says, starting toward the driveway before realizing he doesn’t have his keys. He dashes inside the house as the ambulance speeds from the home.
Snatching my keys from my pocket, I run to my car.
“Roman,” I call. He’s still pacing, mumbling to himself and it takes a few calls before I get his attention.
“Come on,” I say. He snaps out of it and runs to the passenger door, opening it and hopping in. At that moment King appears in the doorway of the house, slamming it tightly and running to his car. He backs out of his spot and we follow him to the hospital.
20
XIA
My father’s voice bleeds over my speaker and my heart doesn’t know how to take it. I’m still mad at him, still confused about the picture I found in the couch, but worry for my mother takes precedent over it all and has finally pushed me to seek him out. I fought myself for hours trying to think of anyone else in the world I could call. But no one would be better than him. She seems to be getting worse and he knows her better than anyone.
“Has she been eating?” he asks.
“Barely. Most of the food you bring by goes untouched until Jordan and I start eating it. I make her breakfast every morning before I leave. Sometimes she eats it and sometimes it’s still sitting on the counter when I get home.”
He releases a breath, the sound causing a distortion to ring through the speaker. I’m trying to ignore my racing thoughts. I want to yell at him, blame him for making her this way, but I know it won’t make her better, and right now that’s the most important thing.
“Okay, I’ll leave a message for her doctor in the morning and see what he thinks we should do. Do you want me to come home?”
I hesitate because a big part of me wants to say yes but I’m not sure if this will help or hurt my mother’s condition. “Just tell me what the doctor says.’”
“All right,” he says, and I can tell he’s let down by my answer.
A tone beeps in my ear, signaling an incoming call. I look down at the screen and frown when I see it’s Roman.
“I have a call; I’ll call you back.” I click over, my eyes closed tightly as I grip my hair.
“Hello?”
Roman’s voice is shaky as he responds. “Xia,” he says. “We are at Wilkes Memorial Hospital. Something happened to Kenzie.”
My eyes fly open as I press the phone to my ear. “Oh my God, is everything okay?”
“I don’t know.” He exhales. “But Jordan… He’s freaking out. I’ve never seen him this way and I don’t know what to do.”
“You’re at Wilkes?” My feet move quickly as I dart from the kitchen toward the living room and up the stairs. “Shit, Wilkes is where his mother died. I’m on my way.”
The cold air bites me as the sliding glass doors open at the entrance of the hospital. I feel like I’m on autopilot, thoughts dancing in my head at a quick pace, nothing completely landing. A tall woman in navy blue scrubs stands next to a receptionist behind a large desk. They are talking about a patient to be admitted, trying to decide on the proper pronunciation of his name. I watch before they notice me standing there.
Looking over her glasses, the woman scans me before speaking.
“How may I help you?” she says, sliding back into her seat.
“Kenzie Radcliffe was brought in here not too long ago. Has she been taken back?” I ask, looking to the right and scanning the large waiting area. I see Roman on the far left pacing the small space between the chairs. The receptionist is typing on the computer when I turn back. I tell her never mind before making my way to Roman.
“How’s Kenzie? Where is everyone? ” I say running up to him. He looks unsteady, gazing at me through red rimmed eyes.
“I don’t know how Kenzie is,” he says. “Her parents just got here and I’m waiting for someone to come back to let me know. King and Jordan are in the bathroom. He’s freaking out and King is trying to help him.”
I turn toward the hall leading to the bathrooms, about to head that way, but I stop and face Roman again. “Wait… What happened?”
Roman clenches his jaw and swallows hard as he stares at me, deep guilt washing over him as his body deflates. “It