Chapter 23

I’d beenin a daze for most of the day. No matter what anyone tried to do I just couldn’t seem to break out of my mood. I was a zombie, barely functioning, responding to people in grunts. The only smile that had crossed my face all day was when Atticus mentioned watching a movie in our date fort.

“Finally, a smile. I’m guessing that was Atty,” Kay said, gesturing to the phone clutched in my hand like a lifeline.

“Yeah.” My face heated. “Thanks, by the way, for your help with my date yesterday.”

Chuckling, he shrugged. “It was fun. It’s good to see someone in that family has an idea of romance.” Looking very thoughtful all of a sudden, he gazed into his coffee cup like it held the answers he was looking for.

“No one romancing you at the moment?”

He looked up at me, eyes wide. “No, no one. Why do you ask?”

“Just wondering. You haven’t mentioned anyone, but I haven’t been around long. Maybe someone was trying to woo you,” I said.

“Woo me? Ha! No, sadly I’m single.” He looked forlorn as he shook his head.

“Is there anyone you’re interested in? Where do people meet others in a town as small as this?”

“Usually, we have to go into the city or to a neighboring town with a bar. There’s an LGBTQ-friendly bar in the city that Lyric likes to go to. Theo discovered it, since it’s near where he lives. We’ve dragged Atticus there a time or two, but it really wasn’t his scene. There aren’t many match options in Hope’s Ridge unless they fall at your feet.” He waggled his eyebrows at me.

Groaning, I thumped my head on the table. “I’m never going to live that down, am I?”

“Nope!” He popped the p before chuckling. “And with Lyric in your life, Atty will never live down that he startled you in the first place.”

“Lyric does like to stir shit up, doesn’t he?”

“It’s what he’s known for.” Kay smiled, thinking of some Lyric shenanigans, no doubt. “Although, I will say he’s been less flighty and spontaneous lately. I’m usually along for the ride with whatever he’s up to, but lately, he’s been distant. I can’t remember the last time we even went out.” He scratched down his scruff, looking worried. “Do you think he could’ve met someone? But why wouldn’t he tell me?”

“I’m sure if Lyric met someone, we would all know about it. I can’t imagine him being able to keep something like that quiet. He’s too loud and theatrical for that.” I reached over to pat Kay’s hand reassuringly. “I know Atticus had spoken to him about his role at work and what he wants for his future, so maybe he took their talk to heart. He’s been at work early most days, which from what Seb’s said, is very out of the ordinary. Maybe he’s growing up.”

“Maybe.” Kay smiled at me in thanks.

“So, are all the brothers gay?” I asked, trying to change the topic. “You mentioned Theo finding that bar, so I’m curious.”

“Not all gay per se.” Kay smirked. “Theo was actually the first to come out at fifteen at a weekday family dinner. We found out later that Atticus had been agonizing over coming out for ages, like years, and being the oldest he was nervous about verbalizing it. But once Theo opened the door, that started the domino effect all in one night. Poor Kat and Orion, that’s their Pa’s name, didn’t really know what to do. Once Theo blurted out that he was gay, everyone froze. Then Atticus awkwardly interrupts to say he is, too. Then Lyric pipes up, from his seat next to me, that he doesn’t just like girls. Kat thought her chances of having a daughter-in-law were disappearing before her eyes. She was very dramatic about it.” Kay paused to catch his breath for a moment, chuckling as he tried to finish the story. “But they love their kids and acceptance was never a question.”

“That sounds like Kat,” I said with a chuckle. “Kat and Yaya are so full of love. I’m guessing Orion was, too. I wish I could have met him. So, he was okay with Atty and Theo liking men?”

“Oh yes! He actually admitted he was dating a guy when he met Kat, and that was a total shock to Atty and all the boys. You should have seen their faces. It was hilarious.” Kay burst into a fit of laughter at the treasured memory.

“Really! I would have liked to be a fly on the wall for that conversation.”

“It was great! It’s one thing to think of your parents being together.” Kay paused to shudder for dramatic effect. “It’s a whole other thing to think they had a romantic life before they met. I think Orion had been saving that story in hopes he could blindside the boys and have some fun with it. He was like that, always joking around, starting all sorts of shenanigans. It’s totally where Lyric gets it from.”

“I could see that. And to think I thought Lyric was just one of a kind.” I shook my head at the idea of another Lyric.

“He is one of a kind but has so much of Orion in him. They were two peas in a pod when Lyric was a little kid.” Kay’s smile turned a little sad. “It was really hard for Lyric, and all the boys, to lose their dad so suddenly. He was such a loud and rambunctious person that he left a gaping hole in that family. It’s taken a long time for each of them to find a way to move forward. We all miss him.”

I placed my hand on Kay’s. We paused, and a thoughtful look passed over Kay’s face. I took a moment to think of all the Papadakises had been through. They were so strong and full of love and compassion. They banded together to heal. They were a real family.

“How old were you when this coming out dinner occurred?” I asked.

Kay chuckled. “I think Lyric and I were only eleven or twelve at the time. So, just old enough to understand the implications of the conversation and definitely old enough to enjoy the looks of shock and bewilderment from Atty, Seb, and Theo as they squirmed at Orion’s suggested sex life. It was fantastic. All the boys kept looking from Orion to Kat and back, not knowing what to say. And of course, Yaya was there and interrupted with something like I’ve known my boys were queer from birth. It’s not that shocking. Then everyone burst into laughter.”

“Trust Yaya to break any perceived tension. What about Seb? And from that night Lyric knew he was bi?” I asked, once we’d both stopped snickering.

“Seb? He didn’t announce anything that night, and he only dated girls in school. He’s known to flirt with anyone who catches his eye, so I’m not sure. Lyric isn’t one for labels. He has since referred to himself as fluid and free. He said he’s into the people, not the parts when I’ve asked him, so I guess that would make him pansexual,” Kay concluded with a shrug. “I’ll listen if and when he decides on a label for himself. He would know best.”

“Labels don’t really matter, as long as the person is happy.” I grinned at Kay.

“True.” Kay returned my smile.

Talking about Lyric and all the Papadakises had broken my mood, and I realized I was hungry. Checking my phone, I noticed it was lunchtime. I hadn’t really eaten anything today. It had been a while since Atticus’s last message, so I sent him a quick text to see if he wanted me to order him anything for lunch. I figured he must be finishing up at the garage and would be here any minute.

“What do the boys usually get for lunch? Maybe we could take them something. Is Lyric working today?” I asked.

“Those boys eat anything. No, Lyric’s off today, but Theo should be back by now.”

“I’ve heard about this other brother, but I haven’t met him yet. Doesn’t he work in the city?”

“Yeah, he’s training to be an EMT. He spends most of his time in the city learning and training. He tries to come home every second weekend or so. He’s quieter than the other brothers. You’ll like him. Let’s just make some sandwiches and go meet them?” Kay said.

“Sounds good.”

Once we had the sandwiches wrapped up and a few bottles of juice to go with them, we headed down Main Street to the garage. Seb was polishing up a beautiful old-style car when we walked in.

“Hey! What are you guys doing here?” He was happy to see us, but overly cautious, too. He quickly moved to greet us and ushered us inside into the break room.

“We brought lunch.” I held up the bag of sandwiches. “Where’s Atticus? Is he in the office?” I headed in that direction.

“Atticus isn’t here. He took a truck for a test drive.” Flicking his wrist to move his watch, he checked the time. “He should’ve been done by now unless there was an issue with the suspension.”

“Oh. He texted me a while ago saying he was done and on his way back. How far away was he testing the truck?” Uneasiness settled over me as I glanced at Seb.

“He just went out to Mitch Habberstock’s farm. It’s about twenty minutes out of town.” He glanced at his watch again. “He should’ve been back by now.” Turning to me, he frowned. “When did he text you?”

Pulling out my phone, I quickly checked the time the text was sent. My stomach dropped. “He sent that fifty minutes ago.” I handed Seb the phone, and he quickly glanced at the screen.

“Let me call him. He might have needed to fix something and got caught up.” Seb handed my phone back, then pulled out his own as he walked back into the workshop to call.

“I’m sure it’s nothing. These vehicles can be very temperamental sometimes.” Kay tried to reassure me, but something didn’t sit right. I checked the messages on my phone, and my gaze caught on the unread label from my last message. Even if he was driving, he would have seen it and pulled over to respond. I knew something had happened.

Something was terribly wrong.

I could feel it.

Seb came back in, looking pale and scared. I couldn’t bring myself to speak.

“What is it?” Kay stepped forward and rested his hand on my shoulder.

“There... . There was an accident. Theo a-a-answered Atty’s phone.” Seb paused, taking a deep breath. “He was almost home when he saw a wreck on the side of the road. Atty was in the truck. He was unconscious and unresponsive.” Seb fell onto the leather sofa, hands braced on his knees and breathing heavily.

Dread settled over me.

Unconscious.

Unresponsive.

Accident.

Wreck.

The words repeated over and over again in my head as I was pushed into a chair and told to breathe.

“You can’t do this now. We need to get to the hospital.” Kay’s voice sounded distant. “Breathe, Bodhi. Come on, Atty needs you.”

Atty.

Atticus.

Air filled my lungs as I took a deep breath. I needed to see Atticus. Looking around frantically, I spotted Kay on the phone while offering Seb a bottle of water. Shaking off my fear and panic, I stood and went over to Seb. Sitting next to him, I uncapped the bottle of water, then offered it to him.

“Drink. We need to get going.”

He looked at me, his eyes so full of fear and pain. I knew the feeling. And while he was physically the biggest of the brothers, he looked so defeated just then. Like his world had been rocked to its core and he needed his big brother to make everything okay again.

“We need to get to the hospital. Do you know where they took him?”

“Ah, Theo said an ambulance came. He called Mama. He’s with him. Hospital?” He seemed so lost.

“I know where they’d take him.” Kay puffed out a long breath. “Let’s go. Lyric’s out front.”

Kay helped me pull Seb to stand as we all left the garage and made our way outside. Kay quickly locked up and closed the giant, still squeaky, roller door. Lyric hopped out to help me get Seb into the back seat, then followed him in. I hobbled around and got in the passenger seat as Kay took the driver’s seat, and we were off.

The trip to the hospital was a blur. No one said anything, and both Seb and Lyric appeared to be in shock. Thank goodness for Kay and his no-nonsense response.

About fifteen minutes out of town we passed the scene. A Sheriff’s car, firetruck, and tow truck were all still there. We gazed in horror at the totaled truck as it was lifted onto the tow truck’s bed. The driver’s side and top of the truck was crushed all to hell. The spider-web fractures and dark reddish-brown splatters on the front and driver’s side window gave me chills. Everyone was shaken as we drove on.

By the time we arrived at the hospital, Seb and Lyric had shaken off their shock and were ready to jump into action to find their brother. Kay dropped us at the Emergency entrance, then went to park the car before joining us. We all ran through the doors and up to the nurse at the counter. Seb was about to ask for Atticus when a man, who bore a striking resemblance to both Seb and Atticus, rounded the corner looking wrecked.

Lyric ran up and all but tackled the man, who must’ve been Theo. Seb followed more sedately.

“How is he?” Seb asked.

“They’re running tests.” He turned to me. “You must be Bodhi. Sorry we have to meet under these circumstances. I’m Theo. I’ve heard a lot about you.” He offered me a gentle smile as we all walked back to the waiting area. I returned his smile with a nod, too overwhelmed with worry to speak.

“What tests are they running?” Lyric asked as we all took seats together.

“He regained consciousness in the ambulance, but they were worried about head trauma, so they ordered a CT scan. They said it would take about an hour, and they’ll let me know when it’s done.” He hastily ran his fingers through his hair. “Seeing the wreck, and then seeing Atty... . I was never prepared for that.” Theo broke.

Seb drew him in for a hug as silent tears streamed down his cheeks.

Kay came in and took a seat next to Lyric. He looked at me, and I gave a little shake of my head to let him know we didn’t know anything yet. The heavy weight of the unknown settled over us as we waited. Time blurred as we sat silently, hoping, waiting, worrying.

“We should call Yaya and Kat with an update. They should be here soon.” I took in the brothers huddled together sharing comfort.

“I can call them,” Kay said softly as he stood and let go of Lyric’s hand, which he’d been clutching. Moving away from us, he made the call.

Lyric watched Kay as he walked away. His face was more serious than I’d ever seen him. He seemed to be studying Kay like he was different somehow.

“They’re almost here,” Kay said as he returned to his seat by Lyric. “She said to call her if there’s any news before they arrive.”

Lyric reached out and interlaced his fingers with Kay’s as he rested his head on Kay’s shoulder. Kay gazed at Lyric with so much love that I had to wonder if they’d ever been more than friends. He caught me looking at him and blushed. He reached out his other hand to me, and I quickly moved to the seat next to him and took the comfort he was offering.

I’d been in the hospital a time or two, but I’d never had a family waiting for me like they were for Atticus. I couldn’t figure out how that made me feel. To have people so worried about you that they broke down was scary—but also wonderful. To be so loved, so cared for, it meant you had a place in this world. A home. A real family. These brothers had embraced me in much the same way. I didn’t feel like I was on the outside looking in; I felt like I was a part of a family, this family, and that I was loved.

Loved.

The word both shocked me and resonated with me. I loved this family. I was a real part of it. I had a friend in Kay, and I loved him, too, but above all, I loved Atticus.

I was in love with him.

The realization rocked me to my core. Would I get to see his smile again? See him try to make me laugh? Feel safe in his arms again? He’d brought light and happiness into my life. He helped me heal and find myself again. He’d given me the family I’d longed for. A home I’d never known I needed. The fresh start I’d wished for. I would make sure he knew what he meant to me as soon as I got the chance. He needed to be okay. He had to be.

Time ticked by slowly as we waited. Nobody had anything to say. We were all stuck in our own thoughts. It wasn’t until a doctor in blue scrubs and a white lab coat called for Theo that we all jumped up ready for news.

“Is he okay?” Theo rushed forward to ask.

The doctor gazed around at all of us and must’ve noticed the familial similarities between Theo and his brothers. He just nodded. “He’s got a moderate concussion and a few bumps and bruises, but he’s going to be okay.” We all let out a collective sigh of relief at that news. “Thankfully, the CT scan appeared clear, but we will be keeping him overnight. You can see him one at a time once he’s moved to a room. He’s awake and asking for Bodhi right now, so if whichever one of you is Bodhi wants to come with me, I can take you to him.”

I looked at the others, wondering if I should really be the first to see Atticus. They were all nodding and shooing me. “Are you sure?”

“Yes, we’re sure,” Seb answered. “You give him hell for scaring us.”

I smiled in relief and thanks. “I’ll leave that part up to you,” I said, and then I followed the doctor down the hall.

We went through the Emergency Room doors labeled for restricted access and down a maze of aged white and blue halls until we came to a row of curtained-off beds. He pulled back the blue fabric to reveal Atticus.

My heart nearly stopped at the sight of Atticus—battered, with a white bandage around his head, a swollen and bruised left eye, and blankets pulled up to his chest. He looked so small.

I raced to his side and reached for his hand that lay on top of the covers. He seemed to be asleep, but as I brought his hand to my mouth to kiss it, he shifted his head my way and his eyelids fluttered open.

“Bodhi,” he croaked out, smiling softly, then wincing.

“Oh my God, you scared us!” I whispered. “What the hell happened?”

“I don’t know. We had our date, and then I was here....”

Turning to the doctor, I gasped. “That was yesterday! Why can’t he remember?”

“That’s normal with a concussion,” the doctor reassured me. “It might come back to him or it might not.”

Gripping Atticus’s hand in mine, I kissed his fingers. “I’m so glad you’re okay. Everyone’s here waiting for you. We were so worried.” I couldn’t help the tears that flooded my eyes and trailed down my cheeks.

“I’ll leave you two to visit.” The doctor left and closed the curtain behind himself.

I pulled a nearby plastic chair over as close to the bed as I could get. I sat down and laid my head on our clasped hands. Drinking in his warm skin, I reveled in the fact that he was alive and going to be okay.