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Cullen nods.
I fiddle with the strap of my purse as silence thuds between us. Should I confront him about asking Sunny and her friends to ‘adopt’ me after he’s gone? Technically, I shouldn’t know about that at all and I decide to keep my thoughts to myself.
Neither of us say anything more until we get to the hospital.
Thankfully, the doctor is available right away. After some more tests, he declares that I can take off my wrist brace. I rejoice when I finally bid that arduous companion goodbye.
“How does it feel to be free, Nardi?” Josiah asks, gracing me with a rare smile.
“Really great.” I twist my hand around. “Although…” I compare my two hands. “Doesn’t this wrist look scrawnier than the other?”
Josiah peers over my hand.
Cullen observes too.
“I don’t think so,” Josiah muses.
Just then, I see a familiar face up ahead. It’s the doctor we met the last time we were here, the one who knew that Cullen was sick.
“What are you staring at?” Cullen asks, looking in the direction that my head is turned.
“You guys go ahead,” I mumble. “I need to use the bathroom.”
Holding my purse tightly, I dash after the doctor. She turns a bend and I lengthen my stride to catch up to her.
“Excuse me,” I call out. “Excuse me?”
She spins around, her white coat fluttering behind her.
I skid to a stop in front of her, breathing hard from the run. “Hi, Dr.—” I read her name tag—“Dr. Briar, I have…” I pant, “a quick question for you.”
Her eyes narrow as she tries to place me. “Have we met?”
“I was here with Cullen two weeks ago.”
“Cullen.” Her eyes widen in recognition. “Yes, he was with a woman. Was that you?”
I nod. “Can you spare a minute?”
Dr. Briar checks her watch. “I have a meeting now, but… sure. How can I help?”
“It’s about Cullen’s treatments.”
Her eyelashes flutter. “I’m afraid I don’t know much about his treatments as he wasn’t a patient here.”
“Yes, but you found out he was sick. Can you tell me exactly what happened to him?”
“I can’t discuss patient details with you unless you’re family. I’m sorry.” She shakes her head.
When it seems like she’ll walk away, I grab her arm.
She seems surprised and I drop my hold. “Wait. Please. I… I just… Cullen said he’s dying.”
Her eyelashes fly up.
“Do you know where he got his treatments?”
“I can’t tell you that.”