‘One thing you have never been, my brave, beautiful girl, is a coward.’
The evening unfolded with tears,hugs, and watery laughs. Hours passed as we both purged the past, turning over every rock we’d been too scared to roll over and peer at the mess underneath. Turns out unpacking decades’ worth of trauma was hungry work. As Mum rose from the table to cook some dinner for the two of us, I’d finally had enough of waiting. The pounding in my chest hadn’t dissipated, and I had a feeling there was only one way it would cease, and I needed him to answer his phone before I combusted. It had been less than a day of hearing from him and my nerves were nearly fried. I’d got a few calls from Fallon in the past couple of hours, but I’d let them all go to voicemail.
Needing this time with Mum to be without interruption.
Whilst Mum was filling a pot of water to set on the stove ready for pasta, I headed out to the back garden. The sun had officially set. The sky on the horizon turned a deep burnt orange. I took several breaths and brought the phone to my ear.
It rang out.
I tried again. The same thing happened.
My stomach dipped as the anxiety I’d kept at bay reached a new height. He always called me back.Always.
Fingers trembling, I swiped up to my favourites, calling Fallon instead. If she was with Oliver, one of them had to know what had happened to him. If all that failed, I’d drive over to his flat or work.
It rang three times before she answered. I exhaled a sigh of relief, talking before I ever heard her voice. ‘Thank fuck, have you heard from George recently?’
The silence on the other end of the line had my heart rate picking up. When she finally spoke, it wasn’t my best friend’s voice who answered. ‘Yeah, I have.’
‘Oliver?’ My grip on the phone tightened. Oliver’s voicesounded strained and exhausted. ‘Is he okay?’ I rushed out, pacing the length of Mum’s garden.
‘He’sokay but….’ Oliver’s voice trailed off and although his words filled me with relief, his tone had me worried.
‘Oliver, what’s going on?’
He sniffed, not answering. I never wanted to murder someone more than I did right now.
‘Oliver, I swear to God if you don’t?—’
‘Dad had a heart attack,’ he cut me off. Voice cracking on that last word.
My hand flew to my mouth. ‘What?’ I breathed. ‘Is he okay?’
‘He’s in surgery. They found a blockage, rushed him in.’
I pinched the bridge of my nose, feeling another bout of tears rush to the surface. I’d only met Peter Blake once, and he’d already wormed his way into my heart. I knew how much he meant to those boys. How much they loved him.
‘Is George okay?’
‘No. He’s not okay, Rosie.’ Oliver’s tone was laced with the kind of fear everyone at some point in their lives faces. ‘He’s the one who found him. Performed CPR until the paramedics got there.’
My heart splintered, lungs tightening to such a degree I couldn’t draw in a full breath.
‘What hospital is he at?’ The need to be near him was nearly unbearable.
He didn’t answer, straightaway. ‘Oliver,’ I growled, ready to verbally flay his skin from his body if he didn’t answer me soon.
‘I know about the bet.’ The contempt in his voice made my pacing stop. ‘Fallon told me last night, so if all this is to you is a joke, some fucked up bet you’re tying to win, then I’m not telling you where he is. Don’t show up and be there for him only to rip it away when you realise it’s too muchcommitment for you. George is the kind of person to love someone unconditionally, even when they don’t deserve it. I’m not going to let another person take him for granted.’
The love binding the two brothers was strong. I should have been furious at Oliver for thinking I wasn’t worth his brother’s love, but I couldn’t hate him for it. Underneath it all, I knew where it came from. George gave everything to the people around him. He’d lay his life down if someone asked him to, happily and without question. He refused to take money from his brother because his worst nightmare was being a burden. How could I hate someone who only wanted to protect the man who had burrowed himself deep into my soul?
Taking a few deep breaths to stop myself from biting his head off, I ground out, ‘Where is he?’
‘Did you hear anything I just said?’ Oliver barked.
My thread of composure snapped. ‘You are not going to be the first person to hear me say I love him. Right now, I don’t give a single flying fuck what you think about me, but I am going to be there for him, whether you like it or not. So tell me which goddamn hospital he is in.’
With each word, my voice rose until I was shouting down the phone.
