Fucking porch. Inever should have taken her there.
“I don’t want the surgery.”
The doctor and nurse glance at each other.
“You’ll never walk again if you don’t have surgery,” the doctor says.
“I have somewhere I need to go.”
She can’t even speak without gasping from the pain with each word.
“She’s having the surgery. Please give us a few minutes.”
The doctor nods, then he ushers out of the room behind the nurse.
“You don’t understand,” Scarlet says with so much anguish in her voice.
Taking her hand in mine, I press a kiss to the back of it. “You’re right. I don’t. Why don’t you explain it to me? Because I can wrap my head around the cancer going away. I just don’t see the two complete fractures in your ankle mending on their own if you meditate, or drink shitty smelling tea, or suck down gallons of carrot juice, or—”
“Stop! I’m not saying that. I just don’t havetimefor this. Ineedto see Oscar. It’s—”
“Not happening.”
“Theo—”
“Fine.” I step back. This is laughable, yet so damn frustrating. “I’ll drive you. Your clothes are right there.” I walk toward the door. “I’ll meet you in the truck.”
“Theo…” This time my name is a broken sob followed by more sobs.
This woman breaks my heart. A heart that, not long ago, I didn’t think still existed. “Scarlet…” I take her face in my hands and kiss away her tears. “I’ll make this right. Shh…”
She covers my hands with hers and claws at my skin, like she’s trying to crawl inside of me—desperate, broken.
“Is your dad’s number in your phone?”
She sniffles then nods.
“I’ll make sure he’s here by the time you’re out of surgery tomorrow. Okay?”
“O-O-K.”
Eventually, they give her enough pain meds to help her drift off to sleep. Her phone is locked, so I press her fingers one at a time to the lock button until it finally unlocks. Oscar Stone is the only name in her contacts. It only rings once.
“Ruby, why haven’t you—”
“It’s notRuby.”
“Who is this? Where the hell is Scarlet?”
“My name is Theo. Scarlet is sleeping. She broke her ankle in two spots and they’re doing surgery on it tomorrow.”
“Did you hurt her?”
Yes. I’ve hurt your daughter in ways I can never completely mend.
“She fell through an old porch. She asked for you. I’ll text you the address.”
I end the call. “What the hell is going on, Scarlet?” I whisper. Why is your father out of prison? Why did you suddenly need to see him? It makes no sense.
