Page 107 of The Prodigal

He’s winded with the amount of fear he injected into his words.

“Okay, no Potters. Got it.” I flash him a disappointed frown. “Who should I call?”

It’s like I asked him to clip my toenails after dinner with the look he gives me. “Don’t be a pussy,” I chide. “Make the call.”

Closing his eyes, he groans. “Grant—his name is Grant.”

I don’t ask who Grant is or how he’s going to be able to help. I simply press the button and put the call on speaker.

“Dr. Grant speaking,” he answers on the second ring as Remington flashes me a look I can’t quite figure out.

“Grant,” Remington starts. “I know I broke our contract, but I’m—”

The doctor seems to know way more about this situation than I do since he cuts Remington off mid-sentence. “When is the last time you’ve had treatment, Remington?”

Remington’s gaze drops to bed. He won’t look at me when he admits, “The last time I saw you.”

“Holy fuck,” he swears. “No meds either, I assume?”

Remington shakes his head. “I planned to pick them up, but I—”

I don’t know what kind of doctor Grant is or what exactly he’s been treating Remington for, but he breaks something on the other end of the line. “What did I tell you, Remington? What did Maverick tell you?”

My eyes narrow. Maverick? That guy from campus?

“I know.” Remington sighs. “I had to be compliant, or you couldn’t treat me.”

“Yes,” Grant snaps. “Exactly. Now, call a fucking ambulance and have the hospital contact me when you get there.”

Remington finds my eyes. “Yeah,” he agrees. “Thanks.”

Grant hangs up without another word, leaving nothing but silence between Remington and me for several minutes.

“So,”—I sigh—“do you prefer a fingernail file or a rusty fork to be stabbed with? I have an opening just for you next week.”

The biggest pain in the ass smiles weakly. “You might have to get in line, love. I think this time, there might be a waitlist.”

He can’t even laugh at himself—that’s how tired he seems.

“That’s okay,” I tell him, taking his hand. “Just tell me who needs to go first.”

I swear his eyes turn glassy for a split second before he masks it by pulling in a deep breath. “Dr. Depressing,” he admits. “He can stab me first.”

Nodding, I pick up his phone and dial his father, putting it on speaker.

Duke answers on the first ring. “Remington?” he says cautiously, like it’s out of the norm for Remington to call him. “Are you all right?”

Remington’s eyes pinch shut as he pulls in a ragged breath. “Dad,” he says, his voice trembling, “I’m in kidney failure.”

Eden

It’s silent for so long that I think Duke must have hung up.

But then Remington just has to fill the space with his bullshit. “Don’t be a pussy, Dr. Depressing. I’m sure Mom has called youDaddya few times. This can’t be a new term for you. Unless you want us to give you a moment so you can write it down in my baby book.”

Dukedefinitelyneeds to stab him first.

“What the fuck do you mean you’re in kidney failure, Remington? You better not be fucking with me. This is serious.”

---