Page 96 of My Secret to Protect

Arlo

Leavingthehospitalmademe feel sick, but on Mrs. C’s insistence, I found myself at her place, taking a shower and laying my head down with Beans right beside me, wondering what the hell was going on.

I’m so thankful that I gave Mrs. C the code and a key to my place in case she ever needed it. She picked up Beans as well as Bree’s bag and packed up a few things for me too. I hate to admit I needed it, but fresh clothes do feel good.

I can’t rest, though. I want to be at the hospital waiting, but Zoe is right. I’ll be no good to Bree if I have nothing left in the tank, and for now, she’s being kept under sedation, so I can’t do anything. I can’t change anything.

My dad took the Harley back to the shop for me, and I dread to think what explanation he gave or how he was received showing up there on a stolen bike in a Bone Roses cut. I also dread to think of how Cali would have chewed him out, unfazed by the man or the president patch.

Reaching for my cell, I check the time. I’ve been here three hours. It’s the middle of the afternoon now, and for the first time, I feel hungry. Pushing myself up from the bed, I head for the hallway that leads to the kitchen but stop when I hear voices. I’m not in the fucking mood for confrontation or conversation, but I know I’m getting one of them.

Steeling myself, I head for the kitchen and see Doug and Zoe sitting at Mrs. C’s table, waiting.

‘Who’s with Bree?’ I ask firmly, and Doug meets my eye.

‘Mama, Cara, Merv, and Missy.’ His tone is less furious now than it was at the hospital.

‘Come and sit down, sweetheart.’ Mrs. C rubs my arm and smiles up at me. ‘You need to eat. I’ll fix you something.’

Giving my friend a grateful smile, I take a seat opposite Doug.

‘I’m pissed,’ he says, and I meet his eye. ‘Grandma told us every fucking thing and—’

‘Douglas Campbell, don’t you curse in my house.’

‘Grandma…’

‘Not today, not ever.’ She points the knife in her hands at her grandson, and he drops his head back with a growl.

‘We know, Arlo,’ Zoe picks up, ‘we know you and Bree were together before and that you went to prison, and we know about what’s been going on these past few months. I’m sure there’s still a lot of detail we don’t have and we’re not pushing you for that right now.’

Zoe reaches out across the table, and it surprises me, but I take her hand, and the contact causes a lump to form in my throat.

‘It’s hard for us to know we were kept out of the loop on something so big.’

‘Bree was afraid of making y’all a target,’ I admit, my voice sounding strange and unused, and she nods.

‘Yeah, that’s Bree. Always up in our business but keeping us out of hers.’ She smiles weakly.

‘Listen, man,’ Doug starts, and all eyes in the room move to him, wondering what his move will be. ‘She loves you, and seeing her happy with you meant everything, even more now we know what she was going through, but this is hard. I wasn’t given the opportunity to protect her, and that kills me.’ Doug’s voice cracks with emotion, and Zoe releases my hand to wrap her arm around her brother.

‘Doug,’ I start, and he meets my eye. ‘I’m sorry we didn’t tell you. We were trying to keep you all safe. We didn’t know what he was capable of.’

I still have no idea what she went through during that time that she was alone with him, and it eats me up.

‘Grandma told us y’all weren’t really dating.’ I nod, confirming that truth. ‘But it’s real now?’

‘Realest thing in the world. I love your sister, Doug. She’s everything to me.’

Accepting my words, Doug holds out his hand for mine, and I accept the handshake.

‘Then let’s eat and get back to her.’

Thesefuckingmachines.Ihave a love-hate relationship with them right now. I love them because they’re helping her heal. I hate them because the incessant beeping and whirring and ticking is driving me fucking crazy.

We passed the twenty-four-hour mark, and she’s still with us. The doctor said they’ll be taking her off sedation in the next day or so to see how she does, and I feel impatient as well as worrying that I’m not ready.

I want to see her, look into her eyes, kiss her, and have her kiss me back. I want to hear her voice, her laugh, but I’m afraid she won’t come back to me the way she was—that she won’t come back at all.

---