Page 64 of Always Us

After Jade leaves for class, I check my phone for any updates about my grandfather. I don’t have any messages from my dad or anyone else in my family. But what William said had to be true. He wouldn’t lie about something like that, which means my grandfather must be getting better. What if he comes out of the coma? Shit. This is bad. But even if he wakes up, he still has to recover from the stroke. That could take months, or maybe even years.

I’m too on edge to go to class so I skip it and go home. As soon as I’m there, I turn on the TV. There isn’t a single story about my grandfather. No updates. No news that he’s getting better. Nothing.

I fire up my laptop to see if there’s anything online. I go to click on the Internet icon but notice something strange on my screen. An icon I don’t recognize. I wonder if I accidentally clicked on an ad and it downloaded something to my computer. The icon looks like a dial with numbers on it. I’m not sure if I should click on it because it could be a virus. But my curiosity wins out and I click on it.

A series of numbers pop up on my screen, each one in their own little box. The last one keeps changing, scrolling really fast. Then I notice the second to last number has now changed.

An icy chill courses through me as I realize what this is. It’s a timer. A countdown to the end of the year.

“Fuck!” I drop my laptop on the couch and back away, like it’s possessed. The numbers keep scrolling, the seconds rolling by, the minutes right next to it. And then the hours and the days. I quickly calculate it in my head to make sure this really is what I think it is. And it is. Based on today’s date and the current time, the numbers on the timer are set to count down to the end of the year.

I pick up my laptop and click on the icon to shut the timer down. The numbers go away, but in their place are the words, Time’s running out. And then the program closes and I’m left with the icon again.

How the hell did that timer get there? Did my grandfather do that? Is he awake now? I get my phone out and call my dad. His voicemail picks up and I leave another message. Why isn’t he calling me back?

I need to know my grandfather’s condition. I need to know if he’s still in a coma. William said he was, but that’s just what my grandmother told him. Maybe she lied. Maybe my grandfather’s out of the coma but she doesn’t want anyone knowing until she makes an announcement to the press. And maybe my dad knows, but has been lying to me so I don’t worry. Maybe that’s why he won’t answer my calls.

I call my grandmother for the millionth time this week. And like all the other times I’ve called, she doesn’t answer. What the hell? I need someone in my damn family to pick up the phone.

I try to think of who else to call. Who else would know the truth about my grandfather? Katherine. I hate her, and she’s the last person I want to talk to, but she’s my only option right now.

She picks up on the second ring. As usual, she skips any kind of greeting. “Your father isn’t home. And Lilly is at school.”

“I called to talk to you.”

“Is that so?” I can almost see the smirk I know she’s making. “And what would you like to talk about?”

“My grandfather. Do you know how he’s doing?”

“Yes. In fact, I just got off the phone with Eleanor.”

“And? What did she say?”

“She said Holton was up and reading the Financial Times. He still has no appetite but—”

“Wait. When did he get out of the coma?”

She sighs. “Why aren’t you asking your father these questions? I don’t have time for this.”

“Dad’s busy. I keep getting his voicemail. Just tell me when he got out of the coma.”

“Yesterday. He gradually became more alert and by this morning, he’d improved even more.”

“How is that possible? Everyone said he was dying.”

“He’s getting the best treatment in the world. And he’s a very important man. They’re not just going to let him die.” I hear her heels clicking as she walks. “I have other commitments to attend to. I’ll tell your father you called.”

She hangs up.

I feel like I might throw up. My grandfather’s out of the coma. So why wasn’t it on the news? Why didn’t my grandmother tell the press? Do the doctors think he’ll have a relapse? Why hasn’t anyone called me? I should’ve been told as soon as he woke up.

My phone rings. It’s still in my hand and I answer without looking. “Hello.”

“Hello, Garret.”

When I hear his voice, my heart shuts down. I stop breathing. And wait to see if it’s really him.

“It’s your grandfather. I wanted to let you know I’m doing well and am expected to make a full recovery.”

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