The Life and Medieval Times of Kit Sweetly by Jamie Pacton

Author:Jamie Pacton
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Page Street Publishing
Published: 2020-04-05T16:00:00+00:00

22

MOM’S FINGERS DIG INTO MY BACK AS SHE HUGS ME.

“What happened?” She glances around the lobby. A fat glob of syrup stains her yellow uniform and she smells like cigarettes. Her voice strains as she looks around, as if she might find Chris out here somewhere, among all the Castle staff. “Is he okay?”

I hug her, clinging like I haven’t in a very, very long time. “I don’t know,” I whisper.

Something about being held by my mother breaks me. I desperately want Chris to be fine, but I don’t know if he will be. Fear hollows out my insides like someone scooping the guts out of a Halloween pumpkin.

We hold each other, standing together in the middle of the waiting room.

“He’ll be okay.” I say, trying to reassure myself as well. I rub Mom’s back as she cries.

“Kit?” Jett’s voice touches the edge of our circle, bringing me out of the moment with Mom. He’s holding a Styrofoam takeout container. “I’ve got to go home. But I’ll check on you later. Once I get my siblings sorted out.”

“You don’t have to do that,” I say, shaking my head.

Mom gives my arm a squeeze and heads over to the nurse’s station.

Jett thrusts the takeout container toward me. I open it and a laugh spills out of me as I take in the gooey, gloopy stack of food.

“Pancakes?” My stomach rumbles.

“I picked them up from your mom’s diner because we missed our late-night after-work breakfast. Plus, my mother always says feed a cold, but breakfast a worry.”

“Thank you,” I say. I throw my arms around him. He stands aloof for a moment and then leans into me. I don’t care what rules I’m breaking for the moment. It’s good to hold Jett.

He pulls away first and rummages in his pocket. He pulls a plastic fork out and hands it to me. “See you soon.”

Before I can say anything else, he plants a quick kiss on my cheek and turns away.

I hold my hand to my cheek, a smile finding its way to my lips. Layla walks in at that moment and shoots a look toward Jett’s retreating back. I shrug, still grinning.

“Kit. Chris is awake. C’mon.” My mom grips my hand, and I grip my pancakes, and together we stride down the hallway toward Chris’s room.

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