Page 186 of Choosing You

“Jade, come closer so I can see you.” Frank doesn’t have his glasses on. I notice them sitting on the table.

“Do you want your glasses?”

He nods so I put them on his face. He seems so frail. It’s like he’s aged 20 years since I left. “You look good, Jade.”

“Thanks.” I don’t return the compliment, because we both know it would be a lie. He looks terrible.

“I’m glad you could make it home for Christmas, although I’ll probably still be stuck in here.”

“Well, if you are, we’ll bring Christmas here, okay?”

He smiles. “Okay, honey.” His speech is slower than normal, like he’s heavily drugged with meds. His eyelids close for a moment. When he opens them again, he notices Garret. “Is this your friend?”

“Yes. This is Garret, my boyfriend.”

“Nice to meet you,” Garret says, moving a little closer to Frank. “Jade talks about you constantly. She’s really missed you.”

“She’s very special to me. Like my own daughter.”

Shit! Is he trying to make me cry? I’m doing all I can to keep from losing it and then he has to say that?

Garret takes my hand and gently squeezes it, helping me momentarily regain control of my emotions.

Frank’s eyes shut again and this time they stay shut as he falls asleep. Ryan motions us to leave.

“He goes in and out of sleep like that with the meds he’s on,” Ryan explains once we’re in the hall. “He’ll probably be out for hours. You guys can go and come back later if you want.”

“I don’t want to leave you here, Ryan.”

“I need to check on stuff at work, so I won’t be around anyway.”

“Ryan works here in the hospital lab,” I explain to Garret.

“Jade, do you think you could run home and get me a change of clothes?” Ryan asks.

“Sure. Anything else you want?”

“No. That’s it. Just call my cell when you get back here and we’ll meet up somewhere.”

“Okay. See you soon.” I hug him again.

He looks at Garret. “Did you teach her that?”

Garret smiles. “I did. But she still needs practice.”

Ryan walks off and Garret and I go to the parking garage. As soon as I get in the car, I break down. The tears finally let loose, pouring down my cheeks.

It’s like Garret knew it was coming. He doesn’t even act surprised. He gets out of the car and comes around to my side and opens my door. “Get in the back seat.”

“What? Why?” I say between sobs.

He waits for me to get in the back, then slides in beside me and holds me tightly in his arms. Now I get it. He couldn’t hug me with all the stuff between the two front seats. Several minutes go by before I can finally stop crying enough to talk.

“He looked horrible, Garret. Frank looked so bad.”

Garret doesn’t try to deny it. He knows doing so wouldn’t help.

“And why is he so thin? Doesn’t he eat anymore?” I wipe my face off. “I feel like such an idiot out here crying like this. I told myself I’d be strong for both of them and I’m barely here an hour and I’m already crying. And I hate crying. I freaking hate it.” I pull away from him. “And ever since I met you I keep crying at stuff like this. What the hell did you do to me?”

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