As She Fades(6)

“Yes,” I replied.

He nodded and took another sip of his coffee, then turned his attention to the wall in front of us. “You must really love him.”

“I have since I was six years old and he brought me my favorite brownie to school and snuck it into my lunchbox.” That was more than I’d said about him and our past to anyone since the accident. But it had come out easily.

Slate didn’t make fun of me. Instead he smiled. A small smile that made his lips curl up only a little. “That’s a nice memory.”

Yes, it was. I had millions of those memories.

“Never been in love myself. Don’t believe in it. But it’s nice to hear someone talk about it who does.” He took another long sip of his coffee, then stood.

“I hope your boy opens his eyes soon,” he said. “I’ve got to go see the old man and let him beat me in a game of poker. Makes him feel like he’s done something.”

I didn’t imagine Slate let many people win in this world. He seemed to expect to win it all. Knowing he was letting his uncle beat him made him seem a little more human. That, and the coffee. The coffee was nice.

“Thanks. I needed this,” I said, raising the cup a bit.

He winked. “Don’t we all.” Then he turned and walked down the hall.

I may have watched until he turned left and out of sight. Not that I liked him, but he had a nice walk.

“Someone said Slate Allen was in here.” A nurse interrupted my thoughts, which needed interrupting.

So his last name was Allen.

“He just went that way. To his uncle’s room,” I said, pointing down the hallway.

She grinned brightly. “Thank you!” Then she hurried after him.

That was a different one from the one yesterday. Slate Allen really did get around. The nurses here had to be a couple years older than him, but they didn’t seem to care. No wonder he was so full of himself.

Slate was attractive. I’d give him that. He had the startling good looks that could stop traffic. But I didn’t care about that. My heart wasn’t moved by a handsome face and a chiseled body. It belonged to a guy in a hospital room and it always would. One day I’d tell Crawford about all the things that happened while he was asleep and we’d smile. Not because he had been in a coma, but because he woke up.

He was a fighter and he had a lot to fight for.

My phone vibrated in my bag and I knew the text messages had started up again. Last night I’d played basketball and eaten homemade strawberry cake with cream cheese icing while talking to Maddy about using the potty. Everyone had gotten a piece of me. They needed to give me a break today and just let me be.

I would be fine. When Crawford woke up.





CHAPTER FIVE

“AUNTIE VALE!” MADDY’S and Malyn’s little voices rang down the halls of the hospital, drawing more than just my attention. Identical brown eyes like their mother’s and long brown hair in pigtails swinging back and forth, they came running toward me with their arms open wide.

More than anything, I missed these two by being here all day long. I put my book down and stood up just in time to catch both of them. Little arms wrapped around me. Tears stung my eyes and I held them tightly.

“My favorite girls are here,” I said, kissing them both on the forehead, then on their tiny noses.

“I figure if I can’t get Maddy to potty at home I’d bring her to you,” Dylan said, looking like the exasperated father of twin toddlers should look.

I felt real joy as I laughed with him. It was a fleeting feeling, but my big brother had brought it to me.

Pulling back enough so I could see their faces, I looked at Maddy. “You have to use the potty like a big girl even when I’m not there. Do you want Malyn to get to start big-girl school without you?” “Big-girl school” was preschool and they didn’t start until the fall, but it was something both girls were excited about. I was supposed to go to college in the fall. Me and Crawford. Now that wasn’t a sure thing anymore.

Maddy shrugged. “I want to stay with you.”

What could I do with that? Worried, I glanced up at Dylan.

“She loves you and misses you,” he said. “We all do.”

Guilt. But I had to be here with Crawford when he opened his eyes. He’d want me here. I needed them all to understand that.

“I love and miss her, too. All of you. But you need to understand why I have to be here. What if it was Catherine?”

Dylan looked somber. “I get it. Doesn’t mean I don’t miss you and worry about you.”

“I can do the spwits,” Malyn said, pulling on my arm to get my attention back to her.

“You can?” I asked, sounding surprised even though I’d seen this trick about a thousand times already. Malyn loved to show it off. So I watched and then clapped like it was the best thing in the world.

“I can do this!” Maddy said, standing on her tiptoes and spinning in circles.

“Wow, that’s amazing!” I told her, reaching out to steady her before she got dizzy and fell.

“Why don’t we go show Aunt Vale how you use the big-girl potty,” Dylan suggested. It must be time for a toilet break. “Malyn is in big-girl panties, but Maddy has Pull-Ups on,” he informed me. Then he held out a diaper bag and sank down in the seat next to me. Daddy looked like he needed a break.