Page 61 of Arranged Addiction

It smells like medicine. Dad’s lying under the blankets. He doesn’t seem very aware of what’s going on when I pull up a chair. Casey lingers behind me, standing politely back, while Mom takes the other side of the bed.

“Hey, Dad. It’s me, Declan.”

Dad’s eyes flit from mine over to Mom and back again. “Declan… are you here to ask… for more computer time?”

I smile uncertainly and take his hand. His skin is papery and dry. “I haven’t needed computer permission for a long time.”

“That’s right…” His voice is a breathy murmur. His eyes are red and watery. I’ve never seen him like this before. Like he’s barely there and receding fast. “You’ve been out late… proving yourself…”

“I’m here now.”

“Nothing to prove. You’re my son.”

I squeeze his hand. “I’m proud of it.”

“Good… all my boys…” He mumbles something and adjusts himself. “Are you still stuck… on that girl? The Brennan girl…”

I feel Casey stiffen behind me. “Dad, Casey’s here.”

“I told you… that deal is finished… the promise her parents made… you can marry who you like. I told you that.”

“Dad, Casey and I already got married.”

“The girl’s your problem. Let her go. But you liked… that she was promised to you…”

I look over my shoulder. Casey’s staring at me in shock and horror. She steps back, moving toward the door. “I should go.”

“Stay,” I tell her, but she’s still edging away. I want to explain, but Dad starts talking again, this time about some basketball game he took me and Cormac to when we were kids.

She wasn’t supposed to find out this way.

I wanted to tell her one day, after things had settled.

She’s not going to understand.

How could she?

“I have to go.” Casey turns and flees the room, hurrying down the hall.

I look at Mom in a panic. She shakes her head sadly. “Let her be,” she says, stroking Dad’s hair. “We’ll handle it later.”

She’s right. I take a breath and calm myself. Dad groans and trails off into incoherence, and all I want to do is chase Casey, but this is more important. These are the final moments of my father.

I have to be here for him.

Even if I lose my wife while he dies.

Chapter 19

Casey

Pieces start to fit together and I don’t like the shape they make.

I hurry out of that bedroom in a panic. I regret going in there with him. That moment was too intimate. I barely know his mother and I’ve never met his father before. I wanted to be strong for Declan, but that was too much.

His father’s words swirl around my head.

The promise her parents made.