Page 17 of Poisoned Promise
The lounge feeds into the kitchen through a swinging door and a short corridor splits into two, one leading to my room and the other to Alex’s.
His door’s closed and my heart lurches as I approach. Thankfully, a grunt rises from the other side when I knock on the door, so I let myself in.
“How are you, honey?”
Alex rests under a mound of blankets with his good arm curled tight around his pillow.
Red-rimmed eyes peer blearily at me and he half lifts his shoulder in a shrug as I approach.
“Have you eaten?”
He shakes his head.
“Showered?”
Another no.
“Does it still hurt?”
He fixes me with such a heavy, pained look that I almost can’t breathe as I perch on the edge of his bed.
“I’m sorry honey. I really am.”
“I don’t understand,” Alex sniffles, his voice deep and thick from crying. “He survived that car crash just to get mugged? Who would do that? Who would attack someone coming out of the hospital?”
“I don’t know, honey. There are some really terrible people in this world who prey on the weak. Michael… he was just in the wrong place at the wrong time.”
Tears glisten in Alex’s eyes and he sinks deeper into the pillows. “Is it my fault?” he asks me hoarsely.
Tension stabs at my chest. “Why would you think that?” I ask while stroking through his hair.
“That police man; the one who grabbed you in our room. He was angry, wasn’t he? He was saying all that stuff about dangerous people. Is that why Mike died?”
It’s not often that I’m tempted to tell Alex the truth about everything but when it crops up, it’s overwhelming.
Each time I tell myself keeping him in the dark is the safest way, there’s a voice deep in my soul that asks if that’s really the right way.
Would telling him the truth ease his pain about his best friend?
Doubtful.
Would understanding make it easier?
Maybe.
“It’s not your fault at all,” I assure him gently. “That man, that cop, he was just an arrogant prick and I’ve already lodged a complaint about him. He’ll get what’s coming to him, okay? But what happened to Mike was a tragic accident and not your fault at all, okay?”
Alex stares up at me with glistening eyes. Even as he nods, I get the heavy feeling that he doesn’t believe me.
“Listen. Why don’t you take a shower, okay? Remember to wrap your cast. I’ll order pizza and we can just pig out for the night. Does that sound good?”
He hesitates for a few seconds and then nods. “Okay.”
“Okay.” I lean down and kiss his warm forehead, then exit his room and wander into the kitchen.
Tears don’t come until I’m halfway through scrolling the pizza menu and the clunk of the shower echoes through the hallway.
My boy is in so much pain and there’s nothing I can do to make it better. I’ve lost my fair share of people.
