Page 30 of Don't Go

---

She looked up.

"Could I have your mother's number?"

Bonnie's eyes flicked to her mother.

Sabrina turned, fast, mouth open— "Bonnie, don't?—"

"Five-five-five?—"

"Bonnie—"

"Two-three-eight?—"

"Bonnie!"

" Seven-one-zero-four."

I had it in the phone before Sabrina got her sentence out. I saved it and closed the phone.

Sabrina looked at me, then at Bonnie.

Bonnie shrugged at her mother. "He asked nicely, Mom."

I couldn't help myself. "I guess she likes me."

I closed the door behind me before Sabrina could get a hand on the nearest object.

The phone screen lit up in the elevator, and the notifications stacked the second the screen came alive. Twelve missed calls, mostly Cade and Mom, one unknown, and one from my friend Theo.

A text from Cade, one minute old.

Cade

Imaging back. Get here.

A text from Mom underneath.

Mom

Please come.

I stood in the elevator, and the orchestra in my head went quiet.

I didn't go to the bar for my car. Instead, I got into a cab and went straight to the hospital.

The room was at the end of the corridor.

I stopped at the doorframe.

Dad was sitting up eyes closed—hair flat where he had been on the pillow. Mom was in the chair beside the bed, both her hands wrapped around one of his. Cade stood by the window with his arms folded. Suzanne was next to Cade, her hand at the small of his back. And by the wall opposite the window, in a black coat that hadn't been here last night, was Theo.

He saw me first, crossed the room, and pulled me into him hard, one hand on the back of my neck.

"Beau."

I gripped his shoulder. "Theo."

He held me there for a beat after, looking at my face.

---