Page 27 of Two Wrongs

Everything starts to flood back, and I feel my body start to shake. A rough hand takes mine, and instantly I feel calmer. “How’s Liam?” I ask. The hand in mine squeezes, and we hold on to each other. I chance a peek at him, and Griffin tips his head to me.

This is right. No matter what happened between us the other night, we are family. For now at least. It makes sense someone would have called him. I’m glad he’s here, because Liam is going to need him.

“Your husband overdosed on prescription pain medicine. He was under the influence of the drugs which led him to fall and hit his head on the side of the tub. He’s got a concussion, but it appears you got to him in time for us to pump the drugs out of his system and administer treatment to counteract what he took.”

My head drops. If I’d known, I’d have found a better way to serve him with divorce papers. “Did he try to kill himself? I didn’t even know he had any of his prescription left.”

“Oh, he’s way beyond his original prescription. Liam has been on the list of drug seekers for a few months.”

“What are you saying, doctor?” Griffin asks.

“Liam is addicted to opioids. It’s going to make treatment for his head injury challenging, as it will be harder to manage his pain during recovery. He’s going to go through withdrawal, which needs to be medically supervised. My recommendation is to place him in a rehabilitation facility so he can get the help he needs.”

Griffin is nodding the entire time the doctor is speaking. “Does he have to agree?”

The doctor grabs either end of his stethoscope. This part of the job must be so difficult to bear. We all know Liam needs this treatment if what the doctor says is true, and we all know he’s going to refuse.

“Unfortunately, since he didn’t intend to die, I can’t list him as a self harm risk. He’s going to have to willingly agree to go to treatment.”

“Wren.” Griffin swallows hard and I am fascinated by the way his Adam’s apple bobs up and down. I know he’s going to ask me to do something I won’t like.

“You want me to talk to him,” I say when he doesn’t continue.

“I want you to do whatever it takes to get him to go to rehab.”

We both know the price I’m going to have to pay. Liam has called and left countless messages on my phone asking me to come back, and now it seems he’s found the leverage to make me.

11

Wren

Griffin and I sit in silence in the waiting room for a couple of hours while we wait for Liam to wake up. Me being here doesn’t make sense. Liam is going to have to come to terms with life without me in it and what better time than while surrounded by medical professionals.

“Wren,” Griffin begins.

I hold up my hand. “Just don’t. I already know you’ve been sitting over there trying to figure out how to convince me to stay. How long am I supposed to put up with the farce?”

“He needs you,” he argues.

I nod. My mind slips back to a conversation from the past.

* * *

“Did you hear me?I said I got a full ride to Central Valley. I know that will make things hard for us, but we can do it.” I try not to bounce with excitement. He put off college to be with me, and over the last year I’ve watched him flounder with what to do.

I thought he’d go back to school, maybe even come with me. I don’t want to push that on him, but I know he doesn’t really like working for his dad.

Not that I can blame him. Griffin Hale is the surliest asshole in Harriston. Old ladies cross the street when they see him, and babies cry at the sound of his voice.

Liam and I have been dating for almost two years, and in that time I think he’s said one thing to me. “Wren isn’t a name, it’s a damn bird.”

It really didn’t matter in the long run. I love Liam, but who stays with their high school boyfriend? Not that I have plans to end it. Going away to school is a risk. He’s a good looking guy, and when I’m gone I know there will be a line of girls vying for his attention.

He loves me, I believe that, but I also see a weakness in him when it comes to self control. He’s spontaneous and always looking for a good time. Being with him is thrilling, but it’s also exhausting. I never know what the next day will bring, and he’s always surprising me.

The problem is, I’ve had enough surprises to last a lifetime and most of them have been bad. The last year in particular has me longing for some peace and stability. The death of my parents in a car accident turned my world upside down.

For a while, I loved the distraction Liam provided me. His zest for life can be infectious, and I felt like I was doing what my parents would have wanted by living every moment to the fullest. Really, I was just shoving down my grief and ignoring my pain. At night, when Liam would drop me off, I’d come home to an empty house. The quiet was the loudest sound I’d ever heard. My mom’s laughter no longer rings through the house, and I’ll never hear my father’s booming voice yelling at his favorite sports teams again.

---