LM kept expecting Capernaum to show up.
Any second now he’ll appear or he’ll put his hand on my shoulder. He’ll tell me why he didn’t approve of me telling Carthage about Antioch’s XQ.
Carthage and LM entered the hospital.
Capernaum still didn’t show up.
LM’s shoulders slumped.
Maybe he’s gone for good. Or maybe he’s given up on me. He’s gone and left me alone. Would he do that? Would he really do that?
Well.
He isn’t here now. So, what does that mean?
LM led Carthage to the elevators.
“Are you sure it is her?” Carthage asked.
LM nodded. “There’s no mistaking her. I’d recognize her in any crowd or lying in a hospital bed.”
Carthage pressed the call button. “Good. I just want to be sure. It would be darned awkward for us to go barging into some stranger’s hospital room.”
The elevator doors slid open. The human and the half-fey came aboard. LM pressed the button for the eighth floor. “What are your plans?”
Carthage looked straight ahead at the closed doors as the elevator ascended. “I just want to see if it is her. Not that I doubt you. I just. I need to see.”
LM relaxed.
This has nothing to do with kidnapping, then. He’s just trying to find the scattered remnants of The Institute. Trying to find all of the familiar faces. I can understand that. I’m surprised Capernaum didn’t.
What was he thinking? I don’t know. I don’t understand it. It doesn’t make any sense.
What was he afraid of?
Why didn’t he trust Carthage? Carthage is one of us.
I trust him.
The elevator dinged and the doors opened to the eighth floor.
LM sighed.
Maybe I’m just really misunderstanding the whole situation. Maybe there was something more or less to that disappointed look.
“Lead on.” Carthage said.
I just wish he had taken the time to explain himself instead of leaving me wondering like this.
LM led Carthage off the elevator and down the hall.
***
“Sometimes things happen when everyone says that it can’t.”
So, maybe Tessa will have a miraculous recovery with no complications.
And maybe.
Maybe.
Jeff looked down at his wedding ring, but he did not think about his wife. He thought about Hildreth.
He thought about Elsie.
Some things cannot be hoped for. If I did, it would be selfish and wrong. It would be a betrayal of my friendship with Hildreth. I could never do that to him.
I will never do that to him.
I will never hope for it.
I’ll never wish for it.
I’ll never speak of it to anyone. I will never ask it of her, because what would be the point in doing so? She could never love me.
She loves Hildreth and he loves her. And that’s fine. That’s okay. I’m okay with that. Dweeb needs a good woman in his life.
He needs her.
Darius patted his back. “Don’t worry, old man.”
Jeff smiled at the familiar nickname.
“She’ll be okay.”
“I know.”
ambroseandelsie 