Bloodline [h.s.]

twenty-six.

BRIDGET GALLAGHER

Everyone was acting... strange to say the least. My parents had never been affectionate. Yet, I didn't realise how much they actually didn't care about me until now. I had been back for a week without even a phone call from them. Peter told me they were trying to give me space, but something was off. Even Cara, who was in Italy until next month, was calling twice a day. Especially now, I missed having her bubbly energy and inappropriate jokes to lighten up serious situations.

Jacob was being weird too. Whenever we spoke, it was like he was trying to not say something. He seemed afraid to touch me or leave me alone for too long. This was all understandable, but I wished so badly he would just talk to me.

As I washed some dishes piling up in his sink, he came down the stairs dressed for the today with a sad look on his face.

"What's wrong?" I asked, shutting off the faucet.

"Come here." He said. My feet swiftly carried me over to him.

He immediately pulled me into him, engulfing my senses with his presence. My arms wrapped around his waist as I looked up to his eyes. The embrace felt like he meant it more for me than him as if he was preparing me for something.

"What's going on?" I asked again as my nerves began to climb.

"You should sit." He backed up to sit on the stairs.

"I don't want to sit. Just tell me." I grew impatient.

"Peter and I didn't want to tell you right away. I thought I would just tell you when you asked. Your parents wanted to wait until you were ready, but I don't think there's time for that. You deserve to know." He said, sitting with his elbows on his spread knees.

"What are you talking about?" I asked. But in the back of my head, I knew. It was the question I had been too scared to ask this whole time. It's not that I wasn't thinking about her. Fear of the answer crippled me into not asking at all.

"You need to see Megan. She's not doing well." He spoke delicately, circling his thumbs around my wrists while he released a bullet into my chest.

"What do you mean 'not doing well?'"

"She hasn't been eating. She's declining." He said vaguely.

"But she's going to be fine, right?" I asked desperately, knowing he couldn't promise me that. The need for some assurance got the best of me.

"Bee," he said softly. His knees pressed against my legs, pulling me closer.

"Please, just tell me what they told you. Don't hide it to protect me." I pleaded.

"We don't know what's going to happen. The doctors are doing everything possible..." he trailed off.

"Can we go now to see her? If you have to work, I can drive myself–"

"Yes, of course. I'm not letting you go alone. I'm staying with you as long as you want me. Work can wait. I already discussed it with Nick."

The car ride to the hospital was painfully quiet. There was more he wasn't telling me. The words he wasn't saying blared so loud that it made my ears ring. I had expected the weirdness to dissolve after we talked about Megan. I was so sure that was all he was keeping from me. Clearly, that wasn't the case.