Page 90 of Puck Drop
“I’m sorry I stood in the way of you living your life,” he tells me, which only causes me to cry harder. “I don’t wish to take it back, though, because it’s taught us all valuable lessons.”
Through the tears, I agree with him, even though I refuse to tell him so.
“I don’t want him to leave me,” I mumble against my hands. “And I don’t want him to quit playing hockey.”
My father pulls me into a hug and kisses the top of my hair.
“We’ll just have to change his mind. On all of it.”
I don’t ask what he means by that. But I am not against him helping get Logan back.
TWENTY-NINE
Logan
Today isthe fifth day sitting in Sebastian’s hospital room with his aunt. I got here a couple of hours ago, and I will most likely be here for the rest of the day.
“You know…” Aunt Kathy elbows me playfully. “I’m sure that Bass would understand if you had things to do. He is the most laid-back person I know. Almost annoyingly so,” she huffs.
I give her a side eye. “Are you saying that you want me to go away?” I tease her, which only causes her to roll her eyes at me.
“You’re too sad and depressing,” she informs me.
I snort in amusement, appreciating how straight forward she is. There is no beating around the bush with Aunt Kathy. She is very nosey and very honest.
“Last night, I was chatting with my friend,” she says. “Her name is Gertrude, not that you need to know that. Anyway, I was telling her about you and how you’ve been moping around, and she said you needed to find your girl and get laid…”
My eyes widen in shock. “What?” Not that I am not used to this kind of language, but not from seemingly sweet old ladies.
Aunt Kathy puts a hand up in defense. “Her words, not mine. But she’s right, you know?”
I stare at her for the longest time before turning my attention to the hospital bed where her nephew is still in critical condition. The noise from the machines keeping him alive are soothing now that I am used to listening to them. It’s comforting to know that he is still alive, even though none of the news we’ve been hearing have been positive.
“Tomorrow is my last day that I can visit,” I tell her. “So you have to put up with me for only one more day.”
“Two days,” she retorts. “We still have today, too. Today and tomorrow,” she explains. “Two days.”
This time, I can’t help the loud laughter escaping my throat. The sound comes straight from my chest and echoes all around the otherwise quiet room. In a moment of panic, I glance toward the hospital bed, worried that I would wake up my friend. But then I get disappointed when I don’t see any new movement other than the robotic motion of his arms as they come up before lowering back to the mattress.
“I thought you’d like me keeping you company, Aunt Kathy.” She gave me permission to call her that after the first day we spent together.
“Honey.” She pats me on the back. “I’d love the company if it was the pleasant kind. You’re depressing me more than anything. I thought us having a good talk the other day would make you change your mind about things. But no, here you still are…”
“What things?” I shake my head at her in confusion.
Aunt Kathy sighs and rolls her eyes once again. “For one, you’re pining over this Betty girl,” she starts.
I smirk. “Her name’s Elizabeth.”
She waves me off. “I know, but back in my day, they’d call them Betty, so now it’s stuck in my head. Maybe one day you can get a dog or a cat, and name them Betty. In my honor.”
The way she moves from one topic to another gives me whiplash.
“You remind me of Evie,” she says. “She’s the girl I was hoping Bass would end up with. Such a good girl,” she praises. “Good manners and very well raised. But,” she shrugs, “with her head up her ass. All because of a boy who she took forever to admit that she couldn’t live without.”
I about choke on my spit when she says that. I can’t even think of asking any questions to clarify her statement because she’s made it perfectly clear what she thought the problem was in this girl’s life. But I do have another question.
“How does that have anything to do with me?”
