Page 153 of Puck Me Secretly

“I don’t know what to do.”

“Go back to the hospital. Take care of your mom.”

“You have to help Max.”

“I’m doing everything I can.”

Back at the hospital,I sat with Mom for hours. She was a mess and didn’t talk. I was a mess, and I spent my time fetching her coffee, buying her food and trying to persuade her to rest.

Every time I thought of Max, I wanted to cry, so I forced myself to focus only on Mom and Dad. If I started to cry, I was sure I wouldn’t stop.

Dad woke up. The color in his face was better and the nurses teased a smile out of him. Mom stood by, holding his hand and fighting tears.

I felt like progress was being made when they moved Dad out of the ICU and onto a regular ward. Only when he went back to sleep, did Mom agree to go across the street to the hotel for a shower and a rest.

I sat with Dad for hours, watching him sleep. When Mom returned, she instructed me to go home for the night.

When I argued she told me she wanted to be alone with Dad.

Defeated, I took the car home.

I couldn’t even process how bad I felt. I tried calling Max a few times but each time, my calls went to voicemail. The numbness in my body, made it impossible to cry. I operated on rote, unsure what to do next.

When the car pulled up in my driveway, I saw a familiar sports car.

I got out and scowled at Calder and Katrina.

“This is a shit time,” I walked towards the front door, not caring about how rude I was being.

“I need to talk to you,” Katrina spoke. “It’s about Max.”

My eyes found Calder.

He shrugged. “You should hear what she has to say. She can help.”

Katrina rushed forward. “I know that Max was set up.”

It felt like my blood turned to ice. “I guess you two should come inside.”

We satin the living room. I sat across from them.

“Okay, talk.”

Katrina licked her lips. “I’ve been sleeping with Baxter.”

“Old news.”

“Baxter planned the entire thing.”

“What did he plan?”

“He told me he would set Max up. With a fake assault.”

“He said this?”

“Yes. He was hiring someone to lie about the whole thing.”

“What was his plan?”

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