Page 108 of Don't Leave Me Behind
After dinner,I convince Leni to let me take her to bed. She was practically falling asleep in her chair. Once I get her tucked in, she’s out like a light, painkillers knocking her into oblivion.
I take that as my chance to sneak out for a few minutes. The boys were all heading out back when I left with her. I get the feeling there’s more that needs to be said between us. Things they wouldn’t say in front of Leni.
Pa claps my shoulder when I walk by, stopping me at the door to the deck. “I’m proud of you, son. Proud of the man you’ve become.”
I swallow the emotions down, giving him a quick nod before I let myself onto the deck. The four younger Kane boys are sitting around the gas fire pit. Adler is the only one sitting right by it, roasting a marshmallow.
“How long was she home?” Ethan asks, cracking his thumbs before taking a swig of his beer.
“She was home that whole week before the accident.” I wander closer, taking the beer Toby holds toward me.
Adler’s eyes widen, his gaze shooting to Toby’s.
“Oh my God, she was home the day you tried to break in!” Toby bursts into laughter.
“Me?” Adler spits. “You were there too!”
“Yeah, but it was your idea. She probably heard us talking.” Toby grimaces.
“Oh, she definitely heard you.” I chuckle, plopping down into an empty Adirondack chair.
“How is she?” Mercer asks, sinking deeper into his chair.
“Doing okay. She’s in a lot of pain, pretty much all the time.” I splay my legs out, picking at the seams on my jeans. “She has nightmares sometimes. She woke up some time after the crash. She sat and listened as they cut her out of the car. Couldn’t move her legs.”
“Jesus,” Adler mutters, marshmallow dripping off the skewer into the fire pit.
“Damnit, Addy, those rocks are a pain to fucking clean.” Toby’s growl turns into a chuckle when Adler realizes he lost his snack and starts to pout.
“Damnit, that was a good one!” He sighs, grabbing another marshmallow and putting it on his stick.
“I was a dick,” Mercer huffs, lolling his head to the side, glancing at me.
“Yeah, man. You were.”
Ethan snorts, shaking his head. “I’m always a dick.” He says by way of apology.
“Yeah, you are.” Alder grins, ducking at the right time to avoid the beer bottle Ethan lobs at him.
“Shut up, Addy, no one asked you.”
“Rude.” Adler waves a flaming marshmallow toward Ethan, sending the fireball straight toward his feet.
“Jesus Christ, and you wonder why no one wants to hang out with you.” Ethan stomps it with his boot, cursing more as the fiery mess clings to the sole of his shoe.
“Everyone wants to hang out with me, thank you very much. I’m a delight.”
“Sure thing, bro.” Toby steals a marshmallow, popping it into his mouth before Adler can take it back.
“So you and Leni, huh?” Adler bites his bottom lip, making everyone else groan.
“Fucking hell, Traeger. Three months. You couldn’t have waited three more months?” Mercer digs out his wallet, pulling a hundred-dollar bill, and passing it to Adler.
“You’re kidding me, right? There’s no way, boy wonder guessed the exact date.”
“Nah, we all lost the initial bet. Ten years was fucking ridiculous.” Toby pulls a hundred dollars from his wallet.
“Started a new one when you moved back. Adler gave you a week and a half, from when Leni was supposed to come home.” Ethan grimaces when he passes his own bet over to Adler.
