“I’m coming?—”
“Lucille?” I stopped as an elderly doctor approached me. “As in, Memphis’ daughter, Lucille?”
I stopped and looked at him in confusion. “Yeah?”
“Lucille.” I looked past the doctor to see my mother’s face, and it frightened me. “Let’s go.”
Something didn’t feel right.
“Excuse me, but I?—”
The doctor looked back at my mother and Boone, now heading towards us. Boone seemed just as confused as I was, but my mother looked as though she’d seen a ghost.
“Forgive me, I know you’re on your way out but I heard your name and didn’t believe it!” He laughed.
“Believe what?” I chuckled nervously.
My mother began to pick up her pace.
“Your recovery. I was on the trauma response team back then and was assisting when you and that man were brought in.”
My stomach tightened.
“Oh, you mean my dad.”
The doctor’s brow furrowed. “No…theotherman.”
“Lucille!” My mother joined us. “Hi! I’m so sorry, but her brother was just discharged and we really must be going.” She forced a fake smile as Boone sat there clueless. “Come on, baby. Let’s go.Now.”
I knew she was hiding something from the way she was acting, but what?
I looked back at the doctor. “I’m sorry, sir, you must be mistaken. The other man who was brought in with me that night was my dad. He died here not long after.” It hurt to speak the truth aloud.
“No? Memphis came in right after you two…I remember ‘cause he was pronounced dead at the scene of the fire. The paramedics tried to revive him but he?—”
“Alright, that’s enough!” My mother cut him off. “We are leaving. Now.” She grabbed my wrist and tried to pull me away. “Come on, Lucille.”
But…if Dad wasn’t the man with me…then who was it?
I stopped as my mother tried to tug me along. “Lucille, baby, please.”
“Who was the man?” I asked. She didn’t answer. “Who was it?”
Mom sighed. “Lucille, please. Leave it…trust me, baby.”
No. No more lies. No more hiding. No more running.
I shook my head. “If you won’t tell me, then I’ll find out for myself.” I ripped my arm from her grasp and aimed for the doctor. “Who was the man?” I asked as I reached him. My heart was racing, and I knew I must’ve looked frantic.
“Well, I–I—” He looked past me to my mother.
“Hey!” I snapped. “Who was the man? The man you said came in with me?”
The doctor began to sweat, reaching into his pocket for a handkerchief. “I–I don’t remember his name, only that he broke his shoulder trying to protect you from the fire.”
My heart stopped.
“Lucille…Lucille?” My mother’s voice felt distant, like a whisper. My limbs tingled and I felt numb. “Lucille, baby?”
