Hearing this is almost too much for me to bear. I lean, basically fall, onto the wall behind me, rubbing my stinging eyes.
“I’ll be there as soon as I can, okay, kid? Can you hold on for me?”
“We thought we could just run away and avoid all this,” I say, unable to hold back the torrent of tears.
“I know, sweety.”
“I thought things were going to get better when we came back. I thought it would be different.”
“I know. I know. It’s going to be all right though. He’s tough. He’ll pull through.”
I stare into my phone screen, letting the tears drip off my chin. “We were just…after everything…we were just figuring things out, you know?”
“Yeah? That’s great.”
“We were finally on the same page and now…”
“What, sweety?”
“What if he’s…? What if he…?”
“He won’t.”
“I don’t want to lose him.”
My knees give out and I slide down the wall until I’m bundled on the floor. People pass but I ignore them and their pitying glances.
“You’re strong, Maxie. You’re so strong. Whatever…” She pauses, whips a stray braid out of her face, and takes a breath. “Whatever happens…you’re going to be fine. You have me and Katie and your parents. And you’re strong, Maxie. But just…try to stay positive okay? Don’t count him out just yet.”
“There was so much blood.”
“I know.”
I wipe my face, which is all scrunched up and hot. Tears and snot come away with my hand.
“I just wish I could talk to him.”
“What would you say…?” she asks, but I can barely hear her over the static as the call starts breaking up. “Max—Maxie, what wo—would—you—ay?”
The calls drops out.
“Aisha?”
For a moment I stare at the blank screen wondering where she went, where she is. It’s well after midnight and I can’t quite seem to figure out where the time has gone. I’m not even sure when I arrived at the hospital in the ambulance, my hand clutching onto Jasper’s.
Over on the seats the kid has curled up in a ball with his head on his dad’s knee. Little guy must be tired. I don’t know what to do but I know Aisha was right, I shouldn’t give up just yet. I need to be strong.
Slowly, I press against the wall and straighten my legs until I’m back standing.
I don’t know where to go but I can’t just sit here any longer.
Behind the nurses’ station is the nurse I spoke to earlier. She’s flipping through some papers on a clipboard and marking them with a pen when I approach.
“Hi,” I say, sniffing to clear my blocked nose. “I was just wondering if there was any news about Jasper Apollo?”
She looks up with kind eyes, her head tilted to the side like an apology.
“I’m so sorry,” she says, and my heart freezes, I hold my breath. “He’s still in surgery.” I exhale as my blood starts pumping once more. “It could be awhile. I’ll let you know the second I have some news. Are you here by yourself? Do you need me to call anyone?”
