Page 66 of Lying Hearts

“I understand what happened. It’s just pretty much the worst thing you could have said.” I close my eyes.

Getting all huffy, she takes a step toward the door. “You know what Brendan? Why don’t you get some sleep. I’ll come back later when you’re not so ungrateful.”

“Fine. Whatever.” I hear the sound of her heels as she walks out, and the door closes behind her. I’ve got an image of Annie’s stricken face when Rebecca told her that. How she would have put it together that I made her promise she wasn’t lying to me about breaking up with her boyfriend. How I told her I hate cheating. And now here Rebecca goes and plants it in her skull that she’s my girlfriend. I know Annie’s no dummy. I bet when she suggested Rebecca might be my mother it was because she was hoping she was, because she knew there was no way she could be.

Rebecca’s a woman of beauty, presence and grace. And while Annie’s beautiful, too, I know she doesn’t know it. It’s all over her face with how humble and easily surprised she is. How grateful for a compliment. There’s a freshness to her that I really, really like. But Rebecca? She can intimidate most people just by walking into a room. I’m sure Annie saw her and was knocked over. Especially when she wouldn’t have expected anyone to be here.

Dammit. I push the button for the nurse. Within seconds one arrives, the benefits of being a gunshot victim and nearly dying. They keep extra close tabs on you, I would imagine.

“Did you need something?”

“Yeah. But instead I’ll have more drugs.”

She pauses, unsure. “Are you hurting?”

I close my eyes. “More than you can imagine.”

“I’ll check your chart and be right back.”

“Thank you.” I think again of what Annie’s face must have looked like when she left, how stunned she must have been. And how I have no way of telling her I’m not the shittiest guy on the planet. Turning my head toward the window, with my eyes still shut tight against the pain, I mutter, “Unbelievable.”