Her laugh nearly choked her. “No.”
One eyebrow rose, and Andrew spoke slowly. “You sure?”
No. But she’d die before admitting it. “Andrew, there are only two things I’m thinking about right now. You and what I’m gonna do with Mom and the others when they get here. No room for jealousy in there at the moment.”
“If you say so. Look, just try to be civil, okay? I need both of you right now, whether you like it or not. Can you please try? For me?”
Jeni looked at her brother. At the circles under his eyes and the washed-out pallor of his skin. The hospital bed where he reclined, lined in white sheets and a light blue blanket and monitors covering the wall behind his head.
Her heart clenched, and tears pricked in her eyes.
When had she become so selfish? This was her brother, her confidant, her lifelong defender. He was sick and facing something potentially life threatening. When their roles were reversed and she was the one in the hospital bed, he’d done anything she ever asked of him. Without question.
Plus, she wasn’t sure what her issue was with Logan. Her feelings seemed to extend to both ends of the spectrum, hot one minute and cold the next. Andrew didn’t need to be dragged into her irrational mind. She didn’t even understand it.
She leaned forward and took one of his hands in hers. “Of course. I’m sorry. I’m just scared. I’m scared for you, and I’m being a bitch. Of course, I can be civil. Logan and I will be here for you. Together.”
* * *
“It’s cold in here.”
“Jeni, do you have softer towels?”
“I should have brought Bear. I miss him already.”
The Bishop women had descended upon Jeni’s usually quiet home after a few hours at the hospital and a stop at a car repair shop. Evidently the family SUV hadn’t fared well on the drive, and now the four of them would be sharing Jeni’s Hyundai Sonata until they could figure out what was wrong and fix the Suburban.
Rhonda, the oldest and most practical of the group, promised Andrew she’d use Jeni’s car and be back with dinner for him. He agreed but vehemently declined letting anyone stay the night at the hospital. Jeni had been there the last two nights, and he said he’d be fine on his own for tonight.
“Jeni, where are you sleeping?” Rhonda came out of the guest room where she’d dropped her suitcase. Of all the siblings, she most resembled their dad, with brown hair so dark it almost looked black.
“In my bed?”
“Mom and I are sharing it,” Valerie said.
Looked like Jeni was on the couch.
Rhonda passed by where Jeni stood listlessly in the hallway and entered the kitchen. “Wow, those walls are yellow. Where’s the Dr. Pepper?”
“I don’t have any,” Jeni said.
“What?” Rhonda reappeared in the doorway.
“I don’t drink it.”
Rhonda looked at her blankly, like she’d just said something incomprehensible, such as I don’t have running water.
Jeni turned her back on Rhonda and entered the living room, where Valerie had begun unpacking a small bag, shoving Jeni’s books aside to place several notebooks and a computer on the coffee table. “What’s your Wi-Fi password?”
“I don’t know, some weird combination. It’s on the back of the router,” Jeni said.
“Thanks. What’s for dinner?”
Rhonda spoke up before Jeni could respond. “I’m taking Andrew Chinese food tonight.”
“Are you sure he should be eating that?” their mom asked from her position in the recliner.
“Why wouldn’t he?”