“I think you have the wrong idea about me, Imi—”
“Do not call me that! Only my friends call me Imi,” I warned him, moving away from him. His words coated me in a layer of filth. Even though I had just showered hours before, I felt dirty again.
“Imogen, Yoss, the boys, they’re my family. I love them.”
“I think everyone would be better off without your brand of love,” I shouted.
Manny looked out at the river, his round face thoughtful. “I understand you don’t like me. That’s fine. But I sincerely wish you and Yoss all the best. And I was glad to be able to help him out so you could start your new life.”
There it was. The bomb Manny had been waiting to drop.
“What are you talking about?”
I knew.
“He came to me this afternoon. He needed money. I was able to get him one last job that would set the two of you up for a long time. Yoss is a good boy. He’ll take care of you.”
I jumped to my feet, my heart thumping madly. “Where is he?” I whispered.
“What was that?” Manny asked, cocking his head to the side again. I was close to violence. I felt it crackling in my veins.
“Where’s Yoss?” I said louder.
“The Meyer’s movie theater. The alley in the back is nice and secluded.”
The movie theater. Where we had watched Fiddler on the Roof.
That’s where he was.
He promised he would never let himself be used like that again.
Liar.
I turned and ran. Manny called my name, but I didn’t stop.
I ran and I ran.
He was there.
I had been berating myself for doubting him.
He wouldn’t do this. Not when he had promised me. Not when we had plans.
Important plans.
I had almost talked myself into going back to the bridge to wait.
He had errands. He’ll meet me soon…
The alleyway was dark. But not dark enough that I didn’t see the two figures tucked into the corner. Behind the dumpster. Away from prying eyes.
I’d recognize the dark black waves of hair anywhere. Even in the shadows, illuminated by the gritty illumination of the street lamp, I knew him.
He was on his knees.
And then I saw the man with his sick, sick smile. His hand on the back of Yoss’s head. Holding him in place.
I backed away, stumbling over a beer bottle and falling to the ground.
The man opened his eyes and looked in my direction. He pushed Yoss away and hurriedly zipped up his fly.
He threw something on the ground and ran in the other direction.
Yoss picked up whatever the man had tossed at him and tucked it in his pocket, wiping his mouth with the back of his hand. He looked over his shoulder.
My heart broke.
His eyes shattered.
I turned and I left. Without saying a word.
Present
“I am not staying here!” Yoss seethed hours later, trying to pull the IV from his arm.
“Stop it! Just stop it!” I beseeched him, trying to calm him down. I was at my wit’s end. We had been at the hospital for over six hours and Yoss had become increasingly more agitated as time went on.
He had been rushed back once we got there and Dr. Howell was called. He didn’t ask why I was with him. It wasn’t really important. Because Yoss was delirious, coming in and out of consciousness.
“He’s going into acute liver failure,” Dr. Howell pronounced once the test results had come back. “The rest of his organs will begin to fail unless—”
“He gets a liver transplant,” I finished for him. “Where is he on the list?”
“Given his condition, he has been bumped up, but I’m not sure when one will become available. And I’m not sure how much time he has,” Dr. Howell stated grimly.
“What can we do?” I asked, my throat tight, my eyes burning.
“I’ll make some calls. See what strings I can pull. Otherwise we keep him rested. Fed. Comfortable. And then we wait. That’s all we really can do. I’ve upped his anti-virals and that should help him in the meantime. But it’s not a fix. He needs a new liver. Soon.” Dr. Howell looked up from Yoss’s file to where I stood by his bed, wringing my hands. Not doing anything to hide my fear. My anxiety.
“How was it that you arrived with Mr. Frazier? Were you meeting with him? I see his information still hasn’t been updated. Jason assured me you would have it completed yesterday. It’s important that Yoss is somewhere clean and safe. The infection risk—”
“He’s staying with me, Dr. Howell. He’s clean. He’s safe.” I bit down on my lip, watching Yoss’s sleeping face. He had collapsed in exhaustion only minutes before.
Dr. Howell didn’t say anything for a long time. “You know him.”
I nodded. “I’ve known him for a long time.”
More silence. The beeping of monitors. The sound of my heart breaking. The ending of a story that had only just begun.
“Just remember to fill out the rest of the paperwork. I’ll be back when he wakes up,” was all Dr. Howell said and left quietly.