Seeing Shane Gray ✓

twenty nine | heaven

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November 8

If there's one thing I didn't know about Shane, it's that he can be super clingy.

Getting him to stay at the school so he won't miss his game is a tough feat but I somehow manage it, taking a cab to the central hospital which is only a few minutes from our school. I text Riley and Racheal who have already gone to class and tell them where I'm going. Racheal replies instantly and tells me they'll get her mom to drive her as soon as they get out of class.

'But we can't come if she's busy,' she texts me

'You can take the bus, Rach,' I remind her.

'Oh. Right.'

By the time I arrive at the hospital and make my way down the twisting and turning halls to find the room Marla is being kept in, my legs are starting to hurt from all the walking. I'm not so bad with directions but I'm sure I've lost my way more than once. Thankfully, though, when I bump into Mika, he guides me the rest of the way.

"Do you know what happened to her?" I ask him.

Mika shrugs. "Mama got mad and started knocking on her door. She didn't open it so Mama got angry, saying she didn't want to find Marla unconscious in bed or something. They had a fight about her boyfriend and she got mad and tried to leave the house. It was mad."

I don't answer, trying to escape the images that flash across my mind's eye. Unconscious in bed, limp, lifeless ... Carter.

"Hey, don't worry," Mika says, putting a hand on my shoulder as he leads me down the narrow, bleached hallway. "It's nothing to worry about. The doc says she didn't eat anything in days and might have some mild depression or some shit but they'll take care of it. She'll be okay."

I force a small smile. "Thanks, Mika," I say. "You've grown up so fast."

The fourteen-year-old Mika flashes his braces at me, stopping in an empty hallway.

"Where's everyone?" I ask.

"The nurse kicked us all out," Mika admits, sticking out a thumb toward the closed door. "Said only two attendants allowed with one patient. Mama and Papa are inside already."

"Thanks," I repeat.

"No worries, Tay." Mika backs away with a salute and leaves.

I turn toward the door, knock twice, and slowly push it open. The scent of bleach and blood reaches me and I hold my breath, focusing instead on the sound of the rhythmic beating of Marla's heart. As soon as I'm inside, I see Mama Harley and the big man Marla calls dad but I've never spoken to standing next to her bed and casting her thin form in vast shadows. Marla lifts her hooded eyes, smiling slightly when she sees me.

"Okay, Taylor is here now, you guys can leave," she says to her parents, shifting in bed and waving me over.

"No way," Mama Harley complains, sniffling loudly. "I ain't leavin' my baby alone."

"Mama," Marla groans, rolling her head on the pillow and giving me a pleading look.

I fight my smile; it's clear that whatever happened is no longer a problem. This is such a Rudder family thing to witness. Last night they were having a major fight that landed Marla in the hospital, and today they're all a happy family again. If only my family would be this easily fixed.

"Marla's right, Mrs. Rudder," I speak up, walking over to the side of Marla's bed. "I'm here now. You should go home and rest. You've been here all night."