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“He’s a character, that one,” I remark to Max.
“Banks and Javier have become family to me.” Max’s voice is low and filled with emotion as we walk toward the house, arm in arm. “We had another guy along with us, but we hit his hometown first. Banks is from Oregon, so we promised to get her home.”
I can hear the sadness in his voice and can’t begin to imagine what they’ve been through together. It’s the thought of him getting back on the road to help his friend, that sends a dagger through my heart. “And Javier? Where is he from?”
“Brooklyn,” Max says the word quietly, almost like a prayer. “There wasn’t much left of New York City, what with all of the plane crashes. He never suggested we try to get close to his home. If he had, I doubt I’d be here today.”
Max’s hand is holding mine tightly and when he pauses, I look up to see Dad watching us approach the house. The smile on his face makes my heart swell with happiness.
Right now, our family is as complete as it can be, at least without Mom.
*
As they stand, grasping each other’s forearms, I walk around them and enter the house.
Eddie’s been laid out on the dining table, his shirts have been removed and Elsbeth is trying to pull his pants down, but he isn’t haven’t that at all.
“Give me Advil, Ace bandages, and a snow pack,” he’s growling at Elsbeth.
With a quick shake of her head, Trisha uses a scissors to cut his pant-leg and starts to prod his swollen knee. I can’t help the gasp I let out when I see the bruises along his side. I don’t know what happened out there but Jace, or someone, did a number on him.
Just then his eyes meet mine and I see the pain in them—more than the physical, more than we all carry with us anyway. Without a word I walk across the room to the table where they had placed his stretcher, and I pull a chair around to his right side, holding his hand as I look into his eyes.
Right now, we don’t need any words.
We both know how Jace changed over the years. The man I grew up with, loved, and married, is not the man who just tried to kill his friend. My heart breaks for the thousandth time, wondering what happened that made Jace think his choices were the only way forward.
In Eddie’s eyes, I also see relief and know that feeling is reflected in mine, although I’ll never say it out loud. Nothing good was ever going to come from Jace cozying up to that freaking want-to-be dictator.
“Let me tell her,” Eddie rasps out after Trisha’s fingers hit a tender spot below his ribs.
“I need to see what color your pee is,” Trisha informs him, and he turns a frown on her.
“Not unless you let me walk to the bathroom and get me some clothes.” His demands are clear and concise, despite the knot I just now notice on the back of his head.
When she nods in agreement, I hold my fingers up, trying to be subtle when I make them pause. I momentarily feel bad knowing that Trisha will be excluded from what I’m about to say, but I lean forward to whisper into Eddie’s ear regardless.
“You are my bonus-brother, Eddie. Don’t ever doubt that, but Dad and I will handle breaking the news to Elsbeth,” I say, kissing his temple. “I am sorry it came to this.”
With those words, I help him sit up before leaving him to Trisha and Dylan’s care. Smiling over the fact that my son is doting on his godfather, no matter the pain he must be feeling right now.
Fuck.
We’re going to need to stumble upon a shrink really fast at the rate we’re going.
Turning from watching those three slowly walk toward the bathroom, with Eddie mumbling the entire time, I see Max being introduced to Aiden and Russ; lowering myself back into a seat to watch this.
That’s it.
I’m done.
Especially since my brother is standing slack jawed, staringupat Russ. I can’t remember ever seeing him having to tilt his head up to look at anyone.
Max goes from nearly frozen to swiveling his head between Julia and Russ, and that’s when I’m happy I sat my ass back down. All I can do is laugh. Laugh and wish I had popcorn.
Apparently my pitch is higher than usual, because Aiden rushes over to make sure I’m alright and Elsbeth holds up the blood pressure cuff that she had just started to pack away.
“Russ and the garter snake,” I practically snort out the words. “Julia told us all to chill.”
