Chapter 352
Once everything was put away, Jamie went around the end of Cadence’s bed and took Aaron’s hand in both of his for a moment. A few seconds later, it was completely healed. Jamie stifled a yawn as Aaron thanked him, and then the Healer asked, “Are you gonna hang out here for a while?”
I had a couple of hours before I was due in the gym, and while I’d had my fair share of watching people sleep when Tara was lying in this very room not long ago, I planned to stay as long as I could. Brandon was getting us both chairs, I realized, and my eyes stayed focused on Aaron, wondering what he would say.
He looked surprised that Jamie had even asked, like it hadn’t crossed his mind, but he replied, “Yeah, I guess so.” He didn’t move to get a chair, though, only took a few steps backward, out of Jamie’s way as the doctor crossed the room to do something at a prep station, and Aaron took on a distracted look, like he wasn’t quite sure where he was.
Brandon and I sat down and glanced at Elliott and my sister. They seemed fine now, but my stomach still hadn’t unclenched. Glad for Brandon’s arm around me, I watched the rise and fall of their chests, wondering how long it would be until they were up.
“You doing all right?” Brandon wasn’t talking to me, I realized, and when I looked back at Aaron, I could see he had that look about him again, the one he’d come in with, like he didn’t want to be there, like he needed to be the one asleep.
It took him a moment to answer. Maybe he didn’t realize Brandon was talking to him, or maybe he wasn’t sure how to respond. When he said, “I’m fine,” it was almost laughable. I glanced at Jamie, who was bringing his boss a chair, and I decided I may as well be real. Someone needed to be.
“You don’t look fine,” I said to Aaron, whose eyebrows shot up in surprise to hear the honest truth. “You haven’t looked fine in a while.” I had been concerned for a few weeks, but it occurred to me now that the situation was a lot worse than I had realized. Perhaps it was because I didn’t spend as much time with him since I’d moved in with my parents, but it was obvious to me that there was something way wrong with my soon-to-be brother-in-law.
“I’m going to finish up a few things in my office,” Jamie said, looking uncomfortable. I assumed it was my remark that sent him out of the room. Maybe he didn’t want to be there if Aaron lost it and yelled at me for being so blunt, but I didn’t think that was it. Jamie would defend me against anyone if he needed to. Perhaps this wasn’t the first time the topic had come up, and he was just tired of trying to get Aaron to realize the situation was more dire than he was willing to accept.
Aaron looked down at the chair Jamie had left for him as if he didn’t know what the purpose of such a piece of furniture was as the Healer noted, “Let me know if they need anything,” and left the room. Aaron sat, still not responding to my comment, and I pondered saying something else, but Brandon tapped my shoulder, and when I looked at him, he slowly shook his head back and forth. I decided to keep my mouth shut for now, but if someone didn’t do something soon, I’d be forced to take matters into my own hands. Again.
The three of us sat there for hours. Aurora dismissed me from practice through her IAC, which I appreciated because I really was worried about my sister and Elliott. Jamie came in periodically to tell us they were fine, but he didn’t stay. I thought maybe it was Aaron who kept Jamie out of the room, but I didn’t know for sure. Brandon and I kept our conversation to ourselves, mostly through our IACs. I could tell Aaron was working when I glanced in his direction, but he didn’t say anything either. It would’ve been truly awkward if Brandon and I couldn’t talk to each other through our thoughts.
My parents came in around noon, dropping off some sandwiches, which Brandon and I devoured and Aaron declined. My mom had that worried look about her, especially when she went to press her hand to Cadence’s forehead, and my sister didn’t move at all. “She’s so still,” she’d said, shaking her head, and Jamie had assured her everything looked good, and Cadence was just sleeping. Mom didn’t seem convinced, but she hadn’t stayed for too long. I imagined it was difficult for her to see Cadence looking like a corpse. My dad patted me on the shoulder and headed out. I hoped they’d come back later if this continued, but it was hard to say.
As my mom was walking out, she called over her shoulder, “Don’t forget about your schoolwork, Cassidy.”
My mouth dropped open. Did she really expect me to do homework while Cadence was dead to the world? Brandon patted my shoulder, and I closed my mouth, realizing my mom was gone without my answer.
Three more hours went by before I realized Elliott was moving. All three of us snapped to attention as he adjusted on the bed a few times. Jamie was either monitoring through someone’s IAC or just had a sense that something had changed because he came back into the room just as Elliott opened his eyes.
“How are you feeling?” the doctor asked, preparing his stethoscope.
Elliott did the same thing Tara had done when she woke up, the same thing Brandon had done that night when I slept on a cot near him after his Transformation, too. He raised one hand and moved it around in front of his face, shocked at his own speed. “I’m good,” Elliott muttered, fascinated at the way the air rippled around his limb. Jamie checked his vitals.
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