Page 93 of The Bitter Rival

He takes a seat across from me and digs into his cereal. My heart is so full of love for this crazy, talented kid. As difficult as last night was, I need to take this as a sign from the universe. We’re all hurting. But I’ve never been more sure of anything. We belong together.

“Where’s Boomerang?”

“He’s at the house.” All of a sudden, it hits me. I snuck out like a thief in the night and didn’t leave so much as a note. “Austin, I need your help. I left my cell phone in my car. I’m afraid to attempt getting it without another fall. Do you think you could get it for me? I want to let my nurse know I won’t be there for a few days.”

“Sure. Where are you going?”

“What do you mean?”

“If you aren’t going to be home. Where are you going?”

“I’m going to be here with you and your mom.” I almost drop my bowl of Captain Crunch as what resembles a smile dots Austin’s face.

He jumps from his seat abruptly. “Where are your keys?”

“Thanks, Charlie,” I say, taking the overnight bag from him.

“No problem, sir. Although I dig the T-shirt.”

“Haha. I’ll ask Austin if you can borrow it,” I tease. “Please tell Nancy I’m in good hands for a few days. I’ll get back to exercising and all that rot once I can get things settled here.”

I sling my bag over my shoulder and carefully amble toward the bathroom. It’s a bit of a struggle maneuvering the shower without a seat. I sit carefully on the side of the tub until I can manage to get myself safely to a standing position and then take the quickest shower of my life. As much as I love being in this home, the bathroom situation is not designed for someone with circumstances like mine.

Exiting the bathroom almost an hour later, I drag myself over to Austin’s room and knock on the door. “Hey, can I come in?”

“Yes,” he says, seated on his bed diligently sketching in his pad.

As I drop myself into the soft chair in the corner, I point to the wall. “I’m sorry, Austin.”

He stops drawing and looks up at me. “I know.”

“I never meant to hurt you.”

He nods and continues sketching.

“I’m sorry I didn’t get to see the leaves get finished. What are you working on now?”

“Nothing much. Just snow and wind. They’re hard to draw.”

“Austin, have you ever traveled anywhere with your mom? Like on vacation?”

“Not really. We’ve gone to the beach.”

“Would you be nervous to go on a plane or a boat?”

“I don’t know. I don’t like crowded places.”

Considering this a moment, I wonder if he’d be willing to do a cruise if we weren’t subjected to a crowd. I might have to look into this. I shake my head, realizing I’ve definitely gotten ahead of myself.She’s barely speaking to you.

We spend the rest of the afternoon chatting as I watch him draw, feeling more at peace than I can recall. Excusing myself, I go to the den to sprawl out on the couch and attempt a nap, given how poorly I slept the night before.

I awake to the sound of pans clanging together in the kitchen and rub my eyes. What time is it? Looking down, I notice it’s 8:15 p.m.Hell, I’ve slept all afternoon.

“There’s leftover macaroni and cheese and green beans in the fridge. Good night,” Bella says, walking swiftly away from me. I try to get her attention, but she’s gone in a flash.Fuck. I waited all day to see her, and now she’s gone.She offered me food, though. That’s a good sign, right?

I am a bit hungry. The neighbor who came by earlier in the day seemed startled to see me until Austin introduced me as his friend. She helped him sort out lunch, but I wasn’t about to ask her to make me anything. In hindsight, I should’ve asked Charlie to bring me something, but food hasn’t been at the top of my priority list. I could always look for another bowl of Captain Crunch if I got that hungry.

I make my way to the kitchen and heat up the leftovers Bella has offered. The warm gooey cheese hits the spot, lifting my spirits. I decide to head down the hall to the restroom and potentially say goodnight to Austin.

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