pushed
the door open.
“ SURPRISE!!”
The room was full of
people wearing eye patches over their right eyes. Everyone was
smiling at Jabari. Sandy, Tanesha’s friend, kissed Jabari’s cheek
when Jeraine passed. Most of the big kids and the little kids that Jabari had
played with were there. Dionne and Bumpy were standing with Yvonne
and Rodney. Rodney took Jabari out of Jeraine’s arms and hugged him
tight.
“ Love you, Jabari,” Rodney
said in Jabari’s ear, and the boy grabbed onto the big man. After a
few minutes, Rodney gave Jabari back to Jeraine.
Abi, the fairy from his hospital room, was
trying to look normal over in a corner with a man Jabari had never
met. Jabari waved and she smiled. There were even people there that
Jabari didn’t know.
“ Welcome home, son,”
Jeraine said.
Jabari held his arms out to the crowd and
Tanesha appeared. She lifted him from Jeraine’s arms.
And finally, Jabari knew the scary ordeal
was over. He was home.
Chapter Three hundred and
eleven
Badass
Wednesday evening — 7:05 p.m.
“ How is she?” Sandy said
in a low voice to Seth.
They were standing outside of the room
Maresol used when she stayed at Seth’s home.
“ Asleep,” Seth
said.
“ Which is good?” Sandy
asked.
“ Which is good.” Seth
nodded.
“ Thanks for this.” Sandy
gestured to the dining room, where her family was
eating.
“ Of course,” Seth
said.
“ With everything that’s
going on — Charlie and well, everything — we wouldn’t have
celebrated Sissy’s big achievement,” Sandy said.
“ Glad we could help out,”
Seth said. “But you know . . .”
“ Yes, I know that Ava did
everything.” Sandy smiled.
Seth smiled.
“ She’s pretty great,”
Sandy said.
Nodding, Seth smiled and put his hands on
his hips. He gave Sandy a long look.
“ What?” Sandy
asked.
“ I’m worried about you,”
Seth finally said.
“ I’m fine,” Sandy
said.
She gestured to the dining room, but Seth
didn’t move.
“ You remember when Aden
was gone and you were pregnant with Rachel?” Seth asked.
“ I do,” Sandy
said.
“ You became very ill,”
Seth said. “You made me promise that if I saw you pushing yourself
to exhaustion again, I would let you know.”
Sandy turned to look at him directly.
“ You’re doing it,” Seth
said with a nod.
“ I’m . . .”
Sandy started.
“ I’m not going to lay out
all the evidence,” Seth said. “You know what you’re doing. It’s up
to you to take care of yourself.”
“ But . . .”
“ Where’s Charlie going to
be if you get sick?” Seth asked. “Or Sissy. You know she needs you
to help her get ready for this enormous transition and then hold
her kite string while she tries out her new life. You know that
Aden needs you to be his rock while things continue to shake out at
Lipson. You know that Nash and Noelle are like trauma victims. They
need you to care for them and catch them when everything comes
tumbling out. That’s not to mention your business!”
“ I know!” Sandy said. Her
voice rose in unfamiliarly harsh tones. “Why do you think I’m so
exhausted?”
The dining room became silent. Aden appeared
in the doorway.
“ Everything okay?” Aden
asked.
“ Just talking to Sandy
about taking care of herself,” Seth said.
Aden looked at Seth and then looked at
Sandy. He looked worried.
“ We’ll be right there,”
Seth said.
Seth took Sandy’s elbow and led her into the
den.
“ What do you want from
me?” Sandy’s angry voice was low so Aden wouldn’t hear.
“ This is like Sissy and
her eating disorder,” Seth said. “Me and drugs. Charlie and drugs.
Aden and alcohol. This is your addiction, Sandy.”
“ What do you want me to
do?” Sandy asked. “I can’t just take a day off because I’m tired.
My brother was almost killed! My sister is totally unprepared for
her impending move to New York. My father’s best friend is injured
because my mother left me a
the door open.
“ SURPRISE!!”
The room was full of
people wearing eye patches over their right eyes. Everyone was
smiling at Jabari. Sandy, Tanesha’s friend, kissed Jabari’s cheek
when Jeraine passed. Most of the big kids and the little kids that Jabari had
played with were there. Dionne and Bumpy were standing with Yvonne
and Rodney. Rodney took Jabari out of Jeraine’s arms and hugged him
tight.
“ Love you, Jabari,” Rodney
said in Jabari’s ear, and the boy grabbed onto the big man. After a
few minutes, Rodney gave Jabari back to Jeraine.
Abi, the fairy from his hospital room, was
trying to look normal over in a corner with a man Jabari had never
met. Jabari waved and she smiled. There were even people there that
Jabari didn’t know.
“ Welcome home, son,”
Jeraine said.
Jabari held his arms out to the crowd and
Tanesha appeared. She lifted him from Jeraine’s arms.
And finally, Jabari knew the scary ordeal
was over. He was home.
Chapter Three hundred and
eleven
Badass
Wednesday evening — 7:05 p.m.
“ How is she?” Sandy said
in a low voice to Seth.
They were standing outside of the room
Maresol used when she stayed at Seth’s home.
“ Asleep,” Seth
said.
“ Which is good?” Sandy
asked.
“ Which is good.” Seth
nodded.
“ Thanks for this.” Sandy
gestured to the dining room, where her family was
eating.
“ Of course,” Seth
said.
“ With everything that’s
going on — Charlie and well, everything — we wouldn’t have
celebrated Sissy’s big achievement,” Sandy said.
“ Glad we could help out,”
Seth said. “But you know . . .”
“ Yes, I know that Ava did
everything.” Sandy smiled.
Seth smiled.
“ She’s pretty great,”
Sandy said.
Nodding, Seth smiled and put his hands on
his hips. He gave Sandy a long look.
“ What?” Sandy
asked.
“ I’m worried about you,”
Seth finally said.
“ I’m fine,” Sandy
said.
She gestured to the dining room, but Seth
didn’t move.
“ You remember when Aden
was gone and you were pregnant with Rachel?” Seth asked.
“ I do,” Sandy
said.
“ You became very ill,”
Seth said. “You made me promise that if I saw you pushing yourself
to exhaustion again, I would let you know.”
Sandy turned to look at him directly.
“ You’re doing it,” Seth
said with a nod.
“ I’m . . .”
Sandy started.
“ I’m not going to lay out
all the evidence,” Seth said. “You know what you’re doing. It’s up
to you to take care of yourself.”
“ But . . .”
“ Where’s Charlie going to
be if you get sick?” Seth asked. “Or Sissy. You know she needs you
to help her get ready for this enormous transition and then hold
her kite string while she tries out her new life. You know that
Aden needs you to be his rock while things continue to shake out at
Lipson. You know that Nash and Noelle are like trauma victims. They
need you to care for them and catch them when everything comes
tumbling out. That’s not to mention your business!”
“ I know!” Sandy said. Her
voice rose in unfamiliarly harsh tones. “Why do you think I’m so
exhausted?”
The dining room became silent. Aden appeared
in the doorway.
“ Everything okay?” Aden
asked.
“ Just talking to Sandy
about taking care of herself,” Seth said.
Aden looked at Seth and then looked at
Sandy. He looked worried.
“ We’ll be right there,”
Seth said.
Seth took Sandy’s elbow and led her into the
den.
“ What do you want from
me?” Sandy’s angry voice was low so Aden wouldn’t hear.
“ This is like Sissy and
her eating disorder,” Seth said. “Me and drugs. Charlie and drugs.
Aden and alcohol. This is your addiction, Sandy.”
“ What do you want me to
do?” Sandy asked. “I can’t just take a day off because I’m tired.
My brother was almost killed! My sister is totally unprepared for
her impending move to New York. My father’s best friend is injured
because my mother left me a
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