Page 5 of The Plus One
Jude was barely holding it together as it was; he didn’t need her…seeinghim.
“Where’s Collin?” Indira asked, depositing some of her bags on the floor but still clutching what looked like an animal carrier close to her chest. “Did the shock of your ascension from hell kill him?” she added, looking over her shoulder and arching an eyebrow.
Jude flinched like she’d slapped him, and the surprise on her face made embarrassment flood his veins. Indira didn’t know how spot-on her little joke was.
He’d spent the past few years witnessing some of the worst atrocities that could be inflicted on a human body. Hell would be a welcome reprieve from his service with the Global Health Care Organization.
Jude was a doctor specializing in emergency medicine, and the rapid accumulation of student loans in med school had pushed him to sign on the dotted line for a scholarship with the GHCO. In exchange for free tuition that saved him close to half-a-million dollars in debt, Jude promised four years of his life, going wherever the GHCO sent him to perform emergency medicine in areas of conflict, natural disasters, and great need.
Sometimes, he wished he could say he’d joined the GHCO for something altruistic, some deep, insatiable desire to serve humankind. It made his shell of a body feel that much hollower to know that all he’d seen, all the times he’d failed, were all to avoid monthly loan payments.
Desperate times…
“What are you doing back?” Indira asked, her voice losing its usual combative edge in exchange for gentle curiosity. It made Jude’s skin crawl.
“I couldn’t miss Collin’s wedding,” Jude said, rubbing a hand across the back of his neck. “The agency gave me an extended break for my three years of uninterrupted service. My next assignment starts a couple weeks after the wedding.” Jude’s voice cracked as he spoke and a familiar type of panic slithered down his spine as he stood there.
He wasn’t sure when talking got to be so hard, but every interaction since he’d touched down in America had sent his system into a tailspin—sudden and random emotions stampeding through his chest and roaring in his ears, disrupting the safe numbness he’d built. Jude needed that numbness. Survived only because of it.
“And you’re… good?” Indira asked, tilting her head as she studied him far too closely.
Jude made a dismissive grunting noise, looking away.
“Dira?” a sleepy voice called over Jude’s shoulder. Collin came into view as he walked down the steps, rumpled and pajama-clad. He stopped next to Jude, clapping him on the back with a grin, making Jude flinch again.
Collin and Jude had grown up as inseparable best friends, spending every day together and leaving the younger Indira behind. She’d always been a pestering plus one and they’d lacked the patience to include her in their adventures.
“What’re you doing here?” Collin asked Indira, smiling through a yawn and dragging a hand through his golden hair. “Wait, is that Grammy?” he added, gesturing at the cat crate in her arms.
Indira looked down at herself, her hair falling over her hunched shoulders like a violent ink splat to match the mascara streaks down her cheeks. Her cat completed the horrifying look by punching a furry fist through her carrier and latching it onto Indira’s sweater, punctuating it all with a howl.
For the first time in what felt like forever, something close to alaugh almost reached Jude’s lips, but it died somewhere in his throat. He hadn’t laughed in a long time. Sometimes he wondered if he’d ever laugh again.
Indira chewed her lip, shifting on her feet. “I… um. I-I sent you a text but I need… Well, I was going to ask to stay here, but I’ll go. I didn’t realize you have, uh, whatever.” She made a flapping gesture toward Jude.
Lovely.
Collin let out a forlorn sigh, moving toward Indira and gingerly unhooking Grammy’s paw.
“What did that piece of shit do this time?” he asked, taking the carrier from her arms and opening it. A mangy-looking animal tumbled to the floor and sprinted away like a bat out of hell. Jude stared after it.
“Nothing! Well, just—”
“Collin! Look at this massive fucker!” Jeremy yelled, bursting through the back door and making everyone jump. He brandished dirty gardening gloves in one hand and an alarmingly giant squash in the other. “Oh, hey, Dira. I didn’t know you were coming over,” Jeremy added, giving her a broad grin.
“Pretty sure your lovely cousin had something to do with the impromptu visit,” Collin said quietly, shooting him a look.
“Collin, you ass, shut up,” Indira snapped, hitting her brother on the shoulder. “There’s nothing to talk about. Don’t drag Jeremy into this.”
It felt like Jude’s muscles were ripping with the force it took for him to stop his body from jerking at the sudden noises, to keep his hands pinned at his sides instead of shooting to his ears or covering his head.
Instead, he stood there, wanting to seem normal. Wanting tobenormal.
“What did that mouth-breather do now?” Jeremy said, voice rough as his gaze flicked between Indira and Collin.
“Indira brought all her stuff, so it must be bad,” Collin said, fanning the flames. Jeremy’s face twisted in outrage.
“Collin, hold my squash. I need to kick some ass.” Jeremy thrust the vegetable into Collin’s arms, then dove across the kitchen counter for his cell phone.
