Page 60 of Arranged Addiction
“No, no, it’s completely fine. We got home fine. But your father…”
She trails off into silence.
And the emotion in her voice tells me everything.
“He’s been bad for days,” I whisper, heart beating quickly. “He’s worse now, isn’t he?”
I notice Casey lift her head and look over her shoulder.
“I’m sorry, honey. I found him in the bathroom. He got out of bed… and I guess he collapsed…” She sounds like she’s fighting tears. Siobhan Whelan is the strongest person I know. She doesn’t ever cry.
But this is her partner of forty years she’s talking about. The man she gave her life to. The man she built her empire with. She knew this day was coming, but how could she ever be prepared for it?
“How bad?”
“You should come. I’m calling everyone in. The doctor thinks it’s hours at most.”
“We’ll be there soon.” I lock eyes with Casey. Sympathy swims on her face. I feel like a hole is opening inside my chest and it’s sucking the rest of me inside it. “I’ll see you in a few.”
Mom hangs up. I lower the phone down numbly. Casey gets up, looking glorious and perfect, shining white and silver as she comes to me.
“Your dad?” she asks.
I nod once, jaw flexing against the tide of emotions filling me. “I have to go.”
“I’ll come with you.” She takes my hand between hers. She’s so small. It always startles me how tiny she is. “I’m so sorry, Declan.”
“You don’t have to. You don’t owe me that.”
“I’m your wife now and I think you’re going to need me.”
I pull her against me and kiss her. I kiss her the way I wanted to back at the courthouse. I kiss her the way I always should kiss her, like she’s the most precious thing in the world to me.
I kiss her because she’s right.
I need her.
Mom givesme a long hug outside the bedroom. “Cormac was here a few minutes ago,” she says.
“Where is he now?”
“Processing, I think. You know him, he needs his space and his silence.”
“Moody fuck.”
“Be nice to your brothers.” She smiles sadly, patting my cheek. “They’re all you have now.”
Casey lingers to the side, saying nothing. She changed into dark slacks and a black sweater before we left. I almost wish she had stayed in the wedding dress, but it wouldn’t have been appropriate.
“Is he awake?” I turn to the door.
“Yes, but he’s not himself.”
“That’s alright. I want to talk to him.”
“Just go easy.” She touches my arm and tries to smile. “A death and a wedding in one day.”
I kiss her cheek and glance at Casey. She nods and follows me into my father’s bedroom.
