Lost, p.25
Lost, page 25
“Yes, ambulance,” Zack replied. “It had to be here, just in case something went wrong. Besides, You’re going to the hospital to be checked out — and I don’t want to hear any arguments about it. It’s non-negotiable.”
Lysander had indeed opened his mouth as if to argue, but snapped it shut again at Zack’s words.
He went along without a fight.
It wasn’t until they were at the hospital and Lysander was being checked over by a doctor and questioned by a police officer that Zack finally called home. Georgia answered on the first ring, and her frantic “Hello?” told him she’d been sitting beside the phone all afternoon, waiting for news. Not only for herself, but for their friends as well. They were all at his house, anxiously waiting to hear the outcome of the afternoon’s events. There for support, no matter which way the situation had gone. He was glad to be calling with good news.
“It’s me,” he said gently. “Lysander’s fine. It’s all over. We’re at the hospital now, getting him checked out. You wanna meet us here?”
“We’ll be there in five minutes.”
Lysander dealt with everything like a pro. He didn’t complain when a nurse took two vials of blood from him and insisted on setting up an IV to keep his fluids up, and he answered every question asked of him by the police officer without delay, even if the look on his face said he’d rather be anywhere else. Zack sat on his other side, ready to stop the interview the second Lysander made it clear he was done. But he never did.
“I think that’s all we need for now,” the officer said at long last. He re-capped his pen and dropped it into his front pocket. “If we have any further questions, we’ll be in touch. Likewise, if you have any of your own, feel free to call us. Thank you for your time, Mr Bennett.”
“Maverick.”
The correction had been automatic, but it made Lysander pause. He seemed startled by his own abruptness, and a look of guilt crossed his face as he turned to Zack. Zack raised an eyebrow back at him. He hated to see the look on the boy’s face. He wanted a smile. Anything positive, for that matter. Just not guilt.
“What’s the matter?”
“That made me sound really ungrateful.” Lysander grimaced. “I’m sorry.”
“You’re not ungrateful, kid. And if it bothers you that much, you can always change your name. You know I wouldn’t mind.” He put a gentle hand on his son’s shoulder. “But it’s your choice. I’m not going to make you.”
“I know. But I don’t think I’m ready to give up that part of myself. Not yet.”
“Maverick suits you,” Zack assured him. In dismissal he added, “Thank you, officer.”
Left alone for the first time in more than twenty-four hours, Zack and Lysander were silent. Lysander relaxed into the crisp white sheets, looking utterly exhausted. Seeing him like that, safe and with the horror firmly behind him, Zack let the tension release from his own shoulders.
From the moment Pat had convinced him he needed to call the police, life had been a cacophony of movement and sound. He’d had cops dressed as civilians entering his house to question him, friends and family offering company when all he had wanted was to be alone and scared, movies playing all night just to fill the void that was supposed to be for sleep, alarms blaring in his head every time he remembered that his son’s life could be in danger. It was nice to just soak up the silence for a change. The only sound now was the sound of himself and his son breathing.
“You’re sure you’re okay?” he asked after a while, unable to help himself. “Everybody’s been going crazy over this. Jack’s been blaming himself for not stepping in and doing something.”
“It wasn’t his fault,” Lysander said. “They would have shot him.”
“That’s what we keep telling him, but he’s going to need to hear it from you.”
“I’ll call him as soon as we get home. Assuming I’m going to have room to breathe. Georgia’s not going to smother me, is she?”
“When we get home? No. Everybody’s on their way here now.”
As if on cue, the woman rounded the corner.
Lysander looked up at his step-mother; Zack looked to his wife. The air around Georgia seemed to clear as she relaxed, as if she’d brought with her the dark cloud that had been looming over them since Lysander’s disappearance. She crossed to them quickly, and in much the same way that Zack had she threw her arms around Lysander.
It warmed Zack’s heart to see his son hug her back.
“We were so worried,” the woman breathed. “My God, are you all right?”
“I’m fine. We’re fine. Everything’s fine.”
Georgia pulled back, though her hand lingered on the boy’s cheek a moment. She was looking at him so tenderly that Zack looked away to give them a moment alone.
“Where are the guys?” he asked.
“Just outside. They wanted to give us a minute before they came in.”
“How many people are here?” Lysander asked, seeming genuinely concerned about the matter. “I’m pretty sure hospitals have a rule about how many visitors you’re allowed.”
“Kid, they couldn’t stop us if they tried.”
Zack was glad to see all of his friends showing such concern for his only son. Aaron was the first to bounce into the room. Brendan, Natalia and Melody followed. Chris was alone when he entered, and Pat and Vicky brought up the rear with their arms around each other. Together, they crowded the room. But it didn’t feel claustrophobic. It felt right.
They were family.
“Not even a scratch,” Brendan said as he looked the boy over. “You owe me fifty bucks, Kristovski.”
Chris gave him the finger. Lysander rolled his eyes. Zack chuckled.
Assured that his son was being well taken care of, Zack took his wife by the hand and led her out into the hall. She was visibly surprised by the gesture, but she didn’t question it until he had led her half way down the corridor and stopped by a quiet corner.
“What’s going on?” she asked. “Zack, is everything all right?”
“Everything’s fine,” he assured her. “I just wanted to talk to you. Alone.”
“Well, okay. What did you want to talk about?”
Zack took a moment to find the right words, but they were doing their best to elude him. Georgia gave him all the time that he needed, just as she always did, but he hated to keep her waiting. There was no other way to say it but the way she had always said it to him.
“I want to start a family with you.”
She blinked once, then twice, and her plump lips formed the tiniest of surprised “o”s.
“You... You want to start a family?”
“Yes,” he said without hesitation. “Having Lysander around all the time... I’ve liked it. I really have. And you make such a great mother. You always have, even when he didn’t accept you as one. So I’d like to do it properly. I think it would be amazing. You’d be amazing.”
Georgia had clearly not expected his sudden change of heart. Not for the first time in her life, he had managed to render her speechless — and he couldn’t deny that he liked it. Especially when those happy tears brimmed in her eyes.
“Do you really mean it?”
“I do. So what do you say?”
She wrapped her arms around his neck and planted a kiss right to his lips.
“Only if Lysander’s okay with it.”
It was Zack’s turn to be speechless. For so long Georgia had pestered him, begging him to start a family with her, that he’d believed that when he finally did come around she would jump at the idea. But here she was, proving again that she would be the perfect mother — putting Lysander before her own wants.
He didn’t think it was possible, but he loved her even more for it.
“We’ll talk to him about it,” she said. “But not now. The poor boy’s been through enough.”
Zack nodded. All he wanted now was to be able to take his son home. But it could take hours, he knew, before the blood results came back, and they would be stuck in the hospital until then.
But it was worth it, just to be sure that his son had not been drugged, or poisoned, or God only knew what else. He’d have waited a year for those results if that was what it took.
“Now get back in there,” Georgia said, kissing him lightly. “That boy is going to need you.”
In some ways this was true, but in others Zack knew that Lysander was going to be just fine. He was a strong boy — stronger than most people gave him credit for — and after everything that had happened, Zack liked to believe that getting through this minor hiccup would be like a walk in the park for the boy.
It may not have been the truth, but he could still hope.
By the time Zack and Georgia got back to the hospital room, their friends had Lysander laughing and joking around again. He looked better for it, Zack decided. Not only happier, but healthier, too. As if he could take on the world and win.
Laughter truly was the best medicine.
EPILOGUE
“Best of three!”
Lysander grinned. If Kieran really thought he was out of practice because he’d never joined Mapleton Beach High’s track team, he was in for a rude shock. Lysander ran every morning. Timed himself and pushed himself to do better every chance he got. If anybody was out of practice, it was Kieran. No doubt he’d been slacking off without the competition around to keep him on his toes. Challenge accepted, Lysander thought. Kieran had no idea what he was getting himself into.
He cracked his knuckles and rolled his shoulders, releasing the tension from them. “Race you back to my dad’s place. But just remember you asked for it, loser.”
“On three, then.” There was a wicked glint in Kieran’s eyes Lysander knew all too well. “One, two...”
The boy was gone before he’d even finished the second count.
So that was how it was going to be. Lysander tore off after his best friend, sending gravel flying in his wake. Kieran might have managed a decent head start, but Lysander had the advantage of knowing their track. He knew to be careful of the pebbles that spilled out from Mr. Antonio’s driveway and to watch out for Mrs. Frond, who would be reversing out of her driveway to get the kids to their morning activities right as they would be passing. Kieran would have to slow for both. Lysander would regain his advantage then.
Nothing had made him happier than having his best friend come to stay with him for the summer. Zack had surprised him with it on the first day of break, coaxing Lysander to open the door for what was supposed to be Brendan coming over for a jamming session but ended up being Kieran wearing a snapback and shades, looking like he’d been in California for years. How Zack had managed to convince Kieran’s mother to let him come was a miracle Lysander wouldn’t question.
It was right on ten o’clock when they turned back into Zack’s street and raced for the house, its wooden door beckoning. Lysander could practically hear it cheering him on. Barely two steps ahead, he was the first to sprawl his hand across it and shout his victory, much to Kieran’s utter disbelief. He shook his head and brushed sweat from his brow as they both stopped to catch their breath, Mrs. Prescott next door giving them some weird side-eye.
Kieran wheezed. He stretched his arms to the sky, popping the joints on both. “You have definitely not lost your touch.”
“‘Course I haven’t.” Lysander grinned, wiping the sweat from his own face with the sleeve of his shirt. Damn, it felt good to run with Kieran again. “Rematch tomorrow?”
Georgia had fresh fruit and water waiting for them in the kitchen. It had become her routine over the months as she’d picked up on what days Lysander ran. Some mornings she joined him and they had a light breakfast together before Zack had even crawled out of bed. Others she came down just to set out his snack before returning to the sheets. Today she was in the kitchen, giving the benches a solid wipe down when they both unapologetically trekked dust onto her clean tiles.
She barely looked at the mess. A solid improvement. “You two had best get ready when you’re done. We’re leaving in half an hour, and Vicky specifically requested we not be late.” She glanced at the ceiling. “I can’t imagine who she meant.”
Lysander grinned. “Don’t worry. I’ll make sure he’s up.”
It took Lysander and Kieran five minutes each to shower and then another two apiece to get ready. They were both done before Zack, whom Lysander had practically needed to drag out of bed and shove into the bathroom. By the time he finally came down the stairs with his car keys in hand, everybody was more than ready to leave. Georgia gave a pointed look to her watch and tsked at Zack, who shrugged an apology like, What are they gonna do, send us home? He gestured for them to head for the car.
Vicky had warm greetings for everybody when they arrived, hugging the two teens and kissing Georgia and Zack’s cheeks before directing their group to the backyard. Lysander was unsurprised to see Brendan and his family already there, Melody playing peek-a-boo with her grandfather, Chris and his wife not far away. There were two older couples in the mix — Pat and Vicky’s parents, Lysander presumed. The yard was a symphony of happy conversation and meat grilling on a barbeque, with the not-so-distant sounds of the beach to bring it all together.
It wasn’t long after their own arrival before Jack and Loralie showed up.
Lysander had been thrilled to see his own friends accepted into the band’s social circle so easily, especially after what Chris ominously referred to as The Eliza Beth Incident. But Jack had already proven that he wasn’t a psychopath, and Loralie had been friends with Marina for years, so maybe it wasn’t so surprising after all. They smiled when they saw Lysander and Kieran, practically jogging over to meet them. Zack’s fingers lingered on Lysander’s shoulder briefly before he and Georgia stepped towards their own group. Be careful, it said.
Always, Dad.
He couldn’t keep his eyes from roaming over Loralie. The floral sun-dress that she wore hugged her figure snugly before flaring at the hips, the slip-ons on her feet sporting similar flowers blooming over freshly painted toenails. She’d thrown her hair up in a messy bun and hadn’t bothered with anything more than lip gloss before she’d made her appearance, and as far as Lysander was concerned that was all she needed. She was a picture of perfection.
“Sorry we took so long,” she apologised. “Jack took forever to work out what he was going to wear.”
“Well, it’s a serious matter,” Jack said with a perfectly straight face. “You just never know who you’re going to meet, so you’ve always gotta look your best.”
“Touché.” Kieran stared him down. “Now, if only we weren’t at a party for old people.”
“Who’re you calling old people, kid?”
Pat’s hands fell onto Jack’s and Kieran’s shoulders like a cop who’d just caught a pair of boys getting up to mischief. It should have been intimidating, this tall, buff man looming over them, but Kieran only turned and gave Pat the most innocent look he could muster.
“You,” he said. “Old man.”
“He’s only kidding, Uncle Patrick,” Lysander said. “Thirty-four isn’t old at all.”
“Yeah, Uncle Patrick.” Kieran grinned. “Thirty-four isn’t that old — if you’re, say, a sea turtle.”
Pat shook his head and went to get himself another drink.
Lysander and his friends found an empty spot in the corner of Pat’s yard, under the shade of an overhanging tree, and made themselves comfortable in the grass. This, Lysander decided, was where he wanted to spend the rest of his life – an eternal, sunny Saturday afternoon, with the salt air in his hair and his friends and family laughing all around him. Any weekend like this was a weekend well spent.
It had been two months since The Jacob Alfonzo Incident, and a lot had changed in that time.
The band had finally finished their latest album. Memento Mori was set for release just before Halloween, and the band were expecting to set out on a national tour the month after that. Lysander was excited for them, knowing his father was going to be back out there doing what he loved, but also a little sad at the thought of Zack being gone for such long periods of time. It was something he and Georgia had been discussing during their early morning breakfasts, her trying to assure him he would grow used to it. But even after living fifteen years without the man, Lysander wasn’t so sure.
“I’ll bring you to some of the closer shows,” Zack had promised him. “Only if they don’t interfere with your school work, though.”
He still wasn’t the biggest fan of the band’s music, but watching them play held new meaning for him now. He moved a hand to his side, to where Dakota’s iPod sat deep within the pocket of his jeans. She’d been waiting for this new album. She would have dragged him to every show they could reach, would have led him to the barrier and sung and danced her little heart out and frantically waved at Zack in the hopes that this time, this time he would notice them.
Mission accomplished, sis. He knows now.
He looked across the yard at his father.
Zack had his arm around Georgia’s waist. Georgia had her head resting gently on Zack’s shoulder, and there were genuine smiles on both of their faces. They were much happier these days, he thought. Calmer. So much more in love somehow. He had a sneaking suspicion it was thanks to a little something they’d told him before the holidays had begun.
Lysander was excited for them. He was certain it would only be a matter of time before they came back to tell him they were expecting, that he was going to be a big brother, and he was going to give them his full support when it happened. It was the least he could do, given how they’d opened up their hearts and their home to take him in.
And if he was being honest, he was excited for himself, too.
“Have I mentioned that California’s amazing?”
Lysander looked back at Kieran. He’d moved out of the shade in favour of lying in the sun, and was looking quite content with his hands behind his head and his face raised to the sky. Lysander couldn’t blame him. California was amazing, and he counted himself lucky he got to call it home.
