Page 10 of The Facade

“Do you think you’re also conflicted because if the treatments don’t work, then it means you’re going to lose two extra weeks with her at home that you could have spent with her?”

He nodded slowly, his dark-brown eyes meeting mine. “I think so.”

“But your dad wouldn’t encourage it, if he didn’t think it would help, right?”

“I’m not sure.” Mack shrugged again. “I’d like to say that my dad is one of the best neurosurgeons in the world and so he should know what’s best for my mom…”

“But you think he might be too close to the issue to be objective?” I guessed.

“I think so.” His jaw muscles flexed. “There’s a reason they don’t recommend doctors treat their own family members.”

I didn’t really know what to say next—this whole conversation was kind of depressing, and I didn’t want to say something that would just make it harder on Mack. I knew he already had a hard enough time sleeping, I didn’t need to say anything that would bring up something to make him sleep even worse.

“Did you at least get better sleep the past month with your parents being at home?” I asked, curious if anything had changed in the last month since he’d stayed here.

“Not really.” He peeked down the hall as if to make sure my brothers were still in their rooms. “I, um, I think the last time I slept through the night was when I was here.”

“Really?”

“Yeah.” He sighed, running a hand over his hair.

I watched him closely. He had been looking permanently tired the past few weeks. I’d assumed it was his worries over his mom’s condition always being on his mind, but I hadn’t realized his sleep was disrupted so much.

“Have you been sleepwalking, too?”

“Um, yeah. Just a few nights a week.”

“A few times a week?” I said, surprised that it was still happening since he hadn’t done it at all when he’d stayed here.

“But, um, I’m sure I’ll be fine here.” He waved his hand as if his sleepwalking was nothing to worry about. “I’ll just lock Ian’s room and I’m sure it will keep me from wandering around your house in the middle of the night.”

“You think so?” I raised my eyebrows, wondering how a simple door lock would stop him when he’d gotten past his family’s deadbolts before.

“I don’t know.” He shrugged, the fabric of his thin black T-shirt stretching over his broad shoulders with the movement. “Maybe I won’t even sleepwalk at all. I mean, I didn’t any of the times I stayed here last month. So…” He held his hands out at his sides. “Maybe the same thing will happen again. Maybe your house has some sort of magical sleeping powers.”

“Do my parents know to be on the lookout for you tonight?” I asked, curious what his parents may have arranged with mine when they’d asked for him to stay here.

“I think so.” He rubbed the back of his neck with his palm. “I think they said they’d have Duchess sleep in the hall so she could bark if I tried to leave in the middle of the night.”

Duchess was my family’s little rat-terrier who was definitely more bark than bite. She usually liked to sneak into my parents’ room at night since she was addicted to my mom, but hopefully she’d stay in her bed by the door to keep watch for Mack.

“I guess we’ll see what happens tonight, won’t we?” Mack said.

I nodded. “I hope you get some sleep.” I drew in a deep breath and sighed. “It sounds like you could use a good night’s rest.”

“I hope so, too.”

After leavingMack in the sitting room, I headed to my en-suite bathroom to wash my face, brush my teeth, and work my long, brown hair into a side braid for the night. I changed into my pink polka-dotted pajamas with the button-up top and silky shorts, and then climbed into my bed, tired after a full day.

I was just dreaming about dancing with Ben at the Halloween dance when a soft tapping sound startled me from my sleep.

Tap tap tap.

I opened my eyes, noting the sound was coming from the door that led out onto the balcony I shared with Ian’s room and not from my bedroom door.

I looked at my watch charging on my nightstand. It was just after midnight.

Tap tap tap.

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