Past Forward- A Serial Novel: Episode 16 (19 page)

At five o
’
clock, Todd arrived with a bag of clothes from Chad
’
s mother.
“
Hey
,
man, how are you feeling?
”

“
Miserable but I
’
ll do
.”

“
You sure you want to leave?
”

Groaning, Chad made a slicing motion across his neck.
“
Not you too…
”

“
I had to ask!
Your mom wouldn
’
t give me these clothes until I promised to follow you home.
I won
’
t come up to the house or anything
,
but I will
follow
you as far as
the drive
.”

“
Thanks.
I thought about asking but decided I was being paranoid.
Everyone around here seems to be operating under the delusion that I
want
to leave
.”
Chad
’
s voice sounded weary.

“
Did you take some acetaminophen at four?
”

“
Four-thirty.
I
’
ll pull over at the rest stop for a refill or just take them a bit early
.”

Todd nodded and pulled out the latest
Patterson
novel.
“
I
’
ll read.
You sleep
.”

“
What, no Hartfield?
I
’
m crushed
.”

“
I
’
ve read
‘
em all
.”

Chad grinned and tried to roll onto his side.
“
Seven-thirty.
No later
.”

Todd acted as a guard for the next two and a half hours.
The nurses came in
now and then
to check
on
him, offer him medication, and bring
him
dinner
, but Todd shooed them back out,
insisting that they would be responsible for Chad
’
s relapse if they didn
’
t let him sleep.
The doctor arrived just as Todd shook Chad awake.

“
It
’
s time to get up, man.
Gotta get on the road
.”

He tried to respond
,
but the doctor interrupted.
“
Still determined to leave?
”

“
Have to.
I
’
m sorry
.”

“
Let
’
s check your temperature
.”
Ignoring the nurse who stood ready to do her job, the doctor checked all vital signs, inspected Chad
’
s wounds, and helped Chad out of bed
,
watching him walk around the room.
“
Well, I
’
d be more comfortable with another night or three
,
but as long as you keep a close eye on the wounds and your temperature, unofficially speaking, you should be good.
I can
’
t release you though.
Liability and all
.”

“
I understand.
Give me the forms or whatever
,
and let
’
s get this show on the road
.”

It took Chad longer to dress to leave the hospital than he
’
d ever spent getting ready for anything.
As much as he despised flip-flops, he was grateful that his mother had considered the easiest thing to put on his feet and sent them.
Todd drove Chad to his truck and
drove from
the city, each keeping an eye out for anyone who might be foll
owing
.

The temptation to speed had rarely been stronger.
By the time he was out of the city and onto the highway, Chad was ready to lie back down and go to sleep.
As he passed the rest stop, Chad struggled to open the packet of Tylenol and failed.
He pulled over, wrenched it open wincing at the sharp pain it send through his chest, coughed, and downed the pills before Todd could reach his side.

“
You ok, man?
”
Todd had his door open before he could nod.

“
I
’
m fine!
I just couldn
’
t get the packet open without pulling over
.”

“
Well, if you
hadn
’
t had your phone shot into you, you could have called
.”

Chad groaned.
“
Oh man, I
’
m going to need a new phone
.”

“
I
’
ll take care of it.
Just get me your info and I
’
ll go in.
I
’
ll come out on Monday with it.
You can
’
t leave the house again before then anyway
.”

By the time th
e
y entered Fairbury, Chad
shook
with exhaustion.
Each mile from Fairbury to home seemed like ten.
He flashed his lights at Todd just before he turned into the driveway and then let the truck coast down the first part of the drive until it reached the climb up into the yard.

Late Sunday night, Willow once more sat on her porch swing wearing another camisole set and feeling cool and refreshed.
Her hair was wet as she brushed the tangles from it and braided it into her familiar braid.
One bare foot pushed the swing back and forth
,
as she swayed in the night air.
Portia lay with her head resting on Willow
’
s belly
, and
W
illow scratched behind her ears, singing
her favorite Argosy Junction songs softly.

The past few days had been strange.
Despite years of living alone, she had become
accustomed to having Chad stop by, calling, having half the small chores done before she got up in the morning
and
leaving her free to do other things.
Without him, it felt lonely
—
empty.
She missed his arm around her as she slept and hearing his heart beat when they curled on the couch together.
She missed hearing about Aiden Cox
’
s latest prank or
a
strange serenade from one of the transports to Brunswick.

More than anything, however, she missed hearing him praise her.
The giant tomato in her greenhouse was gone now
—
taken away by Jill.
Chad would never hold it and tell her how amazing it was.
She had yarn ready to dye
,
but she
’
d waited for h
im
to bring the Kool-Aid that her instructions called for.
She needed to hear that what she was doing was appreciated.

Just as she stood to go
upstairs and try to sleep, head
lights turned into the driveway from the highway.
She walked slowly to the first step and wrapped an arm around the porch post straining to see into the night.
The headlights were gone now. In a few seconds
,
they
’
d flash over the top of the hill just before they illuminated the house and yard.