Page 35 of Alex
Ifeel completely helpless. He’s sick and suffering and I don’t know what to do.There’s nothing I can do. “Alex?”
I’venever been so glad to hear my name. “I’m right here. You’re okay.”
“Thenwhy am I in a fucking hospital?” He struggles to sit up, but I press hisshoulder until he lies back.
“Becauseyou had a seizure and took ten years off of my life. Now lie down and don’t bestubborn.” I sit on the edge of the bed, pinning him in.
“Aseizure?” His brows furrow and his eyes grow wide.
“Youhad a high fever that caused it. The doctor says you have an infection. They’regiving you antibiotics and you’ll be better soon.”
Dark,exhausted eyes meet mine. “It’s not the cancer?”
AlthoughI’m sure the hospital staff won’t like it, I kick off my shoes and climb intobed beside him. His eyes fall closed as I run my hands through his hair. “It’sa side effect of the chemo. It made you susceptible to infections.”
“Ican’t fucking win,” he sighs, wrapping an arm around me and cuddling into mychest.
“You’llbe better and back home soon. I promise. It’s almost over. By spring, you’ll beable to look back on the shittiest winter ever and know you made it through.”His skin is hot beneath my fingers as I rub his back.
“Staywith me.”
“Youcouldn’t budge me if you tried. Get some rest.”
Oncehe’s asleep, I close my eyes, opening them a few minutes later to the sight ofEverly’s enraged face. “Ev?” I whisper.
“Don’twake him. In the hall,” she demands, stalking from the room. Shit. Shit, shit,shit. How did she find out?
“Whatare you doing here?” I ask.
“Areyou shitting me right now? Maybe because my best friend is in the hospital andyou didn’t bother to tell me! I’m Ian’s emergency contact. Do you want toexplain why I got a call from the hospital telling me Ian is havingcomplications from chemotherapy! Chemotherapy?” Her voice cracks. “Ian hascancer and no one told me?”
“Ev,I’m sorry. He made me swear. He didn’t want you to worry, especially with youbeing pregnant.” She jerks away when I try to take her hand. “What kind ofcancer? I want to know what the fuck is going on right now.”
Masonapproaches with Parker and Macy in tow. Fuck. Ian’s going to kill me, but it’stime they knew. “Let’s go sit down and I’ll explain.”
Tearsrun down Everly’s face as I tell them what Ian has been through over the pastmonth. The surgery, the chemo and the aftermath. “You knew from the beginning?”she asks, her voice monotone.
“Yes.”
“Youtook care of him?”
“Yes.”
Asudden fierce hug nearly knocks the breath out of me. “Thank you.”
Shesteps back when I try to hug her back. “That doesn’t mean I’m not incrediblypissed at you…and him.”
“Iknow. He’ll be okay, Ev. He’s through the worst of it.”
“I’mgoing to kick his ass.”
Ianis only in the hospital for a few days, but it takes nearly two weeks for himto heal completely. He’s still a bit skinny, but he has his energy back, andwith the way he eats, it shouldn’t take long for him to gain back the weight.Everly tore him a new one once he was well enough to chastise, and of course, Ididn’t escape her ire either, though she seemed torn between being pissed at meand grateful that Ian had someone to help him through it.
Physically,Ian is better, but he isn’t his usual happy self. He hasn’t made any attempt tohang out with his friends or hook up with one of his bed buddies. Thingsbetween us have come to a standstill. I don’t want to push him when he’salready stressed and unhappy. It’s hard to see his lithe body stretched out onthe couch and not hold him down and lick every inch of him, but I try to givehim the space he needs to figure out how he feels.
WhenI come home from the gym, he’s waiting for me, a small smile on his lips.“Let’s go to Hawaii,” he says.
“What?When?”
