Free Finding Solace by Barbara Speak

doctor came out. He told us the tests all
came back normal. Other than the concussion, he will be just fine. He explained
that his jaw is wired shut temporarily. The cheek bone will heal on its own.
The hospital would still like to monitor the concussion. So that meant he'd be
staying for at least a couple days.
      We asked if
we could see him, but the doctor suggested we give him time to rest and heal
first.
      So,
reluctantly, we headed out to our cars. Heather followed a safe distance
behind. It wasn't as if Dave or Bryan were giving her reason to feel blame but
she acted as if we all were shunning her. Truthfully, she was shunning herself
enough for all of us.
      When I
reached for my door handle, I saw a shadow approaching. Colt was walking toward
us and my whole body just locked up. It felt like an eternity since I had seen
him last. He slapped the guys’ hands (some version of a hand shake they all
conjured up) then walked over and pulled Heather in an embrace I was all too
familiar with. It was one that made everything seem to be okay. She just opened
up and cried. I could see her hands move into fists, clutching Colt’s shirt, as
if she didn’t hold on tight enough that small feeling of security would vanish.
He continued to hold her while my eyes burned with tears watching the two of
them. This was all a nightmare and I was ready to wake up any minute now. Just
as I finished that thought, my phone rang. I pulled it out of my purse and saw
the screen. Immediately I hit answer.
      "Mike?"
      "Yeah,
little one, it’s me. Sorry it took so long to get back to you. My phone has been
blowing up."
      "How is
Jason? Is he okay? How is his hand? He punched that cinderblock wall so
hard."
      "Sadie,
I'm not going to lie to you. He's fucked up. I'm not even talking about his
hand when I say that. Jason has never fallen as hard as he did for Heather. I
didn't even know this, but he bought an engagement ring already. I just found
him in his room a little while ago holding the box. Part of me blames the
fucker for moving so fast, but I can't really judge him. I've never been in
love like that before."
      " Mike, that hurts so much to hear. I love you guys like
brothers but I have to tell you this. Heather loves him too. I don't understand
what happened that night with her and Shawn but I know she would never do
anything to risk losing Jason. The more I think about it, the more confused I
get. She doesn't even remember how she and Shawn ended up in that bed together
and Shawn tonight acted like we were all crazy for being upset about it. We
both know Shawn. He's not going to scream in the middle of a bar about sleeping
with one of his friend’s girlfriends?"
      "Wait,
are you saying that they may not have even fucked around?"
      "I
think that's exactly what I'm saying."
     
     
    CHAPTER 12
      As
I had the revelation, I turned to look back at Heather. She must have been
listening to the conversation because she let go of Colt and ran toward me.
      "Oh my God,
Sadie, you’re right! I remembered some bitch spilling her beer on me. I went
into the bathroom trying to rinse it out but then it was soaking wet. I found
the only bedroom that was not being used as a fuck pad. I thought I could wait
out the time it took to dry. I must have passed out while I was waiting. Don't
get me wrong. I remembered all of this before. I've played that night over and
over again in my head. I just didn't understand how Shawn got there. I thought
something must have happened and I blacked it out. He didn't have on any
clothes, Sadie."
      "Yes,
he did. It wasn't much, but he still had his boxers on. When you guys ran out
of the house, I stayed long enough for Shawn to get out of bed. And believe me,
if I saw his junk, I would remember it," Colt added.
      "And
like I said, if he was fucking around with his friend’s girlfriend, he wouldn't
announce it to a bar full of people that would let it get back to Jason. Holy
shit, guys!"
      "It