Page 59 of Moving Forward

“Yes, to that also. Do you remember what happened right before you jumped off the boat?”

I focus on just nodding this time. My family does not need to know what Cain and I were doing.

The doctor nods and starts doing a series of tests, like tracking my eye movements with a light. “I’m not too worried. All of her vitals and labs are fine,” he explains. “Forgetting the actual accident is normal, but I do want to keep you overnight for observations. You gave us quite the scare, Ms. Dawson. Be more careful next time, alright?”

He walks out of the room and my mom smooths my hair. “Dad, can you go let the Millers and Ruth know she’s awake?”

“Sure,” Grandpa answers. He peeks around my mom and points his finger at me. “Don’t you do that to us again. That was worse than combat.”

After Grandpa leaves, Dad moves to the other side of my bed. He pulls over a chair and sits down. “How’s your head, kiddo?”

“Hurts,” I answer.

“Your neck?”

“Hurts also,” I repeat.

“Probably going to for a while,” he tells me, his nose screwed up like it always does when he’s the bearer of bad news.

“Sorry you had to drive up here,” I say.

“No, kiddo. We’d be here in a heartbeat even if you were going to walk away with just a scab. Besides, we were coming in anyway for the Millers’ Fourth of July party. We’re just going to rent a hotel room for a few days so we can baby you,” Mom tells me.

“Thanks,” I smile. Nothing like having your mommy and daddy there to pick up all the pieces and put you back together. I close my eyes, ready to drift off, when I realize I never got a response to my first question. “Where’s Cain?”

My parents exchange worried glances. I sit up slightly and immediately fall backward, wanting to curse. Everything hurts. “What’s going on? Where is he?”

Mom chooses her words carefully. “There was a bit of an altercation.”

“Altercation?” I repeat. “What happened?”

“Seems as though he might’ve been set off by your accident.”

I raise my eyebrows, ignoring the pain. “I’m sure this scared him. But I know he would want to see I’m okay. Where is he?”

My dad takes this as his cue to take over the conversation. “Conner left with him. His grandmother has been waiting for word on how you were before she goes to visit Cain and talk him down.”

Oh no. “Talk him down?”

“Well, he seems to have a bit of an anger management problem.”

Although that’s slightly true, I know he doesn’t just do things like this for no reason. He doesn’t just snap out of the blue—there’s got to be a catalyst. Something had to have happened. He wouldn’t have left me here like this—not when I know he cares about me.

“What set him off?”

“I really liked him, but I’m not entirely sure you should be spending time with him, honey,” Mom interjects. “From what I’ve heard, he’s got a short fuse.”

“Only when someone lights it,” I tell her, panic setting in. “I need to know what happened. Please just tell me.”

“It’s nothing really, from what I hear. Ellie says . . .”

“Ellie?”

“Yes. She says she was a little emotional and he overreacted.”

“Meaning she yelled at him.” I close my eyes. “This wasn’t his fault.”

“We’re aware of that, honey. She was just scared, and she acted poorly.”

---