Chapter Twenty-Seven

Theo

Perry's dad does end up needing a stent put in. We stay at the hospital while the procedure takes place, and Perry hardly lets go of my hand the whole time. Even when he calls his mom to tell her what's happening, he keeps his cell phone in one hand and the other in mine.

"Yeah…me and Theo are here with Ty and Brax." He listens, then adds, "He hasn't left my side." More listening. "Oh my God, Mom." Perry pulls the cell away from his ear and holds it out to me. "She wants to talk to you."

I smile.

"Look a little happy there, Puppy." Perry nudges me playfully, then sets his head on my shoulder. I take the phone and hold it to my other ear.

"Hello?"

"Hi, Theo. I just wanted to thank you for being there with Perry. He's not good at asking for help or needing anyone, but I know how much he counts on you, how much he cares about you, and it means the world to me that he has someone with him he can depend on."

My chest suddenly feels fuller. "I care about him too. And no matter what he needs, I'll be here for him." He's changed my life, but I'm not sure that's something I should be telling his mom right now.

"Oh, you boys are so sweet. I can't wait to meet you. Get my phone number from Perry, and if anything happens, please let me know."

"I will. Thank you, Ms. McClain."

"Heather," she replies.

I give the phone back to Perry, and they talk for a moment, before he ends the call and sends her number to my cell.

"Are you hungry? Thirsty?" I ask him. "I can get you whatever you need."

"You," he says softly, making me soar. "Just you. And I meant to tell you last night before…well, all the excitement." He snickers, but I can tell he doesn't feel it. He's just trying not to focus on what's happening. "I was talking to my mom, and apparently her girlfriend's daughter has this eye thing. It's called convergence insufficiency. Her eyes don't track right, which makes reading or understanding what she reads hard because sometimes she's taking in the words out of order. Apparently, she does vision therapy for it, and I thought maybe that's something you should look into. You have to see a specialist. It's not the regular eye doctor who tests for it."

My mouth drops open, and I don't know what to say. Could that be why I struggle? The thought of having a plan, something in place to help things get better… "That's good to know. Maybe that's why I had the issue with the glasses when I was younger?"

"Could be. It can't hurt to try. I'll go with you if you want."

Of course he will because that's how Perry works. "I'd like that, but we'll worry about it later. This is about you. Are you okay?" I play with the simple gold chain around his neck.

"As good as I can be. I…feel hopeful. I haven't experienced that before, when it comes to my dad. Part of me is afraid to try, but I'm so done being afraid. I want to be more like you."

My eyeballs nearly fall out of my head. "Me?"

"Yes, you, silly puppy. You don't ever let fear hold you back. The world could use more Theos in it."

"The world could use more Perrys too."

"I guess that's why we're perfect together."

Perry threads his arm through mine and rests his head on my shoulder again. We're quiet for a few minutes, and I try to figure out what he needs. Whatever it is, I'll do it.

"He'll be okay, Theo…right?"

Pressure plants itself right on my chest. He's counting on me to tell him and for me to be right. "Yes. He will. I know it," I say, hoping like hell it's the truth.

We sit like that, Ty and Brax in a corner, doing the same, as the four of us wait for news on their dad. I can't say if it's five minutes or five hours later when a nurse comes out, and Perry and Ty both shove to their feet.

"Is he okay?" Perry's voice shakes on the question.

"He's doing just fine. Everything went well."

I let out the breath that had been trapped in my lungs since we first found out about Perry's dad. I'm taking this as a sign that everything is going to start being a whole lot better from here on out.