Waiting on the Rain by Claudia Connor

36

“Hey, you home?”

“In here,” Luke answered his brother from the bedroom.

Nick took one look at the bed and froze. “Going somewhere?”

“Yeah, I am.” He surveyed what he had, still feeling like he was forgetting something. He’d decided to attack his picnic plan like a mission. Figured he needed to lay out all the gear before he starting packing.

Nick came farther into the room, looking closely at what was laid out. His gaze moved over the wine, the glasses, the blanket. “Ahh. Setting the stage for a romance. Chocolate covered strawberries? Bro. I didn’t know you had it in you.”

“I know where the specialty markets are.”

“Huh. That’s interesting.”

“What’s so damn interesting about it?”

“Nothing. Here. I brought you some stuff.”

Luke looked at the box tucked under his brother’s arm. “Thanks. What’s in it?”

Nick shrugged and set the box on the floor. “Just some stuff. Stuff I saved.”

“Like what?”

“I don’t know. Shit from your room.”

Luke straightened and went to the box, opened the flap. The first thing he saw was his high school yearbook. Under that was a stack of cards with a rubber band around them. His throat felt thick. He didn’t need to look at each one. The only people to ever give him cards were his mom and dad. “Thanks man.” He had to clear his throat and swallow hard to get that much out. Lucky for him his older brother was also a man of few words.

He straightened and went back to the bed. Damn, he wanted to dig through the box but no way would do it with his brother here. Couldn’t do it now anyway. He had a date to make. And damn it, he knew he was forgetting something. He cursed under his breath.

Nick stepped up beside him.

“Don’t give me any grief.”

“Wouldn’t dream of it. Let’s see… Bottled water, little champagne bottles, nice. What’s in the foil?”

“Half a chocolate cake. Hannah made it.”

“Good choice. Napkins, plates, blanket.”

“I’ve got everything I can think of. Cheese and grapes in there,” he pointed to a small plastic container. “Bread in that other foil.”

“Condoms?”

“Shut up. Knife for the cheese. A three ounce can of bug spray.”

Nick picked up the small first aid kit, raised an eye brow.

Luke grabbed it back. “I like to be prepared, okay?”

“Yeah. Fine.”

Luke frowned at the supplies. “I’m missing something. I know it.”

“Well, if you’re missing it so am I. You’ve got everything there but the kitchen sink. If you’re going to take this much stuff you might as well stay home.” Nick picked up the bug spray, read the label like he was inspecting it and laid it back in its place. “You know, I had something I wanted to say.”

Luke stopped his packing to look at his brother. “Okay.”

“I wanted to say that… well…I’m glad you’re here.”

Luke huffed out a laugh. “Well, thanks.” He started to turn back to his pack.

“I mean really glad. And not just that you’re here. I’m glad you’re out.” Nick sank onto the edge of the bed, ran his hands over his face and into his hair. “I should have gone after you that night. I should have stopped you, and all these years, every damn day, I thought, ‘if he dies, if my little brother dies it’ll be my fault.’”

“Nick. I…” Luke was so taken aback, he sat on the bed next to his brother. “That’s just bullshit. It was my choice. My only choice, or the only one I could see at the time. And really, if I’d gotten killed, I kind of would have deserved it.”

“That’s ridiculous.”

“No more so than you thinking it would have been your fault. I forged your name to do it,” Luke added, sliding a grin at Nick.

“Figured, you little shit.”

They sat another minute. “You still thinking you’re gonna stay?”

“It’s looking that way. I talked to Hannah.”

Nick nodded. “This picnic have anything to do with it?”

“Maybe.”

“Well… don’t forget your condoms,” Nick said with a snicker as he left.

Later that afternoon,Luke stood on a ladder, hanging fascia. It was more of a two-man job, but Luke whistled as he worked. He hefted another board over his head, straining to hold it in place as he nailed it in with the air gun.

The picnic had been a success. The lovemaking on the blanket he’d spread on the ground had left him loose and in a whistling kind of mood. He was relaxed enough to go inside and coax Ava onto the couch. They could close their eyes, talk, listen to music. Or do nothing at all. But he wanted to get the outdoor electrical strung for the call box and the fascia needed to come first. With the electrical done, it’d be a simple thing to hook up call boxes along the way from cabin to barn.

He wanted Ava to see that, experience that, and all the possibilities that would make her living here possible. He thought maybe she was starting to change her mind about New York. Maybe. And if not… Could he move to New York? The bigger question was could he live without Ava? He already knew he didn’t want to.

Even now she was inside, prepping dinner for the two of them. By the time they finished eating the sun would be down and they’d go for a walk. Tell her about the lights, let her feel her way to the call boxes.

“Hey, Luke. I just—”

He turned from his spot on the top of the ladder, saw Ava walking toward him and shit. He’d left the miter saw on the ground, not wanting to take the time to drag out sawhorses and plywood to make a table surface. “Wait. Stop!”

Everything happened at once. Ava was one step from disaster and in his haste to get to her, he missed a step on the ladder, fumbled the tool in his hand. The nail gun went off twice in quick succession. “Ah, shit.”

“What is it? Luke? What happened?”

“Just stop. There’s—” His words were cut off when he reached the ground. He groaned and looked down at the inside of his upper thigh. Not good. His tan cargo shorts were already wet with blood. He knew that before he even looked at the wound. Before he saw the blood already pumping down his leg in a ribbon of red. “Ava. Get my phone.”

“Okay.”

“It’s on the porch, I think. Ava…” He was already light headed and lowered himself to sitting, then laying.

“I can’t find it! Luke? Where is it? I can’t find it!”

Ava was screaming and there was already a roaring in his ears. “It might be inside. Ava. Forget it. Come here. I need you to come here.”

He watched her coming toward him, her arms out in front of her. “Stop. Go to your left, little more. Okay. Feel around with your hands. I’m here.”

Luke looked at his hand, at the blood squeezing between his fingers. It was a lot. Maybe too much.

She reached him, grabbed for him, touching his left shoulder. “What happened?”

“I shot my leg.”

“What?” She reached out, searching for the wound.

“With the nail gun. Listen.” He reached out for her hand. “I need you to put your hand right here and press down hard, okay? Take my shirt.” He stripped his T-shirt over his head, balled it up and put it over her hands. “Okay. Press down on that. Hard.”

Her breath caught on a sob.

“It’s okay. We’ll tighten the belt around it and you’ll find the phone. It’s all good.”

He fumbled with the buckle, sliding it from the loops as best he could. Levering up so she could get it from the back.

Her hands were shaking when she got it loose. He tried to help her with one hand, keeping the other pressing on the wound.

Her hands, covered in his blood were shaking so badly they slipped on the leather. “Ava. Hey. Stay calm here, okay?”

It was good she couldn’t see him at that moment. He knew his face would be losing color. “Okay. Take the belt. You’re going to have to wrap it around. I’ll hold onto this end and every time you wrap you pull. Tighter. Do it tighter, Ava.”

“Okay! Tell me what to do!”

“I’m telling you. You’re doing fine. Go around again. One more time. Okay. Good. Now stick it through the buckle.” Her fingers fluttered over the square buckle. “Okay. Now you’re going to pull and pull hard.”

Luke sucked air— in through his nose, out through his mouth. Keep it slow, keep it even. A rapid heart rate wouldn’t help right now. He knew enough to know he wouldn’t stop the bleeding but needed to slow it down.

And also knew that if the nail had severed his femoral artery he’d already be dead. The fact that he was still conscious, still seeing clearly, told him it was most likely nicked.

“Okay. Now I need you to find a phone. Yours, mine, whatever. You can do it. Stay calm. We’ve got time here.” Honestly, he didn’t know how much time they had. And if she couldn’t find the phone…

“Okay. Okay. I’ll find it. I’ll get it.”

Ava was up and moving over the grass to the cabin, too fast and not at all careful. He couldn’t afford for her to be too careful right now.

He turned over, using his hands and his uninjured leg to make his way to the porch. He hadn’t made it halfway when he let his eyes close and fought the darkness pulling at him.