Page 50

“Right, head down.” Mattclosed his eyes. “I’m gonna miss the wedding. I’m the bestman.”
“There isn’t going to be awedding,” I said, trying to make the sentence sound soothing. Butthere was no good way to break the news. “Lauren is M.I.A. She leftScott a letter but he wouldn’t tell us what it said.”
“It said ‘I’m a cunt,’” Mattdeclared loudly.
I shushed him. “Hey. Language. Otherpatients can hear you.” Then, quieter, I added, “But yeah, itshould have probably said that. It’s the only excuse for leavingsomeone at the altar.”
“The altar was ugly.” Mattturned to the nurse. “Don’t you think the wedding wasugly?”
“I wouldn’t know,” she saidbreezily. “But I do know if you don’t keep your head down, I’mgoing to have to keep it down for you.”
He saluted her. “Yes,ma’am.”
To me, the nurse said,“They’re going to keep him overnight to observe him. We’re waitingon a room. There’s a real risk of infection from wild animalattacks.” She paused. “How did he get attacked by a grizzly bear onthe island?”
“It was the maid of honor inan aborted wedding.” It was the most succinct way of puttingit.
“Ah ha,”she replied, in a tone that clearly conveyed,rich people have too much money for their owngood.
“I’m sorry, I can’t fuck youtonight,” Matt said, squeezing my hand. “I have to be in thehospital. Did you know I got attacked by a bear?”
“I’m going to leave you twoalone,” the nurse said, tapping something into the computer on therolling stand at the foot of the bed. She took the whole stand withher and closed the curtain behind her.
“It’s okay,” I assured him.“There will be other times.”
I had wanted that time to be tonight,but unforeseen bear circumstances…
“I think Scott’s onto us,”Matt whispered.
“He’s definitely onto us,” Iconfirmed grimly. “You kind of shouted it at the whole weddingparty.”
“No!” He covered his facewith his hands, then abruptly dropped them. “Will you look at myleg? I don’t want to know if it’s really bad.”
I didn’t want to know, either, but Ipeeled back the thin woven cotton blanket. Pink had seeped onto thesheet below it. His entire calf was bandaged and there was asurgical drain full of fluid. I quickly dropped theblanket.
It hadn’t occurred to me that Matt hadbeen so badly wounded. I’d expected to see some stitches, maybethose white butterfly bandages. One grizzly bear swipe could do alot of damage, I guessed.
“Tell Scott I’m sorry,” Mattslurred, his eyes drifting closed. “He hates hospitals.”
“I know he does.” I hatedthe reminder of my brother’s childhood illness. I hated the factthat I was only alive because of my brother, hated the fact thatthe only reason I was sitting there at Matt’s bedside was becauseof my brother.
“No, he hates them.” Matt’seyebrows lifted in lieu of his eyelids. “He loves you, though.” Hedrew out the “love” and punctuated the sentence with a sleepylaugh. “Who wouldn’t?”
“Okay, that’s enoughtalking right now.” I kissed his forehead. I didn’t know why, butit felt right.
“We’re still going to be penpals with benefits, right?” he asked, and sounded far more lucidthan he had the entire time I’d been with him. “I don’t want to getattacked by a bear and lose you in the same day.”
“You haven’t lost myfriendship with benefits,” I promised. “Go to sleep.”
Matt mumbled something that soundedlike, “Take care of Scott.”
“I will.” It wassurprisingly difficult to walk away.
“I’m gonna call you!” heshouted after me as I pushed back the curtain. “And we are going tohave sex! Whoo!”
That made it much easier.
CHAPTER SIXTEEN