Total pages in book: 80
Estimated words: 78007 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 390(@200wpm)___ 312(@250wpm)___ 260(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 78007 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 390(@200wpm)___ 312(@250wpm)___ 260(@300wpm)
“Thank you for coming. I’m…I’m so glad to see you,” Montgomery says. Dad says? I don’t even know how to think of him. It’s already getting all mixed up in my head.
I don’t know what I’m going to say until the words fall out of my mouth. “Are you going to be okay?”
“Yes. I am. I promise. I have both of my boys in the same room with me for the first time in my life, and I guarantee you, I’m going to stick around to make sure that happens as often as you’ll allow.”
I nod, words a traffic jam in my throat. I never believed anything this man said to me, but this time…this time I do, and I want to see what’s going to happen on the other side of it.
“You must be Perry’s boyfriend, Theo,” Dad says. “Ty told me all about you. It’s nice to meet you. Thank you so much for coming with Perry and supporting him.”
My breathing comes out easier and easier. I’d imagined him not being able to speak, not being awake, but other than all the tubes, machines, and how tired he looks, he seems okay.
“It’s nice to meet you too, sir, and…I’ll always support him,” Theo says strongly.
He will. I know that as much as I know I’ll be taking my next breath.
There’s a brief knock on the sliding door before it opens. A Black woman with braids—a doctor, going by the name tag—steps in. “Wow. We’ve got a full room.”
“These are my sons, Ty and Perry, and their partners, Braxton and Theo,” Dad says proudly…proudly. I always knew he would be proud of Ty, but I think he’s proud of me too.
“It’s good to have family with you, but you must have pulled some strings to get this many of them in here with you.” She cocks a brow. “Can I speak freely in front of them?”
“Yes.” Dad’s voice trembles on the simple word.
“Your labs and EKG indicate you likely had a minor heart attack. We’re going to take you straight to the cath lab for more testing. Depending on what they find there, you might need a stent put in.”
“What’s that?” Ty asks.
“It’s to help open an artery if there’s a blockage. I’m not saying there is, but they’ll be able to find out more information there.”
We all nod, quiet. The doctor tells Dad a few other things, then asks if we have questions, which none of us do.
“They’ll be in to get you in a few minutes.” She slips out of the room.
“Dad, I—” I’m sorry. I want to try to have a relationship with you. I’m good at tech like you…
“I know,” he tells me as if I said any of those things out loud. “But we’re not going to talk right now. All I’m going to say is I love you.” He looks at me, then at Ty, before turning to me again. “Both of you. And when I get out of this hospital, we’ll talk and say all the things that need to be said.”
I nod, let out a shaky breath, and find the words I’ve always known were inside me but tried to pretend they weren’t, the ones I was too scared to say because speaking them gave him too much power. “I love you too, Dad.”
CHAPTER TWENTY-SEVEN
Theo
Perry’s dad does end up needing a stent put in. We stay at the hospital while the procedure takes place, and Perry hardly lets go of my hand the whole time. Even when he calls his mom to tell her what’s happening, he keeps his cell phone in one hand and the other in mine.
“Yeah…me and Theo are here with Ty and Brax.” He listens, then adds, “He hasn’t left my side.” More listening. “Oh my God, Mom.” Perry pulls the cell away from his ear and holds it out to me. “She wants to talk to you.”
I smile.
“Look a little happy there, Puppy.” Perry nudges me playfully, then sets his head on my shoulder. I take the phone and hold it to my other ear.
“Hello?”
“Hi, Theo. I just wanted to thank you for being there with Perry. He’s not good at asking for help or needing anyone, but I know how much he counts on you, how much he cares about you, and it means the world to me that he has someone with him he can depend on.”
My chest suddenly feels fuller. “I care about him too. And no matter what he needs, I’ll be here for him.” He’s changed my life, but I’m not sure that’s something I should be telling his mom right now.
“Oh, you boys are so sweet. I can’t wait to meet you. Get my phone number from Perry, and if anything happens, please let me know.”
“I will. Thank you, Ms. McClain.”