Monk (K19 Security Solutions 7)

“Come here.” Razor put his arm around her shoulders and pulled her close to him. “I never liked him anyway,” he whispered, making her laugh through her tears.

“I wish I felt that way.” She wiped her nose on her sleeve and then brushed away her tears. “I swore I’d never do this again.”

“Cry? Good plan.”

She laughed again. “Let a man wreck me.”

“Better plan.”

“What is wrong with me, Raze?”

“Not a damn thing.”

“I’m being serious.”

“So am I. This isn’t on you, Saylor. Monk is weird as fuck. I mean, I know you like him or love him or whatever, but even you have to admit he’s a strange dude.”

“He really isn’t. He just doesn’t talk when there’s nothing to say.”

“See? Who does that?”

—:—

Onyx wasn’t in his room when Monk got there the next morning, and he didn’t bother finding out where he was. Instead, he pulled the chair over by the window and looked out at the gray sky. He leaned forward, put his elbows on his knees, and let his head drop.

“You look like shit, son.”

Monk looked up and saw Onyx being wheeled back into the room. “So do you.”

“I was in a plane crash. What’s your excuse?”

“Where you been?”

“Physical therapy,” he said, trying to lift himself out of the chair.

“You gotta wait, man,” said the orderly, shaking his head. He looked over at Monk. “Can you give me a hand?”

Monk got up and walked closer to the wheelchair.

“I can do it,” spat Onyx.

“You were in a plane wreck, remember?” Monk followed the lead of the orderly and put his arm under Onyx’s and then lifted him onto the bed. It was obvious that he had no control over his legs, and when their eyes met, Monk saw his friend’s fear.

Once Onyx was settled, Monk walked back over to the window.

“You can take off,” Onyx muttered.

“I’m not going anywhere.”

“Getting tired of seeing your mug around here.”

Monk shook his head and pulled the chair closer to the bed. “Tell me what the doctors are saying.”

It took his friend a long time to answer, but since Monk had nothing else to do, he’d sit here as long as it took.

“Just because my eyes are open doesn’t mean the rest of my brain has woken up yet.”

“Knew that before the plane crashed. What about your legs? When are they gonna wake up?”