Page 26 of Fall For You

“What are you doing here, Carter?”

A frown creases his face. “What? No. What areyoudoinghere? I thought you were coming over for dinner. I’ve been waiting for you.”

“Iknow,Carter. I knoweverything.”

“You…what?”

“I spoke to Vi’s doctor today.”

“Right, the phone call. You mentioned that earlier. But?—”

“Herneurologist,” I explain, stretching the word out slowly for maximum emphasis.

“Oh. That doctor.” His expression alters, alarm giving way to chagrin. His lips twist into a rueful grimace.

Tears spring to my eyes at his unspoken admission. At the way guilt floods his face. At the sudden dashing of my unacknowledged, unrealistic, absolutely futile hope that somehow, in some way, I’d gotten everything wrong.

I didn’t get anything wrong. Vi has dementia. Her mental health has been declining for years. The confusion that I’ve noticed, that I assumed was due to concussion— Well. Some of it might be due to concussion, but definitely not all of it. Which Carter also knew.

“Why didn’t you tell me?” I demand, as my grief grows fangs and morphs back into fury. “Two years, Carter. Isn’t that right? Isn’t that how long you’ve known? You’ve been taking her for tests and appointments, and who knows what else?”

Carter nods. “Yeah. About two years, give or take. Maybe a little longer.”

“What were you thinking? All that time; how could you keep that from me?”

Carter rakes a hand through his hair. “It’s not like that.”

“Isn’t it?”

“You and I… It’s not like we were talking on a regular basis, you know. I can’t even remember the last time I heard from you.”

I can’t either, but thatisn’tthe point. “What if she’d died—would you have called methen?”

“Of course, I would’ve. But that’s different.”

I wrap my arms around myself. “Is it? Really? How?”

“It’s different because…” Carter breaks off and heaves a sigh before continuing, reluctantly, “Look, it was Vi’s decision, okay? If it had been up to me, I… Actually, I’m not sure what I would have done. But,shedidn’t want you to know. So, what could I do?”

This is not exactly a surprise. In fact, it’s pretty much what Bev said, too, when I called to confront her this afternoon; that Vi had sworn her to silence. It still hurts, however.

“What does that even mean—Vi’s decision? She was mentally incapacitated! Why would youlistento her?”

“Just stop right there,” he says firmly. “You don’t know what you’re talking about. This was two years ago, closer to three. She was lucid enough back then to know her own mind. She still is a lot of the time—as you’ve noticed. She said she didn’t want to be a burden to you and… And we agreed that it would be better for you not to know.”

“Better for who?” I snarl at him. My throat is tense with the effort to keep from shouting.

“Better for you, obviously,” he says, anger sparking in his eyes as he adds, “Or at least that’s what I assumed she meant. Right now, I’m wondering if she didn’t mean better for all of us. Ican’t believe you think I should have gone against her expressed wishes. What the hell, Jo?”

“If she wasn’t competent to make those decisions? Then yes. Absolutely!”

Carter glares at me. “You talk like she was making plans to play in traffic. When really all we’re talking about is who she thought should have access to her medical records. You want to try and argue that she wasn’t competent enough for something like that? Good luck.”

“Oh, no. You’re not getting off that easily. What about the loan she co-signed when you opened your restaurant? What about the house? That sounds pretty sketchy, if you ask me.”

We’re toe to toe now, both of us glowering at the other. My arms are uncrossed, but my hands are fisted by my sides. And it’s all I can do to keep from slapping his face—especially when he says, “I see you’ve been talking to people. You’ve done your homework, haven’t you?”

“Very funny.”

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