Page 6 of Infinite
My mother hasn’t left my bedside, she prays to a God that I don’t believe in anymore.
She begs for him to watch over me, but what good is his attention now? No one was watching over anything when I needed them to. Everything was stolen from me, and it’ll never be returned.
Catherine came in a little while ago to tell me there’s no news of Quinn. Yet another thing that I can’t fully handle.
I got him back, only to lose him again. It’s as though there’s some sick game being played and I’ve been cast in the role of the loser who believed she had finally won. I had it all. Even things I didn’t think I wanted, I got.
I should’ve known better than to believe it was all going to stay.
“You have to eat, my darling.” Mom pushes the tray of food toward me.
“Not hungry.”
“Right.” She sighs. “And I take it you just want to sleep?”
“Yup.”
In my sleep, there’s hope. In life, there is none. I have no idea where Quinn is, if he’s alive, fed, or in pain. All I know is that, until I do know, I don’t really care about anything else.
I want to see his face and have his arms hold me as we mourn the loss of our child. Until that happens, fuck everything else.
Gretchen gets up and comes around the side of my bed. “Do you want me to call Ben for an update?”
Finally, someone who is offering something I give a shit about. “Yes.”
“Okay.” She grabs her phone and calls him. My eyes are wide as fear and worry fill my body. It’s the first thing I’ve felt in hours.
Gretchen, bless her heart, puts the phone on speaker.
“Hey.” Ben’s deep voice fills the room.
“Ashton is awake and any update you have on Quinn would be appreciated.”
He sighs, but it isn’t an unkind sound. “We’re doing everything possible. There was a lead a few hours ago that turned out to be nothing. One of Liam’s friends with a task force here saw something else, so we’re chasing that one now. It’s a lot of puzzle pieces we’re fitting together. I’m sorry I don’t have much more than that. We will find him. It’s just a matter of when.”
I sniff as I try to hold back my tears. “Thanks, Ben.”
“Ash.” He pauses and then begins again, “Quinn is our friend and he’s family. No one is going to allow someone to take our brother without a fight, okay?”
Gretchen places her hand on mine. “Thanks, babe, please let us know if you have any news. I know that Quinn is your brother, but he’s her life, and she needs information.”
“I know. I’ll do my best.”
“We know. We’ll talk soon.”
I nod, and Gretchen disconnects the call.
Then I close my eyes and wait for the next round of devastating news.
3
Ashton
When people say that time moves fast, I used to think the same. Now, I believe quite the opposite. Time is a slow and torturous thing. It has nothing to do but tick slowly by.
I watch the clock on the wall.
Tick.
