What in the ever-loving hell?
My mind can’t wrap around those three. For one, I thought Akara was in denial about his feelings for Sulli. So when she got her first boyfriend, I expected full-on Jealous Akara to gush his feelings once and for all. I grabbed my popcorn. Didn’t happen.
Not even after Sulli broke up with her boyfriend.
What did happen? I overheard Banks say that Sulli is a “total stunner”. Akara was there and just nodded. Couldn’t tell if it was in agreement or if he short-circuited.
Putting that history aside, Sulli could be stuck challenging them to a basketball toss or squirt gun game right now. She’s competitive, and Akara assigned Banks to her detail tonight too. Double-security. But Akara would respond on comms.
Unless another little bastard tried to rip his radio off him.
A chorus of Negatives and No’s ring out in my ear. No one has seen them.
I manage to click my mic to get in a no. It takes one more minute before Donnelly says, “I saw them enter the funhouse a half hour ago.”
Those three might be lost with no comms signal, but chances are someone from the med team will be over there in case something happened. And Charlie and Jack need a medical assessment.
At least now we have a destination, looking at the bright side.
We reach the funhouse the same time Thatcher and Jane run up to the entrance where bulbs spell out American Circus Funhouse. They roll to a stop when they see Charlie in pain and welts on our faces.
“Merde,” Jane curses in French. “What happened?” She changes course and reaches us with Thatcher jogging ahead. Her worry mounts as I unhook my arm from Charlie and ease her younger brother down to the grass.
“Life,” Charlie says, eyes closed, pain cinching his face. “Stupid people, the aftereffects of my choices…walking backwards.”
Stupid people, the aftereffects of my choices. Feeling that tonight like a motherfucker. I’ve made some mistakes that ended with me having a broken radio and caused Jack to head-butt a pole.
“Stay very still,” Jane instructs, a hand on her brother’s shoulder. If anyone asks, I’d say Jane Cobalt is a saint for her patience and kindness towards Charlie. She tries to take care of him, even when he actively pulls away from the family.
He’s told me that he doesn’t deserve his sister’s love, but there are many times where he proves his own belief wrong. From joining the FanCon tour for her, to threatening her ex-friends-with-benefits so caustically that Nate never made a peep again.
And no one knows he did that but me.
I extend an arm around Jack as he sways slightly, too light-headed. My stomach clenches. “Take a seat, Highland.”
Jack lowers to the grass and rests his forearms on his knees. Like he’s taking a breather after high school PE.
He’s okay, Oliveira.
But my eyes are on him like he’s my job. I don’t even care that he’s my sole focus right now. Charlie has his family at this event.
Jack has me.
That’s my husband.
He looks up at me with this weak smile that tries to strengthen. “You’re staring at me like I’m your subject, Os.”
“Who said you weren’t?”
I watch a soft breath leave him and his smile grow. Help him. Don’t be distracted by his charm. The thought kicks me into further action.
I adjust my earpiece and ask Thatcher, “Where’s Redford?” And then I see a concierge doctor sprinting over to us, trauma bag thwacking his hip.
He’s older. Ponytail at the base of his neck. That’s Dr. Edward Keene, Farrow’s father.
He squats down to Charlie and begins assessing. I’m not surprised he’s on-call considering only the Keenes make-up the med team.
Thatcher answers me, “Farrow left the carnival early with Maximoff. Ripley didn’t feel well. Teething issue.” His gaze narrows onto the funhouse entrance.
I survey the onlookers, on alert.
Teens and adults loiter around the funhouse and take out their phones. Snapping photos. Filming. A good number of temps are thankfully keeping them at bay. Anyone who tries to approach is being told to stay back.
I’m about to ask Dr. Keene to check out Highland too, but Charlie is the one who says, “Can you look at Jack? He hit his head badly earlier.”
“On what?” Dr. Keene immediately shifts to Jack.
“A metal bumper car pole,” Jack answers. At least he remembers that. Puts me less on edge.
Dr. Keene shines a tiny light in Jack’s eyes.
“What happened, really?” Jane asks Charlie again.
He stretches out his leg. “I was robbed.”
“Robbed?” Shock widens her blue eyes. Thatcher has a comforting hand on her head, but his anger bears down on me.
Since Akara’s not here, I knew I’d receive the wrath of the SFO lead.
He glares. “Where were you?”
“I had a temp on him because I went off-duty to talk to my brother, but Gabe lost sight of Charlie.”