“I’ll sort it out, Blake, okay? Just try to rest. I’ll be there soon.” Her voice was docile, a fatigue that couldn’t just be from the flight with how she simultaneously began massaging her temples one handed.
She didn’t look at me when she quietly took her hand from my grasp, stood and reached overhead to retrieve our bags. However, just as I could read her reasons for needing touch, I also knew now we’d landed it was all too real for her.
Brushing her hair from her face, readjusting her top, swiping across her eyes – rote movements matched with a sigh. She was teetering, her mind moving too quickly for this tiny space.
Standing, I took the next bag from her hands and placed it on the seat next to me.
“Look at me,” I breathed so only she could hear. There weren’t many passengers left, but I knew she wouldn’t want anyone to know her business, to know she wasn’t as carefree as she liked to portray. “Let’s get off the plane, organise a car andwewill sort this out, okay. I’m here, which means we will get everything sorted.” I implored her to open the eyes she had firmly closed. To loosen the all too tight grip of her hands and to trust I would support her.
She didn’t speak or look at me again, only nodding, with a soft tap against my chest. And somehow the lack of eye-contact and the defeatist hunch of her shoulders hurt more than anything.
Given this was my first time on a plane and therefore my first trip to another country, you’d think I would have been more interested in the views of the snow-capped mountains or the frozen lakes. Interested in the way we had to wait half an hour while they dumped the snow into melters so we could leave. Snow. Something I’d never even seen before, despite always wanting to go. Despite begging my parents, money wasn’t always in surplus and so holidays weren’t extravagant.
But none of those things registered because Shelby didn’t speak on the trip to the hospital other than to give the driver the name of our destination. The woman who could talk under water, was quiet and that took all my focus.
When we eventually arrived, I was mildly reassured when she linked her arm through mine. I’d been a burden to her since we left Australia which was the exact opposite of what I intended. She’d had to relax me on the flight, despite my best intentions to remain calm. She’d been the one to manoeuvre us through the airport and secure us transport here.
I’d booked a ticket for myself so I could be there for her. Support her. And, maybe a bit selfishly, because I wasn’t ready to say goodbye. Not so suddenly anyway. I’d planned for another month or two with her and the impromptu departure threw me.
“We’ll find Blake and then I need to sort whatever issues he has,” she leant against my arm while we waited for the lift, and it was allI could do not to pull her into my arms and tell her I would take care of everything. Now that we weren’t 35,000 feet in the air, I could manage it all. But I knew based on things she’d said, taking control was where she would find her peace and comfort right now, so I remained quiet.
Nodding, I followed her into the lift and then through what felt like four days’ worth of corridors before we paused outside a room with Blake Hudson written in black scrawl on the small whiteboard hanging on the door.
She paused, sighing upwards in exasperation, before she pushed her shoulders back and entered.
Blake was asleep in the bed and other than the IV drip he was hooked up to, he looked peaceful. After the unexpected, middle of the night flight, I was nearly jealous of his position and couldn’t wait to shower and crash as soon as we could.
Shelby quietly parked her suitcase at the door before walking over to her younger brother and gently tapping his cheek three times. If that didn’t wake him, the rhythmic clatter of her rainbow bangles did, and I bit back a smile. I liked the cascade of delicate chimes when she was wearing them. I was never surprised by her presence and when she was moving around close by, the tinkering was oddly calming.
“Took you long enough,” he said sleepily, and her face transformed into the smile I knew and loved.
“You couldn’t look after yourself for a few months? You’re such a baby.” She teased and he smiled before turning towards me in the doorway. His brows pulled in as his gaze darted back to his sister before returning to me.
“Corbin?”
“In the flesh,” I smiled, walking over to shake his outstretched hand. Even if I hadn’t seen photos of him over the years, I would have spotted the sibling resemblance through the similarities in their eyes and colouring. “Coincidentally I have business over here,” I lied,noticing the slight raise of Shelby’s brows. “Plus, I've always wanted to come to Canada,” I finished lamely. I ignored the piercing glare which I knewmy reasonwas currently throwing at me as if she wasn’t why I was here. Wasn’t who I felt I needed to be with if even just for a little longer.
“Well, it’s good to finally meet the infamous Corbin,” he said jovially, and it felt as though I was missing something. “Heard a lot about you and don’t remember much about my time in Australia.” He added for good measure and when Shelby flicked him on the ear, I grinned. It was clear she adored her brother.
“Good things I hope,” I replied with a wink at Shelbs.
“Great things,” Blake said and before he could elaborate, she cut him off.
“So, what the heck happened?”
“Can we first acknowledge how tanned you are? Or how you’ve been? Always so serious.”
“Don’t you joke right now.” She snapped in a tone which even made me stand up taller. Just when my dick was starting to forget about the feel of her soft hand, she went and spoke with a sternness like that. Well, well, well…
“Cole and I headed to another snowfield, not too far from Aurora Ridge,” he shrugged. “Had a couple of days leave, but on the drive home I started to feel like shit. Like someone was punching me from the inside. Thought it was from the roadside burger I ate as the cramping was intense, but then it felt as though my stomach was going to burst. Some lady stopped and called an ambulance. And here I am, minus my appendix.”
“What the – Wait, where was Cole?”
“We drove separately. You know what his old man is like, he had to leave early anyway,” Blake answered, and Shelby nodded as though that made sense to her.
“I’m sorry I wasn’t here,” she sounded miserable, her hand reaching for his.
“You might not feel that way for long,” he winced.
