Underneath the Sycamore Tree(32)

I want to be normal.

Even if normal is being laughed at for being slow, or missing the basketball hoop, or only doing one sit-up, I’m okay with that. Most of the time people do their own things and talk with their friends, so it isn’t like I have to worry about being the butt of everyone’s jokes.

But that’s probably not because they don’t want me to be. It’s because of—

“Mr. Monroe,” Mr. Jefferson says.

My head snaps up to see Kaiden standing at the side entrance of the gymnasium. He’s watching me, facial expression seemingly angrier than usual.

“I need to speak with Emery.”

Mr. Jefferson glances at me before turning back to Kaiden. “Regarding?”

“Family emergency.”

My heart races as I quickly walk over to him. The teacher waves us off as we head toward a side hallway rather than the main office across the hall.

Is Cam okay? Dad? The last time this happened, Mama showed up tear stricken with Grandma. They signed me out and took me to the hospital where the school had sent Logan after an episode she had during class. I didn’t feel anything—no twin telepathy or tugging. I felt like I failed her that day.

I can taste my anxiety. It’s choking me as Kaiden leads us down the corridor leading to empty classrooms and janitor closets. He stops when we get to a little alcove beneath the back stairwell leading to the second story high school wing.

“Kaiden—”

He lifts my arm with surprising gentleness and raises the sleeve. Sucking in a small breath he examines the bruise, careful not to touch it or bend my elbow a certain way.

I swallow. “Is everything okay at home?”

His eyes meet mine. They’re hollow. “I lied. There’s no family emergency.”

I’m crossed with a mixture of relief and anger. Just because he doesn’t know my circumstances doesn’t mean lying about a family emergency is any less awful. I don’t bother bringing that up though, because his jaw moves like he’s grinding his teeth as he stares at the bruise. It has faded considerably since he gave it to me, but that doesn’t seem to ease the tension built in his shoulders.

“I didn’t mean to hurt you.” His voice is uncharacteristically soft. Clearing his throat, he lets go of my arm and watches as I adjust the sleeve.

“I know you didn’t.” I cross my arms over my chest. “It happens. I bruise easily.”

He watches me, then his gaze dips to my bracelet. “Seems like a good thing that you went with my mother, huh?”

His fingertips graze the beads, causing goosebumps to pebble my arms. “Yeah.” I know he doesn’t want to talk about her, but that doesn’t mean I’m going to remain silent. “About what you overheard—”

“No.” He turns to leave.

Instead of letting him, I grab his wrist. “I know you’re hurting, Kaiden. But you need to understand that Cam loves you. There’s no reason why you should blame her for losing your father. It’s not her fault. He was sick.”

His eye twitches.

“Sickness isn’t pretty,” I whisper. “It makes the person you love more than anything in the world into somebody different. It isn’t just a physical transformation, but a mental and emotional one. When it takes over, there’s very little in their control they can do. Whether you want to give Cam the time of day or not, you need to know that your father didn’t want you seeing him like that. And you know what?” I take a deep breath and shake my head. “It’s ugly. Watching someone you love die from illness is hideous and heartbreaking and so many other things.

“Think what you want of your mother, but she was just doing what your father asked. The people who have to witness watching the people they look up to die so brutally are never the same. Cam saved you from that. So did your father.”

He’s quiet. His gaze isn’t hard or soft, but somewhere in between. I like to think he’s considering what I’ve said, like maybe he’s accepting that I know what I’m talking about.

And I do.

Disease is the monster in the dark. It lingers, waiting for the perfect moment to strike. It veers its ugly head and takes what it wants, when it wants.

Yet, there’s one disease that is worse than any kind of invisible illness in existence and it is something the world is plagued with.

Indifference.

When Kaiden drives us home, he doesn’t leave right away. Instead, he gives Cam a barely-there smile before disappearing into his room.





Chapter Fourteen





The next few weeks are peacefully mundane. I go to all my classes and don’t miss another Book Club. My headaches come and go, and so do the aches and pains. For the most part, everything is tolerable.

Tolerable is contentment.

Kaiden doesn’t actively seek out Cam, but he hasn’t completely ignored her either. Sometimes he’ll answer her about school or thank her for breakfast. It’s strange how so little could mean so much to a person, but I can tell Cam is over the moon whenever he tells her goodbye before school or goodnight before bed.

He won’t talk about his father.

He won’t even talk about himself.

It’s a step in the right direction though.

One night when Cam and Dad announce they have to go to a work function for Dad’s company, Kaiden asks if I want to go to the cemetery. It’s cooler out, so I’d have to bundle in layers, but going to the tree sounds like the perfect way to end the night.