Page 150 of Puck Me Secretly

“The nurses are pleased with his vitals.”

“Okay.”

“Where were you?”

“They arrested Max Logan. I am his alibi, so the police came by to interview me.”

“Is that why your father had a heart attack?”

I didn’t understand or like the accusation in her voice. “Max Logan is innocent. I know because I was with him at the time of the alleged incident. So, he’s not to blame for this.”

She shook her head and rested it on her fist. “You told me Dad was upset.”

“Dad ignored sound medical advice about his blocked arteries. That is the reason he is here.”

She turned her face away from me. “Don’t blame your Dad for this.”

“I’m not blaming anyone.”

We sat while angry silence swirled around us.

I scrubbed my face with my hands. I wasn’t being fair to Mom. “I’m sorry.”

“What was he so upset about?”

My voice sounded weary, “I spent the night with Max Logan. Which is when this alleged attack took place.”

“Rory!”

“Dad was upset. He screamed and kept calling Max by the name of Garrett.”

Mom’s head shot up, her eyeswerewide. “Leave that alone.”

“Leave what alone?”

She refused to answer.

“Who is Garrett?”

“No one.”

“Mom!”

“Someone from your father’s past.”

“Is that who Max reminds him of? Is it this Garrett person?”

“I don’t know.”

I could tell she was lying. “What’s with the secrets?”

“Leave that alone.”

To prevent myself from making things worse, I excused myself and locked myself in a bathroom stall. I sat down on the toilet lid, covered my face with my hoodie and wept. Big, heaving sobs. Would Dad be okay? What would happen to Max? The two men I loved the most were in the worst trouble of their lives. Dad lay in a hospital bed surrounded by tubes and in a cement cell at the mercy of the legal system, Max was locked up.

I felt helpless. I was doing everything in my power to make sure they were okay, but nothing I did was enough.

When I couldn’t cry anymore, I washed my face and went in search for a cup of tea. Mom needed taking care of, and that was my job tonight.

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