Page 108 of Sing For Us

She drives off, and I sprint into the hospital to see my best friend.

Chapter forty-one

Lana

Idrive up to Noa’s gates, and I don’t have to buzz myself in; Hana opens the gates for me. Once I’m in his driveway, Hana sprints out of the villa and throws herself at me. I hug her tightly, and I feel her tears.

“Please tell me that Josh is alive.” Her sobs are heartbreaking, and I usher her inside while I grab the cleaver.

I urge her to sit down on the couch in Noa’s villa while I make us a cup of tea—something my baba always did to relax. I bring two cups to the living room and sit down with her.

I tell her everything that happened right up until Noa urged me to give the cleaver to her. She takes the cleaver and goes to a cabinet at the far end of the living room. The cleaver is stored in an odd-looking box, and she sits back down again.

“Is Josh okay?”

I can’t lie to her. “Evan stabbed him, but the blade didn’t go deep.”

She exhales a sigh of relief and sips on her tea.

I want to ask her something about Noa, but we’re interrupted by my phone ringing.

Noa.

“How’s Josh?” I ask him.

"The doctor said the knife hit his lung. That's why he collapsed."

"His lung?" Hana butts in as I put the phone on speaker.

"Apparently it made part of it collapse. They fixed it with a tube and ran a bunch of scans. They said it looks a lot worse than it is. He's staying here for a couple of days, but they think he'll be fine."

“Oh, my God. When will he be out of the hospital?”

“In a matter of days. Did you stash the cleaver?”

“Yes.

“Good. Once I’m home, I’ll take it for DNA testing. I have to go. Talk to you both once I’m there.” He hangs up and Hana and I slump into the couch.

While we’re waiting on the rest to arrive, I decide it’s time to clear the air once and for all between Hana and me.

“Hana, I want to apologize for what I did to you.”

She purses her lips and looks suspiciously at me. “Okay?”

“No. I need to do this. At that time I thought it was okay what I did, but it was founded on revenge.”

“It was revenge, but you were hurting as well. The fact that you are willing to apologize makes me believe that there is a good person behind that tough exterior.”

“I don’t know about that, but thank you. Can I ask you something about Noa?”

“Hmm, let’s hear it.”

“What was he like when he was younger?”

She sits up straighter and gives me a genuine smile. Oh… she loves her cousin, and it shows.

“When he wasn’t with his dad, he was the kindest soul you’ll ever meet. Yes, he killed mercilessly, but he would have given the shirt off his back to the people he loved. In his own way.”