I clear my throat, fighting the urge to fidget. “My pleasure. Would you want me to join you for your infusion tomorrow?” I ask. The question has been on the tip of my tongue since she mentioned during dinner that her appointments are every other Tuesday.
She tilts her head, her brows pinched as she mulls it over. “No, it’s okay. Archie will be there.”
Archie?
My stomach drops to my toes, and I have no reason to be jealous of whoever that is. The fact that she lets him in enough to go to these appointments with her makes my stomach harden, easing only with the knowledge that she’s not completely alone. “Oh? A friend I haven’t met?”
She rolls her eyes. “Archie is a fellow cancer patient. He’s, like, eighty.” She saunters past me, patting my chest in a patronising way that makes me want to snatch her hand and graze my lips over her knuckles just to get a reaction out of her, the way she so easily gets one out of me. But I know better than to push clearly defined boundaries.
“Oh, uh, that’s nice that you’ve made a friend.”
She smirks over her shoulder. “Goodnight, Jelly Ellie,” she says before shutting her bedroom door behind her.
If there were ever any question about how goddamn obvious I’m being, it’s been answered.
I can’t even dwell in self-pity because my heart feels tragically warm.
She gave me a nickname.
CHAPTER
TWENTY-ONE
After three rounds of chemo,I’ve officially recognised that days three and four post-infusion are the absolute bloody worst.
I’m exhausted, and despite the low-acidity meals Elijah has been making me all week, I’m still nauseated, though admittedly much less than I was after the first two treatments.
The most recent rugby matches should be uploaded to my favourite streaming platform,and I plan to spend the rest of my evening bingeing them.
“Girls, say hi to Adhira,” Elijah singsongs, exiting his room with his phone in hand. He pans the front-facing camera towards me so I can see Ellie and Lyla on the screen, their hair a mess and their mouths blue from a lolly. My heart warms at the sight.
“Hi, Adhira!” they shriek into the speaker, and laughter bubbles in my chest.
“Hey, ladies, how was your football practice this week?” I ask, still feeling rather pleased with myself that I convinced them to give it a shot over ballet lessons. His mum tried to convince us both—before letting the girls on the line—that sports were too expensive, but Elijah assured her that she didn’t need to worry about finances. So instead,heworries about them like the parentified son I now know him to be. He sends money home and makes sure those girls want for nothing. It’s admirable.It’s precious.
Nope, just admirable, Adhira. Settle down.
“It’s ahh-mazing! Mum made us matching bows for our uniforms, and that mean girl from school is on my team!” Lyla shouts into the phone, her bright voice incapable of reaching a lower decibel.
I tilt my head in confusion. “And that’s a good thing?”
“Yeah! I get to kick the ball in her face!” she explains, and I suck my lips into my mouth to contain my laughter. Ah, a girl after my own heart. Those were my same sentiments towards Letty whenever she tried to pry answers out of me about literally anything. Thank God I don’t live with her anymore. I’d be fucked.
“Oh!” I finally manage. “That’s…wonderful?” I shouldn’t condone violence, and I haven’t the slightest clue what the other girl had done to earn Lyla’s wrath, but if Elijah’s sister says she’s mean, I trust her judgment. After all, she has the kindest brother to base her opinions on.
I glance at Elijah, unsure whether I’m messing this up or not. He mouths, “I’ll explain later,” with a big smile and tosses me a thumbs up.
“Sissy’s gonna punt her!” Ellie shouts, and you know what? Damn right she is!
“Yeah!” I say, fist-pumping the air in agreement. Elijah’s shoulders shake, his smile so wide it’s practically blinding. The sun rarely makes an appearance in Embershire, and I want so badly to step into his rays.
“Alright, you little hellions. Get to bed, and I’ll read you a story before I have to go,” he tells them.
“Little what?” Lyla asks, which Ellie follows with, “What’s a hell-ee-un?”
Elijah shakes his head. “Don’t worry about it. Just get in bed, and I’ll call you back in a minute.”
They shout goodnight to me, and he hangs up the phone.
