As She Fades(48)

It was all I knew, but I nodded like I understood the difference. Uncle D and I had lived on microwave dinners. The one time he tried to cook spaghetti, he set the stove on fire and we ended up at the burger joint in town.

“Lucky for you the whole family won’t be here tonight. Momma has been keeping the crowd back for Vale’s sake. She’s adjusting to being home and all.”

I was glad to hear I didn’t have to do the big family thing. I was curious about Vale, not the other brothers.

“How’s she doing?” I asked, following Knox inside.

He shrugged. “Good, I guess. She’s quiet. Less chatty and lively than she once was. But the doctors said that’s normal. She’ll be back to herself soon.”

In the photos I’d seen of her before, she was always laughing and smiling. That smile and the way her eyes danced were two of the things that drew me in. Made me want to know more about her.

“I don’t think so. Here, Momma, let me do it.” A female voice caught my ears and I paused. It was her. Even without having heard the voice before, I knew it was hers. It may be simply because she was the only girl I knew to be here, but still. The sound of her voice fit the face I’d seen.

“Okay, fine. You butter the bread. I’ll worry about mixing up the tea,” Mrs. McKinley said.

“Come on in here and meet my sister.” Knox led me into the bright white-and-yellow kitchen. “Company is here,” he announced.

My gaze went directly to hers. Her dark hair was different—washed and full of body. It hung long down her back, curling at the ends. She and Knox had the same clear blue eyes. Almost like you could see through them. I’d never admired Knox’s before, but on his sister they had a different effect.

“Mom, you know Slate,” Knox said.

I turned my attention to his mother. “Hello, Mrs. McKinley. Thanks for having me.”

She waved a hand at me. “Now, I’ve told you to just call me Karen. We’re past the proper ‘Mrs. McKinley.’ We’ve had pound cake and coffee together too many times for that.” Her smile was genuine. I had always felt like she wanted me around when I’d come by Vale’s hospital room.

“Yes, ma’am,” I replied with a smile.

Knox stepped toward his sister and I was able to focus on her again.

“And this, as you know, is Vale. Vale, my frat brother Slate. Although he spent plenty of time in your hospital room reading to you, you’ve never actually met.”

Her smile wasn’t real. Her eyes looked too lost to truly smile. But she tried.

“It’s nice to meet you,” she said, moving toward me to greet me with a handshake, which I thought was cute. It didn’t last long, though. Her tiny hand was gone too soon and she then gave the attention back to the bread she was buttering.

“We’re almost ready to eat. Your dad is out back messing with that old engine in the lawn mower again. I swear that man is too stubborn for his own good. We need to just buy a new one, for goodness’s sake.”

Knox nodded. “So I need to go get him. Is that what you’re saying?”

“Yes, you run and get him and have him wash up. Slate, why don’t you have a seat anywhere you like around the table and I’ll bring you a fresh glass of sweet tea. I want to hear how your uncle is doing.”

Knox patted me on the back. “Sorry, bro, she’s nosy. It comes with the food,” he whispered, then headed to the back door of the kitchen.

“Uncle D is playing hardball. Won’t take the chemo treatments and they’re talking about sending him home next week. But I know he’ll be smoking a pack a day once we get there and that’s no good.”

I glanced over at Vale and she was watching me. Listening. There was concern in her eyes and I knew it was for my uncle. Something about that got to me. A girl who had just woken up from a coma to find out she had missed a month of her life, caring about someone else’s problems. Most girls I knew were too shallow.

“What happens if he doesn’t have the chemo?” Vale asked. She had a really good voice. The sadness in her eyes was hard to look at. It bothered me. A girl like her should be protected. Not have to face hard shit.

“He’ll die sooner. The chemo won’t cure him. Just prolong his life.”

She sighed and put her knife down. “I don’t know that I blame him. Chemo sounds like a terrible thing. But for you, I’m very sorry. I wouldn’t want my parents to go earlier than they had to, either.”

The frankness of her words was refreshing. She didn’t try to make it sound better. I needed that.

“Could you get him to stop smoking when he goes home? Might help things,” Karen said. That was the kind of suggestion I was used to.

“I don’t expect that would be fair, Momma. He’s a sick man and he is dying. Why take away something he enjoys? Would that really help at this point?” Again, Vale’s words were exactly what I was thinking. She got it. She made me feel more human. Stating my thoughts as if they made sense.

Karen nodded and let out a sigh. “I suppose you’re right.”

Vale didn’t respond. Instead she put the bread in the oven, then washed the butter from her hands and dried them. I watched her every move. She was fascinating. This girl who I had thought about so often over the past few weeks. Even before she woke up.