Page 13 of Safe
“For starters, Jarheads are Marines, and I’m not some god damn Marine. And second, I do know that show. It’s one of my favorites. You know the episode about Robert?”
Danielle looked like she wasn’t sure whether to answer, but I could tell she hadn’t expected me to know the show, and she certainly hadn’t expected me to stand my ground and go toe-to-toe with her. By now, curiosity was probably starting to crack through her cold exterior.
“Yeah? What about it?”
“I saw him in person once when we were on leave in Key West years ago. Remember that, Alex?”
Alex nodded, mouth full of food.
“Your brother and I went on a tour of Key West. We visited the U.S. Coast Guard Museum, Ernest Hemingway’s house, stood at the southernmost point of the United States, saw Robert, and even enjoyed a little chocolate-covered Key Lime Pie on a stick. See… not a Jarhead. My head is quite full, thank you.”
Looking at Danielle’s face, I couldn’t help but feel proud of myself. The smugness vanished, and it seemed she was starting to see me as more than just some brainless idiot friend of Alex’s. I’d be lying if I said it didn’t feel good to show her up.
“Well then, Cody,” Her cheeks flushed as she mumbled the words, refusing to look at me, “I guess we have more in common than I thought.”
I smiled at her, and got a half smile in return. It was an awkward moment that made me forget Alex was even in the room. It was dead silent, and I knew Alex was uncomfortable because he fumbled with his words as he started talking.
“Danielle has three days left here. I think we should come by every day during her rehab, Cody. That way, you can learn from the doctors what needs to be done to help her at home.”
“Yeah, of course,” I replied. “Alex, you look exhausted, and you’ve been here every single night. Why don’t you go home and get some rest? I’ll sleep in the chair tonight.”
Alex gave me a skeptical look, but finally gave in. “Actually, I could use some sleep that’s comfortable and in a real bed before my shift in the morning. Danielle, is that okay with you?”
“Anything that gets you off my back for a few hours ismore than okay with me, brother dearest.”
“Well, okay then, rude. Both of you—call me if you need anything.” Alex grabbed his jacket and kissed Danielle on the top of her head. “Danielle has rehab at 9:30 tomorrow morning. It’ll be a good chance for you to learn from the doctor. I’ll be here with dinner after my shift. See you guys tomorrow.”
Alex left the room, and just like that, I was on my own to navigate the situation. I looked at Danielle, and as quickly as Alex had left the room, so did the warm-tempered woman who had just begun to open up. In her place was the indifferent shrew giving me a death stare that I already knew I never wanted to see again.
“Let’s get one thing straight.”
Sigh.Here we go.
Time to match wits. It would be the only way to survive.
“I don’t need a babysitter.”
“Nope.”
“I don’t need help.”
“Of course not.”
“And I don’t need someone to ‘keep me safe.’ I know how to play nice well enough to keep Alex off my back, and that’s all I intend to do.”
“You done yet?”
“Just stay out of my way, and I’ll stay out of yours.”
She rolled onto her side, facing away from me, and turned the TV volume up loud. I got the message loud and clear. No further responses from me would be necessary. Maybe the money would be a good enough incentive after all.
We didn’t say another word the rest of the night. Danielle fell asleep shortly after our one-sided conversation, and I stayed awake a while longer, watching Mysteries at the Museum and trying to find a comfortable way to rest between two hospital chairs. After a few hours of wondering what I had gotten myselfinto, I finally managed to fall asleep.
The Ice Queen had returned.
7. DANIELLE
Once Alex left, I could drop the nice sister act and let Cody know precisely how I felt about the situation. After unleashing my frustration, I turned over and feigned sleep for what felt like an eternity, simply to avoid any further conversation with him. Neither Cody nor Alex could say anything to cool my anger. Did Alex actually believe I would accept having a babysitter? And of all people, why did it have to be Cody? It just felt like yet another obnoxiously overprotective big brother watching my every move. The sooner they found Landon, the sooner I could escape this mess and return to some semblance of a normal life. Not that my life had been normal before, but anything would be an improvement.
