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“You’re welcome, but I have no idea what you’re thanking me for.” I brushed the tears from his face with my thumbs.
“For loving me,” he whispered as he gave me a shy smile.
“Loving you comes naturally to me, Blake.”
“That is the most romantic thing I have ever heard.”
I chuckled. “That’s me, a romantic son of a bitch.” A sparkle began to show in Blake’s eyes again. “Come on, Bug. Let’s go home.”
***
I had no choice but to go to school the next morning. I had already missed several days, and my parents wouldn’t budge when I tried to stay home again. When I left the bed, Blake had curled into himself, like he needed comfort. He had moved from his side of the bed to mine, and he clutched the blanket like his life depended on it. I kissed his forehead, whispered that I loved him, and headed off before the sun had even come up.
Something landed against my cheek, and I blinked in confusion. I had totally spaced out.
“Are you even listening to me right now?” Helena tilted her head, her blues searching my face.
I sighed. “Sorry, I’m just worried about Blake.”
“I know you are. How’s his mother?” she asked, but when I didn’t answer, she gripped my wrist. “That bad, huh?”
I glanced around the classroom before I spoke. “She’s awake, so I guess it’s not that bad. I mean, she’s his mother.” Blake’s alcoholic, disaster of a mother.
“Mm, but how is she? Is she alert, can she talk, how did the stroke affect her?” Helena murmured.
I let out a long sigh. “I’m afraid that Blake isn’t going to go with Mulligan when they leave.” I watched as Helen’s eyes grew wide. “She’s going to need some rehab, but of course she expects Blake to take care of her when she comes home.”
“He can’t do that.” Helena gasped. “The band needs him. He and Kill write a majority of the songs. Without Blake, Mulligan isn’t going to make it.”
She wasn’t saying anything I didn’t already know. “Maybe he needs more than just me to remind him of that.”
My eyes caught Matthias as he moved into the room and sat down, his hand coming up to touch his neck. The hickeys had almost faded into obscurity. I wondered if Helena had any idea what was going on between her best friend and brother.
“Matty.” Helena nudged his foot with the toe of her boot. “Blake’s thinking of leaving the band.”
Matthias’s eyes went round. “Wait, what? Why would he do that. There’re so close.” He held up his thumb and forefinger so that they were inches apart before he shook his head. “Because of his mom?”
“Yeah.” I nodded and dragged a hand through my hair.
I resisted the urge to text Blake and see how he was doing. Again. I had already done that once this morning, and he’d given me a one-word answer. Fine. I should have stayed home with him again. He was far from fine. He needed me.
Matthias gave me a reassuring smile. “And if he stays? What does that mean for the two of you and your friendship?”
“We’ll figure that out, if and when it happens.” I wasn’t about to give Blake up now that we both realized what we had together.
Helena twisted her hair around her finger. “Even if you get drafted. Move across the country?”
“He can come with me. If that means his mother moves in with us, wherever that might be, then so be it. I’ll take care of both of them.”
But I didn’t like that idea. Not one bit. I didn’t want Monica to be part of our future. I slid my phone from my pocket and pulled up my brother’s contact.
Tommy: Are you still coming home this weekend?
Jackson: That was the plan.
Tommy: Great. We need to talk.
Jackson: Is this about Blake’s mom?
