Page 71 of I Almost Do

He's quiet for a moment, then says, "I'll schedule you for right after graduation. I'll go with you if you want me to. You have finals next week. Are you okay with that, or do you need to see someone right now?"

"It's been going on for close to a year. I hardly think a week or two makes a difference at this point. I need to get these finals over with first.”

“Okay.”

“Thank you for making the appointment and coming with me. Seriously, James. I should have done it myself, but I just get a little… panicky when I think of it."

James is quiet again. And honestly, it's strange the way he keeps sitting in silence so much of this conversation. "Don't thank me. This is my fault," he finally says.

"How do you figure that?"

"I promised Marcus I'd take care of you. That means making sure you go for your checkups. I didn't do that."

"I'm an adult. I'm supposed to take care of doctor visits myself."

The silence now is pregnant. He doesn't say it, but I hear it anyway.

"But you didn't."

27

If You Need Me

James

Three Days Later

SashacallsonMondaymorning. Four minutes later, I'm in the car.

I almost take the jet, but when Dean hears me telling Rebecca to take care of it, he interrupts in a very un-Dean-like moment.

"I can do it faster," he says.

At my quick look, he says, "Traffic into JFK is crawling right now. Construction. I can get us there faster by car if I break a few traffic laws."

Dean breaks more than a few traffic laws. And I'd have had him break more if I'd thought of any he missed. He screeches to a stop in the ambulance parking spot two hours and twelve minutes after I answered that call.

When I step into the waiting room for surgery, Jeanine, Bronwyn, Sydney, four of Clarissa's other friends, a hospital administrator, and a sweating middle-aged man in a cheap suit all jump to their feet. Two of her security team are already standing.

The man is pushing forward, extending a hand to shake. "Mr. Mellinger, Dean Rosen. It’s an honor."

I ignore him. "Which one of you knows what's happening with her right now?"

They all start talking. Every single one.

I put a hand up. "Quiet."

I point at the administrator. "You. Come with me."

I'll give her credit. The administrator seems prepared for this moment. She'd better be.

She has brown skin, short-cropped iron-gray hair, and an attitude that says absolutely nothing will phase her.

We'll see about that.

She guides me to a small room for privacy and shuts the door.

"I'll cut to the basics, and we'll fill in the rest after. I'm assuming you'd prefer that."

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