Page 85 of Playoff
My sinuses were clogged up and my eyes and nose puffy and red. My body felt like I’d gone several rounds at a gym and my brain was frazzled. I slapped my hand around until I found the phone and croaked a hello.
It was Katie. I’d messaged all the PAC members, but Katie knew about Alek so it wasn’t surprising that she wanted more than an everything is fine text.
“Are you okay? No, I know you’re not, but did I wake you? I tried to wait till it was a reasonable time.”
I waved my hand, though she couldn’t see it. “I didn’t sleep well.”
“Understandable. How are you holding up?”
“I won’t know till I get some coffee.”
“Do you want me to call back when you’re more awake?”
“No, it’s good.” With no Justin or Alek to talk to, hearing from someone who cared helped.
“First, our condolences about your grandmother. Were you close?”
Huh. I guess I hadn’t talked to the PAC about her. But I had to Alek. “Yeah, we were. She mostly raised us. But she’d been in a home with dementia for the last couple of years so we knew it was coming.”
Katie made a comforting sound. “That’s terrible.”
“It is.” It was a horrible disease.
“What can we do? Would it help if we came out for the service? Josh has free time and air miles.” As well as a multimillion-dollar salary. Even on IR, he’d be bringing in a lot of money.
Now Justin was on IR as well.
“Thanks, but probably better not. Family drama is expected, and it might make things awkward.” Mom and Dad were going to be hurt and upset.
“We can handle awkward if it helps. Or I could come on my own.”
I closed my eyes and sniffed. “Thank you, I appreciate the offer. But I don’t know what’s going to happen, so I think it’s better not to have too many people around. I’ll call you after.”
“I’ll answer, I swear it. Now, can I ask?”
I sighed. “About Justin?”
“And the attack on Alek. Was that about, you know…”
“Probably. Justin found out the night before.”
She gasped. “Oh, no! What happened? What did he say?”
“We have phone locators for each other—we set it up a while ago. When I’m staying out with a guy, I have it on so Justin doesn’t worry. I forgot to turn it off, and Justin came to Fitch’s condo when he got the news about Grandma since that was where my phone was. I hadn’t picked up messages because I was…you know.”
Kate made a sound between a comforting mmhmm and a giggle.
“I’d had an argument with Alek and was heading to the door partly dressed, and Justin showed up.” I frowned. Maybe Fitch gave him a key? “Alek was behind me in just his boxers—it was obvious what was going on. Justin told me Grandma had died and left. I haven’t seen or heard from him since.”
“Oh, Jess. Sounds like you need someone. Let me book a ticket.”
It was a generous offer. Katie would come and do whatever she could, I knew that, and I loved her for it. I just didn’t want to have to explain my parents. And since revealing Grandma’s will would undoubtedly start more drama than anyone should be exposed to, I’d rather do this on my own. Then, if Justin didn’t show and they wanted to know why… No, privacy would be best.
“I appreciate that Katie, I really do, but Justin is just the tip of the family stuff that’s going to be happening. I honestly think I’ll get through this better on my own.”
She offered to fly out and avoid all the gatherings to just be on hand for me, but she was near the end of her semester. She had exams, to take and give, and Ducky needed her too. I finally convinced her, promising to call as often as I needed to.
I felt better after talking to her. My body still felt like shit—the red eyes, lack of sleep, time difference, and anxiety about Justin, Alek, and my parents all making my stomach roil and my weaker self want to stay curled up in bed. But even if Justin wouldn’t speak to me, I had support people. I could do this.
