Chapter 2

It was dark outside the window when I finally woke up.

The doctor asked how long it had been since I had taken the poison. I could not move. All I could do was blink once.

The doctor turned to the nurse and said, "Keep trying to contact his family."

The nurse opened my phone. Yvonne was my only emergency contact.

The first call went unanswered. She declined the second and finally answered the third. "Who's this?"

Yvonne sounded furious.

In the background, Ernie was asking which dress shoes suited his best man outfit better.

The nurse glanced toward my bed. "This is Central City Hospital. Mr. Alex Shaw has been poisoned, and we're trying to resuscitate him. You need to come right away."

The line was silent for almost two full seconds before asking, "Did he put you up to this?"

"We don't have time for jokes," the nurse said.

Yvonne laughed coldly. "He was just making a scene about canceling the wedding, and he found a hospital willing to play along in just two hours."

The nurse kept her anger in check. "Mr. Shaw needs a family member here right now."

"If he wants to make a scene, he can deal with the consequences," Yvonne said coldly.

Ernie leaned toward the phone. "Hey, don't blame Yvonne. Alex was saying he was going to kill himself back at the river. Now, he's in the hospital because he's been poisoned? Any sane person would think it was a prank."

The nurse wanted to say something else, but I raised my hand a little. She held the phone to my ear.

"Alex." Yvonne's voice went cold. "You think this is funny?"

I tasted nothing but blood in my mouth as I said, "I'm not… Lying… I took… poison."

She laughed. "What kind of poison lets you talk that clearly? Vitamins?"

Laughter erupted on the other end. All of Yvonne's friends were there, waiting to see how long I would keep up the act.

"Send me the address," Yvonne said.

My heart skipped a beat.

Then she added, "I'll have my assistant send you flowers. I'll play along with your little test. When you're done acting, find your own way home."

I stared at the harsh light above me. "You told me to wait for you… the day my father died too…"

The line went quiet.

The night my father was cremated, Ernie had just had a breakup. Yvonne had promised to stay with me for the vigil, but one call from him was enough to make her leave.

She told me she would be gone for half an hour, but I sat alone until dawn.

She never came back.

"That was ages ago," she snapped at me, cutting me off. "Why are you bringing it up now?"

Ernie called out to her. "Yvonne, help me with my cuffs."

Fabric rustled over the phone as Yvonne gently told Ernie to hold still.

I had spent seven years begging her to show me that kind of care. She never had.

"I don't have time for your games," Yvonne said, picking up the phone again. "Don't forget the wedding's in three days. If you don't show up, don't expect me to marry you. Ever."

The doctor pushed open the door. The nurse saw the report in his hand, and her eyes welled with tears.

I could no longer lift my fingers. She held my phone for me as another message from Yvonne appeared.

[Did you hear me?]

With the last of my strength, I typed one last word.

[OK.]

She had lied to me once. Now, I would do the same.

I had agreed to attend the wedding. I had never promised I would still be alive for it.

The heart monitor made a long beep, and my hand slipped from the phone.

Yvonne's reply appeared on the screen almost immediately.

[Good boy.]