I gave his door a quick knock before closing it and starting on my way.
It was chilly outside, not at all warm like the day before. The sky was solid gray, the clouds not having any texture – just flat. It had all the makings of a dreary, drizzly day.
On the way to my car, I spotted Carly’s neighbor Brandon on his porch. He was dressed in his usual attire of baggy shorts and a heavy jacket, his face looking more tired and haggard than usual. He was smoking a cigarette and taking sips of what looked to be a soda. His tired eyes stayed on me and judging by the way he winced after he took a swig of his soda, I guessed there might be an extra ingredient to his drink.
“Morning,” I said, giving him a wave.
But Brandon said nothing, his eyes staying on me as he took another drag of his cigarette.
I wasn’t about to stick around to see if he’d have a friendly turn. I drove down to the Red Mug, grabbing a coffee for myself and teas for Carly and Adam.
In addition, I ordered pancakes, waffles, sausage, and eggs – a total feast. It was likely overkill, but I wanted to make sure that both of them were eating well. Twenty minutes later I was back on my way.
When I arrived at Carly’s place, I saw that Brandon was still seated on his porch. Another cigarette was in his mouth, and it looked as if he’d freshened up his beverage. When he laid eyes on me again, his face tightened into an expression of anger.
“Hey!” he called out as I carried the bags to the house. “What the hell do you think you’re doing?”
“Come again?” I asked, totally confused.
He rose from his folding chair and started toward me. Brandon’s steps were uneven, and I could tell he’d had a little too much to drink.
Whatever was happening, it wasn’t looking good.
“I said, what the hell do you think you’re doing?”
I raised my bags a bit. “Getting pancakes. Not that it’s your business.”
I didn’t like the way he was coming toward me, or the way he was talking to me.
“No, asshole,” he said, tossing his soda bottle aside. “You know what I’m talking about.”
“Gotta be honest, mate, I don’t.”
He stuck a stubby finger toward Carly’s house. “That’s what I’m talking about. Me and Carly have a thing going on, got it? And here you come, marching into her house night after night like you fucking own the place. You think I’m going to just sit here and watch it happen? Fuck you.”
There was madness in his eyes, and I couldn’t quite tell if he was drunk, out of his bloody mind or both.
Either way, it was a dangerous situation in the making.
“Pal, you really need to get a reality check. You and Carly have nothing going on. And the way you think you do is getting me right worried.”
Before either of us had a chance to say anything more, the front door opened and Carly stepped out, phone in hand.
“You!” Brandon shouted. “You…you fucking whore! You think I’m gonna stand for this?”
A dog barked somewhere nearby, and I could see some of the neighbors watching the scene from inside of their houses.
“Brandon, this is your last warning!” Carly yelled. “Get back in your house and leave me alone now or I’m calling the cops!”
“Carly!” I said, raising my hand in her direction. “Go back inside. I’ve got this.”
She did not go back in, instead holding up her phone. “Last chance, Brandon! Back inside, or you’re going to be spending the night in lockup!”
I slowly moved to position myself between Brandon and Carly, still keeping my distance. “Be smart, mate. Not a good idea to make this worse than it already is.”
He kept his eyes narrowed, and for a moment I worried things might get bad.
“Fucking whore!”
Brandon swiveled around on his sneakers and stormed back to his house, snatching his soda bottle of whatever from the ground and slamming the door once he was inside.
I grabbed the bags of food and hurried into the house, leading Carly back in.
Adam was at that moment coming out of his room.
“What the hell was that?” he asked.
“The neighbor,” I said. “That lunatic Brandon.” I glanced at Carly. “I don’t want you staying here. Both of you, come with me over to my place. Carly, call the police and let them know what happened. Adam, pack an overnight bag, we can come back for the rest later.”
Carly held up her hands. “Wait, wait, wait. Listen, I get that you’re trying to help, but don’t come into my house and start barking orders like you’re General Patton or something. I can handle myself.”
“Is that right?” I asked. “And what would you have done if he’d gotten violent?”
“I’d have grabbed the baseball bat and defended myself.” She nodded toward the baseball bat propped up in the corner next to the door.
I took a deep breath and tried to focus my thoughts. “That’s…I’m glad to hear you’d be ready to defend yourself like that. But Brandon’s got to be twice your size and I –”
“Oh, so you don’t think a weak little woman like me could defend myself?”
I could tell her nerves were jangled from what had just happened. I made a mental note to watch my step.
“You’re a pregnant woman living with your teenage brother. You need to be concerned about your safety. And right now, you’ve got an alcoholic psycho living next store who’s totally delusional about your relationship with him.”
“I can handle it,” she said, her tone stern. “And I don’t need you babying me just because I’m pregnant.”
“Are you trying to prove a point or something?” I asked. “That you’re still independent?”
She closed her eyes and held up her hand. “Please don’t try to psychoanalyze me.”
“Carly, you’re carrying my baby. You’re out of your mind if you don’t think I’m going to be careful about your safety.”
Her eyes flashed at my words. “And don’t think that just because I’m pregnant with your kid that I’m your property and you can just tell me what to do.”
The argument was deteriorating. Adam had, at some point, hurried off to his room. No doubt this spat wouldn’t be good for his heart rate.
“Here,” I said. “We don’t need to argue about it. But I want to have a security system installed if you’re going to be staying here.”
“You want a what?”
“Security system. Something with a camera and motion detectors and a way to call the police if he comes back. As of right now, you’re wide open. I’
d prefer you both stay with me, but –”
“No.” Her voice was firm. “You’re not going to have a security system installed. Listen, after last night and this morning we’re both on edge. Why don’t you go back to your place and we can talk about this later?”
I hated the idea of leaving her alone like that. But she was right – the argument wasn’t doing either of us any good.
“Fine.”
I set the bags of food on the table, called a goodbye to Adam, and was on my way. Carly had gone to her room to get ready, and I didn’t want to push matters by getting into her personal space.
I drove home, and when I got there, I sent Carly a text letting her know, and asking her to tell me if she needed anything. To my relief, this got a will do, thanks in response.
The security system was still an issue, and while I hadn’t pushed the matter at the time, I wanted her to call the police. She needed to put the incident on record in case Brandon became a bigger problem.
But that could wait until later in the day.
It was all so much. And it didn’t sit well with me knowing that, for the first time in my life, I might not be confident about making the right call.
Chapter 26
CARLY
It was strange watching Adam.
That afternoon, I was seated at the desk chair in his room, the space totally silent. Adam slept peacefully, his mouth slightly open and his long arm draped over his broad chest.
It was the first close look I’d taken at him in a long while. We’d settled into a routine over the last few years, our mornings a rush getting ready for school and work, then quiet evenings of me working on grading and lesson plans and him on his homework.
He’d still been a kid when I’d taken custody of him. And, sure, he technically still was a kid, but barely. Adam was broad-shouldered, tall, deep-voiced, and confident. He was a young man. Just like I’d heard a million times over the years, kids grew up so fast that you wonder how it all happened so quickly.
And soon I’d be going through it again. I placed my hand on my belly. Before I knew it, fall would be here, and I’d be pushing this little guy or girl out of me. Then he or she would be walking, then talking, then driving, then graduating.