The Edge of You

by Theresa Dalayne

  “That would be great.” Jake gripped the strap to his bag harder. “Thanks.”

  “She clearly means a lot to you.” Uncle Mike glanced over his shoulder at Maya, who stood beside Aunt Sara on the far side of the room. When Uncle Mike turned back toward him, his eyebrows were arched. “That young lady is sacrificing a lot by letting you leave without putting up a fight. You do realize that, don’t you?”

  Jake nodded. Even after their blowout, Maya had been pretty damn understanding about the whole thing, never trying to make him feel guilty. “Yeah. She’s pretty great.”

  Uncle Mike huffed. “To tell you the truth, she reminds me a lot of Sara when we were your age. Your aunt can be a firecracker, but she’s one of the most patient people when times get tough.”

  “Maya.” Jake turned to see his aunt reaching out to Maya as she ran out the door.

  Aunt Sara turned toward them, her eyes wide. She gave an exasperated exhale, and shook her head.

  Uncle Mike rested his hand on Jake’s shoulder. “You better go talk to her.”

  Jake punched his information into the electric kiosk and grabbed the printed receipt. He extended his bag to his uncle. “Hold onto that for me for a minute?”

  Uncle Mike took the bag. “Sure. And Jake—” He squeezed his shoulder. “Go easy on her. The girl’s been through a lot.”

  Jake examined the double doors from across the room. She didn’t deserve to be put through this shit. She deserved better. Better than him.

  Chapter Forty-five

  Maya

  Maya fought back tears, drawing in deep breaths as she clenched the railing outside. The door screeched open. “Hey, beautiful.”

  Maya cupped her face in her hands. “Please don’t call me that.”

  “Why not?” He slowly approached, but didn’t wrap his arms around her. He must have sensed she didn’t want to be touched. “You are—”

  “Stop.” She let her hands fall away from the railing.

  “You know I wouldn’t leave if I didn’t have to.”

  She knew, but somehow it didn’t help. “It doesn’t matter anymore, Jake.”

  The door creaked open again, followed by Sara’s voice. “Jake, honey. The boarding light just turned on. You have just a few minutes and you still have to get through security…” She cleared her throat. “I just thought I’d let you know.” The door creaked shut.

  Jake step closer. “You want to come inside?”

  Maya shook her head. She couldn’t bear watching him board the plane. “You should go say goodbye to your aunt and uncle. They’re waiting—” the words cut off in her throat, and she pushed down another sob.

  Jake let out a long sigh. “I’m going to miss you.”

  Her shoulders trembled. She clutched the railing again, tighter this time.

  After a long stretch of silence, the door swung open and closed again, and he was gone. Maya drew in a deep breath as a voice echoed through the microphone from inside.

  “All passengers boarding Flight 1447 to Tacoma, Washington, please form a line in preparation for boarding.”

  She rooted her feet to the wooden ramp. She wouldn’t torture herself by watching him leave. His blue eyes would haunt her either way.

  A woman’s voice called into the microphone again. “Last call for all passengers boarding Flight 1447 to Tacoma, Washington.”

  Maya’s breath stalled. She hung her head, swallowing down a sob.

  The engine of the charter plane roared to life. Maya opened her eyes and turned to face the doors of the airport. Mike and Sara stood beside the wall of glass, waving at the plane as it circled the runway. Maya stepped forward, resting her hand on the door, her breath fogging the glass. Sara turned to Mike and rested her cheek against his chest, her hands draped over her belly.

  Maya finally sucked in a breath, a tear streaking down her cheek. She’d let him leave without saying goodbye. How could she be so cruel?

  She pushed through the doors and ran past Mike and Sara to rest her open palms on the glass, searching each window of the plane as it puttered down the runway with no success.

  She pursed her lips, more tears falling down her cheeks. She wiped them away, then sat in a chair, cradling her head in her hands. A deep sob rolled from her chest.

  Sara’s hands wrapped around Maya’s shoulders. “Come on, baby doll. It’s time to go.”

  ***

  It had been days since Jake left. Days of lying in his bed with the scent of sandalwood lingering in his sheets, missing his touch, his warmth and the comfort it brought.

  She hadn’t gotten a decent night’s sleep, and had no motivation to paint. Every day she stepped into the art room, a small piece of her died.

  Maya made a right turn onto her street and slowed to a crawl as she approached her house. More like the place her parents lived. It wasn’t home. Not to her. But even though she hated to admit it, Jake was right. Ignoring her broken relationship with her parents wasn’t an option. She had to give it one last chance.

  Maya pulled into her driveway to see her dad’s car parked beside her mom’s—alongside other cars she didn’t recognize. Maybe they had company. Leave it to her mother to host a dinner party now that she was gone.

  Maya parked and stepped out of the car. As she walked to the door, nerves pricked her skin, making her fingers tingle. She had no idea what she was going to say to them.

  At the very least she needed to tell them she was moving back to California.

  It was a decision she had made as soon as Jake left.

  She grabbed the knob and pushed inside. An unfamiliar voice came from the living room. Maya stepped inside and gently closed the door behind her. She cleared her throat.

  “Hello?”

  The voice silenced, followed by a long pause. Ginger trotted to her with her tail straight in the air.

  “Hey there.” She scratched Ginger between the ears and ran her fingers along her back. Ginger arched, curling her tail around Maya’s legs.

  A woman with ebony skin and striking brown eyes stepped into the entryway. “Hi, Maya. I’m Dr. Breacher.”

  Maya took a step forward. “Doctor? Is everything okay?”

  “Everything’s great.” She extended her hand. “I was hoping I’d meet you.”

  Maya hesitated, but then took her gesture. “What’s going on?”

  “I’m with your parents talking about treatment options for your mother. Would you like to join us?” She gestured toward the living room.

  Maya furrowed her brows. “Treatment options?” Was it possible her mother had finally reached her tipping point?

  Another woman stepped into sight. Her hair was pulled back in a bun, making her look several years older than Doctor Breacher.

  “Your father is with the rest of the team,” the doctor said. “I think it would mean a lot to your mother if you were part of the process.”

  Annoyance chipped away her patience. “What’s going on, exactly?”

  The doctor laced her fingers in front of her. “Your mom’s done a brave thing. She’s agreed to go to rehab.”

  Her mother slowly walked into the room. Her shoulders seemed frail, her eyes puffy and glossed with tears. “I…” Her mother stepped forward and extended her hand, but then quickly pulled it back to her chest, as if she knew she had no right to ask Maya for anything. “I’m so sorry, sweetie. You were right, about everything. I’ve been…” She hung her head. Her shoulders quivered, and she cupped her hands over her face. “I’m so ashamed.”

  Her dad stepped into view and rested his hand on her mother’s shoulder.

  Doctor Breacher reached into her bag and pulled out some papers. “Your mom is coming with us to a specialized institution in Hawaii called Maluhia Tranquility Center.” She extended a pamphlet. Maya took it to see the image of a tropical beach and a setting sun. “We’ll teach her how to cope, and how to handle the grief of losing your sister.”

  Maya couldn’t speak as she processed her thoughts. Her mom’
s first year after rehab was the happiest they had. She was pregnant and glowing. One of Maya’s fondest memories was the baby shower, where her mother conducted a chain of ridiculous games, friends and family adding laughter to the room. Then Gracie was born and new life was injected back into their home. It was magic.

  And now this.

  She didn’t want to allow herself to hope.

  “Why didn’t anyone tell me?” Maya finally asked. “How…”

  The doctor turned toward Maya’s dad. “Maybe you should tell her.”

  “I, uh…” He stepped forward. “I called a while ago. They’re one of the best rehab facilities in the country. That’s why it took a little longer for them to get here than I expected.”

  “I tried to call you but you didn’t answer. You didn’t tell me anything. I thought you didn’t care.” She swallowed against a lump in her throat.

  “I didn’t know what to say,” he said in a low tone. “Not until I could tell you something that mattered. Something to prove that I’m going to work to be better for you and your mom.”

  “We offered your father grief counseling as well,” the doctor said. “And our offer extends to you too, Maya. This must be very difficult for you.”

  Maya flipped open the pamphlet. The facility offered programs for psychiatric disorders, trauma, environmental or societal influences, as well as substance abuse.

  “How long will she have to stay?”

  “The full detox process will last about a week, including monitoring before and after.”

  “And then?”

  “She has agreed to attend our six month program, but if she needs to stay longer, we can talk about that when the time comes.”

  “Six months?”

  Her mother laced her fingers between Dad’s. It was the first time Maya had seen them hold hands since Gracie died. “I can do this,” her mother said softly. “I can’t live like this anymore.”

  “You and your father are welcome to come visit once a month,” the doctor interjected. “There’s a lovely resort just a block away, and family members get a discounted rate for their stay.”

  Maya stared into her father’s face. “And you arranged this?”

  He nodded.

  “And this is why you never called me back?”

  He nodded again.

  She pursed her lips. “Which is a really shitty excuse,” Maya said bluntly. “You get that, right?” He needed to know how much it hurt her. How much they both hurt her.

  “I know. I’m sorry. But I—we, have made an agreement.” He wound his arm around her mother’s waist. “Your mother will get help, and I’ll do whatever it takes to be around more. I’m cutting my hours at work. Things are getting better, and they’re only going to keep getting better until we’re a family again.”

  Chapter Forty-six

  Jake

  Jake walked into the hospital, the anticipation of seeing his mom burrowing a hole in his gut. His sneakers squeaked over the checkered tile, grabbing the attention of the nurse, who sat behind a desk. She smiled politely. “Can I help you?”

  “Yeah. I’m here to pick up Sheryl Coleman.” He rested a stack of papers on the counter—forms Marco mailed to him for her discharge.

  She read through them, typing on her computer. “Okay. Looks like they’re prepping her for discharge now. You can go up. Room three fifty-two.”

  Jake took the papers off the counter and nodded. “Thanks.” He rode the elevator to the third floor, where he quickly found the room with the door wide open. With no nurses in sight, he walked in and peeked around the privacy curtain. His mom noticed him immediately and sat up in bed. “Jake!” Her eyes lit up as she smiled.

  A sense of relief washed over him. As he walked to her bedside, she reached out and took his hand. “Hey, Mom. How do you feel?” He examined an incision on her neck, red and raw, but nearly healed.

  “So much better, you wouldn’t even believe it. My head is clear and I have so much energy. I want to get out of this darn bed, but the doctors won’t let me. They say I need to rest.” She waved her hand in the air, as if dismissing their stupidity.

  Jake chuckled. “Well, you look great.” Her cheeks had a healthy flush again, and her eyes weren’t shadowed with dark circles. She even put on a little weight. He could see it in her face.

  “So when are we going home?” She wiggled in the hospital bed and fumbled with all of the wires and tubes attached to her. “I can’t wait to get out of here. I’ve been poked and pinched in more ways than what’s decent.”

  Jake laughed. “Just hang on.” He laid his hand on hers, which stilled her. “I need to talk to the doctors, and we have to get your discharge papers.”

  Her shoulders slumped forward. “Okay. But then can we go home? I miss my bed. And—” She leaned toward him. “Did you know there’s a measuring cup in the toilet?” she said in a hushed tone, pointing to the bathroom. “They take notes every time I go to the bathroom. That’s just crazy.”

  Jake burst out with laughter.

  A doctor walked in, a clipboard in his hand. He stopped short when he saw Jake. “Well, hello there. Are you—” He glanced down at the papers, “Jake Coleman?”

  Jake nodded and extended his hand. “Yes, sir.”

  The doctor shook it and smiled. “Nice to meet you. I’m Dr. Banin. We spoke on the phone a while back. Your mom’s been telling us all about you.”

  Jake glanced over his shoulder at his mom. “I’m sure she has.”

  “And she’s also been telling us how much she wants to go home,” he said in a more serious tone. “She’s doing great, though she does need to rest.”

  Jake nodded. “How did the surgery go? I haven’t heard any updates since I got here.”

  “The surgery lasted almost six hours, but it went well. The surgeon found the blood clot, which he was able to extract through the incision on her neck. There is a catheter in her artery that will stay there permanently, and that will help keep it open to ensure blood flow. She’ll also have to stay on some medicines that will prevent future clotting, and hopefully prevent her from having any further seizures.”

  Jake glanced at his mom, and then turned back to the doctor. “So…that’s it? She’s going to be okay?”

  The doctor paused, his features hardening. He shifted toward Jake and spoke in a low tone. “Your mother’s files show she has recently been treated here for domestic abuse. Is this something that’s changed? Because sending her back home to that kind of environment would be very dangerous.”

  Jake turned his face away from the doctor, memories of his mother, beaten and bloody, invading his mind. “No, the guy’s in prison. She won’t ever have to go through that again.” The fact that Wayne had a few outstanding warrants made it easy for the police to charge him with more than just the assault, though Jake was always under the opinion he should have been charged for attempted murder.

  The doctor nodded. “Good. Because now she’s taking blood thinners, if she gets any lacerations, or any hemorrhaging from an internal bleed, it could be fatal. It wouldn’t take a lot for that to happen while on these medications.”

  Jake nodded. “I just moved back to take care of her. You don’t have anything to worry about.”

  ***

  Jake pulled up to his house and parked in the gravel driveway area beside the trailer. The grass may have been two feet tall, but he didn’t care.

  His mom sighed. “This heap-a-tin may be junk to some people, but I’ll tell ya, I missed my home.” She smiled as she pushed open the door.

  Jake jumped out of the car and rounded to the passenger side. He grabbed his mom’s arm, trying to support her as she pulled her bag out of the back. “Hey.” He quickly took it out of her hand and guided her away from the car before kicking the door closed. “You heard the doctor. You have to take it easy. No lifting anything heavy.”

  She rolled her eyes. “Yeah, yeah.” She kissed him on the cheek and smiled. “It sure is good to have you home.”
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  That made one of them. He missed Kodiak. Missed Maya. He had called her in the morning but she didn’t pick up.

  Jake followed his mom up the steps, waiting while she jiggled the key in the lock and pushed the door open. The living room smelled a little like mildew. “Do I need to go pick up any of your meds from the pharmacy?”

  She dug in her bag and pulled out a handful of orange prescription bottles. “The hospital’s pharmacy filled them for me before we left.” She shook them. “And even better, they’re all covered by my insurance. With my worker’s comp, we’ll be good on bills for the next eight weeks.” She sat on the couch. “But I have to go back to work eventually.”

  He sat beside her and arranged the bottles on the table. There were six. Six prescriptions he didn’t need to worry about paying for. That in and of itself took a huge weight off his shoulders. Especially since he didn’t have a job, and just a little money in the bank. He’d spent most of it buying his plane ticket from Kodiak to Washington.

  His mom rested against the cushion. “I need to call your Aunt Sara. I’m sure she’s been driving the receptionist at the nurse’s station crazy.” Jake grinned. Good old Aunt Sara. “Hey.” She sat up. “How’s that sweet girl you were seeing on Kodiak? Are you two still seeing each other?”

  “Um…” He shook his head. “No. We’re not.”

  His mom rested her hand on his forearm. “Oh, honey. I’m sorry.”

  He nodded. “Yeah. Me, too.”

  Chapter Forty-seven

  Maya

  Maya wrapped the last of Jake’s dishes in bubble wrap. Sara grunted, and Maya turned to see her trying to push the couch toward the door.

  “Sara, you can’t do that! Are you crazy?” Maya rushed over and shooed her away from the couch. “Mike would kill both of us if he found out you were trying to move furniture.”

  Winded, Sara rested her hand on her belly. “Yeah. Maybe you’re right.”

  “Maybe?” She glanced down at the baby-bump, now pushing against Sara’s blouse. “What are you, eighteen weeks?”

  “Nineteen, actually. And these babies are filling up my uterus faster than I have space.” She slumped against the wall and blew a strand of hair away from her face. “At this rate, I’ll be as big as a house when they’re full-term.”