Page 160 of Remorseless

CJ wondered how long she’d been awake. He wondered too if the attending physician was reallyjust a stickler for the rules or if perhaps the hospital had been infiltrated like the school. There was just something odd about the motherfucker that CJ couldn’t put his finger on.

He’d talk to Dad as soon as he arrived, although CJ wasn’t sure when that would happen. Other than Mom, the nurse and the doctor, CJ hadn’t seen any other member of his family.

He supposed that was a good thing. Mom was knocked out. He hadn’t seen her eat or even take a sip of water. She ripped a page out of Dad’s playbook, though CJ knew he’d been unconscious for less than a day.

It was still hard to wrap his head around that he’d almost died. He’d been so stupid, bowing to peer pressure…girlpressure. If he’d gone with his gut, he wouldn’t have slurped it so fast. No, he wouldn’t have accepted the fucking drink at all. One minute he’d been moving around, talking, joking,socializing, and the next he’d overdosed with his life hanging in the balance by a thread.

Leaning his head back, CJ closed his eyes, still a little groggy and tired.

“Little Dude?”

Hearing Uncle Digger’s voice, CJ popped his eyes open. A bright light greeted him, and he blinked to adjust his vision. He squinted at the clock. Fuck, he’d fallen asleep. A full hour had passed.

He grinned. “Hey, Uncle Digger,” he greeted as the sergeant-at-arms stuffed his hands into the pockets of his jeans and walked to the side of the bed.

He glanced at Mom, then nodded to CJ.

Drugs must’ve still been fucking with him. One side of Uncle Digger’s face looked swollen.

“I was hoping you hit me with Ashfuck Dig. I reminded you that’s what you used to call me.”

“When…?” He shook his head at Uncle Digger’s stricken look. “ Never mind.”

“You didn’t hear me?”

CJ’s smile faded at Uncle Digger’s somberness.

“I guess you didn’t, kid.” He rocked on his heels. “I never been so fucking scared in my life.”

CJ had been terrified, too. “I learned my lesson.”

“A hard lesson at a young age,” Uncle Digger said.

Mom turned again. This time, she opened her eyes and jerked into a sitting position.

“CJ—?”

“I’m here, Mom,” he said as Uncle Digger called with unmistakable irritation, “He right here, Meggie.”

“Umkay,” Mom said groggily and laid down again.

Uncle Mortician walking in prevented CJ from warning Uncle Digger to lay off Mom.

Uncle Mort’s gaze landed on CJ and the emotion on his face choked him up. Uncle Mort was so strong. If he didn’t have a comment to lighten a mood, he had advice.

He walked to the other side of the bed, leaned in and hugged CJ. “You had me so fucking scared, boy,” he said gruffly.

“I’m sorry, Uncle Mort.” CJ returned his hug and looked at Uncle Digger. “You, too, Ashfuck Dig.”

“It’s all good,” Uncle Mort promised, straightening.

CJ nodded. “Death is funny, isn’t it? Or, maybe, it’s life.”

“Maybe, both,” Uncle Mort told him.

“I never thought much about it,” CJ confessed. “How one minute you’re here and then the next minute you don’t exist anymore. You’re just gone. A body. A memory.”

“Bug food,” Uncle Digger added.