CHAPTER THIRTEEN
JONAH
I didn’t knowwhy I was expecting to see Alexio the moment we got back into town, but when I got to the apartment, it was just Ford and Killian watching some British baking competition show with my dad. I set my cane in the hallway and let Killian tug me down between them.
The hugs on both sides were nice.
“Are you two fucking this man?” my dad asked in the silence.
“Jesus, Dad.”
He said nothing, and after a while, his breathing was even.
“Is he asleep?”
Killian sighed. “Looks like it. He’s been doing that a lot.”
“That’s a bad sign, right?” I didn’t want to ask the question, but the truth was, I knew. My dad was sinking fast, and it wasn’t going to get any better. The fact that he wasn’t on any kind of treatment was probably making it a million times worse.
“I found his doctor and made an appointment,” Ford said, taking my hand and squeezing it. “You don’t have a game on Friday, right?”
I didn’t. I shook my head.
“Cool. I’ll come pick you up, and we can take him. But, ah…there might be a slight complication with the whole facility thing.”
I really didn’t want to hear this. “Okay?”
“I don’t think your mom got medical power of attorney, which means no one has it. And it means you can get it—which is good. You won’t have to track her down or anything,” Killian said softly. “But it can take a while. And if he won’t or can’t agree to a facility…”
“There’s not some emergency thing you can file for me?” I almost begged.
Killian knocked his head into mine. “Not my area of law, honey. But I know a few people in town, and we will get this done as quick as we can. I promise.”
My stomach settled a bit. It felt hollow. I still couldn’t eat, and I was starting to feel like my insides were devouring themselves. I wanted to peel off all my skin and crawl out of my body and exist in some sort of gaseous form.
I would have done it if it were possible.
I felt jittery and upside down and inside out.
I had no idea how to make this feeling go away.
“Look, why don’t you take off,” Ford said gently. “Nikos is going to be here any second, and?—”
As if on cue, the door opened with a gentle bang, and I noticed I was starting to recognize Nikos’s footsteps. There was the distinct thud of him kicking off his shoes, then soft padding as he walked into the room before the sound of him dropping his bag.
“Jonah,” he said. He sounded happy to see me, which was nice. He didn’t hate me the way his brother did. I held my fist out toward him, and he chuckled as he bumped his knuckles against mine. “Alright?”
“Been worse, been better.” It was the most honest answer I could give. “I was just about to take off and head down to the arena.”
Ford choked. “I’m sorry, the where?”
Groaning, I stood up and stretched my back. “I need to get a workout in, okay? I feel like I’m losing my mind.”
He was up beside me before I could take a single step away. “The fuck you are. I know you haven’t been eating, bud. Or sleeping. You can’t go work out. You’re going to waste away.”
“Fuck off. I’m fine!” I took a step and hit the coffee table and almost landed on my face. It was Nikos who saved me from a nasty black eye. “Thanks,” I muttered, trying not to pull away too harshly.
“You’re shaking,” Nikos said quietly. He squeezed both my hands before letting go. “Maybe listen to your friends for once. Just this once,” he added.
