She’d had the same worries, especially in the early days before he’d woken. But he’d moved past the useless what-if’s.
“Honey, no one’s coddling you. And you’re going to do whatever you want. You’ll go back to your place, back to work.”
“And then what?” he growled, “Who’s going to want me?”
So, this is it.
His pain pained her. She tested his prickly edges.
“What about your co-worker who was maybe more than a friend?”
“You mean Orchid? I talked to her. Last week. She’s back from China.”
Veronica studied her son’s blue eyes and dark hair as he lay back on his pillows. If she squinted a little, she could almost see hints of the little boy she had raised. She pictured the photo she’d seen on his phone. Her boys had dated all types, from perky to moody, sports-jocks to artists, raucous rebels to refined debutantes. Orchid was a stunner. The two of them, squeezed into one frame, looked like they were having fun.
She asked, hopefulness evident in the upward lilt in her tone, “So? Is she coming to visit?”
“Nope, we’re not talking anymore.”
“What happened?”
“She’s not one to deal well with imperfections.”
“You don’t mean she didn’t want to see you because—”
“It wasn’t her. It was me, but c’mon, Mom. I’m half a guy. What woman is going to want me?”
She could barely listen to his words. Blood rushed in her ears. “I can’t believe anyone would be as shallow as that.”
Bile rose in her throat. In that moment, she couldn’t think of another person she hated more than Orchid. “You are an amazing man. Any woman would be blind not to see that.”
“There’s the solution, Mom. Maybe she needs a blindfold.”
CHAPTER 21
CATCH HELL BLUES
Caleb
Phoenix stirred, then groaned. Not an auspicious start to the day.
“Hey, bro. Pain meds?” Caleb offered, even though he knew the answer.
Phoenix shook his head, eyes not ready to open.
“What do you need? Just tell me,” he said, anguished by the depression that had come over Phoenix the past few days.
“Kill me,” Phoenix said.
Caleb’s voice came out husky even though he was doing his damnedest to follow their mother’s admonition not to cry. “Christ, don’t say that. You’re the strongest guy I know.”
Phoenix forced his eyes open and grabbed his brother’s arm, interrupting his babbling. “I’m kidding.” His vacant eyes and grimness suggested otherwise.
Phoenix pushed up to a sitting position and yanked the arm of his chair to pull it closer. Transfers were getting smoother, but Caleb could tell from the pause between motions that the pain was intense.
“Can I do anything?” Caleb asked.
“Naw, I’ve got this,” Phoenix said, wheeling to the bathroom. Caleb strode two steps ahead of him to fling the door open.
