Rosie’s lips part, and despite her injury, she speaks anyway, “Are you?”
Claire glances over at me, and then at Rosie. “Yeah.” She hesitates before continuing, “The man who did this to you…”
I place my palm on Claire’s shoulder, a small gesture to let her know I’m here, that I’m always going to be here.
Claire straightens up, her jaw tensing slightly. “He’s gone.”
“Like, he escaped?” Rosie croaks.
“No, he’s dead,” I tell her before her panic sets in.
“I killed him,” Claire confirms.
Rosie blinks a few times, soaking in what Claire just said.
Is she going to freak out? Is she going to be afraid of her best friend? Someone she’s known her whole life is suddenly a killer standing before her. Will she be devastated by the news or will she understand, the same way I have for everything Claire has done? Every single brave and fearless choice she’s made to take control of her life, to protect those that she loves.
In the time it takes Rosie to form a response, I can imagine the range of emotions Claire speeds through. It’s the same I’ve experienced every time I’ve told her something that could threaten to break us apart. There’s this terrifying uncertainty of how someone will react that makes time slow to a crawl.
“Good,” Rosie finally sputters.
And just like that, the tension in Claire’s shoulders relaxes, a feeling I know all too well.
Acceptance. Understanding. Insecurities being thrown to the side.
Claire grips Rosie’s hand. “I have so much I need to tell you, but it’s late.” Claire glances at the clock above Rosie’s bed. “Get some rest. We’ll talk in a few hours, okay?”
Rosie nods, her lids already heavy from the pain medication they have her on. We knew she wouldn’t be awake long, but it was enough for Claire to get her little bit of peace from seeing her best friend open her eyes.
Claire and I start to make our way out of the room when Rosie speaks up.
“JJ…” She stares right at me.
“Yeah?”
“Thanks,” Rosie tells me, her expression and tone speaking a million words despite having just said the one.
She is a part of Claire, and for that, I will do whatever it takes to save her, too, even if it means risking my own life.
* * *
“Ican’t believe you did it.” Josey shakes his head. “You two are fucking crazy.”
Claire lays her legs across me in an oversized chair in the waiting room of this hospital. She keeps dozing in and out while we wait to hear something from one of Luciano’s doctors.
It’s like we’re stuck in this weird limbo of not being able to be happy he made it or start the grieving process if he didn’t. The uncertainty is fucking killing me.
Even Miller’s nerves are beginning to show. The dude is sitting at the opposite end of the room, making phone call after phone call and glancing at the main door every few seconds.
“You’re perfect for each other, that’s for sure,” Josey adds. He holds his leg and repositions himself, groaning a little in the process.
I tighten my hand around Claire’s calf, pulling her closer to my chest. Claire’s face is bruised and swollen, her bottom lip busted, but somehow, she’s the most beautiful human I’ve ever laid my sights on. I still can’t believe I get the honor of calling her mine.
“How you holding up?” I ask him, eyeing the bandage wrapped around his thigh.
He shrugs like it’s no big deal. “Meh. I’ll be fine.”
“You took a flying knife to the leg, dude.”