Page 80 of Light Up
“You remember what happened?” Benjamin asked. “Why you’re in here?”
Tal furrowed his brow, then winced. How could thinking hurt? “A truck coming straight for my car. On my side of the road. I tried to turn, so did he, but he clipped me. Then I woke up here. Is the car a write-off?”
“Yes,” Benjamin said. “It caught fire and burnt out.”
“Shit. Anyone else hurt?” Tal’s stumbling brain put two and two together. “That young guy was there.”
Louis let go of Tal’s hand. “You have a pulse. Yippee!”
Tal felt lucky that was true. “Tell me what happened? How did I get out if the car caught fire? And I have my suitcase?” He glanced at the side of the bed.
“Corey Jenkins says he pulled you out,” Benjamin said. “He grabbed your case as well.”
“Heclaimsto have pulled you out,” Louis added. “With his injuries, I doubt it.”
“The truck driver, then?” Tal asked.
Benjamin shook his head. “He scarpered. Not been traced. Not so far. The police will want to talk to you to see what you remember.”
“Nothing more than I’ve said. Is Corey…all right? What injuries did he have? I saw his broken foot but…”
“He was told to stay away from your bedside,” Louis said.
Tal might be woozy but he didn’t miss the look that passed between his friends. “What the fuck are you not telling me?”
“Louis looked at something he shouldn’t have,” Benjamin muttered.
Louis scowled at his partner. “Shut up, Mojo.”
Benjamin sucked in his cheeks. “Forget I said anything.”
“We should call your cousin,” Louis said. “Tell him what’s happened, that you won’t be there for Christmas.”
Tal sighed. “There is no cousin.”
“Oh shock, horror!” Louis glared, then softened his face. “So where were you fucking going, you dipstick?”
“An Airbnb in Cowdley.”
“On your own?” Benjamin looked stricken.
“I’d invited Jonathan Bailey.”
Louis tsked. “Very funny.”
“I got excited for a minute.” Benjamin fanned himself.
“Good thing I know you’re joking,” Louis said to Benjamin.
“I suppose I should tell the Airbnb host I’m going to be late.”
“Late?” Louis gaped at him. “You’re not bloody going. You’re not fit for discharge and when you are, there is no way you should be on your own.”
“How do you know I was going to be on my own?”
“Because we know you.” Louis sighed. “I’m surprised you even know who Jonathan Bailey is, but the deflection didn’t work. Plus, we know how you feel about Christmas and it has to stop, darling. Thinking about Dorian has to stop. “
Had he been thinking about Dorian? Not recently.
