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“Hey,” she croaked.
He looked so sad. An uneasiness settled in her stomach, her head felt light and disconnected from her body. Reality crashed in all around her. They were at the hospital. Her mother was dying.
Hot tears threatened to bring her undone again. She had no use for tears. Abby slowly pushed herself up on her elbows, swinging her legs over the side of the bed.
“Careful, darling. You don’t want to fall.”
“I’m fine.”I’m not the one dying.
“Here, why don’t you sit?” Scott hovered, arms outstretched.
“I need to stretch.” She raised her arms over her head, then stretched her spine as she walked slowly around the room.
“Scott, do you think you could find us a cup of coffee? And maybe a bottle of water for Abby?”
“Yes, of course.” He cast a worried glance at Abby, before heading out.
“Darling, come and sit.”
She turned to look at her mother. Rachel had dark circles under her eyes, her skin had lost its radiance and her hair hung limp. She looked like a child in an oversized smock. When did this happen? Abby had noticed her mother looking tired and thinner. She’d been worried about her. But seeing her, now, in hospital…
A lump formed in Abby’s throat. She went and sat by her mother, in the visitor’s chair.
“I think we should tell Scott,” said Rachel.
Abby frowned. “About your diagnosis? I thought–”
“No, I’ve told him about that. I mean, I think we should tell him about your father.”
She may as well have slapped her. “He’s not my father.”
Rachel chewed on her bottom lip. Abby knew she was rearranging her thoughts.
“How is any of that relevant anymore? Mum, we need to focus on you.”
“Zep wouldn’t be here unless it was a life or death situation. The danger is very real, darling. And now with this… tumour… complicating everything…”
“You make it sound as if your health is just a spanner in the works, or something equally as trivial.” Exasperation bubbled under her skin.
Rachel took a breath. “Darling, Zep needs us to leave. He wants to take us somewhere safe.”
“What?” Abby couldn’t believe they were having this conversation. “Zep needs to just crawl back under the rock he came from. Your health is what’s important.”
“My health is gone, Abby.”
The statement sobered her temper.
“There’s nothing to be done for me. But you need to be safe. Zep can give you that.”
“I don’t need anything from that man.”
“Or any other?” Rachel held her gaze.
“What’s that supposed to mean?” Her voice trembled.
“It means you need to let Scott in, all the way in. Let him be there for you.”
Abby stood, shaking her head. Her mother had lost her mind. Why were they talking about this again? And now, of all times.
