Page 68 of His to Cherish
Chapter 14
I entered the room hesitantly, but I might as well have announced my arrival with a blaring air horn.
Two sets of eyes snapped in my direction and Beth jumped to her feet, rushed over, and threw her arms around me.
I kept my eyes on Shane as Beth’s arms squeezed so tight I was afraid what little breakfast I’d had might end up on her shirt.
“Thank you for coming,” she whispered into my shoulder.
In front of me, Shane’s expression was blank and uncaring. He took in his mom hugging me before turning toward the television hanging in the corner.
It was off, but he stared at it as if the most fascinating show were on.
My heart splintered into fragments at the lost and sad look in his eyes.
“You’re welcome,” I finally replied to Beth. I moved my hands to her upper arms and gently peeled her off me. “What can I do for you?”
Her hand dropped to my wrist and she tugged me toward the door. With a frantic look, as if Shane were going to evaporate into thin air if she left the room, she told him we were leaving for a minute.
“We’ll be right outside, though,” she assured him.
Shane didn’t respond, and Beth’s shoulders slumped forward with defeat.
“C’mon,” I whispered, opening the door and ushering her through. Once we were in the hallway, I rested a shoulder against the wall. “What happened?”
In front of me, the always perfectly coiffed Beth Johnson broke down. Her eyes watered and tears began falling down her cheeks before she could answer. Her shoulders shook and I pulled her into my arms, wrapping her in another hug, but his time I didn’t let go.
I let her sob and wail, her grief and her fear apparent and filling the hallway with devastation.
“Beth,” I said, rubbing her hair and trying to comfort her. “What happened?”
She sniffed, eventually her shoulders stopped shaking, and she pulled back, wiping her cheeks. I gave her all the time she needed.
“Overdose,” she answered, her chin still trembling.
My hand flew to my mouth, covering the gasp, and my own eyes began to water. “What? How?”
She shook her head. “We don’t know and we…they don’t…the doctors…” She struggled again, her voice breaking until she inhaled a deep breath. “They don’t know if it was intentional or not.”
Suicide attempt?
My skin chilled with the thought…the fear of Shane doing something so horrible. He screamed of pain, but I had never thought he was in that bad of shape. I should have done something earlier, spoken up to the guidance counselor, insisted he went in for help.
I should have done more.Guilt raged in me as Beth began to cry again.
“I’m not sure. The hospital called me in the middle of the night to tell me he’d been brought into the emergency room. Apparently he was at a friend’s last night and found some pills…”
Oh God. My hand dropped to my chest and I rubbed the aching cramp inside that was squeezing my heart.
Turning my head, I looked at Shane through the small window next to his door. His head was back against his bed, his eyes open and staring at the ceiling. He looked like he’d completely given up, drained of all energy and hope.
“What do you want from me?” I asked Beth, not looking back at her over my shoulder.
“He talks to you.”
I shook my head. “Not about this.”
“Please,” she pleaded behind me. Her desperation seeped off of her, like she truly believed I was her only hope to help her son. “Just talk to him, see if he’ll talk to you about what’s going on in his head so I can get him help.” I could almost taste her pain when she continued. “They have him here, but they can’t keep him past tomorrow if he doesn’t start talking. I could have him committed, but if he doesn’t need it…”
