Maverick glanced at Zeke and then at me. “We’re listening.”
Chapter Thirty Two
Sunnyside Rehabilitation Center — Upstate Massachusetts
Five days until the Election…
“And here I thought I had problems,” Carter said as he kicked my ass in yet another game of speed. “Though I’ve gotta admit it’s kind of nice not being the family fuck up for two seconds.”
I shot him a glare as I gathered up the cards. “You know we can just sit in silence for the rest of this visit instead.”
Truthfully, I hadn’t really even felt like coming, but just because I felt numb to the world didn’t mean I needed to take it out on Carter who was finally allowed to have in-person visitors.
It was also a nice break before I was supposed to fly into Pittsburgh this evening for tomorrow’s last minute rally before the election next week.
“Hey, I’m just trying to bring some levity to a shitty situation, Lennie, don’t take it out on me,” Carter said, holding his hands up defensively.
He at least looked better than he had in years.
He had gotten a haircut, trimming back his formerly shaggy curly brunette hair so that it was cropped close to his head. The hollows of his cheeks were now less pronounced, probably thanks to the consistent diet and mealtimes that the rehab center provided.
He also just seemed more at peace than he did before.
I had never gotten to visit Carter during one of his rehab stints before, so I had no basis for comparison, so I didn’t know if this was some sort of special rehab-specific glow that would wear off once he got back into the real world or if it was actually working, but it was nice to see either way.
“Sorry,” I grumbled, reaching down to give Ginny, who was stretched out across my feet, a pat.
She had been my constant and only comfort over the past two weeks as I was dragged around the east coast on my mother’s final stops on her campaign tour and kept under her watchful eye.
I hadn’t even been allowed to keep my cell phone. Not that that would have helped me anyways because it had taken me all of two seconds to realize I’d never gotten the guys’ phone numbers.
How stupid was that?
They had been my constants for so long that I had never needed to text or call them because they were always there.
Now all I had was a gaping hole in my chest where I’d cut off the bonds and a numb feeling where the full scope of my emotions were supposed to be.
“Lennie,” Carter said, putting his hand over the hand that was still fiddling with the cards. “Look at me.”
I did so, albeit reluctantly.
There was no judgement on Carter’s face, just empathy and worry. “I’m proud of you, kid.”
“Proud of me?” I asked with a scoff. “For what? Pissing off Mom, getting smeared in the press, and getting grounded at the ripe age of twenty-six?”
I’d never been grounded in my life but somehow being grounded as I approached thirty was so much worse.
“For doing something just for you for once. I always felt bad that you always seemed to drop everything for everyone in this family. Between me and my shit, Mom and her politics, and hell even Grandpa and Grandma if they needed you. Half the time I thought you were going to eventually have your own mental breakdown and end up right here in rehab next to me.”
I considered it for a moment. “I don’t think pills would have been my drug of choice.”
“Oh no, definitely not,” Carter chuckled darkly. “I always pegged you more for going on a drunken bender and shaving your head,a laBritney Spears.”
“Thanks,” I told him dryly. “I’m glad to see your sense of humor hasn’t left you in your sobriety.”
Carter shrugged magnanimously. “If we can’t laugh, then we’ll cry.”
We sat in silence for a bit after that, me fiddling with the cards and Carter looking out of his bedroom window at the peaceful forest that surrounded the center.
