“Me, yes, but I’m worried about her. Mathis told me about the young kid, Grady. We made arrangements for me to visit him next week after the game. Hopefully, I’ll be giving him the game winning ball.”
“Fuck.” I scrub my hand through my hair. “Did anything specific happen?”
“Not really, but Mathis thinks, with the use of the alternative mixed with traditional medicines, he may have a few months. The goal is to keep him comfortable. Only a miracle will let him survive.”
“Mathis, Claire, and I all think we should wait until y’all get home to share with Bizzy.”
“Agreed. She may not have the timeline, but she knows it’s coming.” I don’t mention she’s known for a while.
“Yes, she needs this time away.”
There’s a brief pause before he asks, “So, she got sloshed last night?”
“Totally.”
“She in the mood to dance?” He chuckles, guessing the answer.
“Totally,” I repeat, remembering the feeling of her in my arms as I held her close and guided her around the dance floor. Her hips were pressed tight to mine as she threw her head back smiling. My dick was hard as stone so I had to reposition her several times, but it was worth every second.
“You’re taking good care of her, right?”
“Of course.”
“Sorry, man, stupid question.”
“Nick, you do realize she’s no longer fourteen, right? She’s an adult now and can take care of herself.”
“I know, but she deserves so much, Shaw. You’ll never understand.”
My stomach twists, remembering what Mathis shared and the years I missed of Bizzy’s life. Usually, I’d ask her to talk to me, but I know she’ll never discuss anything that will make her seem weak and vulnerable. She’s a fighter. However, my gut tells me to take this opportunity to drill Nick while he’s obviously concerned.
I’m a son of a bitch, but if it gives me insight into Bizzy’s world, I’ll take it. I’ll take anything. Because if she gives me a chance, she’ll never ever question her self-worth or place in this world again. She’ll live each day knowing how special and precious she really is.
“Nick, make me understand. I’m not trying to betray your trust, but help me out here. It’s been a long time since you were kids with cancer. What am I missing?”
Shit, that may have hit too close.
“Shaw, we don’t talk about it, and she’d probably kill me, but she had it rough. It may have been a long time ago, but it’s still in her head. This isn’t just about kids being cruel; it’s about the fear of every check-up, the lonely nights as she watched other girls date. She never could let loose and relax. I had so much going on, and I included her, but she didn’t really bounce back from the treatments like I did. Her cancer was a bit more intense, if you can classify it that way. She had so much more to overcome. I basically forced her to socialize, and all my friends accepted her as part of us.
“She got drunk our freshman year of college. I watched her puke for two days because she insisted on drinking Hunch-Punch. It was brutal, and I was so fucking scared. She finally slapped me around when I threatened to call her parents and told me she deserved it. She wasn’t miserable. She was fucking happy. Happy to be living like a rebellious teen.”
“Shit.” I lean back, imagining her as a lightweight puking and my brother as her caregiver.
“Finally, she drank a full Coke without spewing it everywhere, and I knew she’d be okay. It was always like that. I took care of her and she took care of me. ALWAYS. The girl wormed her way into my fucking blood, and I can’t let her go. So when I heard about this thing with Grady, at first I was upset, but I understood. She worries about me. I was ready to drive up there when she didn’t answer her phone. The thought of her lying around in tears, hurting, physically pained me.”
“Fucking shit.” His explanation hits me like a sledgehammer. I thought I knew the depth of their connection, but it’s so much deeper. The sense of pride I have for my baby brother is sliced with jealousy. He knows so much more about this woman, and I don’t like the way it settles inside me.
“I can’t believe I told you all that. Must be the therapy shit I’m forced to do because of my agent.” He