Page 34 of The Way Home
“J, I’m right here, okay? I’m not going anywhere.”
With great effort, he croaked, “What are you doing here?”
“What do you mean? Of course I’m here.”
“I…” Jamie glanced nervously around. “I don’t know that you should be.”
The worry in Caleb’s eyes quickly morphed to confusion and then hurt. Jamie felt bad. He hadn’t meant it to be harsh, but, well, hismumwas watching, and he hadn’t even come out to her yet. Hadn’t he told Caleb that?
A hand appeared on Caleb’s large shoulder, and he was pulled gently out of Jamie’s line of sight. The next thing he knew, Jamie was being peppered with questions by the doctor.
What year was it? What day of the week? What did he do forwork? It was kind of annoying, and he had a weird, gnawing feeling that he was failing a test or something.
“Give us the room, please. Mum, you can stay.”
“What? No, I’m staying, too.” He heard Caleb’s angry voice. “I’m notleavinghim.”
The doctor muttered a few words, but all Jamie caught wasconfusedandimportant.
“Can someone please—” Jamie tried to sit up and winced. “Bloodyfuck—please just fill me in.”
A door opened and closed, and a loudbangsounded from the hallway, followed by Caleb’s muffled voice apologizing to the staff outside.
Instant relief flooded Jamie’s body as his mother stood above him. “Honey, lie back down.”
She was bundled in a large, striped jumper, brown hair thrown hastily into a bun.
“I’m sorry, Mum,” Jamie said quickly. “I didn’t mean to give you a fright, and…” His eyes flicked to the door. “I should have told you, erm, about…well, but it’s not like I did it on purpose, I am still just—”
Her thin eyebrows pulled together in confusion. “Sweetie, I adore Caleb. I’m so grateful he got here before I could. You have nothing to apologize for.” A soft smile graced her lips, not meeting her eyes.
“What?” Jamie ignored the pain as he sat up. “How do you know Caleb?Ibarely know him.”
“Maggie,” the doctor warned.
His mother’s green eyes went wide, flicking back and forth between Jamie and the doctor. Her panic added to the tight feeling in his own chest, making his vision blurry.
The feeling that he was missing something important.
“Honey, what do you mean youbarelyknow Caleb? You’re—”
“Maggie,” the doctor snapped. Jamie’s mother ignored her.
“He’s your fiancé, Jamie. You’re engaged.”
“He’s my—?”
“You got engaged last month.”
“Maggie,enough.”
The last thing Jamie remembered was the frantic beeping of the stupid hospital machines and the fluorescent lights fading to black.
Chapter 8
Two weeks later
Jamie never thoughthe would turn down pastry. But, alas, with an annoyed huff, he sat up in bed and sniped at his mum. “For the fifth time, no, I don’t want any pastry, Mum.”
