Page 85 of Unbearable
A cool breeze blows through my room, chilling me as I curl into my pillow. When I open my eyes, I realize I left my window cracked this morning but the haze remains in my room.
Rawley left at some point and I’m left staring at the window, wondering what to make of earlier this morning.
I think of Tyler immediately and everything he said to me last night. I go over it all, every word and analyze it for its meaning. I’m also reminded, a stirring deep in my chest that I shouldn’t have let him leave last night. There was something off. He wasn’t drunk but the look in his eyes and the way he was shaking, it just wasn’t right. My concern though had been overridden by my need to protect myself and I ignored it. I’d selfishly wanted him gone so I’d pushed aside my own concern and let him go.
I startle when my phone rings. As sad as it sounds, no one calls me anymore. Most communication with my family and friends is through text. Maybe it’s Tyler. He said not to answer his texts, but what if he calls?
Sliding one arm out from under my blanket, I stretch across the bed for the phone. Peeking at the screen, I see it’s Red.
Groaning dramatically into the receiver, I roll onto my back and stare at the ceiling. “Why are you calling me this early?”
“It’s ten in the morning, Raven.” He snorts. “Have you talked to Tyler lately?”
My stomach jumps at his name, an indication that his effect on me will never go away. “Why?”
“He didn’t show up for work.” The sounds of air tools and a lift being raised drown him out and it’s everything I can do to hear him. “Have you talked to him or not? I don’t have time. We’re fuckin’ swamped.”
My heart pounds erratically, pressing the phone to my ear, struggling to hear him. “Well yeah, I saw him last night. He left about three.”
Red’s quiet for a second and I hear him drop something. “Fuck. Did he say where he was going when he left? I went upstairs and the place is empty aside from an empty fifth of whiskey. He’s nevernotcome to work. Do you have any idea where he may have gone?”
Sitting up, I swing my legs over the side of my bed. “Well, no, he left pissed off. We were arguing most of the night and when he left I just assumed he was headed home.”
“Okay, I gotta go and call around. See if I can track his ass down.”
“Wait, let me know when you find him.”
“Yeah, sure.”
Scrambling around my room, I throw on a pair of jeans and my Ducks hoodie and head for the door. I don’t know where I’m going but I can’t just sit in Eugene not knowing where he is or if he’s okay.
That feeling I couldn’t shake when I woke takes over and roots itself deep in my chest. It hurts, a painful twist thinking he’s out there, possibly hurt because I didn’t take the time to make sure he was okay before he left.
I know he’s an adult and is perfectly capable of taking care of himself but still, this is Tyler we’re talking about and I’m always going to care. Always. Regardless of anything that’s said or done between us. It’s different with him.
I’m ten minutes outside of Eugene on the I-5 heading toward Lebanon when I hear my ringtone. Reaching inside my purse, I dig around for my cell phone, desperate to answer it before it stops ringing.
When I glance at the screen, I see it’s Lenny calling and my hands shake as I bring the phone to my ear. “Lenny, tell me he’s okay.” There’s silence on the other end. I think I hear her sniffle but I’m too wound up to really notice.
“I don’t know, Raven. His mom literally just called the shop and told Red that Tyler was in an accident. They wouldn’t give her much information over the phone other than he was airlifted to Portland.”
Airlifted?Oh God. It must be serious.Red was airlifted after he was shot and he nearly died.
“Did they say how badly he’s hurt? Is he okay?”
She’s hesitant to answer. I know she’s struggling with the same fears I am because of what happened with Red. “Didn’t say. Red’s on his way to the hospital. I’m just waiting for Jude and Eldon to come down and help with the shop so I can leave.”
“Lenny—” My voice breaks. “Please, if you know something, anything, I need you to tell me. How badly was he hurt? Is he gonna be okay?”
She pauses again and it’s excruciating. “I’m telling you the truth, I don’t know. She didn’t say. Just that he was airlifted.”
“I’ll meet you at the hospital,” I tell her.
“No, pick me up. I’m gonna have Mia pick Nova up from school.”
“Yeah, sure. Be there in like forty-five minutes.”
I’m doing eighty on the freeway and I know I shouldn’t be, but I can just tell the cop it’s an emergency, right?
