Page 115 of Rumi: The Hawthornes

“There were a lot of reasons,” she reminded me. “It’s been a pretty fucking terrible twenty-four hours. You’re upset. Nothing makes sense right now.”

“That’s not what this is.”

Nova’s shoulders slumped. “Rum, I can’t do this right now.”

Remorse filled me. Fuck, I was an asshole.

“Of course,” I said, shaking my head. “I’m an idiot.” I reached for the dresser to get her some clothes to sleep in.

“Do you mind if I take a shower?” she asked as I handed her some sweats.

“Not at all.”

I followed her to the bathroom.

“Don’t turn off the lights, okay?” she asked me from the door. “Bird doesn’t like the dark.”

“I won’t touch them.”

After she’d closed herself in, I stood outside listening to her turn on the water and move around the bathroom. Even those five feet between us felt too far. It was illogical, but now that we were out of the hospital and no one was watching her, I was terrified that something would happen. That one of her ribs would puncture her lung if she moved wrong, or that she had some internal bleeding they hadn’t found, or her concussion would make her pass out and fall.

I stood outside the bathroom door like a weirdo the entire time she showered.

“You alright?” Ash asked from behind me, making me jump.

“Just—” I shrugged and moved my hands awkwardly. “Waiting for Nova to get done.”

“I thought she might need this,” Ash said, setting Nova’s bag outside the bathroom door.

“You okay, Ash?” I asked. She’d pulled her hair into a ponytail and she was swimming in Brenna’s pajamas… she looked like hell. “Can I get you anythin’?”

“I don’t need anything,” she replied. She went back to the guestroom and closed the door.

“Hey Rum,” Nova whisper shouted as she opened the bathroom door. She jerked in surprise when she saw me right outside. “Could you get my bag for me?”

“Ash brought it out,” I said, handing her the bag.

“Could you—I don’t want to ask Nana.”

“What?”

“Could you help me wrap my ribs back up?” She grimaced. “It doesn’t really do anything, but it feels better when they’re wrapped.”

“Sure,” I murmured, following her back into the bathroom. I stopped when her body came into view.

Bruises that hadn’t been evident when I’d helped her get changed earlier in the night mottled her entire body.

“I didn’t want her to see it,” Nova said, looking down at her body. “Pretty bad.”

“Not so bad,” I assured her.

She laughed and then groaned.

“Okay, you’re right,” I said. “You look like the T-shirt I tie-dyed at camp when I was eight.”

“Fuck,” she whispered, grabbing the bandage off the counter. “What a nightmare.”

“I think that’s probably an understatement,” I replied, taking it from her.

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