Page 115 of The Lessons

Eventually, everyone was seated, and an older man in an academic robe approached the lectern.

“Good evening and welcome. My name is Jay Lerner, and I’m the chair of the graduate division of psychology here at the University of San Francisco. It’s my distinct pleasure to be your master of ceremonies this evening. Joining me…”

Lerner? Like Lisa Lerner? I seethed at the name but tried to chalk it up to a coincidence. He proceeded to introduce various faculty who were onstage with him as well as the several classes of Ph.D. candidates. I was growing restless already, and we were barely five minutes in.

“And the last item I wanted to mention was that we have a bit of an edit to this evening’s program. Unfortunately, Mr. Andrews has been called away on a family emergency and will not be able to join us. Delivering the valedictorian speech instead will be—”

I’m pretty sure the good Mr. Lerner continued talking, but I didn’t hear any of it. I bolted out of my seat, made my way past the throngs of happy families, and ran into the lobby of the complex. I dialed Ryan’s number.

He picked up on the second ring.

“Natalie.” We were both silent for a moment. “This isn’t a very goo—”

“Ryan, I know. What happened? Where are you? Are you okay?”

“Hang on.” I heard a muffled silence and then “Ryan Andrews for Ainsley Andrews.” I waited a few more moments. “Okay, sorry,” Ryan apologized over the phone.

“Ryan, where are you?”

“I’m at SF General. It’s Ainsley.”

ChapterForty-one

Ryan

I rapped my fingers on the counter while the orderly looked up my sister’s name in the emergency room database. Jesus, could she be any slower? Good thing she wasn’t the one driving the ambulances. No one would ever make it to the ER alive.

“Here we go. Yes, Mr. Andrews, you are in the right place. If you could just have a seat—”

“Does it say what she was admitted for?” The doctor had told me next to nothing on the phone.

“Mr. Andrews, the doctor will come out—”

“Just tell me if she is okay.”

“Like I said, the doctor—”

“Yeah, yeah, got it, the doctor is the only one who can tell me. Fine.” I exhaled sharply. “I’ll be right over there.” I pointed to the waiting area. “Please tell the doctor I’d like to see him as soon as possible.”

I made my way over to the waiting area and sat down. I tried sitting back, but my leg started bouncing uncontrollably, so I sat forward, my elbows balanced on my thighs.

Twenty minutes later, Natalie burst through the main entrance. I stood up and went over to her.

“Hey.”

“Hey.”

I’d thought everything was moving in slow motion before, but I’d been wrong.Nowthings were moving in slow motion.

“What did the doctors say?”

“Nothing. Not yet. They still haven’t come out.”

“How can I help?” Natalie asked quietly.

I rubbed my face with one hand and then looked over at her. It wasn’t fair, what I’d done to her and now, the moment she was back in my life, subjecting her to my fucked up family. She deserved more than that.

“Just stay with me.”

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