37. Hudson
“Igot her, man. You can let go.”
“You sure? You got her? Make sure you have her head.”
“I have her. It’s okay.”
A hand gripped my arm and pulled me back. “Come on, Ive,” Foster’s voice coaxed gently. “Why don’t you sit on the couch for a minute? Archer has her.”
I ignored him while I watched Damien’s silhouette start toward the door, carrying a passed-out Faith in his arms. As Thane hurried outside after them, the hand on my arm tugged to get my attention.
“You sure she’s okay?” I asked, unable to stop staring at the darkened doorway, even after Damien had already carried Faith outside. “She was still breathing?”
“She’s still breathing, I swear to God. She just passed out is all. Both Damien and Thane are with her. She’s going to be just fine, buddy. Now, why don’t you come sit before you pass out.”
“I’m okay,” I assured Foster distractedly as I brushed his hand off my arm. But when I took a step toward the door, exhaustion swamped me. I swayed on my feet and had to pause just to take another breath.
“Will you just sit the fuck down already?” Parker finally demanded in irritation. “You look as if a stiff breeze could knock you over.”
When I glared his way through the stream of phone lights everyone was holding, he only lifted his eyebrows in unrepentant censure.
“Over here,” Foster murmured calmly, taking my arm again and guiding me to the couch. This time, I let him have his way, and the moment I collapsed on the cushions, I closed my eyes and sank down to rest my head on the armrest, tucking my feet up as I went.
“That’s more like it,” Foster said as someone—probably him—covered me with a blanket.
“Dude,” I could hear Keene murmur in awe as I closed my eyes, unable to help myself. “He’s all shrunken and gray. He looks as if a damn decade’s just been removed from his life.”
“Feels like it too,” I slurred, exhaling in relief, glad that nothing was keeping me from taking a blissful nap right this second.
“You sure you’re okay?” Alec’s voice asked.
I was too tired to talk, so I merely turned my hand up into a thumbs-up sign.
In the next instant, sleep claimed me.
I had no idea how long I was out. Sometimes, I stirred, feeling hands on my forehead, checking for a fever. A couple of times, people would ask me how I was feeling.
I’m pretty sure I answered them with either, Fine, Tired, or I’m trying to sleep, dammit.
The first time I woke long enough to lift my head and glance around the room, someone had replaced all the lightbulbs, and both Damien and Foster were sitting at the card table against the wall, playing poker…or something.
“What time is it?” I asked, my voice so thick with sleep I was surprised they understood me.
But Foster checked his watch as he stood up to come over to me. “A little after midnight, man. How’re you feeling?” Cool fingers touched my brow. “Still no fever.”
“Just exhausted,” I told him, my gaze straying past him to land on Damien. “How’s Faith?”
He nodded. “She’s good. She’s home. Thane’s staying with her just to be safe.”
“Good. Good.” I closed my eyes and knew no more until apparently the next shift had arrived to stand guard over me.
When I came to again, both Foster and Damien were gone, but Parker was kicked back in the recliner to the side of the couch, scowling at the television and sipping on an amber glass of what could only be hard liquor.
He must’ve felt my eyes on him because he glanced over lazily, only to mutter, “There’s fucking shit on to watch at three in the morning, you know. Eisner needs to get himself a damn streaming service.”
I didn’t answer, just closed my eyes again.
The next time I opened them, the room was lighter with sunrise beginning to creep in through the windows. Keene was in the side chair now, curled up in a ball and fast asleep while Alec was camped out on the floor, with his back resting against the couch, sticking close to me as he watched a movie on his phone.
“Holy shit,” he exclaimed to himself, glued to his tiny screen. “I knew he was the father.”
I fell back to sleep without anyone noticing me this time.
Hunger woke me after that.
Parker was back, sitting at the card table with his laptop flipped open, typing madly.
I yawned and dragged my feet over the side of the couch so I could sit upright.
“Hey, hey. Sleeping Beauty awakes,” he greeted, glancing over.
“Time?” I mumbled as I ran a groggy hand through my hair.
“About eleven thirty.”
“In the morning? Damn.” I shook my head, trying to clear it. I’d probably slept a good sixteen hours. I couldn’t remember ever sleeping that long before. “Faith?” I asked next, glancing Parker’s way.
“As feisty and sassy as ever,” he answered with a shrug. “Thane said she woke up, fully rested and raring to go as if nothing had ever bugged her.”
I nodded, relieved to hear it. “Thank God.”
Parker nodded along with me. “She called your phone a couple of hours ago. But you were dead to the world. I told her you were hanging in there, but I think she wanted to talk to you and determine that for herself.”
“’Course she did,” I answered with a soft smile.
Noticing some bagels and a glass of water sitting out for me on the coffee table, I lurched forward and snagged one. I tore off pieces and stuffed them into my mouth savagely, and I’m pretty sure I didn’t even taste them before I swallowed. But that didn’t stop me from falling back against the back of the couch and moaning in relief.
“Oh God. That is so good.” And I proceeded to stuff more into my face.
“Your lady said she had a final this morning, but she’d call again this afternoon or this evening before she heads into work.”
I nodded as I chewed, letting him know I’d heard him. “And your arm?” I asked the next time my mouth was empty enough to form words.
Park glanced down at the bandage he had wrapped around his forearm as I took a drink from the water. “It’s nothing,” he answered. “Six stitches patched it right back up. No big deal.”
“I took a fucking knife to you,” I said bluntly. “I legit would’ve killed you if y’all hadn’t stopped me.” Closing my eyes, I kept my head resting back on the couch as I released a long, pent-up breath. “That’s not nothing.”
“So you remember?” Parker asked quietly.
I opened my eyes, feeling haunted for the first time since learning I was haunted. “Every single second,” I admitted. “And I couldn’t do a damn thing about it but watch.”
“God.” Parker whistled sympathetically and shook his head. “That must’ve sucked.”
“No more than it probably did to have one of your best friends try to slice your neck open with a steak knife,” I countered with lifted eyebrows.
“Yeah, well…” He only shrugged. “As much as I piss you off, I kind of had it coming.”
“You never had that coming,” I promised him. “And I’m sorry. I… Fuck. I can’t believe I did that. And the things I said. Especially to Faith.”
“You didn’t,” Parker instructed in a stern voice, pointing at me as he spoke. “Do you hear me? You didn’t do any of that shit or say any of it. And all of us know it. Your lady included.”
I hissed out a breath and shook my head. “I still can’t believe you let her near me while I was like that. I mean, what the fuck were you thinking? I could’ve killed her.”
“We were thinking that if it came down to bringing you back or giving her a little nosebleed, then we all chose you. Faith chose you too.”
“Well, it was the wrong-ass decision,” I told him. “Don’t ever put her in danger like that again.”
Parker merely sent me a look that told me he’d do whatever the hell he wanted.
I sighed and sank deeper into the cushions, too tired to continue arguing with him. “Damn, I’m still exhausted. Feels as if all the energy’s just been sucked out of me.”
“So take another nap,” Parker told me as if that was the only logical answer. “You don’t have shit else to do today. Might as well.”
I was too tired to argue with him, so I set my cup of water and the last half of my bagel back on the coffee table. “Okay,” I said. “Wake me when Faith calls.”
“Sure thing.”
From there, I curled back on the couch, already closing my eyes.
“Hey, Park?” I croaked.
“Yo?”
“Thank you,” I told him. “Thanks for everything. Don’t know why you stay friends with me. I can be a true ass to you more often than not. But I ’ppreciate it.”
“Fuck, man. You always keep it real. I like that. And sometimes you’re the only one who can level me off when my anger tries to take over. I love you, man.”
“Love you, too,” I slurred.
I’m pretty sure he answered. I heard his voice, but I had no idea what he said because I’d already fallen fast asleep.
A familiar ringing was what managed to stir me next. I had no idea how much time had passed, but I was sure it was Faith calling. So my hand scrambled for my phone before I even managed to open my eyes and spot it on the coffee table in front of me.
I was beyond groggy, but I pulled it to my ear and answered before checking the screen.
“Hello?”
“Oh, thank God. You answered. Look, Hudson, I made a huge mistake.”
For the life of me, I couldn’t place the voice. I’m sure it was only because I was still half out of it and not fully conscious, but all I knew was that it wasn’t Faith.
“Who’s this?” I mumbled, trying to wet my dry mouth as I sat upright.
“Ha-ha, very funny,” she muttered. “So can you come over today? Like, right now. I’ve had a really bad day, and…” Tears filled her voice. “I just need you, is all. No one gets me like you do.”
“Genesis?” I mumbled, finally realizing who I was talking to.
“I just got kicked out of fucking school,” she screeched dramatically, making me wince at her volume and pull the phone a few more inches from my face.
“S-someone accused me of plagiarism, and it’s all just been so awful. You’re the only one who understands. I really need you right now to give me one of your famous foot massages and maybe?—”
“I can’t come over, Gen,” I answered weakly. “I caught some kind of bug or something. I can barely even stay awake right now to talk to you.”
“But I need you,” she insisted.
I closed my eyes and sighed.
“If you’re not over here in ten minutes, I’m calling my father and…”
The rest of her words drifted away as the phone was taken from my hand.
I managed to open my eyes long enough to see Parker pressing the receiver to his ear. “Listen here, sweetheart,” he growled in a harsh tone that I never would’ve dared use with her. “He’s not coming over. He’s fucking sick. So quit calling already.”
Great, I thought to myself, certain I’d be more upset if I was more awake, but for now, it was only a mild worry claiming me. But seriously, I was going to be so fired after this, I could already tell.
Oh well. I’d worry about that after I was finally rested enough to truly care.
“Who the fuck am I?” Parker was saying into my phone. “Who the fuck are you? Didn’t you dump his ass when you tried to hook up with some douche who stood you up, anyway?” With a husky chuckle, he added, “Yeah, well, I know things. And I know Hudson isn’t doing anything else for you ever again. You two are over.”
Yep. I was definitely fired.
Sleep took over again before I could finish the thought or even hear Parker finish bitching Gen out.
When I opened my eyes again, he was still standing there, with my phone to his ear. But more time must’ve passed and that had to have been an entirely different call because he winced at me as he ended the call and tossed my phone on the coffee table.
“That was your boss,” he said. “Gusano.”
I closed my eyes. “I’m fired, aren’t I?”
“Man, I’m sorry. I’m so sorry.”
“Fuck,” I mumbled before oblivion recaptured me.