Page 127 of Saving the Halfback

I looked down at my hands, nodding slowly. It wasn’t my first attempt; I had hoped it was my last.

“I’m going to prescribe the same one as before, with a little increase in the dose. This should help while we get an appointment booked, all right? So, what do you think? Home or hospital?”

“The McCormicks have said I can go to their place. Maybe it will be good.”

The doctor nodded. “I know the McCormicks, and they’re good people. Still, I want you back here immediately if you find you’re not good, okay? This is not your fault—it’s a sickness, and that’s what we treat here, okay?”

“Okay.”

The doctor nodded and handed me discharge papers and a prescription for meds. My clothes were still wet, but Nolan brought over some clothes Ethan had given him for me. Once he stepped out of the curtain, though, a nurse said, “There he is!” and pointed him out to security.

“Shit. See you outside,” Nolan said before running, two security guards chasing him.

Walking out of the hospital, I understood exactly what the doctor meant. It was like I was drowning all over again. I hated feeling weak in front of them, but I had to stop now and then to try and catch my breath. I could feel bubbles and crackles in mychest with each exhale, leftovers from the water I had breathed in.

“Maybe we should get a wheelchair,” Ethan said. I shot him a dirty look, and he grinned.

Bailey sighed and put her arm around my waist, shifting my weight, so I was leaning on her. I tried to pull away, but the little devil dug her fingers into my hip until I relented.

Bailey forced me into the passenger seat, then ran around to the driver's side. “My parents are at the house, getting things ready for you,” she said.

“We have to pick Nolan up,” Ethan said. “He got kicked off the property.”

Lachlan laughed as Bailey shook her head. Sure enough, Nolan was standing on the other side of the road, waiting for us.

“All right, plan is, we go to Chase’s house, grab his stuff, and head back to my place. You guys are staying the night too.”

“Yes,” Ethan and Lachlan said in unison, and by the sounds of it, they weren’t taking her up on an offer; they were confirming a plan already in place. Bailey wasn’t asking, she was telling.

“Hey, you guys can drop me off at my place,” Nolan said. “I know there's…history and you need to work some things out.”

“No,” Ethan said.

“Agreed.” Lachlan nodded. “You’re family too.”

“We will probably just be hanging around,” Bailey said. “Unless you wanted to do something?” she asked me.

Already tired enough to fall asleep, I shook my head. “Maybe a movie marathon?”

Bailey smiled. “Lord of the Rings?”

I hadn’t seen any of the Lord of the Rings movies in so long. I nodded.

“We have to start withThe Hobbit, though,” Lachlan said.

“They are two completely separate movie series,” Nolan argued, and so ensued the nerdy banter. Lachlan was right—Nolan was one of us.

When Bailey pulled up to my place, I moved to get out, but she stopped me. “Chase, you could barely make it out of the hospital. You’re not going to be able to do those stairs.”

“I’ll go,” Lachlan said. He jumped out of the truck, and I opened my door and caught his arm.

“Hey,” I said, bringing him in closer to me. “My bag is on my bed. I don’t need much, but…” I mentally cursed myself. “I wanted to warn you there's a noose in my closet.” I hoped I was speaking low enough that no one else could hear me.

Lachlan held no contempt in his eyes. He just nodded his understanding.

“And…in my bathroom, there are a couple prescription bottles. It’s, um, antidepressants.”

“In the bathroom behind the mirror or on the counter?” He was being serious.

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