Chapter 4

Once Mom was done with her exam, I took her hand and led her toward the parking lot.

Someone came running up behind us, his heavy footsteps accompanied by ragged breaths.

Brandon hurried around to block our path. He had changed into an ordinary jacket, his hair was disheveled from running, and he stretched his arm out to stop me from opening the door.

"Hannah, let me drive you home. I'll explain what happened later."

He then turned and addressed Mom, saying, "Mrs. Murphy, I'm sorry I kept you waiting all morning."

The back of Mom's heel had been rubbed raw, and she stood with most of her weight shifted onto her left foot.

I nodded, and she climbed into the back seat. As I walked around to the other side of the car, Brandon's phone rang.

My hand had just closed around the door handle when he glanced at the screen and hesitated. Alana's name lit up the screen.

Silence filled the car for several seconds. Then, her broken sobs echoed from the speaker.

"Brandon… My mom passed out again. I'm all alone at the hospital, and I'm scared…"

Brandon tightened his grip on the phone before turning to look at me.

His expression changed. There was no guilt on his face, only the weary irritation of someone thinking, "Here we go again."

His eyebrows drew together, and his jaw clenched briefly before relaxing. He looked like a man making a decision he had made countless times before.

"Hannah," he began, softening his voice. "Just this once, wait for me here. I'll go check on her and come right back."

"That's what you said yesterday," I countered.

"That was different. This is a real situation, and someone's life could be at risk."

He leaned forward and tapped his fingers against the steering wheel. "Can you please be reasonable for once?"

A strained smile tugged at the corner of my mouth as I looked him dead in the eye.

"The day before yesterday, you were at the pet center live-streaming a cat's ultrasound while my mom spent the entire morning waiting by herself at the hospital.

"Yesterday, you invited us to dinner to apologize. But the moment Alana's mom passed out, you ran to the hospital without a second thought. You didn't even bother telling us.

"Today, you promised to drive my mom home, and now, Alana's mom has passed out again. Her cat comes before me. Her mom comes before me. Everything involving her family will always matter more to you than anything involving mine."

Brandon frowned and lowered his voice even further, speaking to me with the patronizing patience someone might use on an unreasonable child.

"Hannah, I understand that you're upset, but Alana's mom really did pass out. I have to check on her. You and Mrs. Murphy can wait in the car. I'll see how she's doing, and then I'll come back and drive you home. There's still plenty of time."

"Plenty of time?" I repeated. "That's what you say every time."

"Hannah, don't do this. If you stop me from going and something bad happens to her, how am I supposed to live with that? Can't you put up with this one more time?"

His thumb was already hovering over the screen. With his head tilted toward me, he waited for me to give him permission.

"No," I said. "I can't."

He stared at me, his mouth tightening into a thin line. His hand paused over the gear.

When he spoke again, his tone was noticeably harder. "Then, take a taxi home with your mom. I'll explain everything later."

As soon as the words left his mouth, he seemed relieved to be done with the argument. He lowered his head and began scrolling through his contacts. His movements were quick and practiced, as though he had done this countless times before.

"You don't have to explain anything."

I opened the passenger door and stepped out, then walked around and opened the back door.

"Mom, let's go."

Mom braced one hand against the seat as she climbed out and came to stand beside me. The car door caught the edge of her jacket, so she gently pulled it free and smoothed the fabric flat.

Brandon pushed open his door and leaned out. "Hannah, stop making a scene—"

I tightened my grip on Mom's hand. "Brandon, we're done."