Page 78 of The Hardest Part

He felt like he might be sick.

Acid churned in his gut. Emotion gathering in his throat made it difficult for him to breathe.

His brother was trying to keep his shit together, but Jake looked about as ghastly as Billy felt.

What the fuck was happening?

And what was Dad thinking about leaving a note like that?

It was too much information and nowhere near enough.

“Text them again.”

“I just did.” Billy glanced at his phone. “No one’s answering.”

It had to be Mom. He and Jake knew that. But what could it be? Did she take a fall? Have another stroke? Or worse, was she…

Anything but that. Please, don’t let it be that.

Dark clouds and the Tetons loomed ahead. And Billy couldn’t help but wonder if everything that was happening was all his fault.

Jake turned south on 89, and the angry skies opened, unleashing a torrential downpour. Water cascaded down the glass in sheets. The wipers couldn’t keep up with it.

“Fuck, come on.” Forced to slow down, his brother slammed his fist into the steering wheel.

They had to hurry, but the closer they got, the more he didn’t want to get there.

The rain had slowed to an annoying drizzle when they reached Jackson. It was just enough to need the wipers on to clear it, but not enough to keep them from squeaking on the glass. Jake pulled into the parking lot next to Justin’s Porsche and, shaking on the inside, Billy tried to take a deep breath.

“It’s gonna be okay.” Jake rested his hand on his.

“You don’t know that.”

And he squeezed it. “Yes, I do.”

“What if…” Billy couldn’t even say it.

“Whatever it is, we’ll get through it together.” Then he let his hand go. “It’s gonna be okay.”

The automatic doors opened. Justin paced in the waiting room as he had only a month before. With his hands clasped behind his neck, he stared down at his shoes wearing tracks in the puke-green carpet.

Jake got to him first. “Is it Mom? How is she?”

“I don’t know.” His fingers plowed through his hair and he hitched his thumb toward the double doors. “Victor carried her in there and I haven’t seen either of them since.”

“What happened?” he asked.

“She said she had a terrible headache and asked me to get her some aspirin. When I came back with it, she was asleep.” Justin’s head shook, a faraway look in his eyes. “But I couldn’t get her to wake up.”

What does that mean?Billy glanced at Jake for an answer, not finding one.

“I was only gone for a minute.” Justin sighed and sat in a chair. “I called your Dad. Then you. He said we couldn’t wait. I’m sorry.”

“Do you think it’s another stroke?” Jake took a seat beside him.

“Maybe.” He lifted a shoulder, staring at the floor again. “I don’t know. I’m a painter, not a doctor.”

Chrissakes, you gotta know something.

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