“Why?”

“Is that girl drunk, too? What happened to Kelly?”

“Come on. Don’t start on me.”

“Where are you?” The phone was sliding out of my hands. They were so sweaty. “Are you at the bar?”

“What? No. I left an hour ago. Where ar—”

“It’s Mom.”

He stopped. I heard movement from his end, and his voice was suddenly clearer, “What?”

“It’s Mom. We checked on her, and she was bleeding. She’s uncon—”

“What?!”

“Luke called 911. They’re coming to the house now.”

“Shit! I’m on my way.”

Flickers of red and white lights started to appear around the corner, and they grew brighter and brighter until the ambulance slowed enough to turn down our street. I gripped the phone tighter and hurried out. “Don’t. They’re here. Go to the hospital. If you’re drunk and the girl’s drunk, call a cab.”

“Bri, do I—”

I hung up and waved both of my arms in the air. “Over here! Here!”

Everything went fast after that. They pulled into the driveway, and not much was said between the paramedics and me. One had already gone inside to assess Mom. She radioed within seconds for the gurney, and the rest of the paramedics went inside with it. A younger male followed behind them with a bag and clipboard.

I stayed outside and bent my head down, my hands braced on my knees. Then I breathed. I just breathed.

“Hey.” I looked up to see Luke headed toward me.

The paramedics bypassed us with the stretcher my mom was strapped to. When she was loaded into the ambulance, one of the paramedics asked, “Anyone riding with us?”

Luke waved him off. “Go ahead. We’ll be right behind you guys.” He faced me and asked, “You ready to go?”

I nodded, raking a hand over my face. “Uh, yeah.” I looked at the front door.

Luke said, “I already locked up.” He had my keys in his hand, and he pointed to my car. “I’ll drive. You’re too scatterbrained right now. Did you call Braden?”

Luke got behind the steering wheel. I got into the passenger side. “He’s going to meet us at the hospital.”

“He was sober?”

I shrugged. I didn’t care. “He’ll get there.” Braden always pulled through. Unlike yourself, my own inner thought laughed at me, remembering Braden’s words.

Luke wasn’t my mom.

This wasn’t my fault.

My jaw firmed, and I shoved the memories back down, once and for all. I had to be there for her, not paralyzed with fear. This wasn’t my fault, I reminded myself again.

“Bri? You okay?”

“What?”

“You’re acting weird. You checked out before. What’s going on with you?”

His eyes were warm with concern, and there was no judgment. Pain sliced through my chest. Of all people, he was the only one who had the right to judge me. Feeling more tears, I swallowed over a damn lump in my throat and moved my head up and down. “I’m fine. It’s just…” Did I tell him? Was now the time?

“It’s your mom. I get it.” Luke gave me a crooked grin, the streetlights flashing over his face.

Yeah. My mom.

This wasn’t the time.

“Bri?”

“Sorry.” My mom. “Yes, it’s my mom.”

He reached over and took my hand in his. “She’ll be fine.” Our fingers interlaced, and he squeezed my hand. “The paramedics didn’t seem too worked up. I’m sure she’ll be fine. Your mom is a badass. She’s tough as nails.”

I clasped onto his hand with both of mine and just held onto him. When we got there and found her room, the doctor met us at the door. He held us back, shooing us to the side as my mom was wheeled right back into the hallway.

I pointed at her bed. “That’s my mom. Where’s she going?”

The doctor nodded once. “Surgery. We need to go in there and find out what’s wrong. It will be a few hours.” I wanted to ask him questions, but it wouldn’t have mattered. He wasn’t listening. The doctor hurried after them, and they all disappeared behind another set of doors.

“Bri!”

Braden was hurrying for us, a girl in tow behind him. His hair was disheveled. He had one hand twisted in it, and his other hand was dragging the girl behind him, but she didn’t seem to mind. They were both barely dressed. My brother looked like he had just pulled on his shirt. It was sticking to the top of his chest, and his jeans were sagging low on his hips, still unbuttoned at the top. The girl looked slightly better. Her skinny jeans were glued to her. She only had one of her sandals on her feet. She was gripping the other in her free hand, and her shirt, a large flowing top, slipped off one of her shoulders. She tugged it back up, but it fell right off again. Her hair, like my brother’s, was a mess. Bleached blonde and sticking in the air. She was trying to calm it down, but with her shoe in her hand, it was becoming more of a mess.

They both reeked of alcohol and smoke. I didn’t want to ask who drove. They were there; that’s all I cared about.

“Mom?” Braden pressed, his eyes wide and urgent.

Luke answered for me, still holding my hand. “She’s in surgery. The doctor told Bri it’d be a few hours.”

“A few hours?” Braden looked in pain. He cursed. “I need coffee. Now.”

“There’s a coffee machine in the cafeteria,” a nurse mentioned as she breezed past us.

“Okay. Well, we’ll go down there. Bri,” Braden said, “you want coffee?”

I nodded. “Yes, please.”

He tugged the girl with him, heading down the hallway. “We’ll be back. Hopefully more sober.” As they started forward, the girl glanced back over her shoulder and gave Luke a tiny smile.

I almost went after her. The sight of her smile had me gritting my teeth and wanting to use her sandal against her head.

“Easy,” Luke murmured, holding me back.

I rolled my eyes. “I know. I know, but seriously, she’s with him. They just screwed, and she’s giving you the look?” I sneered at her even though she wasn’t looking at him anymore. “Girls like her make the whole Girl Power thing go up in smoke.”