Page 68 of The Truth About Love

“She’s okay,” Winter says hurriedly. “Got lucky actually. Should’ve been much worse than it was.”

“What happened?” I croak, swallowing down a mouthful of acid.

I hear her suck in a breath. “She jumped off a bridge into traffic.”

“Fuck.”

“Yeah.”

“And she survived that?”

“She fell onto a truck which kinda cushioned the fall, I guess.”

“And she’s really okay?” I ask, needing to hear her say it again. Because how can she possibly be okay after something like that? “She’s not too hurt?”

“Oh, she’s hurt plenty, but nothing life threatening.”

I stand up and pace the length of the apartment, my hand not holding the phone scratching relentlessly at the fabric of my trackpants that cover my thighs. They’re loose, but I feel like they’re suffocating me.

“Look,” Winter says after a long period of silence. “I called because I need your help.”

“Anything.”

“You’re gonna wish you hadn’t said that.” She laughs gently, but there’s no joy behind it.

“Winter, what is it?”

I can’t imagine anything I wouldn’t do to help her and her sister right now. Not after what she’s just told me. Not after what Summer-Raine’s done.

“The doctor won’t discharge her until she’s confident Summer has enough support at home.” She pauses. Sighs. “But my husband refuses to let her stay with us anymore.”

“Okay,” I say slowly, not understanding where this is going.

“She needs someone with her twenty-four hours, Auden, and I’m not going to be able to do it.”

“Right, so what does this have to do with me?”

She sucks in a long breath. “Well, I was hoping that you could do it.”

I blanch. “What?”

“Look, I know it’s a huge ask. Ridiculous, really. But I don’t know what else to do. She won’t agree to inpatient care even though it’s the best thing for her, I’m not in a position to be able to look after her anymore and I’m terrified that she’s going to try to do something to herself again if I don’t find a solution. You know her, Auden. She loved you once, she trusted you. There’s no one else I can ask to do this.”

I listen to her talk, can hear the desperation in her voice, and though I told her only moments ago that I’d do anything to help, I know that I can’t do this.

“Winter.” I sigh, but she cuts me off.

“Please, Auden. I wouldn’t ask if I had any other choice.”

“But what about your parents?” I ask, though I already know the answer. Their parents didn’t give a shit about them five years ago, I can’t imagine they’ve started caring now. “Or Marlowe. Have you asked Marlowe?”

“Who’s Marlowe?”

“Her best friend.”

“Summer doesn’t have any friends. She stopped talking to everyone after high school. You’re literally my last hope.”

“But what about my job and my apartment?” Admittedly, the lease on my shitty studio is up next month, but Winter doesn’t know that.

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