throb from all the sitting and leaning over, standing, sitting, breathing, but I want to make sure I’m doing my part, to begin to make it up to them for possibly overreacting to them not being able to help me out with school. I want to ask them if that’s all it was, an overreaction, and to tell them I’m sorry I didn’t speak to them for months, but I’m nervous about it for some reason.
I don’t say anything about the rib pain. Cora will either make me stop helping or give me more meds or both. I don’t feel like being high and in bed right now.
Cora, Dion and Natalie all retreat to the kitchen to make some lunch. I’m told to stay where I am but instead I get up to go to the bathroom at the same moment Chloe says she forgot something in her car. So I go alone, which isn’t much different from the first time I went, except I don’t have to listen to stories about people I don’t know. Going without the help of painkillers is a much different experience, though. When Cora corners me in the hallway and notices I’m flushed and sweaty, she hands me some water and pills. I don’t refuse. Pathetically, I even let her lead me back to bed.
Chloe comes in a moment later, sits in that weird brown chair next to my bed, a nervous expression on her face.
“Actually, sweetie,” Cora says, standing between us, like she’s defending me from something evil, “Olivia might need her rest. Maybe you could come back later?” She makes a sweeping motion with her hand as if she could shoo Chloe out that way.
“Oh, yeah,” Chloe says, but doesn’t stand. “I have to be at work anyway. I still have loads of hours to make up to my mom. But I wanted to show Liv something really quick. And then I’ll go. Okay?”
Cora hesitates, but nods and leaves the room.
Chloe takes a deep breath. “So I know none of this is my business and I deliberated all morning about how much to tell you or if I should say anything, but...” she reaches into her jeans pocket, pulling out a folded piece of notebook paper. Her next words sound vaguely robotic. “Wyatt told me you don’t want to see him.”
I sigh.
Chloe keeps talking. “I get that, I guess. Even though you haven’t tried to kick me out and seem pretty open to learning more about your family...”
I give her a sharp look. Shouldn’t she be taking my side since we’re supposedly best friends?
Her eyes widen, like she can sense my annoyance with her. She backtracks. “...but I guess the whole
boyfriend
thing is a little different. You don’t want some strange guy feeling you up. Not like Wyatt would take advantage that way. He’s patient and nice. I just...um...” She hands me a slip of paper. “You should try letting him in.” Her eyes go soft and her mouth twists up into a small smile. When I turn my attention to the paper, Chloe reaches down and kisses the top of my head.
Surprisingly, I don’t mind it.
“We love you, Liv.” I nod, but don’t return the sentiment. I like Chloe so far, what little I know about her, but I’m still unsure about Wyatt. “I’ll be back when I can. If you need anything from me before then, call me. You have my number in your phone.”
I look around for my phone, but don’t see one. “Any idea where that might be?”
“I don’t, but I’ll ask your parents.”
Then she slips out of the room.
I stare at the paper. Part of me wants to tear it open and see what’s inside. Wyatt’s kindness makes me curious about him. But on the other hand, I should trust the feeling of resentment that I had the first moment I looked at him. Something is going on there and I need to find out what it is before I let my heart go anywhere near him. And this paper might sway me in the direction I don’t want to go.
Seconds later, Cora lets herself back into the room. I tuck the paper underneath the lamp next to my bed. She hands me a tray of food and sits down to watch me eat it.
* * *
I dream.
I’m sitting in a hospital, staring at my
I don’t say anything about the rib pain. Cora will either make me stop helping or give me more meds or both. I don’t feel like being high and in bed right now.
Cora, Dion and Natalie all retreat to the kitchen to make some lunch. I’m told to stay where I am but instead I get up to go to the bathroom at the same moment Chloe says she forgot something in her car. So I go alone, which isn’t much different from the first time I went, except I don’t have to listen to stories about people I don’t know. Going without the help of painkillers is a much different experience, though. When Cora corners me in the hallway and notices I’m flushed and sweaty, she hands me some water and pills. I don’t refuse. Pathetically, I even let her lead me back to bed.
Chloe comes in a moment later, sits in that weird brown chair next to my bed, a nervous expression on her face.
“Actually, sweetie,” Cora says, standing between us, like she’s defending me from something evil, “Olivia might need her rest. Maybe you could come back later?” She makes a sweeping motion with her hand as if she could shoo Chloe out that way.
“Oh, yeah,” Chloe says, but doesn’t stand. “I have to be at work anyway. I still have loads of hours to make up to my mom. But I wanted to show Liv something really quick. And then I’ll go. Okay?”
Cora hesitates, but nods and leaves the room.
Chloe takes a deep breath. “So I know none of this is my business and I deliberated all morning about how much to tell you or if I should say anything, but...” she reaches into her jeans pocket, pulling out a folded piece of notebook paper. Her next words sound vaguely robotic. “Wyatt told me you don’t want to see him.”
I sigh.
Chloe keeps talking. “I get that, I guess. Even though you haven’t tried to kick me out and seem pretty open to learning more about your family...”
I give her a sharp look. Shouldn’t she be taking my side since we’re supposedly best friends?
Her eyes widen, like she can sense my annoyance with her. She backtracks. “...but I guess the whole
boyfriend
thing is a little different. You don’t want some strange guy feeling you up. Not like Wyatt would take advantage that way. He’s patient and nice. I just...um...” She hands me a slip of paper. “You should try letting him in.” Her eyes go soft and her mouth twists up into a small smile. When I turn my attention to the paper, Chloe reaches down and kisses the top of my head.
Surprisingly, I don’t mind it.
“We love you, Liv.” I nod, but don’t return the sentiment. I like Chloe so far, what little I know about her, but I’m still unsure about Wyatt. “I’ll be back when I can. If you need anything from me before then, call me. You have my number in your phone.”
I look around for my phone, but don’t see one. “Any idea where that might be?”
“I don’t, but I’ll ask your parents.”
Then she slips out of the room.
I stare at the paper. Part of me wants to tear it open and see what’s inside. Wyatt’s kindness makes me curious about him. But on the other hand, I should trust the feeling of resentment that I had the first moment I looked at him. Something is going on there and I need to find out what it is before I let my heart go anywhere near him. And this paper might sway me in the direction I don’t want to go.
Seconds later, Cora lets herself back into the room. I tuck the paper underneath the lamp next to my bed. She hands me a tray of food and sits down to watch me eat it.
* * *
I dream.
I’m sitting in a hospital, staring at my
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