She nodded against me, shaking, her hands clutching the front of my hoodie like she didn’t want to let go.
I eased her back gently, my hands still on her shoulders. “I have to go.”
Her eyes went wide. “You’re not going to stay?”
I swallowed hard. “I love you, Mom. I’ll take care of the medical bills. Whatever insurance doesn’t cover, I’ll handle it. But I can’t—” I glanced at the bed, at the man I barely recognized. “I can’t look at him right now.”
Tears welled in her eyes again, but I kept going before she could speak. “Keep the kids at Grandma’s for a while, okay? Just until we know more. And I know you won’t listen, but…try to stay safe.”
Her lip trembled. “He’ll change after this,” she whispered, like she was trying to convince herself. “He has to.”
I shook my head. “He needs real help, Mom. Not just time, not just promises.Help.”
She looked at me helplessly, and I felt the weight of all the years between us—every fight, every lie, every forgiveness she’d given too freely.
“Seven minutes or not,” I said softly, “you’ve got to try to make him get it.”
She didn’t answer, just turned her face away, her tears falling silently into her lap as I stepped out of the room.
I lingered at the doorway for a moment, the sound of the machines and my mother’s quiet sobs tangling together behind me. My chest felt tight, every breath heavy and uneven.
There was nothing left to say—not to her, not to him.
I turned down the sterile hallway, my footsteps echoing off the tile. The fluorescent lights buzzed overhead.
There was only one person who could make me feel better right now. Only one person whose voice could cut through the noise in my head.
Ophelia.
And I was going to her.
CHAPTER 30
MATTY
Ipounded on her door again, three sharp knocks that echoed down the hall like gunshots.
Still nothing.
Doors cracked open down the hall, and a few heads peeked out.
Whispers slithered down the hall.
“That’s Matty Adler…”
“Holy shit.”
“Why’s he banging on Ophelia’s door?”
A girl in fuzzy socks and a robe leaned out from next door, her eyes wide.
I flashed a lazy grin that I hoped looked unthreatening. A hard task with how feral I felt at the moment. Last night had been one of the worst nights of my life, and this morning wasn’t looking up, either.
“Ladies,” I tried to say charmingly. Apparently it wasn’t charming enough, because they all popped back in their rooms like fucking groundhogs at the sound of my voice.
I knocked on the door one more time.
But she didn’t answer.
