Chapter 12 FLETCHER #2
I don’t remember getting into my truck. I don’t remember the drive. I only come back to myself when I’m sitting in a stiff plastic chair in the ER waiting room, staring at the double glass doors the paramedics disappeared through.
My hands won’t stop shaking. The ache behind my ribs has climbed to my throat. I’m not panicking, but the worry building in me is reaching an unbearable breaking point. I need answers.
Fumbling for my phone, I call the only person I can think of.
Sarah answers on the second ring. “Hey, what’s—”
“Sarah.” My voice breaks.
She pauses. “Fletcher? Are you okay?”
I open my mouth, but nothing comes out. Then everything spills out at once. “It’s Vince. He—he passed out, I think. Maybe hit his head.”
“Who?”
“My friend who’s been staying with us. I told you about him.” I had to, considering a stranger was going to be around our teenage daughter.
Sarah pauses. “Oh, yeah. I remember. Georgie talks about him often. Is he okay?”
“I don’t know. He wasn’t responding, and then the ambulance came, and—I don’t know what to do, Sarah. I just—fuck.” I press a hand against my chest, trying to scoop the growing panic out. What if something is wrong? What if his illness is further along than we thought?
Sarah goes quiet for half a second. When she speaks, her voice is soft and steady. “Okay. Breathe, hon. Tell me where you are.”
“ER waiting room.”
“Here at Scripps?”
“Yes.”
“Well, that’s lucky, isn’t it? I’ll be down in a few.”
“You don’t need—”
“I work two floors above where you are, Fletch. Of course, I’m coming down.”
As soon as she disconnects the call, I lean forward, my elbows on my knees.
Less than five minutes later, Sarah rushes off the elevator toward me. I exhale hard. She pulls me in for a long hug, then rubs my back.
“I’ll go see what I can find out. Hold tight.”
She walks to the check-in area to talk to the staff.
I try to listen, but it’s too far away. The room is too noisy.
A few minutes later, the waiting room door slides open again and Declan enters, followed by a train of over a dozen people. He heads straight for me when he sees me.
My eyes widen. “What are you—”
“I closed the bar,” he says simply.
“You what?”
“It’s Vince,” Piper says, eyes brimmed with concern. “So, of course, we came. Have you heard anything?”
I’m stunned they closed the bar down. I knew they cared about Vince, but damn.
Vince will never believe this. He thinks he’s barely a blip on anyone’s radar.
Thinks he exists on the fringe of everything, unwanted and unnoticed.
He even shrinks from attention like it’ll burn him. Yet here they all are anyway.
Piper sits beside me, touching my arm. “Are you okay?”
“I—yeah. I’m just…” Overwhelmed. Terrified. Relieved I’m not here alone. “Worried, I guess.”
Declan’s eyes narrow slightly. “What did you say to the paramedic?”
I shake my head. “I can’t tell you that, Dec. I’m sorry.”
His jaw clenches. “You obviously know something! What’s going on with him?”
I chew my lip, looking at each of their faces. There must be twenty people here who all care about Vince. Not just employees, but a few of the regular customers too. Would he forgive me if I told them the truth?
No, I can’t bring myself to. It’s not my secret to share.
I pick at my fingernail.
Declan huffs in frustration. “Well, how bad is it? Can you at least tell me that?”
“It’s nothing fatal or anything. But other than that, I don’t know. And I don’t think even he does, honestly. Not yet. He’s seeing a doctor, but… it’s gonna take time.”
“How do you even know about it?” Melody asks. “I didn’t think you guys were friends.”
Piper rubs my back, clearly worried about me just as much as Vince.
I suck in a shaky breath. “He’s been staying with me for a couple of months. I gave him a ride home after work one day and saw him fall down the stairs. That’s when he told me he’s sick.”
Piper opens her mouth, but I continue before she can ask questions.
“I knew it wasn’t safe where he was living, so I offered him the room in my backyard. I only told the paramedics because I didn’t want them to miss anything.”
“You really won’t tell us what it is?” Piper asks.
I shake my head. “That’s Vince’s choice. Not mine.”
Declan mutters something under his breath, rubbing his neck. He sinks heavily into the chair next to me. “I’ve known something was up for a while, but Vince is a private guy. Anytime I asked, he dodged the question, and I didn’t know how hard to press.” He hesitates. “Should I have tried harder?”
I look at the floor, thinking of Vince’s trembling hands, his pallor, how hard he works to hide it all. And how utterly alone he feels through all of it.
“I don’t know,” I say quietly. “But he needs to know he has people in his corner.”
Declan studies me for a long moment, then nods. “I hear you,” he says softly.
Sarah returns, folding her arms over herself, surprise on her face at the large group.
“Friends of his,” I explain vaguely. “What did you find out?”
“He’s awake, but they’re taking him up for a CT. That’s all I know.”
I freeze. “CT? That sounds scary.”
“It’s standard if someone hits their head,” she adds.
The doors open again, and my brother strolls in, looking around. When he sees Sarah and I, he walks over. “Hey. Figured I’d come since Declan kicked us out.”
He pulls Sarah in for a hug. She fills him in.
Everyone shuffles around, sinking into the hard chairs while we wait. It’s another hour before a doctor comes with some answers. “Vince is doing well. We’re keeping him overnight for observation, but he’s awake and alert.”
I get to my feet. “Can we see him?”
The doctor scans the large group and smiles weakly. “I’ll take two of you back. He still needs rest.”
Declan joins me. We follow the doctor to the third floor; he gestures for us to walk through a large glass sliding door.
Vince lies propped against the angled hospital bed, pale under the harsh fluorescent lights.
A thin blanket is pulled to his waist, the blue gown gaping a little at one shoulder.
Clear tubes trail from the IV taped to the back of his hand, leading up to a slow-dripping bag.
A pulse-ox clip glows red at his fingertip, and the soft beep of the heart monitor is steady, thank God.
I frown when I see a small steri-strip near his temple. The skin around the wound is already blooming into a bruise. But he’s awake.
Thank fuck he’s awake.
He manages a faint, apologetic smile when he sees us. “Hey.”
“Hey, you.” I can’t resist reaching for him. “How are you doing?”
“Peachy.”
I chuckle. “Liar.”
“You gave us quite a scare,” Declan says, walking around to the other side. “It’s good to see you awake.” He leans in to hug Vince gently, being mindful of the cords and tubes. Vince seems surprised by the gesture. “What happened?”
Vince lifts his other hand, gesturing at the IV taped to the back of it. “They said I’m dehydrated and I have a UTI, which is common with MS, I guess. So they’re loading me full of antibiotics and fluids.” He glances at Declan. “Guess I should’ve told you. I have multiple sclerosis.”
Declan looks stunned by the news. “Well, shit, man. If I would’ve known…” He shakes his head and touches Vince’s shoulder. “Doesn’t matter now. We can talk more about it later, but I’m here for you, okay? Whatever you need.”
Vince lowers his gaze, nodding.
I run my hand down his arm to his hand, holding it loosely. He squeezes and doesn’t let go.
Declan doesn’t miss the gesture, attention darting between us with open curiosity. He doesn’t ask questions, though, and I’m glad.
We visit for over an hour, but each sentence seems to drain Vince. He sinks lower into the bed, blinking slowly.
Declan clears his throat. “Well, you have an entire waiting room full of people who want an update, so I’m going to tell them it’s safe to go home and get some rest. Call me when you can, though, and we’ll talk more.”
Vince nods. “You can tell them about the MS, if you want.”
“You sure?”
“It’s probably better if everyone at work knows.”
I squeeze Vince’s hand, overcome with pride and relief that he isn’t hiding this anymore.
“Okay. See ya, Vince.” Declan claps me on the shoulder on his way by.
I turn back to Vince as soon as we’re alone, heart aching. “Want me to go too?”
He pulls my hand closer. “Not yet.”
I exhale hard and lean over him, kissing his forehead. He turns into it.
“No more hitting this head of yours, okay? I like it too much.”
He smiles weakly, then sighs. “They think it’s a… shit, I forget what it’s called. MS flare or something. It’s why I’ve been having so many symptoms.”
My heart sinks. “That sounds scary.”
“Wish they’d get me into the damn specialist sooner,” he grumbles. “I hate waiting.”
I brush a thumb over his hand. “Me too.”
He closes his eyes, clearly exhausted.
A few minutes later, a soft knock comes to the door. I turn to find Sarah and Darren in the entry.
“Sorry. We won’t stay,” Sarah says. “We just wanted to make sure you’re okay.”
The relief at seeing her and my brother is overwhelming. “Yeah. I think so.”
Getting up, I hug each of them, thanking them for coming. I can feel their curiosity, but when I look at Vince to see if he is up for meeting them, he’s sound asleep.
“Don’t worry about work tomorrow. I’ll manage,” Darren says.
“You sure?”
He nods. “Stay with your… friend?”
I duck my face. I genuinely don’t know what to call Vince. Friend doesn’t feel right. But neither does boyfriend. We aren’t there yet.
“I’ve told Georgie she’s staying with me for a while too.”
“Thanks, guys. I’ll call you tomorrow.”
Sarah hugs me one more time.
I return to Vince, taking his hand. He doesn’t wake.