FRACTURED Read Free Page A

pain.
    “Itwasbad,Ruby,”hesaidsoberly.
    Icouldn'tlisten.Isprangfrommyseatandheadedstraightformy room.Ineededtofindmykeys.
    “Ruby!”Coopercalledtomeashepursuedmetomyroom.“Would youwaitasecond?”
    Hecaughtmyarmandwhirledmearoundtofacehim.
    “Thisismyfault,”Isaid,snifflingsoftly.
    “It'snotwhatyouthink,Rubes.He'snotdead,”hesaid,still grippingmyarm.“Seangottohimjustintime,apparently,andthentook himtoPeyta.FromwhatI'vemanagedtosurmise,Seanwasinpretty roughshapehimselfwhentheyarrivedatRonnie's.”
    “Peytahealedthem,”Imutteredundermybreath.
    Ifeltsick.Ifelltomyknees,andwhatlittlefoodI'dbeenableto keepdowncameupviolentlyalloverthehardwoodfloor.Iknewwhatit wasliketolookdownatsomeoneyoulovedandwatchwhiletheirlife slippedaway.LuckilyforJay,Peytawasn'tahelplessbystanderinthat situation.
    “Youneedtositdown,”Cooperordered,placingmeontheedgeof mybed.“I'lltakecareofthis.”Whilehewalkedoutofmyroomtofind whatevermaterialswerenecessarytocleanupthemessI'dmade,I wonderediftherewereenoughinexistencetoaddressthemetaphorical oneIwasin.
    Ilookeduptoseemyphonetauntingmefrommynightstand.“Go ahead...callher,”itseemedtosay.“Onecallwillfixeverything.”Thenit laughedatme—anevil,all-knowinglaugh.
    “Fuckyou,”Imuttered,staringitdown.
    “Fuck me ?”Cooperthundered.Ihadn'tevenrealizedhe'dreturned.
    “IsthatthethanksIgetforcleaningupyourbreakfast?”
    “I'msorry,Coop,”Isaid,hedgingslightly.“Iwasn'ttalkingto you...”
    BeforeIcouldprocesswhy,heshotupquickly,grabbingmy shoulderstopullmeclosertohisface.Heglareddeepintomyeyes, searchingthemforsomething.
    “ Scarlet ?”hegrowled.“YouandIneedtochat.”
    Suddenly,hisactionsmadesense.IthadbeenawhilesinceScarlet andIhadhadoneofourlittlebackandforthbanters.Ididn'trealize whenIansweredhimwhatmyoutburstwouldimply.
    “No,Cooper.It'snother,”Isaidsoftly,tryingtocalmhim.His hazeleyesstartedtoglowwithahintofgold.Hewaspissedoff.Big time.“Thephone...Iwastalkingtothe phone .”
    Alookofconcernquicklybledthroughtheangerinhisexpression.
    ItwasapparentthathewasunsureofhowmentallysoundIwasinthat moment.Infairness,Ihadbeentalkingtoaninanimateobject.
    “Idon'tknowhowIcanfacePeyta,Coop,”IexplainedasItriedto coaxhimintosittingnexttome.“Howdoyousaysorryforbeingaparty totheneardeathofthemansheloves?”
    “Ruby,”hesaid,thewarmthreturningtohiseyes,“sheloves you , too.She'snevergivenmeeventheslightestindicationthatsheblames youforanyofthis.She'smissedyou.”Hefinallycametositnexttome, takingmyhandinhis.“She's mourned you.”
    “ButI'mnotdead,”Iwhispered.
    “Iknow.Intruth,Idon'tthinksheeverbelievedyouwere,”hesaid, tuckingastraypieceofhairbehindmyear.“Youwouldhavebeenso proudofher,Ruby.Shewassobrave.Whenshelearnedthatyouhad disappearedthatnight,shecalledmerightaway.Sheaskedwhatwe neededtodotofindyou.Shehasbeenthedrivingforcebehindthestore, keepingitgoing.Allshetalkedaboutwashowweneededtohaveit runningsmoothlysoyouwouldn'thavetoworryaboutanythingwhen yougotback.”
    Ifeltatearescapemyeye,rollingslowlydownmycheekwhilehe continued.
    “Sheeventuallywentonasthoughyouwerejustoutoftown,about toreturnatanytime.That'swhenIstartedtoworryabouther—weall did.”Hisfacegrewhard,tryingtomaskthepainhefelt,butitdidn't matter;Ifelteveryounceofit.“Shetriedsohardtokeepuptheact,but whenshethoughtshewasalone,hertrueemotionscamethrough—she wasinadarkplaceinside.Shedidn'tthinkyouwerecomingback, Ruby...shejustneededto believe youwere.”
    “Idon'tknowwhattosaytoher,Cooper.HowdoIexplain somethingthatIdon'tunderstandmyself?”
    “Youthinkyourreturnneedsanyexplanation?”heasked,looking utterlyperplexed.“Ruby,allthatkidwantstodoiswrapherarmsaround youandsqueezeuntiltheygonumbandsomebodyhastopryheroffof you.”
    Iwanteddesperatelytobelievehim,butsooftenIfoundmyselfon thewrongsideofexpectations.IfthattrendprovedtrueinthePeyta