“Fine,” Andrew says, and I know the only reason he’s agreeing is because he feels guilty. “I’ll stay with Kayla tonight. Give everyone some space to cool down.”
“That’s probably for the best.” Cool down? There’s little chance of that when Leti’s glare is ice cold on her brother. “Bye, Andrew.”
Head hanging low, he turns on his heel back to his car. Sensing the awkwardness all around, Diego quickly jumps in with my doctor’s care instructions. “We were told to wake him every two to three hours and ask him simple questions like his name and what day it is to check for signs of amnesia and disorientation. If he needs pain medicine, he’s only allowed to take Tylenol. Andrew said he has some in his bathroom, but I can run to CVS and grab some if need be. Also, make sure he drinks plenty of fluids. He threw up earlier tonight, so we have to keep him hydrated.”
“Got it.” Leti nods at Diego. “I’ll wake him every two hours, ask probing questions, and keep him full of fluids. Let me check if Andrew has that Tylenol.”
“No rush. Elena was planning on staying the night at your place while I was here, so I’ll join her upstairs instead. Call us if you need the medicine, or anything else.”
Leti turns to me as Diego heads upstairs. “Come on, fight club.” Her arm wraps around my back with support I don’t need, not that I’m about to tell her that. “Let’s get you inside.”
“You really don’t mind staying with me tonight?” I ask her now that we’re alone. “Because you don’t have to do this. Andrew and I are cool. Plus, Diego—”
“I’m sure,” she says as we step inside. “How’s your head? Do you need that Tylenol yet?”
“No headache, I swear,” I say as she settles me on the couch. Then she walks into Andrew’s bedroom. A minute later, she steps back out with the pill bottle. She places it on the coffee table and then goes into the kitchen and grabs a bottled water from the fridge. “Leti, I’m fine.”
“Drink.” She hands me the water. “Doctor’s orders.” I take the bottle from her, opening the cap before I take a sip. “Not too fast,” she says as I gulp the liquid down. “Easy. I’m not cleaning up if you puke again.”
“You heard about that?”
“About you ruining Andrew’s two-hundred-dollar sneakers?” She snorts. “Oh yeah. I heard. Nice job, by the way.”
“So petty.” I’m pretty sure I’m staring up at her with awe. After a beat, she clears her throat and motions for me to drink again. I take a slow sip before putting the water down on the coffee table. “Where are we sleeping?” There’s only one couch, but we don’t necessarily need to stay in the same room. She can take Andrew’s room or the couch, and I can sleep in my own bed tonight.
“Your room,” she says easily, pulling out her phone. “I’ll sleep on the floor. Let me text Bella to bring down some pajamas for me.”
“You can’t sleep on the floor.”
“It’s carpet.” She shrugs. “I’ll steal a pillow and blanket from Andrew.”
“You are not sleeping on my floor.” I give a vehement shake of my head and she flinches on my behalf as a spike of white-hot pain nearly blinds me. “Thank you,” I say as she hands me the pill bottle. Once I’ve swallowed down the medicine with some water, I say, “I want you to be comfortable. It’s my fault you have to stay up with me.”
“No. It’s mine,” she says, her eyes sad before she shakes her head, clearing her expression. “Which is why I’m not letting you out of my sight. You have a full, right? That’s big enough for both of us. I mean, if you don’t mind sharing—”
“I don’t,” I say quickly. Probably too quickly.
“Good,” she says, giving away nothing in her expression for how she feels about spending the night in my bed. “Your room it is.”
I change clothes, take out my contacts, and finish off the bottled water in my room when Bella arrives with a bag for Leti, giving us both time to get ready for the long night ahead of us. She knocks on my door as soon as I’ve finished dressing. When I call for her to come in, she emerges with her hair swept up in a messy bun, face bright and clear of makeup, though her eyes are still slightly red from crying. She’s wearing gym shorts and a white tank top to sleep in.
“All right, looks like we’re ready to sleep,” she says, her eyes passing over my pajama pants and oversize T-shirt. “I’ll wake you up in two hours to truck, cabin, spoon you.”
“Run that back by me. I think my injury’s acting up again.”
“You never watchedGrey’s Anatomy?”
The reference slides smoothly into place as I recall the Alzheimer’s episode. Patients were told the three words and asked to recite them back to Dr. Grey after a few minutes to check their memory.The concept is slightly different from what my doctor advised, but I understand Leti’s point just the same. “Ah, yes, I have.”
“Name?” She looks at me expectantly, and I guess we’re starting now.
“Julian Gutierrez,” I say seriously.
“What day is it?”
“October fifteenth, your brother’s birthday.”
“Wrong.” She holds up her phone, the lock screen displaying the time. “It’s past midnight, which means it’s October sixteenth now.”
