The Girl Who Fell by S.M. Parker

Author:S.M. Parker
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Simon Pulse

Chapter 20

“How long has he been behaving like this?” The veterinarian feels for Finn’s pulse.

Finn lies listless on the exam table, his breath short and too fast. His tongue dangles from the side of his open mouth, as if he doesn’t have the energy to wrangle it back into position.

“Just today, really,” I say, hating myself. How could I have been so focused on Alec—no, on me—that I completely missed the fact that Finn didn’t greet us at the door when we snuck home from school?

Alec rubs reassuring circles across the small of my back. The motion holds me upright. “The last time I saw Finn he was fine. I guess that was . . . what? A week ago?”

The vet looks at me through her glasses, slid halfway down the bridge of his nose. “True?”

“Yeah, but he was really tired the other day. I thought maybe he’d gotten into something in the woods.” I wish Mom was here to say what she’s noticed, but I couldn’t wait for her to get home from work.

“Did he vomit?” the vet asks.

“No. I-I don’t think so. Not that I saw. But he could have. I found him outside and he seemed disoriented.”

“What’s wrong with him?” Alec asks.

The veterinarian shakes her head. “Not sure yet. But he’ll need to stay here. We’ll hydrate him, observe him. And I’ll let you know if we find anything conclusive in the blood work.”

I don’t know why her words aren’t more urgent, why she’s not hydrating him right now. Drawing blood. Making him feel better.

A sob rattles my skeleton. “He’ll be all right, won’t he?” I am nine years old again, helpless in the moments after Buttons was hit by the car that never stopped.

“We’ll do everything we can,” she tells me.

I press a kiss into the top of Finn’s head wishing I could pour my good health into him. “I love you, boy.” Grief crackles and divides my words. “More than anything.”

The vet adjusts her stethoscope. “I need to know if you want us to place a monetary cap on his treatment.”

“You mean . . . like stop fixing him if it gets too expensive?”

She nods.

“God no.” But then I realize I’m not the one to make this call. I have no real idea about my family’s finances lately.

“Give him the best care,” Alec says. “I’ll make sure the bill gets paid.”

“Alec, no. You can’t.”

“I can, Zephyr. Money is so not something you need to worry about right now.”

“Thank you.” My words are not big enough.

“We’ll do everything we can,” the vet says. Her promise without a guarantee.

“Please be okay,” I whisper to Finn.

Alec rubs my shoulders. “Zephyr, he’s in good hands.”

The vet lets go a small smile. “You’re lucky to have so much support.”

I am. I press my head to Alec’s chest and he wraps me in his arms.

• • •

It’s hard to concentrate at school the next day, so I don’t. I keep checking my phone for an update on Finn, but there’s nothing.

At least I have Alec back.

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