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“You wanna talk? Let’s talk. Upstairs. But don’t get any ideas. This is a front-porch discussion that’s happening in my bedroom only because it’s colder than a snowman’s butt out there.”
I glare at him and then turn to stomp up the stairs, hearing him following behind me. When we reach my room, I shut the door behind us and round on him.
Ben watches me with wary eyes.
“You want to respectfully decline my kidney? Fine. That’s your right. But, just know, if you do, we’re done.”
“What?” His stare goes wild, and he steps toward me, reaching out a hand that I brush away.
“You and me. We. Are. Done.”
BEN
Panic sends shards of glass shooting through my veins. She can’t mean it. We can’t be over.
“Why would you even say that?”
“Because it’s true.” Holly leans back against her bedroom door, crossing her arms and glaring at me. “If you don’t accept my kidney, then we’re over.”
Now, I get a burning in my chest, some righteous anger of my own. “So, you’re going to hold our relationship as ransom?”
Apparently, I stole my fire from Holly because she loses her defensive posture with a full-body sigh.
“No, Ben. This isn’t some game I’m playing with you. I’m telling you what I need. From a partner. If you don’t let me help you, I’ll go insane. It’s the only thing I’ll ever think about when we’re together. Is that what you want?”
“No.” Unhappiness fills me, making me pace around her small bedroom. The purple carpet muffles my footsteps, but the beaded bracelets on her dresser rattle with each step.
If this were any other situation, I’d love to have the chance to explore Holly’s childhood bedroom. But I can’t spare any thoughts for the posters on the walls or the knickknacks on the dresser. My brain is too busy, trying to think of different scenarios, some kind of solution where she isn’t picking between her brother and me.
None come to mind.
With a defeated exhale, I give in, self-disgust roiling through my gut. “Okay. We’ll do the transplant.”
“Thank you,” Holly whispers the words, her eyes closing and head falling back against the door.
Even with the dark emotions churning inside me or maybe because of them, I need to hold her.
When I cross the room and place my hands on her upper arms, she softly asks a question, “What did your mom mean about you being in the hospital?”
I wince. I thought, in the high emotions of the moment, she’d missed that. Should’ve known better when it comes to Holly.
“It’s nothing. Just forget it.”
She goes rigid in my grasp. “Your mom was practically in hysterics. That’s not nothing.”
“She was overreacting.”
“You’re lying.” Holly shrugs my hands off and stalks away from me, putting distance between us. “I don’t have much experience with relationships, but I’m pretty sure you don’t hide important parts of your life from each other. Like, oh, I dunno, a medical emergency!”
This whole situation is getting away from me. I’m desperate for a fix, something to get the anger off of Holly’s face. I don’t think the truth will help, but it’s the only option left to me unless I want to throw out an even bigger falsehood.
“Fine. Thursday, I woke up with a fever. Jasper and Sammy took me to the hospital. It wasn’t much worse than a cold. Any normal person wouldn’t have needed professional care, but my body couldn’t handle it. But I’m better now. In the clear.”
She watches me with stunned eyes and a hand over her mouth. “Why didn’t anyone call me? Or at least text me?”
“I told them not to.”
“Why?” The question comes out on a hurt gasp, and the betrayal in her stare feels like someone is carving into my chest with a melon baller.
