Page 82 of The Autumn We Fell in Love

“No. She can’t. It might be broken.” His gray eyes meet mine. “We need to get you to the ER.”

I cringe. “How about an urgent care clinic?” I counter.

He shakes his head once. I see the set of his chin and know I’ve lost before he even speaks. “No clinic in the area will be open this late. And I don’t think we should wait until the morning.”

Shit. He’s probably right. I sigh, sagging against my brother. “Fine.” My voice is flat. “Let’s go.”

Tristan helps me into the car. After I swing my legs in, he goes to move away. I reach out a hand and grab his arm.

“Hey,” I say when he turns back to me in alarm. “I’m sorry. About —“ I gesture with hands that flutter like sparrows, “— about what we were talking about before. You were right.”

He ducks his head, shaking it. “I’m sorry I was so harsh —“

“No.” The single syllable becomes a small explosion as it leaves my lips. “You have every right to be.” I swallow, hard, and when I continue, I can only manage a whisper as sudden tears gather. “I’ve stayed away too long. I’ve missed so much. And now, with Mom . . . it’s too late.”

Tristan crouches down at my side, leaning against the open car door for support. “Hey.” He squeezes my forearm. “No. Stop that. It’s never too late. You hear me?”

I nod, the tears rolling down my cheeks. I hurry to rub them away, but more only take their place.

“And anyway,” he nods at my ankle, “you’ve got other things to worry about right now. Okay?”

Again I nod.

My brother flashes me a grin that doesn’t quite reach his eyes, but the attempt warms me nonetheless. “Love you, Lala,” he says. The sound of his childhood nickname for me, born long before all the tumult of my teen years, makes the tears come faster, but I smile through them back at him.

He stands. “Dad’s gone to bed, but I’ll wake him and let him know what’s going on,” he says, speaking to both Ash and I now. “I’ll be right back down.

“Wait,” I call, voice muddy from crying. “Don’t disturb him. He’ll just worry. You should stay too.

Tristan looks up at the house and then back at me. “You sure?”

“Positive.”

He shakes his head, ready to argue, but Ash steps in.

“Why don’t I drive Isla to the hospital?” Ash says, speaking to my brother. My irritation flares at being talked about instead of talked with. But then I shift in my seat and a bolt of pain flashes from my ankle up my leg, making my head spin. I decide to keep my mouth shut and focus on not hurting myself more than I already have.

“You think I should stay here?” Tristan sounds like he’ll do anything but this.

“We’ll keep you filled in,” Ash says. “And that way, somebody in the house is in the know without having to wake your parents up. You can relay the information and save their sleep.”

I suppress a grin. I know before my brother does that Ash has prevailed. He was smart to frame staying back as a way to help to my parents. Tristan wouldn’t be able to argue with that.

He shrugs. “Fine. I’ll be your point man back here. But tell me as soon as you know anything?”

“You got it.” Ash slaps him on the shoulder.

Tristan heads inside the house, steps heavy. Ash closes my door before heading around to the driver’s side of the car. I flinch at the brief vibration in my ankle.

Sliding into the his seat, he turns to me. “You ready?”

I attempt a smile. “I guess I have to be.”

He smiles back at me. I find myself fascinated by how his steely eyes warm when they crinkle up at the corners. “That’s the spirit,” he says and pulls out onto the dirt road.

All thoughts of Ash’s eyes on me fly out of my mind as the car bumps down the road. I grit my teeth and brace myself against the door, trying to minimize how much my ankle gets jostled.

The hospital isn’t far — no more than a thirty minute drive, and maybe less at this time of the night. But I suspect that it will feel much longer than that.

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