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“Does he say he’s going to do it?”
“We got into a fight.” She breaks down, and my heart squeezes. “I was there when the doctor told him all this, but he didn’t say anything. It’s like he doesn’t care.”
“Oh, baby, I’m sorry.”
“I just don’t know why.”
The pure desperation in her voice cracks my heart down the middle. “I wish I was there.”
“Me too. I told him if he doesn’t try to help himself, I’m moving out.”
“You can stay in my room.”
“I knew you’d say that,” she says softly. “So, I told him that. I told him your name and that you would let me stay with you, and I also told him about Grandma, too.”
“I bet he didn’t take that very well.”
“He hit his tray and knocked it over. A nurse had to come in and fix it.”
“I wish I’d been there for you, but I’m proud you stuck up for yourself.”
“The nurse told me he needs to realize how dire the situation is. If he continues on like he has been…” She sighs. “He’s not going to make it very long. His lifespan will be severely shortened. That heart attack he had… If it was any worse, he could’ve died.”
I close my eyes. “I’m sorry.”
“And the hospital is telling me we’ll need to make a ramp at the house before he can come home.”
“Like a handicapped ramp?”
“He can barely walk. They broke a whole stair bringing him out of the house. They almost didn’t even attempt to bring him out that way.”
“I’m sure we can figure something out.”
“We?”
“It’s you and me, babe. We’re a package deal now.”
“That’s sweet, but I feel bad enough airing this all out to you. On the night before a game, no less. Coach would probably fire me.”
“Don’t you worry about me. I’ve played in a hundred games. I can do it blindfolded. You let me know what you need.”
“Well, I’m at Grandma’s right now.”
“That’s good. You shouldn’t be alone.”
“She wants to help, too.” Charley makes a choked sob again. “It’s really nice going from not having anybody to having people who want me to be there.”
I rub my temples, trying to think of how we can get a wheelchair ramp on Charley’s broken-down deck. It’s nearly falling through as it is.
What I do know is that I have a family that will always help. People I’m actually related to and the other, best kind of family—those who’ve worked their way into your life until you can’t imagine it without them.
I vow right then that I’ll figure out her house situation. There’s way too much for her to worry about with her father’s hospital care.
I talk to her on the phone until her grandma calls her to dinner. Then, I start texting. My cousin, who’s a contractor. Reid, Briar, Lex. West and Aidan and some of the other guys on the team. I put them all in a group chat and explain the situation, asking for help.
As it stands, my plan is to get my friends and teammates over there for free labor. Only one person has to know how to build a deck, and one summer, I actually helped out on several construction sites for a little extra money, so I won’t be a total waste of space.
Maybe we could even paint the house. Mow the lawn.