Page 186 of One Big Little Secret

Stupid.

Messy.

Dumb.

Pure jackass, and yet I’m doing it anyway.

I inhale sharply and accept my fate as my finger swipes the call.

“Hey, Salem. I’ve been meaning to call—”

“Patton.” My name feels like a gunshot, the word sharp, panicked. My grip on my phone tightens as it rips through me. “Something’s wrong. Arlo, he just—he won’t wake up.” A sob rattles her voice.

What. The.Fuck.

It’s a gut punch, so swift my lungs deflate.

I have to lean on the old railing to stay upright.

“What happened? What do you mean he won’t wake up?” I try to keep calm, my voice clipped like I haven’t heard since my Navy days. She needs strength right now, not this roaringfrustration surging up that threatens to blow me into a thousand pieces and scatter me to the winds.

“I don’t—I don’t know. I was just driving. He started vomiting everywhere. I called an ambulance as soon as I could pull over.”

There’s no siren wailing in the background. They must’ve already reached the hospital, I hope.

“Where are you? The university hospital?”

“Y-yes,” she strangles out, choking on the words. “He’s with the doctors now. They took him straight in.”

“Okay. Salem, sweetheart, I need you to breathe.” I can’t think straight enough to give her better advice. I’m just barreling through this damn house until I’m back outside, fumbling with the keys to lock the door. “I’m on my way. Is anyone else with you?”

“No, no, it’s just me.”

Of course it is, you idiot,I tell myself bitterly.

She has no family here. The closest thing she has to a friend is a vapid Instagram girl who cares more about her looks than human decency.

I close my eyes for a furious second before getting in my SUV and starting the engine.

“I’ll be there soon,” I promise. “Stay put and wait for me. It’s going to be okay.”

I hope like hell I’m not wrong.

Nothing about this makes sense.

I hate that I can’t make any big promises and she knows it as well as I do.

But Arlo should be fine. Kids don’t just up and die for no reason, do they?

Then again, if he’s out like she’s saying, if hewon’t wake up—

My throat burns, the same acid feeling clawing at my eyes.

Goddammit, my son is hurt.

I don’t understand what’s happening.

Still, I can’t fall down that abyss or I’ll wind up paralyzed.

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