Page 68 of Axe
“Not really. She’s breathin’ on her own, so that’s good.” His lips thinned like he was trying his best to pull himself together. “She still hasn’t woken up.”
“Come on,” I muttered as I gathered all the strength I could muster and pushed open the door, holding it open for him.
Reagan’s head turned as soon as we entered. She didn’t look any better than Loch. The dark circles under her eyes showed the strain this was putting on her.
“Hey, Axe,” she whispered like Ethel was sleeping rather than in a coma.
“Hey, Reagan.” I shuffled side to side in place and scratched the back of my neck with my hand.
“Got you a coffee.” Loch awkwardly held up the cup as if to prove his point.
Reagan turned her attention back to Ethel and grabbed her frail, bony hand. She leaned over and whispered something into Ethel’s ear and I felt like I was encroaching on a private moment. I felt like I shouldn’t even be there. What good was it going to do anyway? It wasn’t like Ethel knew I was there. Or did she somehow? I had no fucking clue. All I knew, was that I needed to see her. I needed to lend my support and let her know that she better come back to us.
“She won’t leave the room. I can’t get her to eat. And she hasn’t slept. I just…I don’t know what I can do to fix this.” Loch didn’t take his eyes off of Reagan as he spoke about her.
After a minute, Reagan shuffled over to us, her feet dragged as if they were held down by a heavy weight. Loch handed her one of the cups and they walked over to the couch in the corner of the room.
“Old bat,” I said as I took Reagan’s vacated seat. Yeah, I was taunting her a bit, hoping to shake her out of this damn shit. “Look, I don’t know what kinda game you’re playing, but your sympathy card is about to run the fuck out. Don’t you think it’s time? Besides, you’re missing all the good shit.” My voice was low but held a surprising amount of emotion, especially for me.
My hand grabbed hers. It was cold and the skin that covered it was so pale it looked translucent. I sat there for a long while just watching her chest rise and fall.
“I swear on my cut that if you’re faking this shit, you will never pinch this ass again.” A small, sad laugh escaped my lips.
I waited. Nothing. I burned a hole in her head with my eyes, willing her to blink, or cough, or squeeze my hand. Still nothing.
“I don’t…” Ethel’s voice sounded raw and barely above a whisper. I blinked, unsure if I had really heard it. Hell, my mind could have been playing tricks on me.
Then Reagan and Loch were there on the other side of the bed and I knew I wasn’t insane.
“Nan?” Reagan called out.
Ethel let out a small cough and tried to get her words out again.
“I don’t believe you for one damn minute, Axe,” she said and fuck, I laughed.
“Get the doctor,” Reagan yelled, but Loch was already pushing the call button. Then for good measure, he walked out the door, I assumed to find someone.
“Wait.” Ethel swallowed. “Did you get him? Is the girl safe?”
I looked up at Reagan, who looked just as confused as me.
“What are you talking about?” Reagan asked.
“That boy, Mercer’s son, he was the one that did this. He ran my car off the road. But first…”
She drew in a deep breath like she was struggling.
“He followed me. He was waiting in the parking lot by my car. I just…just needed some new candles…”
“Ethel, take your time, but get to the point. Someone did this?” I said and my voice held a dark edge.
“Your voice…” Her milky eyes looked up at me but I didn’t respond. “The girl…she’s the reason, isn’t she? You feel…something now.”
“Woman, not the time. When you get home, you can see for yourself.” My eyes pinned her with a serious stare.
“That good for nothing boy, I never trusted him. He was wearing a cut, but it wasn’t anything I recognized. He…he was asking about the girl.” Her eyes closed and I had a feeling that was all I was going to get out of her.
The girl?
