“Nothing’s wrong with me,” he shrugs. “But he did insult me, and then ignored me for nearly ten years, just to come back and ask for my help like nothing happened. I don’t enjoy his pain, but I’m the best option he has. You can think I’m a bastard or whatever you want, I’m happy to be the one who hurts him if it means he’ll get a bit better in the long run. But no matter who treats him, he’s going to be in a lot of pain if the physical therapy is done right.”
My ears are ringing and blood rushes to my face.
“I did say I was sorry…” Jack mumbles.
“You did. If you didn’t, I wouldn’t even have offered to treat you.” Even as he answers Jack, his eyes don’t leave mine and it makes my jaw clench. After a too long silence, he finally turns his face towards Jack. “You can expect some pain in your calves and lower spine. Take some pain medication in about two hours, but if the pain intensifies, call me and I’ll come back around five this afternoon.”
Jack nods with a small shy smile. “Will do.”
The sound of the front door makes us all turn around to see Evie and Ikram walk inside the house with grocery bags. Well, I guess Jack gave them a key to the house… And I guess it makes sense since they are helping him with a lot of things. I can’t help but feel a little threatened though. They are the new bookshelves…
They wave at us with bright smiles and walk to the kitchen, bickering with one another. Ugh, I both hate and love that they seem so nice.
“Evie and Ikram are the best of their team,” Nate says to Jack, “and I think Jack and Diego will be on call for the week-ends.”
“Another Jack?” My brother asks with surprise.
“Short for Jacqueline,” Nate explains. “For the night, it will depend on who’s on call, but their facilities are just a few miles away and they can be here in about five minutes for emergencies.”
Jack nods, and after a few seconds Nate places my sketchbook on the lounge chair next to my thigh, bringing my attention back to him. Our eyesmeet again. What’s his problem? Why does he keep staring at me like my mere existence annoys him?
Is she really worth the trouble?The old memory rings in my head, sending a pang of hurt in my chest.
Oh, wait…
What if he wanted to be alone with Jack? What if I’m interrupting their reunion and my presence prevents them from fixing things and making up? Or… Oh. What if… What if he’s gay too now? What if back in university he was just locking himself in the closet by screwing half of the campus female population and now he’s out? And now he wants Jack? Oh god, am I cockblocking my own brother?
“I have to get going,” he says to Jack, dropping my gaze, and I feel like I can finally breathe. “I’ll see you tomorrow if you’re doing alright. But call around five if the calves and spine pain persist.”
“I will. Thank you, Nate.”
He nods and turns around after giving me another weird glance. As soon as he leaves, Jack slaps me on the forearm and I hiss with a frown.
“Hey! What was that for, you crazy animal?”
“What’s your problem?”
“Myproblem? What’s your problem?”
“I’m trying to fix things, you lunatic!” he whisper-yells. “And if you keep insinuating to his face that he is a sadistic bastard, that’s not going to work out well for my plan!”
I let out a dumbfounded, nearly hysterical laugh. “Yourplan? What’s that supposed to mean?”
“I want my friend back! And if you—”
“Well, maybe you should have thought about this before you insulted him ten years ago!”
He frowns at me. “Nine. It was barely over nine years ago.”
“Oh, whatever, you big stubborn baby!”
He gasps with wide eyes and I hold a laugh. I manage to hold it until he explodes in laughter himself, and now we’re both chuckling like children who just read a stupid joke on a candy wrapper.
“Oh god, I am a big stubborn baby, am I?” He finally says, releasing an amused sigh.
“You’re not that big,” I stand up, grabbing my sketchbook. “More like a frail stubborn baby.”
He brings his hand to his chest in a dramatic way. “Ouch. Mean.”
