Chapter 49
Dex
“I have good news and bad news,” Daniela announces through the phone.
“I’ll take the bad first, I guess.”
“Okay. The bad news is that I can’t visit next weekend.”
“What? Why not?” I ask, not hiding my disappointment. This long-distance thing sucks, and I need every minute with her I can get. I’m greedy in that way.
“Well, that’s where the sort-of-good news comes in,” I hear a sigh through the phone. “My brother has been in rehab for an entire month. And my mom only just told me! They wanted to give him time to do this on his own, and they didn’t want me to get my hopes up, I guess?”
“That’s great,” I reply. And I smile, because I can hear the joy and the hope in her voice.
“Yeah. So anyway, I was going to go for a visit. I guess since he’s been there a certain amount of time, he can accept visitors now. And he’s actually asking for me.”
“I’m so happy for you, Dani. And for him. Can I…go with you?”
“Well…”
“I don’t have to go in with you or anything—that could be a weird first meeting—I just mean I’ll drive there with you. Be there for moral support and all that.”
I hear a sniffle through the phone. “Yeah…I would, uh…love that, Dex. Thank you.”
“Of course.”
**
On the drive down to the rehab center, which is located in Southern California, Daniela has receded back into her own head again, just a little. I’m getting pretty good at reading her, and I know when she has something on her mind that she’s not ready to share.
“What’s wrong?”
“Nothing. Just…thinking,” she answers, still looking out the window.
“Are you sure there’s nothing going on?”
“Yes. No. I mean…I’m fine, I’m just a little worried. ”
“About?”
“I guess he has to leave in a few days,” she says, flustered.
“It’s very pricey there, and my mom can only do so much.
My flaky dad has chipped in—surprisingly—but they’re almost tapped out.
I mean, I’m grateful he was able to get treatment there at all…
some people aren’t so lucky…but he’s doing so well there, and I’m just worried about him being out.
I guess he can’t stay there forever, though. I just wish he had a little more time.”
I grab her hand and give it a squeeze, smiling over at her. “I could help…”
She shakes her head. “No. Please. I would never ask that of you.”
“You didn’t,” I respond.
“Still. He’ll be all right. Thank you for offering.”
“You’re welcome.”
“So,” she says, her tone lighter, “I heard from Layla that Liam finally outscored you at your little soccer game last week…Are you getting old? Losing your touch?”
She grins at me with a teasing smile, and I laugh.
“I have to let him have a win sometimes, you know? I can’t always be on top,” I joke.
Daniela rolls her eyes. “Oh man, there’s that ego.”
“While we’re on the subject, Can I let you in on a little secret?”
“Sure.” She looks intrigued, her attention fully on me .
“He’s not actually better than me at skiing or snowboarding, either. I’ve been letting him think that since we were teenagers. It’s my greatest deception. One day, I just might try harder on the slopes with him and blow his mind.”
She gapes at me. “You’re lying.”
“Am I?” I smirk, raising an eyebrow at her.
“You’re unbelievable.” She shakes her head, but I think I convinced her.
“That’s the same thing you said to me the other night in bed.”
She huffs out a laugh and grins at me. “How am I supposed to be the one with witty comebacks when you’re dropping lines like that?”
“I’m sorry, honey. I’ll let you have your thing back. I wouldn’t want to tarnish your reputation.”
She laughs again, nudging my shoulder with her head.
I lift her hand and place a kiss on it.