Page 74 of Bronx

“Then what are you doing?”

The stainless steel elevator doors open slowly, and I step out and start walking in the direction of the room, but Bronx is right behind me.

“You can’t go in there with me, Bronx.”

“You look terrified.”

“It’s not what you think.”

“What am I thinking?”

“I caught you peeking at my phone in the house. I know you saw some of Ray’s messages. You’re thinking that I’m going to visit a man that I’m frightened will hurt me. I assure you, I’m not.”

“Then what are you afraid of?”

“I hate hospitals.”

“Most people do.”

“My hate is different. I associate hospitals with a lot of terrible memories. My Mom died in one, my foster sister died in another, and—”

“And what?”

“And… and nothing. I just don’t like being here.”

“Then leave.”

“I have to see him first.”

“Seeing him is so important that you’re inside of a place that physically makes you ill?”

“No, but now that I’m on the other side of our breakup, I have a few things left to say to him. I guess I’m just looking for the closure I need.”

“The closure should have happened when he punched you in the eye.”

“I don’t expect you to understand.”

“Good, because I fucking don’t.”

“I mean this with the utmost respect, but I think you may be overstepping your bounds right now. I need you to leave and let me do what I came here to do. This is my business. Your job is to find my brother.”

I can’t explain the science behind it, but the inside of my chest tightens as I watch the dark mood shadow Bronx’s face like a hurricane. My words have made him angry, and I didn’t enjoy saying them, but there’s no way he was going to let me say what I have to say to Ray without an audience.

And this is a one woman show.

“Forgive me for overreaching. My mistake.”

“Bronx–”

“It won’t happen again. Trust me.”

He slowly pivots after making his promise (or threat) and heads back to the elevator, leaving me standing in the hallway completely shamefaced. Never in a million years did I think I’d be in such an entanglement with a stranger who I’ve asked to help me find my brother, but I’ll have to patch things up with him later. Right now, I have a much more difficult task to complete.

And it’s been a long time coming.

***

There are various complicated looking machines with thick power wires looped around them, sitting in the hallways, looking like they’re ready for action. I’m not sure what they do, but they all look very important, as if they make lots of beeping sounds and could save someone’s life when the time came.