Page 73 of Only Fate

She opens a door and motions for us to follow. “Right this way.”

She leads us into a small exam room, where a woman—who I recognize as his grandmother—and Terrance are waiting.

His grandmother jumps up from her chair. “I’m so sorry! Tucker saw a squirrel and got loose.” She wipes tears from her cheeks.

Adrian wraps her in a hug, rubbing her back. “It was an accident. Don’t blame yourself.”

“Here, Essie,” Terrance says, standing to offer me his chair.

“Oh, no,” I say, stopping him. “Thank you, but it’s all yours.”

“Essie, this is my abuela, Valeria,” Adrian says when they separate. “Abuela, this is Essie.”

Valeria is an elegant woman with tan skin, black hair, and a tenderhearted gaze.

A warm smile graces her lips as she looks at me. “Ah, the pretty girl from the pub.”

Pretty girl from the pub?

I don’t ask why I’m referred to as that.

It’s not the time.

Instead, I return her smile.

“You’re so kind to give him a ride,” she says.

Adrian loosens his blazer. “I’ll be here for a while. You guys can go home.”

“You don’t have a car, honey,” Valeria argues. “You also don’t need to sit here all alone.”

“I can stay with him,” I volunteer before thinking about what a horrible idea it is.

Everyone’s eyes shoot straight to me.

“Are you sure?” Adrian asks.

“Of course,” I say softly.

Adrian hugs Valeria goodbye, and surprisingly, she hugs me next.

“You take good care of my boy, sweetie,” she whispers.

Adrian drapes his blazer over the back of a chair and sags back in the seat. I sit beside him, and as we wait, he taps his foot against the floor.

Over and over.

Louder and louder.

Reaching out, I grab his hand.

When he calms, I start pulling away, but he holds on to it like a lifeline.

“Thank you for being here,” he says lowly.

I squeeze his hand. “You were there for me when I was sick.”

His hand in mine feels like a missed comfort.

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