“Take a seat,” Cam greeted with a small smile. “How’s Jesse doing?”
“Good,” I replied, sitting across from him. “They woke up earlier and just fell asleep again, listening to the sound of Curtis describe how he’d restored his car.”
Cam laughed lightly. “That’ll do it.”
“How’s Dylan?” I asked.
“A little more restless than he was before,” Cam said, reaching out to pat his grandson’s hand. “But it’ll be a while before the meds wear off enough for him to wake up.”
“Good,” I said, nodding. I didn’t know Cam well, and it was uncomfortable being alone with him, considering the setting. Would he think it was weird if I talked to Dylan? If I held his hand? Did he think it was weird that I was there at all?
“Whatever you’re thinkin’,” Cam said firmly. “Stop it.”
“I don’t—”
“You’ve been jittery since you walked in here,” he continued.
“Just worried.”
“Yeah, I know you are.” His gaze was kind but watchful. “You’ve been feedin’ this boy? Makin’ sure he’s got what he needs? Tellin’ him to get his ass in the shower? Listenin’ to himwhen he needs it? Givin’ him advice? You got as much right to be in here as anyone in this hospital. Don’t stay away because you’re imaginin’ otherwise.”
“Am I that transparent?” I asked ruefully.
“When you get as old as I am, you’ll be able to read people as well as I do,” he replied with a grin.
“I’m not sure that’s true,” I muttered, leaning over to put my hand around Dylan’s.
“Teddy,” Cam called so I’d look at him again. “You’re gonna feel a lotta different ways after all this, yeah? Try to remember that most of the shit runnin’ through your head isn’t the truth. It isn’t real. You’re strugglin’, you take it to my son, and he’ll sort you out.”
“How’d you get so smart?” I asked lightly.
“Lived through a lot of shit,” he replied.
We were quiet after that. I sat and watched Dylan’s eyelashes flutter a little every few minutes, listening to the sound of machines around us. I wanted to be literally anywhere else, and I wanted Dylan with me. I wished I could’ve snapped my fingers and gone back to the day before so Curtis and I could’ve made different decisions.
I couldn’t wish that we’d never come to Oregon. As much as I hated what had happened and knew that I carried the blame for it—if I’d turned down Grease’s offer, I would’ve never met Curtis and Dylan. That would be like saying I wished I’d never hooked up with Mike when, in the end, that terrible decision had given me Finn.
Cam and I stayed around an hour before Kara came back to get us.
“Kaylee’s here,” she said at the door. “She’s talking to Curtis right now, but she’ll be headed this way in a minute.”
“We’ll give her some space,” Cam said, rising to his feet much slower than I had. “I’ll be back in a while, Grandson,” he told Dylan, reaching out to brush his hand over Dylan’s hair.
We reached the waiting area just in time to hear a blonde woman absolutely light into Curtis.
“Keep your voice down,” he ordered.
“Oh, that’s rich,” she snapped. “What the hell are you into that got my son in the ICU, Curtis? I should’ve never let you bring him back here. I knew it was a bad idea for you to bring him to all this…” She gestured to the Aces in the waiting room, minding their own business. “Dysfunction.”
“Enough,” Curtis barked. His voice was much lower than hers in volume, but the tone made her mouth snap shut. “Dylan’s in there because someone broke into our fuckin’ house,” he said. “And you didn’tletme do shit. I’ve got full custody, have for years, and you happily waved goodbye when we moved. Now, calm the fuck down, and I’ll bring you in to see our son.”
“I don’t need your escort,” she shot back nastily.
“You’re not goin’ back there until you can quit with the yellin’,” he said firmly. “He doesn’t need that shit, and neither does anyone else.”
The blonde looked away from him and stared out the window for a long moment, finding her composure. “Okay,” she said finally. “Take me back.”
They turned toward us, and Curtis’s eyes softened when they met mine. “Mom and Gram are in with Jess,” he said as they walked toward us. “I’ll come back in a while.”
