Page 85 of A Summer Mismatch
So why was he holding on to this worry so tightly?
His fear of losing Adia was nearly paralyzing. He reached through the metal bars to pet her trunk while she ate. Adia was the most affectionate of all their elephants, and she adored when they cooed and sang to her, and petted her.
He sang hymns his mom had taught him when he was a child. He started with “All Things Bright and Beautiful” and then jumped into “All Creatures of Our God and King.”
He went through the verses, Adia staying beside him as he sang, her ears happily flapping as though dancing to the tune. He’d always loved the imagery of this song—of the burning sun, silver moon, rushing waters, and bright fire, and all the beautiful gifts from Mother Earth.
Until he got past those verses, he’d forgotten what came next.
“And all ye men of tender heart, Forgiving others take your part…”
His voice cracked with emotion as he continued to sing, but Adia didn’t seem to care about the quality of his tone, only that he was still there with her.
“Ye who long pain and sorrow bear
Praise God and on Him cast your care…”
His words drifted off as he recalled the next verse about death.
He rested his head against the bars. Man, he missed his mom, even though she was everywhere he looked. She was in the way his sister spoke. In Leo and Amelia’s faces. In the songs he sang to Adia and in the hope he felt that everything would turn out okay.
Adia stretched her trunk between the bars of her stall and touched Logan’s face. He hadn’t even realized he’d been crying. He patted her trunk as she explored his face affectionately.
Raza would just as soon knock Logan to the ground than accept any sort of petting—but Adia was exceptionally loving toward him and her keepers.
“I love you too, Adia.” He sniffled and took a deep, cleansing breath. “We’re going to be okay, aren’t we? We’ll get through this.”
She purred like a cat in response, and he took that as agreement.
Logan let Kai take him home just before midnight.
“You’re not coming in tomorrow,” Kai ordered. “Adia is doing amazing, and now it’s you we’re worried about.”
Logan let out a humorless chuckle. “Let’s compromise. I’ll sleep in and come in for a few hours after lunch to check on her.”
Kai eyed him for a moment, then nodded. They both knew that was the best Logan was going to agree to. He got out of the car. “Thanks, man, for being my chauffeur. I’ll be rested enough tomorrow to drive.”
“You know I’m here for you.” They did a handshake they’d made up while bored one afternoon in Africa, and Logan was surprised to feel himself smiling.
“Thanks.”
He went to close the car door, but Kai stopped him. “Hey, wait!” Logan popped his head back into the car. “Do me a favor? Charge your phoneandturn it on tomorrow, okay?”
“You sound like my grandparents,” Logan teased.
“I’m just saying. There are people trying to get a hold of you, and you can’t avoid them forever.”
Julia. His grandparents. Maybe even his sister and her family.
“Okay, I will. See you tomorrow.”
He went into condo, plugged in his phone, and dropped into bed without even taking a shower or changing his clothes. When he awoke, his stomach growling, and he was shocked to see the sun streaming through his window. He turned his head to look at his clock. It was almost eleven in the morning! He’d been asleep for over ten hours. He never slept that long.
He stepped into the shower and allowed himself the luxury of taking his time, then dressed in a pair of jeans and T-shirt instead of his scrubs. He’d go in today, but only long enough to look in on Adia. Then he needed to check on his sister and do some grocery shopping.
When he turned on his phone, he was shocked to see so many voicemail messages waiting for him. Two from Willow, who had been following Adia’s journey on social media and was worried about him. One from Nonna asking him to call. And one from Julia, her voice sounding out of breath.
“Hey, Logan. It’s me. Julia. I don’t even know where to start, but what you saw with Timothy was all him. I didn’t want him to kiss me. I wanted to be with you.Wantto be with you. My grandma collapsed tonight at the festival, so I’m heading to the ER and may not be able to answer when you call, but I needed you to know. Okay. Oh, I’m here! I’ve got to go.”
