and breathing in the morning air. On the street below, I could see shards of black plastic and the twisted white cord of the hotel’s hair dryer, the only evidence of how close I had come.
I texted Ripley: Thank you.
I wasn’t due at the theater until two, so I decided to get dressed and go check on my dad. I called Grace, and she sent a car to pick me up.
Dad was sitting up in bed when I walked in. He was still wired and tubed all to hell, but looking significantly less pale.
“There she is.” He muted the TV and brightened as I pulled up a chair.
“Since you can’t eat solid food yet, I brought you a raw organic smoothie. It has kale.”
“Such decadence!”
I sat down and looked him over. “How are you feeling?”
“My chest still hurts, but I have a button to manage the pain. And I got a sponge bath.”
“Dad. Ew.” I pulled the wrapper off the straw and set the smoothie on his tray. As I did, he frowned, probably noticing the purple bags under my red eyes.
“What’s the matter?” he asked. “Are you all right?”
I had planned to break the news slowly, but it clearly wasn’t go to happen that way. I decided to head him off before he could ask any more uncomfortable questions about my state of mind.
“There’s something I need to tell you.”
If he looked concerned before, now he seemed panicked. “What is it, Ellie? What’s wrong?”
I licked my lips. “I went to see Flynn yesterday, and—”
“Yes?”
“Will you let me finish?” He looked scolded, but he nodded. “He’s going to let me do the Truck Drop.”
Dad frowned and tilted his head. “He what?”
“I’m doing the show, Dad. Tonight. In your place.”
I watched as his confusion melted into disbelief. “You . . . you are?”
“I am.”
His mouth opened and closed. “But I thought you didn’t want to perform anymore. I thought you were worried about—”
“I am worried,” I said. “But it’s just one show. And I have you and Ripley and Liam to catch me if I fall.”
Slowly, a wide, bright smile broke across his face.
“Oh, Ellie. This is wonderful!”
He opened his arms, and I leaned in and let him hug me harder than he probably should have.
“I’m so . . . ,” he began, but his voice gave out.
“I know,” I said. And he hugged me tighter.
Dr. Saroyan chose that moment to walk in.
“Good morning,” he said, striding up to the bed and tapping his tablet as we broke off our hug. “Your father has been performing for the nurses.”
“Flirting, you mean.”
“Now, now,” Dad said. “I’m respectful.”
I rolled my eyes.
“So, Doc,” Dad went on, “are you going to let me out of this place, or do I need to stage an escape?”
Dr. Saroyan gave him a half-amused smile. “I need to run a few more tests, but if they come back the way I want them to, you’ll be out by tomorrow afternoon. Friday at the latest.”
Which meant he’d miss the show. Dad tried to hide his disappointment, but I could tell his smile was forced. I had inherited it from him.
“Any way you can speed that up?”
Dr. Saroyan looked up from his tablet. “Mr. Dante, a second heart attack at your age is serious business. I’m not releasing you until I know we’re out of the woods.”
Dad’s face fell. “It’s just . . .” He looked at me, and the light came back into his eyes. “Did you know my daughter is going to be on live national television this very evening?”
Dr. Saroyan turned to me. “Is that right?”
Dad beamed. “On Flynn & Kellar’s Live Magic Retrospective.” When Dr. Saroyan didn’t immediately respond, Dad’s smile faded. “Which is why I need to be out of here by, oh, say, five thirty.”
Dr. Saroyan shook his head. “That’s not going to happen, Mr. Dante. However”—he tapped on the tablet—“if you behave, I can arrange for you to watch it on the big screen in the doctors’ lounge. What would you say to that?”
Dad sighed. “It’ll have to do.” He looked at me again, and his disappointment seemed to melt away.
Dr. Saroyan checked Dad’s monitors, listened to his heart, and left. When the door had closed behind him, Dad reached over the bed rail and took my hand. His grip was stronger than it had been yesterday.
“You are going to be amazing, Ellie. You’ll do it better than I could have.”
I knew my heart should’ve swelled when he said that, that I should have