Half truth

Chapter Six

It wasn’t fair.

I walked around my parent’s house in a haze, with that thought in mind. It just wasn’t fucking fair. Travis wrapped his arm around my shoulder and kissed the top of my head.

“You okay?”

I didn’t speak. I couldn’t. No, I wasn’t okay. My brother was in a coma. A medically induced coma, my father reminded me constantly. He was going to be okay. Mom had all of the scientific facts to back it all up, too. They’d flown in a doctor from Cleveland to treat him and nurses who worked strictly with coma-induced patients, to monitor him. Still. A coma meant I couldn’t speak to him, and he was my go-to person. Now, I was in my parent’s backyard, sitting on a chaise lounge, as the house filled with people from everywhere who had just attended the mass mom set up for him. Prayers for Lincoln’s full recovery, was what she’d asked for. Of course, I prayed too, but seriously? My brother was in a coma. They needed to get him out of it and let him heal while he was awake.

“Your parents said you may not go back to classes this semester,” he continued. Travis said I talked a lot, but he never seemed to mind voicing his opinions about my life. “Maybe you should come back to Duke. Finish school there.”

I didn’t respond.

“Mae. You need to talk to someone,” he said.

I continued to stare at the pool, where Lincoln and I took swimming lessons when we were kids. Where we hosted pool parties every year for his birthday, since it was at the end of May. Where he jumped in from the second-floor balcony of the house during a party we had while our parents were out of town and broke his nose. I felt myself smile at that memory. Idiot Lincoln. And then just as quickly, I was crying again. God, I was so tired of crying. I wiped my face quickly and looked around at everyone here. Most were our neighbors, parent’s friends, Lincoln’s friends from high school. I spotted Lana’s parents, talking to dad. They all looked somber.

“Who are those guys?” Travis asked.

I still didn’t talk, but I did glance at him and then followed his line of vision. I hadn’t seen them before, but Logan and the three guys he was always with were standing on the other side of the lawn. They were all wearing black suits, white shirts, and black ties. I must have missed them earlier. I knew I definitely hadn’t greeted them. I’d remember them. I’d definitely remember Logan. As if reading my thoughts, he looked over at me. I couldn’t be sure what he was thinking, but I could swear I saw sympathy in his eyes. It was something I normally didn’t want from anyone, but for some reason, he made his look genuine. Maybe because Logan didn’t strike me as the kind of person who gave handouts. He seemed like the kind of person who said what he meant and meant what he said. I could appreciate that.

“Are you hungry?” Travis asked.

I shrugged. I was starving, I just wasn’t sure I could keep any food down.

“I’m hungry.” He stood up. “I’ll go get us food. Stay right here.”

He walked away. I stayed there, staring out at the pool again. It wasn’t hot enough to go in there, but the only thing I could manage to think about was jumping in there, dress, heels, and all. Maybe I’d get hypothermia and end up in the hospital next to my brother. Maybe I could wait there until he woke up. My phone buzzed in my lap.

Unknown Caller: She’s out there. She’s still out there.

Dread crept into my belly as I stared at the ominous text.

Me: Who? Who is this?

No response.

I dialed the number and got a loud dial tone. “The number you are calling has been disco

I pulled the phone away from my ear slowly and pressed the red button to end the call. They’d just texted me. She’s out there. She’s still out there. Who? Who was still out there? Lana? I glanced over at her parents. Her mother was now crying in my father’s arms as he patted her back softly. They’d known each other a long time, her father being dad’s accountant and all, but I never knew they were this close. Maybe it was the grief. Grief knew how to bring people together.