There’s no way I can drive myself, so I call a cab. I sit on the front step, letting the warm, moist air revive me. I feel sorry for the cab driver, a young guy who can probably smell me from across the lawn. He says nothing about it, though, and so, after he drops me off in front of Luna’s place, I give him a hundred-dollar tip. He’s so shocked that when I ask if he’ll help me into her store for another hundred, he tells me he’ll do it for free. I give him the money anyway. He’s done me a good turn, and one good turn deserves another.
Luna appears as I stumble my way in. I all but freaking collapse against a counter, catching myself with my hands this time before sliding down to the ground to land on my ass. It’s a significant improvement over falling on my face, let me tell you for sure—times a hundred.
“Tor!” Lu’s warm palm is on my forehead before I have time to blink. She kneels in front of me with her brow scrunched up with worry. “What on earth?”
“You told me to get my butt down here,” I rasp in a hoarse voice. “So I did. I couldn’t have you thinking I was lying to you, blowing you off, or bailing. I promised I’d never bail on you and Milo. I’m here, Lu. For good.”
“Good grief, you could have called! I told you to message.”
“But you did say getting my butt down here would be preferable.”
“That’s it!” Luna feels my forehead again. “You’re not fevered, but you don’t look good.” Her eyes rake over me. “Have you lost weight? Goodness, you’ve definitely lost weight. Why didn’t you go to the hospital?”
“I…I hate those places.”
“I know that, but Tor! You could have called a doctor. You’re rich, so you could have had one come to the house.”
“What could they have done anyway? It just has to run its course.”
“They could have given you an IV, something to keep you hydrated, and they could have given you something for the pain and nausea. God, why didn’t I call one? Why didn’t I come over?”
“Because when I texted you, I told you this was like the apocalypse of all plaguey sicknesses and that you should stay away at all costs?”
“I shouldn’t have listened.” She clucks at herself, and I can see how worried she is.
It makes my heart ache, but my chest also swells because she’s looking at me with so much love. Love. She still loves me. Aside from feeling like death ran over me repeatedly with multiple buses and tanks, I feel…I feel great! Better than great. You know, aside from the buses and tanks.
Luna clucks like a chicken again. “That’s it. I’m taking you home, and I’m going to call a doctor. Milo has a nanny until at least six, so I can stay till then.”
“No, Lu, your store…I’ll be fine. Just as soon as I get off the floor here.” I have to rest my head back against the counter after saying this, though, because I’m just so exhausted.
“The store doesn’t matter,” she says sharply.
She leans in and kisses me on the forehead. Yes, she actually kisses me. And trust me, I know I don’t smell like a basket of roses right now. It’s more like a basket of sweaty, pukey, shit-scented cactus. Yet, Luna doesn’t seem to care. She brushes my hair away, and god, her hand feels so amazing—her touch, all of her. I’ve missed her.
“It does matter,” I argue in a thready tone.
“You matter. I never said anything to Milo, Tor. I promise. I’m sorry I had doubts.”
“You have a right. I don’t have a good track record.”
“No, I don’t have a right. I don’t want to be doubting every time something happens.”
“There’s bound to be bumps along the way.” I swallow thickly and rasp some more reassurances. “I’m not mad. I completely understand. Trust is hard, and neither one of us is perfect. We’ll get there, though. I know we will.”
“I’m an idiot. I left you all alone.”
“You’re not an idiot. I could have called a doctor, just like you said.”
She huffs. “Yes, well, I’m taking you home right this instant and putting you back to bed. I’ll also call and make sure someone comes. We’re a family now, so we look after each other.”
A family. Us. Me, Luna, and Milo. My heart nearly leaps from my chest to do a series of backflips. Clearly, the sucker has more energy than I do.
“The minivan?” I gasp. “I don’t think I can do it no matter how on death’s door I feel like.”
“Don’t say that!”
“The minivan hate or the death door bit?”
Luna makes a disgusted noise at me. “Both. Don’t insult my van. Old Betty will be with me until she dies. And since she’s a van, she’s capable of being resurrected as long as I can find parts.”