Page 66 of From the Embers

“Hey, it’s alright. JJ said he’s in recovery, but, uh, he’s asking for you.”

I nod, looking away. “Okay, I’m getting my things…”

He keeps his hands on my shoulders. “Why was he calling you and asking for you?”

“I-I, um, I guess I was the last person he talked to?”

“Adi, I don’t know if you’ve realized, but every time I’ve brought his name up tonight, you blushed.”

“I did not!”

“Yes, you did, several times. Something’s going on.”

I swallow, not able to meet his gaze. “I—we, uh, I don’t know how to say this, so I’m just gonna come out with it.” I clear my throat. “Me and Denver are, well, we’re together.”

His eyebrows raise slightly. “Together?”

“Yes.”

“Together together?”

“It’s not what you think. I mean, it’s not just a hook up. Jesus, I’m going about this all wrong.”

“Take a breath,” he tells me. “Then spit it out.”

“Well, we, um, we fell in love.” I close my eyes. I need to get to him.

“In the last month I’ve been gone, you fell in love?”

“Can we talk about this in the car? We need to call his parents.”

He levels me with a gaze. “Yes, but I’m driving.” He forgets all about me for a second, and grabs his keys, then we begin to walk as he scrolls through his phone.

“I didn’t want to tell you like this,” I say as I close the apartment door behind me. “We wanted to talk to you together. It just happened.”

“That’s not important now,” he says, the phone to his ear. “What’s important is we get there, okay? I’m sure you two can enlighten me when we’re sure Denver is alright.”

“What, so you can yell at him and not feel guilty?”

He gives me a smirk. “Exactly.”

“Urgh, how can you be so calm?”

“What use is it gonna do flapping my arms around? This is someone we know very well, he’s gonna pull through.”

I smile slightly, the unease settling for a second. I didn’t mean to drop the phone, but I was in shock. When that man said Denver asked for me and he was hurt, I panicked.

I feel a hand on my shoulder. “Sis?”

I turn to look at Daryl, tears rolling down my face. He pulls me into a hug. “Daryl, h-he’s hurt.”

“It’s gonna be okay. You know Denver, he’s one tough son of a gun.”

I snort laugh. I’m a fucking mess. “That’s true, but smoke inhalation can be serious, and we don’t know anything else yet.”

“If he’s calling you above anyone else, I’d say he’s pretty much had a hit to the head.”

“Very funny.”