Raise the Curtain

by Kirby Hall

  “West, Dad. His name is West,” she said through clenched teeth.

  “You think West is what you want? Maybe right now, but I assure you he isn’t worth ruining your life over.”

  “Dating someone who makes straight A’s and values me for who I am is hardly ruining my life. Other girls would be lucky to have him.”

  “Then, let them have him,” he yelled as his face turned red.

  Alexa’s hand balled into a fist. She’d never seen her dad so angry, but then again, she’d never been so angry at him, either.

  “He may make A’s now and that’s fine and good, but he has a record. Once a troublemaker always a troublemaker and I won’t have him drag you down.”

  Alexa stared at her dad and shook her head. “You think you know what’s best for me, but this time you’re wrong. Just like you’re wrong about West.”

  She started out of the room and a loud crash sounded behind her. She spun around to see a platter had crashed to the floor. Shards of porcelain were strewn about, but there was no sign of her dad. She stepped back into the room and saw his legs sticking out from around the counter. Her heart sprang into her throat.

  “Daddy,” she screamed and ran to his side. “Can you hear me?”

  He stared back at her with a red face and strained expression. Alexa fumbled for her phone and tapped out the numbers as her hands shook. “I need an ambulance. Please hurry.”

  Chapter 25

  The atmosphere at the field house was anxious. The board where the list was supposed to be hanging wasn’t up yet, so West walked over to the bleachers to wait. He pulled his phone out of his pocket to see if Alexa had called. He hadn’t heard from her and wondered for a minute if she was sleeping, but he doubted it.

  “Hey, man,” Josh said as he dropped down onto the seat beside him. “Look at those sorry guys loitering right on top of the door. I can smell their desperation.”

  West eyed the few guys hanging around the door. They would all be new to the team. The seniors who’d arrived were near the football field looking much more relaxed. “And, you’re not desperate to be on the team?”

  Josh squinted sideways at him. “I mean I am, but show a little restraint.”

  West smirked. “Hey. Have you talked to Alexa lately?”

  “No, she’s kinda gone MIA.” Josh grinned at him. “Honestly, I thought she’d been hanging out with you. What’s up?”

  “Nothing, I just wanted to know how she was doing.”

  “I’m sure she’s fine,” Josh said slowly. When West didn’t respond, Josh added, “What do you know that I don’t?”

  “She and her dad got into it. He found out I was seeing her and he kind of flipped out.”

  The smile Josh was wearing slid off his face. “Since when is Alexa not allowed to date?

  Did you get caught feeling each other up or something?”

  “No.” West could only imagine how that would’ve gone over. He’d probably still be in jail, or the morgue. “And as far as her dating life goes, I think it’s just me she’s not allowed to date.”

  “What happened?”

  “He met with a judge apparently, and had a restraining order issued against me.” West balled one of his hands into a fist and pounded it on his knee. “Then, as if to remind me who has the bigger balls, he called the cops and had me picked up.”

  Josh’s eyes grew wide and his jaw dropped open. “Dude, when did this happen?”

  West shuffled his feet and kept his eyes on the growing group waiting to find out if they’d made the team. “Last week.”

  “Oh, man. I didn’t know.” Josh shook his head. “Some friend I am.”

  West looked at his phone again and then slid it back into his pocket before he lost his mind about it. She’d call when she had time.

  Josh had his phone in his hand and was texting someone. “Checking in with Alexa now. I’ll try to see her tomorrow.” He dropped his phone back into his jacket pocket. “So, what’s up with you guys?”

  West shrugged. “I don’t know. We’re waiting her dad out I guess.”

  “That sucks. I mean her dad can be intense, but it sounds like he’s lost it.” Josh glanced toward the field house again where a group of guys was waiting and his eyes narrowed.

  “What?” West asked following his gaze.

  “I’d hoped he wouldn’t be back this year.”

  “Who?”

  “Jay.” Josh growled the name more than said it. “He’s a senior, so I shouldn’t be surprised, but I’d hoped.”

  West remembered how big the guy was from the night at the bonfire. He was tall, but he wasn’t lanky like most runners. He was more what you’d think of as a defensive lineman. Kind of like a refrigerator with legs. “He’s kind of big to be a runner.”

  “That’s because he’s not. Shot put and discus.” Josh spit onto the cement by their feet.

  “Are he and Bekah still . . .” West searched for a word that wouldn’t make Josh’s head explode. He wasn’t sure there was one based on the acid in his stare.

  “Dating?” Josh offered in a voice that was too high-pitched. “Don’t know. Don’t care.”

  West let the subject drop. It was safer that way.

  The door to the field house squeaked open and Coach Avery pushed his way through the crowd to the board. After pinning a piece of paper up, he turned and addressed everyone. “For those of you who made the team, we will begin practicing Monday afternoon after school. Don’t be late. For those of you who didn’t, better luck next year.” The coach disappeared back inside.

  “You wanna check it out?” West asked.

  “Yeah,” Josh said, never taking his eyes off of Jay.

  As they approached, Jay turned and bumped his massive girth against another guy standing beside him. That answered that question. Now, even more than before, West hoped Josh made the team. If he didn’t, it would be like lemon juice on an open cut. Josh looked first and slid his finger down the list.

  “Hell yes,” he shouted and turned to give West a high-five. “We’re going to tear this shit up.”

  West leaned around him to make sure he wasn’t wrong. He knew he was fast, but was he good enough? His palms began to sweat until he saw Howell West in the middle of the list. He smiled and rocked back on his heels. When he turned, Josh was waiting for him and still grinning. They started walking back toward the parking lot.

  “This is gonna be awesome. I mean besides the whole Jay thing, but field people don’t mingle with runners all that much. We just have to put up with him on the bus rides to away meets.”

  West nodded. He didn’t care about Jay one way or another, but he liked Josh so he was on his side. Bros before assholes and all. The news was still sinking in. He’d made the team. He couldn’t wait to tell Alexa. He stopped suddenly next to Josh.

  Josh stopped, too. “What’s up?”

  “Nothing. Just something I’ve got to do.”

  “Okay, man. Well, I’ll see you at practice. Hey,” Josh dropped a hand on his shoulder. “Alexa’s dad will come around.”

  “Yeah maybe, see ya.” West took off out of the parking lot and crossed through the woods. The hell with waiting for her to call him, he’d figure out a way to run into her. Maybe he could enlist Bekah’s help.

  As he headed toward his house, the only signs left of the sun were the deep oranges and purples still hanging on the horizon. He wished more than anything that he was on his way to their hill to meet her. He could tell her about making the team and watch as her mouth fell open. She wouldn’t believe it. Hell, he barely believed it himself.

  When he reached his house and let himself in, the light from the answering machine was blinking strange red shadows onto the side of the refrigerator. West hit the play button and pulled the fridge open. Ben
t over at the waist, he froze with his hand hovering over the can of soda when his dad’s voice began to echo around the quiet room.

  “Debbie,” it began, “I’m going to be in town for business and was wondering if I could stop by and see West. Give me a call, please.”

  West stood slowly and listened as his dad cleared his throat and left his number, then the machine clicked off. He shook his head and kicked the door closed; killing what was left of the light in the room. It’d been years since he’d seen his dad and their previous meeting hadn’t gone well.

  He recalled the time they’d spent at a restaurant his dad had chosen, sushi for God’s sake, and pounded the side of his hand into the doorway as he headed for his room. They had absolutely nothing to talk about. His dad didn’t care what was going on in his life any more than West cared about how things were between his dad and his second wife, Vicki. Good old Vicki, ten years his dad’s junior and dyed and painted until West couldn’t imagine what she would’ve looked like first thing in the morning. He shuddered. He’d only met her once and that was one time too many in his opinion.

  Leave it to the bastard to call and dampen the best day he’d had in a week. Even the reminder to himself that he’d made the track team and the swig of dark cola he’d just taken weren’t enough to wash the bad taste out of his mouth. He couldn’t think of a worse way to spend two hours than to sit around and listen to his dad try to make small talk. Considering he didn’t remember his birthday or think of him at Christmas, he wasn’t sure why he bothered at all.

  West kicked his shoes off and dropped into the chair facing the computer. It was time to blow some things up. Maybe focusing on defeating DarkLord696 would be enough to push his dad to a dark corner of his mind. Preferably, one where he would get sucked into a dark hole and never be thought of again.

  ~ ~ ~

  West rubbed his eyes and winced when he tried to focus on his phone. In the harsh light of the screen he determined it was in the middle of the night and realizing it was his mom he sat up in bed and answered.

  “Hey,” he said, his voice gravelly with sleep. He listened and then swung his legs over the side of his bed. “Are you sure?” When his mom assured him it was Alexa she’d seen at the hospital, he began tugging on his pants. “I’ll see you soon.” He paused long enough to let out a sigh. “I know it’s against the rules, and yes, after I make sure she’s okay, I’ll go.”

  He ended the call and slid his phone into his back pocket while he looked around in the dark for his shirt. His mom didn’t know much, but she knew enough. Alexa was alone at the hospital and something had happened to her dad. West didn’t need to hear more.

  If he was fast, maybe he’d be lucky enough not to get into trouble. After stepping into his shoes and grabbing his hoodie off the back of his chair he passed through the kitchen. He could always play it off like he didn’t know she was there and he was visiting his mom. He glanced at the green numbers on the microwave. It would be a stretch.

  The red one glared at him from the answering machine and he was reminded of his dad again. He left through the back door and slammed it behind him. His dad, the guy who’d left when his family needed him the most. The guy who’d been too weak to keep his family together. Alexa’s dad may’ve been a prick, but he loved his family. Something his own dad didn’t know the first damn thing about.

  West stepped onto the driveway and began to run, leaving thoughts of his dad and his failures behind. Unlike his father, he didn’t abandon people when they needed him and Alexa was alone. If she needed someone, he would be there, court order be damned.

  Chapter 26

  The corridor of the hospital was exactly as she remembered it. The green chairs were upholstered in the same plastic-cloth combination that was easy to clean. The smell of disinfectant, sickness and funk still hung in the air. Alexa stood and hugged her arms around her middle to try to hold herself together. How long had she been there? Two hours? Three? She wasn’t sure anymore.

  The paperwork was filled out and the coffee in the cup on the floor near her chair was cold. The night shift employees were well into their shift, but still nothing. Alexa paced to the edge of the waiting area, eyed the nurse’s station and debated on checking-in with them again. One of the nurses outfitted in dark purple scrubs spotted her and shook her head. Alexa fought the urge to scream. The waiting was unbearable.

  Her thoughts turned to her brother. Graham was waiting for her call. She prayed again that her dad was okay. She didn’t want to have to tell him he’d lost another parent. Maria was with him, so he was okay, but he wouldn’t be without their dad. And, she wouldn’t be either. She took a deep breath in, blew it out, and tried to stay positive.

  But, he’d been so pale.

  “Alexa?”

  She turned at the familiar sound of West’s voice. He was there. Walking toward her in his green hoodie and jeans with ruffled, and slightly sweaty looking, hair. Relief and exhaustion built behind her eyes and when he reached her, she fell against him and cried into his shoulder. The feel of his body after a week of nothing was overwhelming as much as it was welcome.

  “It’s okay,” he said against her hair.

  The smell of his skin and the feel of his hands stroking her hair made her feel safe and a little less alone. Logically, she knew he couldn’t promise everything would be okay, but hearing the words from him, she could almost believe it. She clung to him until she could catch her breath.

  When the tears subsided, she pulled back and looked up at his face. “How’d you know?”

  “My mom called me.” He looked around at the empty chairs. “You wanna sit?”

  Alexa crumpled into a chair and scanned the hall for a sign of the doctor. Still nothing. A shiver ran through her. In the rush, she hadn’t had time to do much of anything other than call Maria and hurry to the hospital. Grabbing a jacket hadn’t crossed her mind.

  “Here.” West peeled off his hoodie and draped it over her shoulders.

  “You sure?”

  “Yeah, you already snotted all over it.” He grinned.

  She couldn’t help but smile, too. “So, your mom’s here? Wait, how did you get here?”

  “She’s around somewhere.” West glanced around the hallway and then checked out the faces at the nurses’ station. “And, to answer your question, I took the bus part of the way and ran the rest.”

  “Incredible,” she said.

  “It was a bus ride, Alexa. I didn’t ride a horse or anything.”

  She shook her head. He could always surprise her. “So, you must be alone at night a lot then, when your mom works?”

  “Three or four nights a week.”

  She thought of how her house would feel without her dad in it. About what it would be like not to hear his voice coming from his office. “Don’t you get lonely?”

  He slouched back in his chair. “I’m used to it and lately I haven’t been alone as much.” He smiled at her again and gave her hands that were resting in her lap a squeeze.

  Guilt churned. It was the time she’d been spending with him that had landed her dad in the hospital. She stood again and his hand fell away from hers. She wanted to cling to him and let him comfort her, but her dad would be disgusted if he knew. His daughter hanging all over the boy he hated while he fought for his life. Or worse yet in her dad’s eyes, in public.

  “Do you want to tell me what happened?” West placed a hand on her shoulder and turned her to face him. He was standing, too, and his eyes were boring into hers.

  She lowered her gaze. “No, not really.”

  “You can tell me anything. You know that, right?”

  She nodded. “I know I can, it’s just that…” Her voice caught in her throat.

  He rubbed a hand down her arm. “We don’t have to talk about it right now.”

 
She nodded again.

  “Miss Cross?”

  Alexa turned to see a man in green scrubs standing in the doorway to the waiting room. He was short and there were circles under his eyes. There was also something wet and dark on his scrubs. She prayed it wasn’t her dad’s blood.

  “I’m Doctor Chen,” he continued. “Your father had a heart attack, but we were able to stabilize him.”

  Heart attack? But that only happened to old people and her dad wasn’t old. He even tried running on occasion. Maybe it was stress. Guilt churned again, leaving the faint taste of acid in her mouth. Stress caused by her and her selfishness.

  “Miss Cross, did you hear me?”

  Alexa blinked. “I’m sorry. What did you say?”

  “Your father will need to stay here for a couple of days, but then he should be able to go home to rest.” The doctor paused, waiting for her to say something. “Do you have any questions for me?”

  She had a thousand questions, but they could wait. “Can I see him?” Seeing her dad was the only way she’d be able to trust he was alive. She had to see him with her own eyes.

  “Of course.” He stepped to the side to allow her to pass. “You can follow me.”

  Alexa paused and looked back at West. “Thanks for coming. I’ll call you.”

  “I’ll wait.” He kept his gaze on her and his hands in his pockets. The way his feet were planted made him look like a man who would not be moved easily.

  Alexa’s lips turned up on one side and then she followed the doctor out of the room. As they walked down the hall, they passed several rooms with open doors. For the most part, all she could see were lumps under blankets and, on occasion, she heard televisions with the volume turned low. A familiar eeriness crept around her with each step, one that made her feel as though the decrepit fingers of death were reaching for her. She sped up and all, but ran into Dr. Chen’s back.