Page 69 of Rectify

Confident the cake isn't going to fall as I walk, I raise my eyes hoping to catch a smiling Sasha, but instead I see the opposite.

Her eyes are full of unshed tears, and I can't get to her quick enough. “What’s wrong?”

She dabs the napkin under her eyes, trying to stop the tears from falling. Avoiding my gaze she lowers her head, and her hands start chipping at her nail polish.

All of a sudden it’s shy and insecure, fourteen year old Sasha, and I don’t know what I did to make it happen. I slide the cake onto the table.

“Hey.” I tilt her chin up. “Talk to me.”

“You made my favourite cake,” she sniffles.

“I did, but that still doesn't explain why you're crying.”

“God, Jay. I’m so scared,” she blurts out.

“Of what?”

“I like you,”she admits. “I really really really like you.”

“That's a lot of really’s,” I tease, trying to lighten up her mood.

“You're going to move back home soon enough and I don't even know what to do with that.”

I hate that she's crying, but I'm so relieved that I'm not alone in all this. That we can finally have a decent conversation and work out how to move forward from here.

“I want to do this with you, Pretty Girl. Let’s just figure it out one step at a time, okay?”

I pull out her present from my pocket, only to be interrupted by her ringtone.

“I'm sorry, it could be Dakota.”

“Of course.”

“Hello.” Her face drops immediately. “So you're at the hospital now. Are you sure she's okay?” The other person on the line, who I'm assuming is Jagger, unloads a bunch of information that doesn't seem to calm her down.

“I'm coming. I'll be there as quick as I can.”

Following her lead, I grab my keys and hurry us along to the car park.

“I'm so sorry Jay, I know how much effort you went to for tonight.”

“Don't you dare apologise for needing to be with Dakota,” I scold. “Which hospital is she at?”

“The Royal Children’s Hospital.”

I almost carry her to the car to get there quicker. Hastily buckling ourselves in, I speed out of the car park and get onto the highway in minutes.

“Is she okay?” I manage to ask, now that we're well on our way.

“They're pretty sure her appendix ruptured. They’re going to rush her into emergency surgery now...”

“We’ll get there as soon we can. I promise.” I slide my hand into hers and try to offer her my strength, begging the universe to make sure Dakota is okay.

Fifteen minutes later, I swerve into the drop off parking and pull up the handbrake.

“What are you doing?” Sasha’s unwelcoming tone surprises me.

“I'm coming in with you.”

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