Like Gravity(104)

“Hello? Is anyone there?” His voice was impatient.

“Hi, Dad.”

“Brooklyn?” he asked, surprise coloring his tone. “What’s happened? Have you been expelled?”

“Why is that always your first question?” I asked, annoyed and already preparing to hang up.

“Because the last time you called me, you’d been expelled from your third boarding school for sneaking boys into your dormitory.”

Okay, I guess that was a valid point.

“Well, I’m not in trouble.” I took a deep breath. “I’m in the hospital.”

“Do I need to send a check?” he asked, his tone accusatory. No questions about why his daughter was in the hospital. No parental concern for my wellbeing.

“That won’t be necessary,” I bit out, clenching my jaw to keep from screaming. “I just need you to answer one question, and then this can be over.”

“Yes?” His voice was weary, as if a two-minute conversation with me every two years was enough to tire him out completely.

“Did you know?” I asked, my voice breaking on the last word. “Did they call and tell you that he was released? I couldn’t figure out why I hadn’t been informed by his parole board, until I finally realized – I was a minor at the time. I was still living under your roof.”

I took a deep breath and squeezed my eyes shut so the tears couldn’t escape.

“So, Dad, I’m asking. Did you know that Ernie Skinner, the monster who killed my mother in front of my eyes, had been released early from his sentence, and actually choose not to tell me about it?”

There was a charged silence over the phone. I thought he wasn’t going to answer but he finally did respond, and his voice was more strained than I’d ever heard it. “Yes. I knew,” he admitted. “They called three years ago to inform me.”

“How could you not tell me!?” I exploded.

“I made a judgment call. You were struggling with your studies, already. It—it wasn’t something you needed to be concerned with.”

“Not something I needed to be concerned with,” I echoed bitterly. “That’s perfect.”

“Brooklyn, I– If I made a mistake, I’m sorry,” he said, rather haltingly. My father was not a man who apologized – not ever – and he didn’t suffer it well.

“He almost killed me. That’s why I’m in the hospital,” I told him, my voice impassive. “So I killed him, instead – drove a knife right into his gut and watched him die.”

“My God, Brooklyn…what can—”

“Save it,” I said, cutting him off. “I don’t need anything from you. I certainly don’t want anything from you. I just had to know. And as far as I’m concerned, you and me? We’re done.”

I hung up the phone.

When I opened my eyes, Finn, Lexi, and Tyler were looking at me with identical expressions – a unique mixture of sympathy and apprehension.

“I’m fine,” I lied. “Can we go home now?”

***

As it turned out, I wouldn’t be allowed to go home for another 48 hours. They were keeping me under strict observation. Nurses came in to check on me at regular intervals, and occasionally the doctor would return to give a report.

When Dr. Angelini walked through the doors holding a bouquet of flowers, I smiled.

“Did they move me to the psych wing during my nap?” I asked.

A brief grin crossed her face, but quickly faded as she got a better look at me. I knew the colorful bruises on each cheekbone were clearly visible, despite Lexi’s masterful attempts with the concealer this morning.

Sitting down in the chair next to my bed, Dr. Angelini deposited the flowers on the bedside table, took my hand in her own, and squeezed tightly.

“Whoa, doc, aren’t you violating some kind of doctor-patient, no-touching-allowed boundaries right now?” I joked, trying to make her laugh.

“Oh, just shut up, Brooklyn, will you?” She said, tears filling her eyes. “And call me Joan, for god’s sake.” I laughed and returned her hand squeeze.

And for once, we didn’t talk. She just held my hand in silence, looking at me the way I’d imagine a mother looks at a daughter who’s been injured.

When she left, she dropped a kiss on my forehead and wrapped her arms around me. Thankfully, it was less awkward than our first attempt at hugging, several weeks ago.

I had a feeling we’d get better at it as time passed.

Finn, who’d gracefully stepped out when Dr. Angelini – Joan – had arrived, came back into the room. It was the first time we’d really been alone together since everything had happened; Tyler had finally dragged Lexi out this afternoon, insisting that she eat and sleep, at least for a little while.

I knew she’d be back before long.

Even though visiting hours were ending, Finn had somehow charmed the nurses into allowing him to stay the night. Closing the door to my hospital room, he kicked off his shoes and climbed into bed with me. Moving gently, so as not to disturb any of my IVs or wires, he settled me against his chest and wrapped both arms around me.

“Are you okay?” he asked, his mouth against my hair.

“Now I am,” I said, leaning back into him.