“You can ask me in a year, but you’ll have to pardon me if I don’t feel like celebrating right now.”
The mischief effervesced higher in Nadine’s eyes. “You might change your mind when I tell you what we’re doing today.”
“Oh yeah?” he asked, curiosity piqued. “You going to stretch me until I cry? Make me do another umpteen push-ups?”
She stood, pointing at his chair. “Not quite. Let’s go get you fitted for prostheses.”
“Today?”
“Right now.”
Phoenix pulled the chair closer. Then he pushed to a stand and lowered himself into the seat.
“Ok,” he said, placing a hand on the push rim, “where to?”
CHAPTER 16
BLUE ORCHID
Phoenix
Phoenix’s phone buzzed with a familiar name.
“Hi, Tish.”
“So, I have news and the news is I’m engaged,” Tish said, giggling.
“Congratulations, Tom’s the lucky guy, right?” Phoenix looked down at the form that would no longer be anyone’s lucky guy.
“After nearly two years, he better be. We’ve a date set for the first week of April. It’s been hell securing a venue. Anything less than a year out is a crapshoot. You know weddings in the city. Wait—no you don’t! Forever the bachelor who breaks women’s hearts, right?”
“Forever’s a long time, but you’re right, I’ve been fairly committed to bachelorhood.” Even more so now.No left-hand finger to even wear a ring.
“Tell me the gossip. How’s Caleb? Veronica? I want details. I’ve not seen you since your dad’s funeral. Jesus, has it been a year already?”
“Caleb’s surly as ever. My mom is hanging in there, and I’m four weeks into a multi-month staycation in rehab,” he said, thinking of the two family members looking as ravaged as he was.
“Rehab? For months?”
He didn’t particularly want to answer the concern ascending in her voice, so he kept to the barest details. He swallowed. “I fell onto a subway line.”
“Holy shit. Are you all right?”
“Yeah, I’m okay.” He thought for a moment. “What’s left of me, anyway.”
“What do you mean, what’s left of you?”
Gripped by sadness, he pictured their jaunts to Vegas, Joshua Tree and the wine country. Another goodbye to the person he was.
“Damned train took a leg and my hand.”
In the silence that followed, Phoenix pictured her hyperventilating.
“Phoenix, I’m so sorry. Your poor mother. First your father and now this. What can I do? Should I send a fruit basket?” she asked, referencing an inside joke the couple had years ago as to the protocols of whether to send a fruit basket or flowers.
If only there was something anyone could do.
Tishcame by that afternoon,Car and Drivermagazine in one hand and a bouquet of Vanda orchids and blue sea holly in the other.
