Page 36 of Hawk's Cry

Amy looks from me to her, then pulls down Wizard’s head and mumbles something I can’t hear.

“We need to get Sam and Sophie back,” Wraith tells me.

Yeah. Bad timing. But their trip had been planned for months. I hit the heel of my hand against my head, it had been me that had encouraged them to go.

“Leave them be,” I tell him. “They’ll be back in a couple of days. We can manage until then.” Though truth be told, I’d prefer Sam with me.

Wizard nods up and down once, then turns to me. “You stay, Drummer. Wraith, I think you should come back to the compound. Olivia’s right about not having too many people around. Amy’s going to speak to a doctor she knows who works in the psych ward at the same hospital as her. See if she can get him to make a home visit. But,” he turns to Olivia, “if he says Eli needs to be admitted to the hospital for his own safety, that’s what we need to do. Getting him back on his feet is top of our fuckin’ agenda.”

Chapter Thirteen

Olivia…

“Dr de Souza isn’t working at the hospital today, so he can come straight away.” Amy’s frowning, her lips pressed tightly together. “I’ve explained the situation. Like me, he’d prefer Eli be admitted so he can be properly assessed.”

She doesn’t insist on it though. Satan’s Devils like to deal with their problems themselves, never trusting strangers to look after one of their own. I’m torn. Eli’s behaviour has scared me, and I want him to have professional help, but also, I want him close to me.

Wizard lazily raises an eyebrow toward his wife. “Should I be worried you’ve got the personal cell of one of the doctors you work with?”

She rolls her eyes. “He was helping me with some data for a report.”

“So the doctor’s coming here, now?” I interrupt, wanting help for Eli as fast as possible. I cast a look behind me, seeing through the open doorway that Eli hasn’t moved from his position on the couch. But he’s not relaxed, far from it. His hand is going to his temple, then back to his lap. His hands open and shut repeatedly, and his leg is bouncing.

“He is,” Amy reassures me.

“Are you alright?” Dad looks concerned. “Olivia, you’re shaking. Come here.”

“No, I’m fine,” I lie, wanting nothing more than to go into his outstretched arms, but accepting the comfort I knew all those years while growing up would make me give into those tears I’ve been holding back. I’ve got to be strong now, for Eli.

“Here,” Amy puts her arm around me, “let’s get you inside. I’ll share one of your decafs with you.”

I give a weak smile. “Would give anything to have a tequila instead.”

“Me too,” she confides with a sigh.

We step through the door, and I walk toward Eli. “Love,” I crouch down in front of him, “can I get you anything? Would you like something to drink? Eat?”

He doesn’t respond, but continues rocking, back and forth, then again and again. It’s like he didn’t hear me at all.

Amy puts her hand on my arm. “The doctor will be here soon. Eli will be okay. He needs help, and we’re going to make sure he gets it.”

I continue into the kitchen and put the coffee on, pleased Amy’s here and knows what she’s talking about. Her confidence that Eli will recover is reassuring. I stare out the window. Why hadn’t I noticed the signs? As Amy had been talking to me, asking questions about Eli’s appetite, his moods and how he’s been sleeping, things started to add up. This isn’t something that’s come on him recently. It’s been building for months. Puzzle pieces adding together and forming a picture which shows that Eli’s become overwhelmed with life and isn’t coping.

“Here, I’ll take those.” Amy takes the cups out of my hands which are shaking. She puts them down, then wraps her hands around mine. “Christ, Ollie, you’re freezing.”

I shouldn’t be. The air conditioning is cooling, not set to arctic.

“You’ve had a shock today. Seeing Eli like that.”

I shrug it off. “It’s not me anyone should be worrying about.”

She goes to speak, but then tilts her head as the sound of a car drawing up outside reaches us and clearly changes what she was about to say. “That will be Rob.”

I allow Amy to take the lead. Well, she knows the man and medical etiquette as well. Aware of the men still hovering around outside, Dr de Souza suggests we get Eli into the bedroom so he can talk to him in private.

Dad, Drummer and Wizard come back inside.

“Are you going to tell everyone what happened?” I bite my lip waiting for the reply. I’m sure Eli won’t want people to know the state he was in when I’d found him.

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