Alec by Margaret McHeyzer

 

 

 

“Hey, look at you. No crutches,” Rhett says as I walk into the firehouse, albeit more cautiously than normal.

“Gone forever.”

“When do you come back to work?” he asks.

“Look who’s back!” Pen calls from upstairs. “The prodigal son has returned,” she dramatically emphasizes by throwing her arms up toward the sky.

“About time. Pen’s been driving me crazy,” Hugo says as he stands beside Rhett.

Dean appears and Tripod hops over to me, wagging his tail. “I thought you’d never return.”

“I’ve been gone for too many weeks. It feels like years. I’m back at work as of next week.”

Everyone disappears except for Dean and Rhett. Rhett stands opposite me, and crosses his arms in front of his chest. He looks down at my foot. “You sure you’re good to return?”

“Not only am I good to come back, but I want my house back too. I’m moving tomorrow.”

Rhett rolls his eyes and huffs.

“Drills in twenty minutes!” Dean calls out for everyone to hear.

“What?” Hugo complains from upstairs.

“How are you feeling?” Dean asks.

“Excited to get back here. I’ve missed it. And I’ve missed my house, too.” I look over to Rhett.

“Yeah, yeah, I know, I have my eviction notice. I’m getting out tomorrow. And don’t worry, the sheets will be clean.”

“Ugh.” I screw my nose up.

“TMI, bro,” Dean responds. “Speaking of brothers, what’s happening with Serena’s?”

Rhett steps closer so we’re more in a family huddle to keep Pen and Hugo from listening in. “She’s got the clinic all lined up. I gave her the rest of the money she needed to book it, but now, we need to get him there. But she hasn’t heard from him since the day her tire blew.”

“Shit, that was like last week.” Dean asks.

I rub my hand over my hair, and massage the nape of my neck. “Yeah, something like that. She’s worried he’s dead, but I don’t think he is.”

“I’m sure we can find him. He won’t have gone too far from Mulberry Point,” Rhett says.

“Does she know where he goes to buy his drugs?” Dean asks while rubbing at his chin.

“She hasn’t said. But I’m sure between the three of us, we can find him,” I say.

“Drills!” Pen calls.

Rhett jogs backward toward the back of the firehouse. “See you tomorrow. I’ll be back at Mom’s by about nine.”

“In the AM,” I sternly insist. Knowing Rhett, he’ll try to drag it out all day.

“Yeah, yeah.” He flicks his hand at me, then sticks up his middle finger.

“You hanging around for drills, or going?”

I look down to Tripod who’s patiently sitting beside Dean. “Nah, I’m gonna go. Just wanted to check in, make sure everything’s okay.”

Dean winces as he shakes his head. “Yeah, the place hasn’t fallen apart without you,” he sarcastically states before walking away. “Tripod.” The dog turns his head, then scurries toward Dean. “By the way, good to have you back.”

I take a deep breath, excited to finally be able to return to work. It’s been too long since I’ve been here, and I can’t wait until our next shift. The firehouse is my home, and I’ve hated having to stay away because of my injury.

“Drills!” Pen yells at the top of her voice.

“Coming!” Hugo screams back. He heads down the stairs, and sees me walking out. “It’ll be good to have you back, man.”

“Thanks. I’m looking forward to it.”

Penelope stands at the side entrance, her hands on her hips, staring at Hugo. “Come on, we’re waiting for you.”

Hugo rolls his eyes, smirks and gives me a small nod. “See ya.”

It feels so good to be back. I’ve missed being here. A sense of relief washes over me. This is my home.

Opening the door to my car, I get in and start it, ready to pull out onto the street when my phone rings. Taking my phone out of my cargo pants pocket, I look at the name flashing on the screen. “Hello, beautiful.” I lean my head back against the headrest and close my eyes.

“Hey, how are you?”

“I’m good. I’m at work.”

There’s a short pause from Serena. “At work? I thought you were starting back on Friday.”

“I am. I came back to talk to Rhett, and tell him I need my house back. What are you doing?”

“I’m on way to work,” she says. I start to laugh. “What?”

“You’re always at work. Which one of all your jobs exactly are you going to?”

“The restaurant. I’m covering someone who can’t come in, and doing my close shift too. So, I’m working until probably nine or ten. Depends how fast we can close.”

“I don’t know how you do it. I’m in awe of you, Serena.” She really is a remarkable person who somehow finds a way to get things done.

“Aww, look at you being all cute again and shit. Compliments will definitely get you laid,” she says and laughs. “That’s if I don’t fall asleep the moment my head hits the pillow.” She chuckles again. “I need to go though, I’m just pulling up and I still have to go in and get changed.”

“Before you go, what time do you think you’ll be finished tomorrow night?”

“Um, hang on, I need to open my phone calendar and see what jobs I have going,” Serena pauses for a moment. “Can you hear me? I’ve got you on speaker.”

“Yeah, I can hear you.”

“I’m at the hospital all of tomorrow, and then I have the Morrison’s house to clean. I should be finished by around six-ish.”

“I’m moving back into my place tomorrow morning, so I’m cooking you dinner.”

“You can cook more than the meatballs?” she teasingly jests.

“You wound me,” I dramatically state while clutching at my chest, which incidentally, she can’t see.

“You’re such a dork. Okay, you can cook me dinner. I expect a fine dining experience, complete with wine, and of course dancing.”

“Dancing?” I ask, my voice cracking in pitch.

“Of course. You have to have dancing when you’re at a fine dining establishment.”

“As in Studio 54 dancing? Or are we talking pole dancing, because if it’s the latter. Yes please!”

“I wasn’t aware you’re a pole dancer, Alec.”

“Not me, I meant you.”

She laughs a little louder, and I like when she’s free and happy. “I do have to go though. I’ll see you tomorrow.”

“Okay. Bye.”

“Bye.”

“I miss you,” I say into my phone that now no longer has Serena on the other end. I miss her so damn much. I think Rhett’s right, I’m turning into a marshmallow.

 

The manager locks the restaurant, and I stand beside him, yawning. “You okay to drive home, Serena?” he asks.

“Yeah, I’m fine. I’m so damn tired though. I think I’ll be out of it in about two minutes flat when I get home.”

“I’ll walk you to your car.” He turns so he’s walking beside me.

“It’s okay, I’ll be fine. My car is just down there.” I point to where it is, down by one of the street lights.

“Alright, I’ll see you on Sunday.”

“You will. Bye, John.” I give him a wave over my shoulder as I walk toward my car. My eyes are burning from how tired I am, and I can’t help but keep yawning. I rustle around in my bag for my keys, and find them right down at the bottom. I look up to the darkened sky and search for the moon. There’s slight cloud cover, but not enough to hide the moon. The sky is layered with bright stars shining majestically. It makes my heart ache though, because I haven’t heard from Jordan in what feels like forever. Now that I finally have the money to send him to New Dawn, he’s disappeared and I haven’t been able to find him. I wish I could reach him, that way, I could try and convince him to go into treatment. “Wherever you are, please be safe.” I look up at the stars for one more moment before I get in my car and drive home.

My stomach is churning, and my hands are shaking as I pull into my street. My mind is overrun with images of Jordan laying in a ditch somewhere, dead. It feels like my every waking moment is taken over by Jordan. I’m killing myself working fourteen- to eighteen-hour days all so I can get him the help he needs. When will this end?

I drive by the party house and the two guys who live there are standing outside, watching as I pull into my driveway. They angle their bodies, and cross their arms in front of their chests as they scrutinize me getting out of the car, then rush to the front door of my house. Although they’ve done nothing to me, it’s still weird how they watch me. My skin chills with bolts of ice as I rustle around for my house keys, busting to get inside to lock myself in.

With my back to the locked door, I close my eyes and take several deep breaths, calming my frantic mind. “They’ve never done anything to you, so get over yourself,” I say trying to find justification. “You’ve been living here for how long? And they’ve never said or done a thing to you.” It’s true, they haven’t. It’s just their overall intimidating presence.

I walk over to my room, unlock the door, and throw my bag on the bed. I should go have a shower, but I’m just too damned tired. I take my phone out of my bag and plug it in to charge. Looking at the time, my shoulders slump and I rub at my eyes. It’s just after ten, and I’m ready to collapse right here. Maybe I can have a twenty-minute nap, then get up and have a shower.

Who am I kidding? If I have a nap, it’ll turn into me waking tomorrow morning. Alright, I have to push myself to have a damn shower now. A message comes through as I’m sitting on the bed, trying to motivate myself into getting up.

Let me know when you’re home.

I smile like a fool. I think it’s so cute how Alec worries about me.

I’m home. Trying to find the energy to go have a shower.

I could come join you.Is the instant reply.

Rain check? I’m really tired.

I haven’t had sex with him yet, and I’m already asking for a rain check. Jesus, what a lame girlfriend I’m turning out to be.

“For fuck’s sake,” I scold myself. I need to get out of my own damn head. Is this what being tired does to a person? Makes them delirious and overthink everything?

Rain check for tomorrow night it is.

I place my phone on the bedside table, grab my pajamas, and head into the shower. Turning on the hot water first, I quickly strip then stick my hand in the stream waiting for the water to heat up. I turn on the cold-water faucet, and wait until the temperature’s perfect before standing under the stream.

I stand with the water pelting down on my back, lower my head and close my eyes. I take several deep breaths, trying to steady this bothersome feeling of dread bubbling away in the pit of my gut. “Jordan, I hope you’re safe.” Although my eyes are closed, several tears roll down my cheeks and mix with the hot water of the shower. “Please, come home to me,” I beg in a small voice.

Because if I’m being honest with myself, I’m not sure how much longer I can do this. I want to say I’ll keep fighting for Jordan when he can’t fight for himself, but I’m not sure I can handle all this pressure anymore. But I doubt I’ll ever be able to wipe my hands of him, regardless how long this goes on for.

I allow myself to cry for only a few more minutes. I lift my chin, pull my shoulders back and take one more deep breath. “You’ve got this,” I say to myself. And I do. I’m smart, tough, and I’m doing the best I can.

Forgoing my hair, I quickly wash myself, then turn the water off, grab my towel and wrap it around my body. Walking into my room, I see the screen on my phone dim. Sitting on the edge of the bed in my towel, I pick my phone up and smile as I swipe it to bring it to life. Two missed phone calls and two voice mail messages.

I look at the number, thinking it’s Alec, but it’s not. Standing, I swipe to listen to the messages as I towel myself dry. Shit, what if it’s Jordan and he needs me to go pick him up from somewhere? The message starts playing and I put it on speaker, as I get ready to head out so I can collect Jordan from wherever he is.

“This message is for Serena Whitaker. I’m calling from Mulberry Point Hospital Emergency Department. Could you please return this call as soon as you can?” she then clearly and slowly says the number she wants me to call.

Shit, shit, shit.Something’s happened to Jordan. I know it has. Scrambling to get dressed, I dial the number for the hospital. It rings out. Fretting and frantic, I pace my room back and forth. I dial the number again.

No one answers, again.

There’s no way I’ll be able to sleep if I don’t get through to find out what it is they’re calling me for. I listen to the second message, and again it’s the same woman repeating what she did in the first message.

In my gut, I know this has something to do with Jordan. It has to. I dial the number again. No one is answering. I know it’s late, and they’re all most likely busy, but I need someone to answer so I don’t lose my damn mind over here. I try again. Still no answer.

“Screw this,” I say as I slip my shoes on, grab my bag and keys and head out of my room. I dial Alec’s number on the way out of the house.

“I thought you’d be sleeping by now.”

“Alec!” my voice crumbles with stress.

“What’s wrong?”

“I was in the shower, and when I got out there were phone calls and messages,” I ramble, trying to form a coherent sentence. “I have to get to Mulberry Point Hospital. I’ve got this really bad feeling, Alec. I think he’s dead. I think they’ve found him. Shit, shit, shit.”

“I’m just getting in my car, where do you live, and I’ll come to get you?”

Other than the fact that I’m embarrassed by where I live, I don’t have time to sit around and wait for him. “I’m on my way to the hospital now.” I put Alec on speaker, and reverse out of my driveway like my life depends on it. The two guys who are always out the front of their house, watch as I speed past them and take the corner so fast my tires screech.

But at this stage, I don’t care what they’re doing, I just need to get to the hospital. “Serena, can you hear me?” a concerned Alec asks, startling me out of my worrying funk.

“I’m here,” I say as I speed toward the hospital.

“Talk to me. What did the messages say?”

“Nothing, they just said I had to call them, and every time I tried to return their call, it would ring out.”

“Are you sure it was a genuine call, Serena? If you can’t get through to them, perhaps it’s someone playing some kind of sick joke on you.”

My mind is reeling, what if someone is playing some kind of joke? “Well, it’s not funny if someone is. But I wouldn’t be able to live with myself if it is the hospital, and they’re calling me about Jordan. I have to go and try to find him.”

“I know. I’m nearly at the hospital now. How far are you?”

Considering I’m driving well above the speed limit, I should be there any moment myself. “I’ll be there soon. I’m not going to wait for you, Alec, but I’ll meet you inside the ER.” I pull around the corner, drive straight into the parking bays and find a lot are empty, probably because it’s late in the evening. “I’m here. I’m heading inside.”

“I’ll be there in thirty seconds.” By the time I park my car, grab my bag and open my door, Alec is pulling his car into the spot beside me. He’s out of his car and next to me within seconds. He drapes his arm around my shoulders, nestles close into me and gives me a kiss on the temple. “It’ll be okay, whatever it is.”

I can’t even think of a response to Alec. “I hope he’s not dead.”

My body trembles at the mere thought of losing my brother when I’m the one who’s supposed to be looking after him. “Hey, come here.” Alec stops us just short of the entry of the hospital. He faces me, and wraps me in his arms. “It’ll be okay,” he says again with more assurance to his voice.

“I should’ve done more, Alec. I could’ve, but I didn’t.”

“You’ve been amazing, Serena. You’ve done everything you can, and so much more. But right now, you need to just take a breath and trust that he’s okay.” Alec rubs his hands all over my back, trying to calm my distress.

He’s right, I do need to calm myself, or I’ll end up in here with Jordan. “You’re right, I need to be strong.”

Alec places a soft kiss on my forehead, pulls back, and links our fingers together. “You ready?”

I turn to look at the entrance of the hospital, take another deep breath and nod. Please don’t be dead, please, don’t be dead. I’m not sure I’m strong enough to breathe if Jordan has died.

Alec leads me toward the ER, and we’re greeted by the receptionist. “Hi,” he says with a smile.

I open my mouth to speak, but find my voice refusing to cooperate. I can’t bring myself to say it. I just can’t. I look to Alec, and silently beg for him to do the talking. “Has there been a Jordan Whitaker admitted this evening?”

The receptionist taps on the keyboard of his computer, then looks up to us. He opens his mouth to say something, and my stomach clenches as my heart drops. My legs feel like they’re collapsing from beneath me. Alec holds me tighter to his body. “I’m his sister, Serena Whitaker,” I say in a small voice. This is the hospital I work at, but I’ve never seen this guy in my life, so there’d be no way he’d know who I am. And I’m all the way up the other end of the hospital.

“Your brother has been admitted into the hospital. He was found by a Good Samaritan who called it in. He’d overdosed, and according to the staff in the ER, the paramedics who were first at the scene administered Narcan.”

My breath has been caught in the back of my throat. I’ve been too afraid to release it. But I find myself pushing out the air and slightly relaxing against Alec, who hasn’t let me go. “He’s alive?” I ask, my voice painfully quiet.

“He’s alive,” the receptionist confirms. “You need to head down to the ER, and ask for him there. Do you know where to go?”

I nod. “I work here.” He smiles warmly, and both Alec and I thank him before we walk toward emergency. “He’s okay,” I say on a long sigh.

“This may be the intervention you need to get him to New Dawn.”

I nod again, but all I can think is how grateful and relieved I am that Jordan is alive. “If I don’t get him over to New Dawn now, I don’t think there’ll be a next time. Because next time, I don’t think he’s going to be so lucky.”

Once we’re in the ER, we’re quickly shown to Jordan’s room. I recognize a few of the staff, and even though they smile, I’m barely able to keep my emotions and nerves from spilling over. We’re told by a nurse that the doctor will be in to see us soon. Alec and I stand outside the door of Jordan’s room. I can hear all kinds of painful sounds coming from the other side. Alec stands beside me, holding my hand. “I’ll go in first,” he offers.

“No, you can’t. The Narcan will have blocked any of the drugs going through his system, which means he’s detoxing, and if he’s detoxing, he’s aggressive.” Alec squeezes my hand. “He won’t hurt me,” I reaffirm his unasked, worrisome question.

“Let me go in first, please.”

I turn to Alec and stare into his hypnotic, soulfully intense dark eyes. Leaning in, I give him a small kiss on the lips. “Thank you for wanting to protect me, but I have to do this. You can come in, but I need you to trust me to lead, and trust that I know what I’m doing.”

Alec breaks our connection and stares down at his feet for a split second before lifting his chin. “I’m coming in, and I won’t say a thing. But if he tries to lunge for you, I won’t allow him to do that.”

“I understand.” I nod, then turn to look at the door.

Closing my eyes, I take in a deep breath, before heading into the lion’s den.

The moment we’re inside, Jordan is moaning, and trying to turn from side to side. I’ve noticed both his wrists are restrained. He’s sweating profusely, and there’s a god-awful stench coming from in here. Jordan whips his head to the side to see who’s entered the room. He narrows his eyes at me, before replacing the scowl with a smile. “Sis! Thank God you’re here. Tell them I don’t need to be here and to let me go. And look at this. They have me shackled to the bed like I’m some kind of dangerous animal.” His eyes land on Alec. “Who the hell are you?” he angrily spits to Alec. How quickly his mood swings from one emotion to another.

“Don’t worry about him,” I reply, trying to get the focus away from Alec. Jordan is glaring at Alec, killing him with just his cold, frighteningly angry eyes. I stand in front of Alec, blocking Jordan’s view of him. “Hey, don’t worry about him,” I say again. Behind my back, I flick my hand to Alec, getting him to step back as I move forward. I hear his feet shuffling backward, doing exactly as I’ve asked of him. I glimpse over my shoulder to find Alec has stepped back, but his focus is still on protecting me.

Jordan moans again, and tries to double over and grasp his stomach. “I’m hurting, sis. You gotta get ’em to let me go. I need some medicine to get better.”

“Jordan...” I drag the chair over beside the bed, and sit near his head. A place where I know he can’t reach me if he does lunge at me even though he’s restrained.

“Just undo this one, I can do the other one.” He glimpses down to the restraints then back to me, silently pleading for me to remove them.

“I can’t.”

“Fuck you!” he screeches. He rapidly changes his tactic, his face softens, and he starts crying. “I just need to get out of here.”

“Jordan, I’ve found a treatment center for you, and I want you to go.”

“But I don’t have a problem. I can stop any time I want.”

“I’m sure every addict says the same thing. But you can’t stop, and you need help. I’m sending you to the treatment center.”

“You don’t control me, Serena. And I can stop. Just loosen this, and I’ll come home with you. I just need to go take care of something first, then I’ll come home and I’ll stop.”

“No. I’m taking you to the treatment center,” I say again, but firmer. “The only way I’m going to let you get out of here, is if you come to the treatment center with me.”

“Please, sis. Please, don’t make me go. I don’t need to go. I’m fine, there’s nothing wrong with me.”

“Jordan, you smell like you’ve shit yourself. And you were found unconscious because of a drug overdose. You’re an addict and you need the help.”

He starts sobbing, and babbling some shit about no one wanting to give him a chance. “I’m not an addict,” he cries between the sobs. “I’m just sensitive.”

“Bullshit you’re sensitive. You’re a fucking junkie,” I yell at him. “You’re not only ruining your life, you’re destroying mine.” I lose my cool. “You’re sucking the life out of me, Jordan. You’re killing yourself and taking me down with you. I’ll tell you what. If you don’t want to go, don’t. But I’m going to sever every single tie with you. I’ll move, and you’ll never find me.”

Jordan’s staring at me blankly, his fake tears have now ceased. “But you’re the only person I’ve got,” he says in a small voice.

“You don’t love me. Not one little bit, or you’d go to rehab and try to help me by getting your life together.”

Jordan tries to lift his hand to wipe at his tears, but is jerked back to reality when he can’t move his hands further than an inch or two. For a split second, a moment in time, something passes over him. “If I go to treatment, will you move and never see me again?”

“If you go to treatment, I mean, first plane out to Kentucky tonight, then I’ll stay in your life forever. Or, I walk out this door and we’re done.”

Jordan swallows and stares at me with wide eyes. He flexes his fingers several times as he jitters around on the bed. He’s agitated, and I’m distraught. “Can I think about it?”

He’s just shot an arrow through my heart. I know it’s not him, and it’s the drugs, but man, this shit hurts. I stand from my chair, and glance over to Alec, indicating I’m ready to walk away from Jordan. “I’ve spent many days and nights worrying about you. I’ve taken as many jobs as I possibly can to get the money together to get you into this treatment center. I’m the only one who loves or cares about you. You get from the moment I take my first step toward that door, until I reach it, for you to make your mind up. But once I’m gone, you’re completely on your own.” I take a step toward the door. My heart is aching from his silence. I take one more step, and feel like I’m about to burst into tears. “I can walk out of here knowing that I mean less to you than you do to me. Because if you don’t want to try, then I have no reason to try either.”

I place my hand on the door knob. My stomach hardens as a wave of defeated nausea ripples through my body. My legs tremble as I come to the hard realization how much control the drugs have over my brother. It hits me right in the center of my heart.

I turn the handle, and my head spins with disbelief. “Wait,” he says in a small voice.

With all my strength, I straighten my shoulders, but don’t turn around. “What?” I bluntly croak.

“Don’t go. I need you.”

I still refuse to turn around and give anything more than he’s already taken. “You need the drugs more than me, Jordan.” I move to open the door, hoping to call his bluff. I need to know that he’s committed to getting help.

“I’ll go!” he desperately pleads. “I’ll go to rehab. But please, don’t leave me.”

I shoot Alec a side glance, and give him a small smile. He rubs his hand on my back, and I know I have his support. Right now, Jordan doesn’t need a sister. He needs someone who’s firm with him. Turning, I look at Jordan. “From here, we’ll get the next available flight to Kentucky. You’re not to leave my side.”

“I’ll do anything you want me to.” This is the first time that I actually believe him. “Just, please, don’t wipe me from your life.”

“I’ll get us plane tickets,” Alec says as he opens the door.

“You don’t have to come with us,” I whisper.

“Yes, I do.” He leans in and gives me a kiss on the cheek. “I’ll book us a car too.”

“Thank you,” I mutter before he walks out the door. Turning, I sit in the chair next to Jordan. He relaxes back, and looks up at the ceiling. “I’m relieved you’re doing this.”

“I can do it by myself. I don’t need a rehab center.”

“Nope, sorry.” I have to stand my ground. I know statistically, he’ll be less likely to fail if he goes through rehab in comparison to doing it on his own. “You made a deal with me.”

“Why are you doing this?”

“Because you’re the only brother I have and I love you, even though right now, you don’t love yourself.”

“Yeah, I do.”

“That’s bullshit. You fucking stink, and you’re so skinny it wouldn’t surprise me if you’re malnourished.”

“You’ve got enough meat on your bones to make up for both of us,” he snarls at me.

I know he’s trying to be nasty to push me away, but I’m not going to let it faze me. “Yep, and guess what? I love my body. I’m strong, and confident, and I’m digging you out of the shit you’ve gotten yourself into. So, you’re welcome.”

He half chuckles. “You think you’re better than me.”

He’s trying to pick a fight so I won’t take him to rehab. “I’ve got you now. And you’re going to get the help you need.”

“What if I fail?”

“You’ll fail if you don’t try. But you’re going to try, right?”

Jordan hesitates, but slowly nods his head. “I’ll try for you, Serena.”

“That’s all I can ask.”

He closes his eyes, and is fast asleep within a few seconds. Alec opens the door, his gaze instantly falling on a sleeping Jordan. He jerks his head to indicate I should follow him out of the room. The moment we’re outside, I lean against him and let out a huge sigh as he hugs me tightly. “Everything okay?” he asks.

“As good as it can be. How did you do with the flights and a car?”

“All booked. Do you want me to call New Dawn, or are you going to?”

“I’ll email them and let them know we’ll be coming. I’ve just got to wait for the doctor. Wait, we came in two cars. We can’t leave one here.”

“Already taken care of. Dean and Rhett are coming to get my car, and we’ll drive yours to the airport. There’s a flight at eight in the morning, which is the one I’ve booked us on. They’ve made a note of Jordan’s condition and where we’re going and have agreed to keep us away from other passengers.”

“Thank you, I’m not sure what I would’ve done without you here.”

Alec hugs me even closer, while gently trailing his fingertips up and down my back. “You would’ve made this work, because you’re simply amazing.”

I smile against his chest. I could stay like this for the rest of the night. I’m so tired, but I have a ton of emails to send off to various people letting them know I won’t be back at work for the next day or two. It’s so late, and I don’t want to interrupt anyone by calling them. I need to email New Dawn to let them know we’ll be in Kentucky tomorrow with my brother who’ll be going through some pretty bad withdrawal by that time. I hope the Narcan lasts enough so that the flight won’t be bad.

Now, the real work begins.