by Perez, Nina
“Thank you,” I said, deciding to take that as a compliment.
“What does surprise me is the fact that you’re still living together.”
It was clear Kelly was playing a game and damn me for being too curious not to play along. “Why’s that?”
“Well, when Patrick and I were together he was definitely a commitment-phobe.”
She continued on, but I was still stuck on when Patrick and I were together. Patrick and Kelly had been a couple. And he hadn’t told me. Studying my face, Kelly made the connection.
“Oh, he didn’t mention it?” She tossed back her head and laughed. “Well, that’s probably because he’s embarrassed by his behavior. He really shouldn’t be, though. I’ve told him as much many times. I’m a big girl and can handle casual. It was just sex, and that was okay. Really great sex. But I don’t have to tell you that, huh?”
She laughed again like we were old friends who shared a secret instead of work acquaintances who’d shared the same man. I smiled demurely, though what I really wanted to do was whack her over the head with my champagne glass. But that would cause a scene and be a waste of really good champagne.
“You know, though, you guys may last longer than Patrick and I did.” She scrunched up her little button nose like she’d been deep in thought. “I mean, he’s making a lot more money now. He can afford a better place. A place on his own. That is why he moved in to begin with, right? It was an affordable way to live in the city. Now that money’s not really an issue…”
She let the sentence hang and I found my voice. “We hadn’t really discussed it.”
“Oh. Then take my word for it. A guy like Patrick, it’s probably best if he moves out sooner than later. ‘Cause once he starts to feel tied down… Ugh, will you listen to me? Who cares about ancient history, right? Oops, excuse me. I gotta go mingle with some of my old cast mates. I’ll see you in a bit.”
She walked off and I wanted to snatch her by the bow on the back of her dress and demand she give me details. They couldn’t be any worse than the ones dancing in my head. Patrick and Kelly kissing, holding hands, making love. I needed more champagne. I signaled a waiter and within seconds I was sipping on another glass. I thought about slowing down and getting something to eat, but I didn’t think my stomach could handle food. Every time I envisioned Patrick with Kelly my stomach dropped.
Why hadn’t he told me? And what did she mean by “a guy like Patrick” and “it was just sex?” Is that what she thought Patrick and I were about? Just sex? We were more than that. Couldn’t she tell?
As I finished my glass I thought about Patrick feeling tied down. Did he? Would he soon? It didn’t seem like it. I mean, he was the one who would suggest we sleep together almost every night even when we didn’t have sex.
I watched Patrick as he chatted across the room. Sensing my gaze, he turned to me and smiled apologetically.
Yeah, get used to it, buddy. You got some ‘splainin’ to do.
And suddenly, I wanted nothing more than to leave. Like he could read my thoughts Patrick started to make his way back to me when he stopped mid-stride. He reached into his pocket, retrieved his cell phone, and answered it. Within a few seconds his face fell. I walked over to him and placed my hand on his arm. All thoughts of Kelly were momentarily forgotten. Something was wrong.
“Yes, I know where it is. I’m on my way.” Patrick disconnected the call and placed the phone back in his pocket.
“What is it?”
“We have to go. Charlotte’s been hurt.”
Chapter Three
Too Little Too Late
Patrick
Chloe and I walked through the automatic doors, out of the cold and into the hospital. I didn’t have any details, just that Charlotte had been injured and the name of the triage nurse to ask for once I arrived. The emergency room’s waiting area was decorated with Christmas lights and garland. A small tree sat pathetically in the corner. Next to it a large barrel held canned goods for a food drive. Even as my mind made note of these things I realized how odd it was that I was taking the time to notice these details.
After ten minutes a short nurse with long dark hair entered the emergency room and called out, “Family of Charlotte Murphy?” When Chloe and I stood, she indicated with her head that we should follow her through a set of automatic doors.
“You’re family, right?”
“Yes, I’m her brother. What happened?”
She moved quickly, and we were at a near jog to keep up.
“Charlotte has already been moved to the intensive care burn unit. You can speak with the police officer to get more info, but your sister sustained serious burns in an apartment fire. Her torso, arms, and hands received third degree burns. Right now we’re trying to get her pain managed and prevent infection.”
We followed nurse Hathaway to an elevator bank and she pressed the button signaling the next car going up.
“How did this happen? Where?”
My mind was spinning. Fire? Police? The elevator arrived and we rode it to the fifth floor. Chloe held on to my arm, applying a comforting squeeze every few moments. It kept me steady even as I felt my knees weaken.
“You two can wait here. It’s the ICU waiting area. All I can tell you now is that the fire was chemical in nature and your sister’s burns are substantial. Let me get back in there. I’ll be back when I know more.”
“Give me your phone, Patrick.” I handed Chloe my cell phone without question. “I’ll step outside and call your parents, let them know to come directly to the fifth floor.” She kissed me on the cheek and squeezed my arm before heading for the elevators.
A tall black man in a tan suit approached just as I was about to take a seat. “I’m Detective Clarkson. You’re Charlotte Murphy’s relative?” he asked.
“Yes, I’m her brother, Patrick.”
“Oh, you’re the ice.”
“Ice?”
“In Case of Emergency contact. Most of the colleges are advising students to program an emergency contact into their cell phones under the name ICE in their contacts. It helps us and hospital personnel know whom to call when they’re brought in unconscious.”
“Do you know what happened?”
“Let’s sit.”
I did as suggested and rubbed my hands on my pants. They hadn’t stopped sweating since getting the call.
“Your sister and two other people were at an apartment that we suspect was used as a meth lab. One of the guys with your sister escaped unharmed. According to him, your sister tried to trade some jewelry for drugs. She and the dealer got into a shoving match of some sort. The witness started to leave at that point and was by the exit when the fire started. We still don’t have all the details. Your sister has been unconscious and everyone else in the apartment didn’t make it.”
“They died?” I swallowed hard. My throat was so dry it hurt.
The detective sighed before answering. “Yes. Two men, a woman, and a child. We’re still trying to notify the next of kin.”
“And the other… the witness?”
He consulted a small notepad. “Orbit Morrison. He says he’s your sister’s boyfriend. He was admitted on the third floor. He breathed in some pretty toxic fumes and suffered smoke inhalation. Do you know him well?”
I shook my head. “We’d only met once. Is he under arrest?”
The detective looked taken aback by my question. “No—”
“Why not?” A nurse walking by stopped suddenly and looked from me to the detective. She noticed the badge hanging from his jacket pocket and kept walking. I lowered my voice. “I’m sorry, but why not? He’s the reason my sister was there. He’s the one who got her hooked. You said they were trying to buy drugs, right? Is that not still illegal?”
“Mr. Murphy, we’re still trying to piece together everything that happened. He’s the only person able to tell us anything right now and, even if he was in any condition to go anywhere—which he’s not—there’s an officer outsi
de his door.”
Before I could respond, I felt a hand on my shoulder. Chloe sat next to me, pressing my cell phone into my hand. “Your parents should be here soon.”
Detective Clarkson rose and handed me a business card. “I’ll be in touch when we know more. I wish your sister the best.”
I was too numb to respond. I heard Chloe say “thank you” and I felt her take the card from my hand and put it in her purse. When we were alone she pressed her face against the side of mine and kissed me on the cheek.
“Patrick, what happened?” Chloe asked gently.
I told her what I knew and, even as the words left my mouth, none of it seemed real. Charlotte was fighting for her life after trying to buy drugs and the person responsible for this situation was awake and talking.
“I’m going to talk to him.” I jumped to my feet and started for the elevators. Chloe was right behind me, grabbing my hand before I could press the call button.
“Didn’t you say there’s an officer outside his room? They’re not going to let you see him, Patrick. Not like this. You need to be here for Charlotte when she wakes up. You need to be here for your parents.”
“Chloe… she’s… you heard her. Third degree burns. And he’s just—” I wasn’t making sense, I knew it, but I was angry. I couldn’t be with Charlotte, but putting my hands around Orbit’s throat felt like something I could handle.
“Baby, I know. I know. But this isn’t helping. Let’s go sit down, okay? If there’s news about Charlotte, someone from her family should be here to get it. Come on.”
I let her lead me by the hand back to the waiting area. We were sitting there, Chloe with her head rested on my shoulder, holding hands and not talking, when my parents arrived. My mother was crying and I was sure she had been since hearing the news. She sobbed as we hugged and I felt my father’s heavy hand on my back.
“Where is she?” my mother asked as we pulled apart.
“They won’t let me see her yet. Ma, it’s… not good.”
She choked back another sob and went into my father’s arms. He looked up at the ceiling, blinked rapidly, and said, “Tell us.”
For the second time I repeated what I’d learned from the detective. It didn’t get any easier or make any more sense. My father helped my mother into a chair. “I’m going to get some answers.” He walked over to Chloe and placed a hand on her arm. “Thanks for calling us, Chloe.”
“Of course.” She patted his hand and we watched as my father made for the nurse’s station with purpose. I sat at my mother’s side and placed an arm around her shoulder. “Mrs. Murphy, can I get you anything?” Chloe asked. For a moment I thought my mother hadn’t heard her or wasn’t going to answer. She looked up at Chloe as if realizing for the first time she was even there.
“No. No. Thank you for asking.”
My father was back within a few minutes, but didn’t have an update. The doctors were still working on Charlotte and her condition was listed as serious. All of my siblings arrived in the next hour. It must have been a slow night in the ICU because the Murphy clan was the only people in the waiting room. When my mother couldn’t wait any longer she asked my sisters to go with her to the hospital’s chapel to pray. I was grateful that my sister’s doctor finally made an appearance while my mother was gone because the news wasn’t promising.
“She’s made it this far, so that’s good. The next few hours are going to be critical. Charlotte suffered substantial burns over the top half of her body. There’s organ damage—of particular concern, her lungs. We have her on a respirator.”
Her doctor looked only slightly older than me, and I mentally scolded myself for noticing something so trivial as he told us how my sister was fighting for her life. He talked about infections and skin grafts and I heard the news as if it were being delivered from the other end of a cave. His words seemed to be coming from far away, and the weight of them echoed in my chest. We weren’t allowed to see Charlotte yet, as her burns were still being treated, and we were warned she had to be kept protected and stable to fight off infections. He apologized for not having better news, but promised to be back as soon as anything changed.
***
The sun had risen by the time Charlotte was allowed visitors. It could only be two people at a time and they wouldn’t be able to touch her, just see her through a plastic curtain. Without question, the first to see her were my parents. As they were being led away by a nurse, Chloe leaned over and whispered, “I’m going to run home, change my clothes, and come right back.”
“Baby, you’ve been here all night. Go get some rest. You don’t have to come back.”
She shook her head. “I’m going to pretend you didn’t say that. Of course I’m coming back.”
“I’ll walk you out.”
Before getting into a taxi, Chloe kissed me on the lips and said, “It’s going to be okay.” As I watched the cab pull into traffic, I wasn’t sure I believed that at all.
Chapter Four
Not Quite Good Enough
Chloe
Myra was waiting for me on the front steps of my building when I exited the cab. She didn’t look happy. In fact, she looked worried as hell. We spoke at the same time.
“Where have you been?”
“What are you doing here?”
“Uh. Brunch then shopping, remember?”
“Oh, shit. I totally forgot.”
“Why haven’t you been answering your phone?”
I reached into my coat pocket and pulled out my cell phone. The battery was dead. I held up the dark screen and showed it to Myra. “Sorry. Phone died.”
She eyed me from head to toe. “Have you been out all night? Dressed like that?”
“Let’s go inside and I’ll explain.” By the time we were in my apartment and had taken off our coats, I’d filled Myra in.
“Oh, my God. That’s terrible.”
I sighed. “I know. I need to change my clothes and get back to the hospital. I’m sorry about our plans.”
“Don’t even. But you’re not going back just yet. Go take a shower. When’s the last time you ate?”
I thought about it, but couldn’t even remember. “Does champagne count?”
“Girl, bye. I’ll handle breakfast, you go wash your ass.”
“Well, when you put it like that. Thank you.”
Every part of me wanted to be back at the hospital with Patrick but, once the hot water hit my skin, I knew Myra had the right idea. I let the spray linger on my neck and shoulders, which were tight with tension. I guess sitting in a hospital waiting room all night will do that to you. I showered longer than planned but felt renewed when I was done. I brushed my hair into a high ponytail and slipped into a pair of jeans and a fluffy sweater. When I entered the kitchen Myra was just placing two plates with eggs, toast, and bacon on the table. I collapsed into a chair while she poured two cups of coffee. We ate without talking for a few minutes.
“Thank you, Myra. I didn’t even realize it, but I was starving.”
“I know you better stop thanking me,” she said, biting into a piece of toast. “So, his family must be a mess right now.”
“Oh, yeah. It’s incredibly sad. I don’t think his mother even fully came to terms with the fact that Charlotte had a problem, and now this.”
“How’s Patrick taking it?”
I shook my head and took a sip of coffee before answering. “As you’d expect, I guess, but he’s so quiet. The only time he seemed to really get upset is when he thought he’d get to put his foot up her boyfriend’s ass.”
“Well, can you blame him? The guy gets his sister hooked on meth and now she may—you know—and he’s probably going to walk out of there just fine.”
“Oh, I get it. I just don’t want him to focus on that and not what he’s really feeling. I did that for awhile when my dad died and when it catches up to you, it’s not good.”
“I know I gave him a lot of mess, but he’s lucky to have you.”
; “I wish everyone felt that way,” I mumbled, pushing my plate away.
Myra raised an eyebrow and picked up her own cup of coffee. “What does that mean?”
“If I tell you, do you promise not to start?”
“No.”
“I can’t stand you. Fine.” I took a deep breath. “Patrick’s mother doesn’t like me.” I didn’t want to hear the I Told You So speech, but I had to talk about it with someone.
“And why the hell not?” Myra asked, loudly setting her cup back on the table.
“Because I’m black.” I said.
