DECLAN
He looked directly at me.
“You knew this might happen, didn’t you?” he said with that stupid grin on his face. “That’s why you were trying to take it. Sorry, man, it seems like I get to be the hero for once.”
There were no heroes here!
What the hell was wrong with him?
“Dad?” Sedric whispered, coming up to him.
“Sedric, my boy, get all the women out of here.” Uncle Neal said to him seriously, then looked to all of us. “All of you get out.”
“Daddy, no!” Nari screamed, rushing to the bed. “Helen, unlock it again! Unlock it!”
“Nari!” he screamed at her. “This thing is a son of a bitch; it’s going with someone. That is what they were trying to say. Can?
??t let the youngest go, now can we?”
“Daddy, I—”
“Sweetheart, I’m the oldest,” Evelyn said, eyes wide. “I’ll—”
“I can’t have mom upstage me, either.” He chuckled.
“Neal!”
“Mom, it’s okay. Surviving is your thing,” he said, getting up off the bed. “Sedric, Son, don’t let me down. Step up and be the man I know you are.”
“Neal! No, please, no!” Evelyn’s screamed, but Wyatt was holding up her back.
Sedric rushed to grab his mother.
My son rushed to Nari as they all tried to rush toward him, while I was utterly useless, watching as if time had slowed down.
“Neal!” I finally managed out. “We still have time?”
“Remember what we promised each other when we were younger?” he said to me, walking closer and closer to the window.
“You idiot! You have nothing else to make up for! Neal!” I tried to push my body to go to him, but my body was just so damn weak.
Damn me! Goddamn me!
“Two minutes left?” he said instead of looking from his arms to Calliope, who stood staring eyes wide.
She shook her head.
“Give me the same deal you gave Coraline,” he said to her. “You’re Mrs. Callahan, and you’ll watch out for them as such.”
“Okay.” She nodded.
“Neal!” I screamed.
“Sweetheart, no! Please don’t do this to me. Please! Please! Stop. Stop right now!” Evelyn’s screams were the loudest.
And even amid my own tears and screams, I saw her say, “Deal.”
“Mom, my hope, Mina, my love, Nari, my precious, Sedric, my pride, I love you all so bloody fucking much. I’m sorry. Goodbye.”