Page 21 of Digging Deeper

“I heard from Aiden that you were doing better, so I wanted to come check on you for myself.” He hovers in the doorway, shifting his weight between his legs.

“You were talking to Aiden?” Did I hit my head during the shooting and not realize until now? Aiden is a fellow patrolman. I was always friendly with him, but since I was injured, we’ve gotten even closer. Presently—maybe even from now on—he’s Jameson’s partner, but even before my best friend went back to work, Aiden had been making an effort to stop by and check on me; first, in the hospital, and since my transfer to the rehab center, he stops in almost as much as my brother and Jameson. I’ve never been sure why my quiet friend has been treated so badly at the station, but it’s almost as horribly as Jameson’s treated.

“Yeah, uh, after him and Jameson were done with shift yesterday, I ran into him in the locker room, so I asked how it was going, you know?” he asks, still hovering in the doorway of my room.

“You can come all the way in if you’d like.” He hesitates before shuffling a chair over and sitting down near me. “How did he say it’s going?”

“Great. He said he’s enjoying being out on patrol with my brother.”

My brother?This just keeps getting weirder. Before I was injured, it had been years since Jovany wasn’t acting as big a dick to Jameson as the rest of the family, basically disowning him like the rest had, including their mother. Lately though, he’s been odd. It wasn’t only Jameson he’d cut off, either. It was also their father, and in recent weeks, he’s gone to visit their dad in prison. Deciding that maybe a reconciliation is possible for the brothers, I relax into my seat. As much as I’d hate to see Jameson suffer anymore pain from his family, I know how much it would mean to him to have his brother back in his life, and if I can help that happen, I will. “Good. That’s what they tell me, but it’s nice to hear they aren’t saying that to pacify me. I was worried about it if I…” I trail off, shrugging.

Jovany’s fidgeting stops as he stares at me intently. “If you what?”

“Dude.” I gesture down to my useless legs.

Jovany shakes his head as he says, “You’ll be up and around before you know it. You’re a strong guy—in shape. You’ve definitely never been afraid of a little hard work, so…”

I have now entered the Twilight Zone. Jovany is complimenting me? We were social back in high school, not exactly friends, but acquaintances since Jameson and I were friends and Jovany and their cousin, Cappi, are only a couple of years older. However, any kind of friendship we may have had ended with the demise of his relationship with his brother. “Okay, what’s going on?”

“What do you mean?” he asks, focusing on a spot over my shoulder.

“Oh, I don’t know. You’re visiting me to check up on me. Cappi, who I haven’t seen you go anywhere without in years, isn’t with you. I know you went to visit your father. What’s going on, Jovany?”

He stands up abruptly. “Nothing. It’s not that big a deal. You’re a fellow officer, it’s only right I check in on ya.” He makes a production of checking the time on his cell phone. “Speaking of which, I better go. I have to meet Cappi soon.”

“Ooookay.”

“Catch ya later, Drix. Let me know if you need something,” he throws over his shoulder as he strides from my room.

* * *

“We’re here,”Holds singsongs as he pulls Jameson in the door behind him. Aiden and Gavin come in right on their heels.

“Yes!” I rub my hands together with anticipation. Holden had messaged me first thing this morning to let me know he, Jameson, Aiden, and Gavin would be bringing me lunch and hanging out for the afternoon. “What you guys bring for lunch? I’m starving.”

“Starving,” Jameson scoffs. “It’s not like you’re doing anything to work up an appetite in here.”

“That’s not true,” Gavin says, almost defensively. “Drix has been working hard, both at the gym and here in his room. Another couple days and I guarantee he’ll be getting into his wheelchair by himself.”

“Really?” Holds stops pulling what looks like a taco out of the bag he’s holding and blinks at me.

“Yep,” Gavin says, sounding proud.

“Wow… that’s great,” my brother says as he finally sets the taco on the table, then continues to pull out the rest of the food.

“Hmph, I won’t believe it until I see it,” Jameson says, but winks over at me.

“Yeah, yeah.” Turning my attention to Aiden, I say, “Hey, man. How was your week?” He’s smiling, but there are dark circles under his eyes and his carrot-orange hair is messier than normal, as if he’s been running his hands through it.

“It was a week,” he says.

“Did you guys have a rough one?” I ask wearily. I hate the idea of Jameson out on the streets without me, but it’s something I have to get used to.

“Not really. Work was good.” We all direct our attention to Aiden. “Home stuff, no biggie,” he says, waving his hand in a dismissive gesture. Jameson opens his mouth, but Aiden continues, “Holds, is this one yours or mine?” He grabs one of the tacos sitting on the table between where his and my brother’s chairs are.

Jameson gives a subtle shake of his head at the rest of us as Aiden concentrates on unwrapping the taco to look inside, so we drop it while Holds finishes distributing our lunches.

Halfway through lunch, Holds says, “It’s nice to have you at the table with us, Drix.”

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