I drop him back to his feet. “If you tell me the truth, then I might be able to help you.”
“How will you help me? I don’t understand.”
“I’ll pay for you to do a proper rehab, to put your life back on track.”
“Why the hell would you do that for me?” He shrinks away from me. “You hate me.”
“Jodi doesn’t hate you though. She’s always wanted to help you. Even after everything.”
Thank God he looks sheepish. “I know. Jodi’s a much better person than I deserve to have in my life.”
“Yeah, she sure is, and she might well be saving your sorry ass again. Through me.”
He pauses for a moment before nodding. “Okay, rehab. I’m willing to give that a try.”
“I’m not paying for it unless I really do believe that you’re going to do it.”
“I have to. To repay Jodi and for my parents as well. They would hate to see what I’ve become.” A tear splashes on his chest. “They wanted me to do something with my life, and I’ve fucked it all up.”
I see a sincerity in him that I’m sure he hasn’t shown in a very long time. “Okay, let’s go.”
“What, now? You want to take me right now?”
“Yes. No time like the present. It’s time for you to begin getting well again.”
Surprisingly, I feel good about my choice. This is the right thing to do. Maybe not my first choice, but it’ll bring me some good karma, and since Jodi and I are so happy, it’s only right to spread that joy. Even to the most undeserving people in the world. Who knows, maybe one day this will all come out good . . .
* * *
I stare up at the facility one last time before getting into my car. There’s a lightness to my chest as I do. Lucas really is a mess, but if Jodi can see good in him, then there must be some in there.
Ring, ring . . . ring, ring . . .
“Oh, hey, Jodi, I was just going to call you. You’ll never guess where I’ve been today.”
“Brock,” she pants desperately, sounding like she’s in agony. “I’m at the hospital.”
“You are?” My heart sinks. Maybe karma isn’t coming my way after all. “What happened?”
“The baby. I tried to call you, but I couldn’t get through. The baby is coming.”
“Oh my God, now?” I bring the car to life and grab the steering wheel. “Right now?”
“Yes, Millie is here with me, but I need you. Will you come?”
“Of course I will. I’m on my way. Hold on, I’ll put you on speaker phone while I drive.”
“Yeah, okay. I need to talk to you to keep me distracted through the pain.”
r />
I pull out of the parking lot and speed out onto the road, my heart hammering as I do. “Is everything okay?”
“No, no.” She pauses to groan through some pain. I hate the way it sounds like agony is tearing through her body. I should be there to help her already. Fucking Lucas. “Don’t talk about me. That will just remind me of how much it hurts. Tell me about you. Where are you? Where have you been?”
She needs a distraction, and this is sure as hell going to be one! I reel off the story about bumping into Lucas and sending him to rehab to get help as I drive. Jodi is silent aside from the yelling through the contractions, so I don’t exactly know how she feels about what I’ve done, but I keep on talking anyway. Even if she hates me for doing something so wild, at least it seems to be giving her something else to think about.
“You did that?” she finally gushes. “You really did that for Lucas?”