Winter Solstice in St. Nacho's (St. Nacho's #5) - Z.A. Maxfield Page 0,13
people but, it’s important not to be an idiot, Luke.”
“I’m not an idiot.” Suzanne could be pretty emotionally tone deaf, but she wouldn’t see that even if I pointed it out. “I’ll see you on Tuesday. Okay?”
“If you must, heave him into rehab and don’t look back. That way lies madness. Take it from someone who knows.”
“Good talk,” I murmured after she disconnected the call.
The Suzannes of the world baffled me. I would no more leave Tug to face detox and rehab by himself than I would have left him in the bathroom to die. Not because he was a friend or anything, but because he needed some help and I was in a position to help him. Someday, he’d pay it forward. Or maybe he’d succeed the next time he OD’d. What mattered to me was the thing I did.
Today. I only had to worry about today.
I must have drifted off, because the next thing I knew, Tug was pacing the room like an anxious tiger.
“What’s wrong?”
He gripped my shirt. “Why are you doing this?”
I gave a startled gasp. “I’m just trying—”
“What makes you think I need you here? Just go.”
“What?”
“You can leave any time you want. This is hopeless anyway. Save yourself the trouble. I’ll only fuck up.”
“You won’t if you don’t want to.”
“Oh, it’s so fucking easy for you, isn’t it?” he sneered. “Mr. Luke with the perfect family and the perfect life.”
“My life’s not perfect. No one’s is.”
“You hate me, hate me, hate me.” He punched the arm of my chair with each iteration. “That’s why you’re doing this, right? You hate me.”
I didn’t answer him right away. First, I was unprepared for a verbal and moderately physical attack, and second, he wasn’t rational at the moment. I did worry he might become more physical, then I’d have to reevaluate.
“What do you want to do?” I asked.
“Please get my backpack. I only need a taste so I can get through this. I can taper off. I will taper off. I promise.”
That answered one question. “You want to use?”
“You can have your girlfriend bring my bag, can’t you? What time does the library open?”
“I’m not going to ask Katie to bring you heroin, Tug.”
“C’mon. I need it. You can’t keep me prisoner here.”
“I’m not your jailer. You have other options. Do you want me to call Echo for you? You can talk to her about suboxone—”
“I don’t want your do-gooder fucking cousin’s advice, asshole. You have no fucking clue what I’m going through right now.”
“All right. Then what?” My heart rate accelerated, and my pulse pounded in my ears. “Are you saying you want to walk away? That I should let you leave, pack all this up, and walk away too?”
“I’m fucking dope sick, motherfucker. Do you even get what that’s like?” He glared at me, teeth gritted. “I can’t think until I get well.”
“There are other options for you besides natural withdrawal. Talk to Echo, tell her what you just told me.”
“I don’t want you, don’t you get it? I don’t need you, or your cousin, or anyone to be all up in my shit. I’m done here.”
“All right.” I got up and took my ear buds from him. I gathered my phone and my clothes. “I’ll leave the things I bought for you and the snacks. I have an empty duffel so you can carry them when we leave. I’ll tell the manager we’re going on the way out.”
“Wait. Just like that?” He angrily flipped the script. “Fuck you. You said you wanted to help me.”
Temper tantrum. Really? “The choice is yours, Tug. I want you to be free of the needle, but you always have a choice. Wear the clothes that are still clean and put your laundry in the bag with your other soiled things. I’ll pack you lots of water, all the Gatorade that’s left, and all the food.”
“Just because I want to make this easier, you’re quitting? Just because I want to sleep and I’m sick of shit running down my legs, you’re walking away?”
“Yes. I’ll leave if you choose to leave. If you want me to call Echo about suboxone or any other options, I can do that. While you decide, I’m going to do my best to tidy up here. Get me the—”
“I hate you, you bastard. You’re a fucking hypocrite.” He picked up one of my books and threw it against the wall. Then another. I saved my phone and tablet but let him throw everything else. The