Chapter 2 No Boundaries

Queenie's face fell. "Don't you threaten me with a breakup, Zacharias McGrace."

I didn't turn back as I left the house. I saw her coming after me before the elevator door slid shut, but all it took was Blake calling her name softly to make her stop in her tracks.

When I came home, I found my parents still seated around the dining table, waiting for someone who wouldn't come. The food had been reheated three times. My mother didn't look the slightest bit happy, and she was looking at my father with worry in her eyes.

My father had just had bypass surgery done, and he hadn't slept too well the night before because he was so excited to see Queenie.

They noticed me coming home alone and immediately rose from their seats. "Where's Queenie?"

I hid my hand behind my back. "Something came up."

My mother was stunned, while my father forced a smile. "It's okay. You young 'uns do tend to be busy. We understand. We can have dinner some other time."

My parents were helplessly coming up with excuses for her, and I felt my throat tightening up. Still, I didn't tell them about the breakup for fear that it would strain their already frail health.

Instead, I said, "I'm going back home in a couple of days. Maybe stay there for a while."

My mother held my hand. "Did you two get into a fight?"

"No." I took the cake off the table. "I just miss you guys."

The doorbell rang an hour later. I was filling up a cardboard box with Queenie's stuff, but I answered the door anyway. Blake was outside, holding an orange cat. I could see rashes climbing up his neck, and the edges of his eyes were red.

"I've got the cat with me, Zacharias. Please don't stay mad at me."

The cat was thrashing in his arms, and it scratched him until his wrists were covered in red marks.

Queenie came running out of the elevator, and she didn't look happy at all. She took the cat away. "Are you out of your mind, Blake? You're allergic to cats, yet you held one?"

Blake shed more tears. "I just want Zacharias to believe me."

Queenie swiveled and stared daggers at me. "Are you happy now?"

My mother was shocked. "What is going on?"

I was going to say something, but Blake clutched his chest and fell to his knees. Queenie rushed to support him. "Blake!" she cried out in alarm.

Then, she roared at me, "Get the car keys! We're going to the hospital!"

My parents were panicking. I followed Queenie downstairs in case I worried my folks any more than I already had. Still, I wasn't blind to how she let Blake lean on her shoulder during the entire trip.

Blake's eyes were closed, and he muttered, "Please don't blame me, Zacharias."

Queenie chastised him quietly, "Stop pushing yourself. I can't face Zacharias if anything happens to you."

She wasn't really mad at him. If anything, she was heartbroken for him.

Blake was carted into the ER as soon as we got to the hospital. I stood outside the door, the wound on my hand tearing open again. It took her until that point to notice. She frowned and took my hand. "Why's it still bleeding?"

I wanted to pull my hand away from her, but she held down the bandage and softened up. "Stop throwing a tantrum. Yes, I'm sorry for what I did." Then, she placed some keys in my hand. I froze.

Queenie stood on her tiptoe and kissed my forehead. "I have everything arranged. I'll move Blake to the house right across yours so you'll stop thinking we crossed the line. You can see us whenever you want."

I froze. This woman thought that gesture of hers could make up for the hurt she'd caused me.

"He can't live alone in this state. You're his best friend, so you can take care of him. Your folks are here, too. They can cook, right? Tell them to cook for Blake when his stomach acts up."

I stared at her in disbelief, as though she'd just told me that the world was coming to an end in ten seconds. My parents' health had started to fail last winter, so I wanted to move them someplace closer to me. I wanted to move them into the place across from hers.

I was fine with paying the rent for them. All I wanted was to stay close to her as it would make it easier for me to take care of my parents.

When I told her about my plans, she frowned. "We just went steady. It feels like we're moving too fast if your parents are living across from us. I don't like our elders keeping an eye on us all the time."

I deleted the real estate agent's number after that, leaving my parents to stay in our hometown.

Yet, this woman was moving Blake into that same house that I wanted for my parents, and she expected my parents to cook for him. I slammed the keys back into her chest. "Do you think my family's a pushover, Queenie?"

Her expression went cold. "Are you seriously throwing another tantrum? Have you forgotten everything Blake has done for you? He drank for you in all those wine-and-dine. He grabbed the meds you needed when you were sick.

"All we did was lie a little to you, and you're going to hold the moral high ground over him?"

I looked at her. "Whose girlfriend are you, really?"

That stopped her short, but she reined in her fury as she answered, "Yours, but you'll break his heart if he heard that. Go in there and apologize when he wakes up."

I laughed. "You expect me to apologize to him?"

"Yes." She stared at me and added solemnly, "He's hospitalized for an allergy. I don't want to think you're a heartless man."

I turned to leave, but she grabbed my wrist.

"If you leave right now, I'll make you pay for this."