Free Because of His Name by Kelly Favor

her off.   “This doesn’t hurt at all.   Looks worse than it feels.”
    It
better , she
thought.   Because if you feel at all as bad as you look, then we’re in trouble
here.
    Liam scooted over and motioned for her to
come into bed, so Grace sat next to him on the bed while he ate his sandwich and
watched the movie on TV.
    After he finished the first half, he got
a baleful look on his face and handed her the plate.   “I think I’m all full now,” he said
softly.
    “You sure?”
    “Yeah,” he nodded.   His eyes were closing again.   “Just tired.”
    “But I brought you an ice pack.   We need to get the swelling—“
    “No, no—I’m…I’m seriously fine…” he
waved at her again, his hand fluttering for a moment, and then his head drooped
forward.
    Grace got up and stared down at Liam for
a long moment.   She didn’t like the
way he looked at all.
    But he was determined to do things his
way.   What was her choice?   To ignore him and call
an ambulance?
    She couldn’t do that, she couldn’t go against his stated wishes just because she was a nervous nelly.
    But she wanted to.   She really, really wanted to.
     
    ***
     
    It was about two hours later that Liam
suddenly awoke from his dozing slumber on her bed and made the
announcement.   “I’m going to be
sick.”
    Grace, who’d been on her laptop doing
half-hearted job searches, pointed to the hallway.   “The bathroom’s the first door on the
right.”
    Liam stood up, seeming to rock
momentarily like a drunken sailor, and then he threw open the bedroom door,
went into the hallway and stumbled into the bathroom.   Grace stood up too, her hands clasped
together in front of her—feeling stricken.
    She heard him retch a few times, then the
toilet flushed and the water ran.
    When he came out a few minutes later, he
looked pale, and he didn’t bother to smile as he walked slowly back into her
bedroom and fell onto the mattress heavily, sighing.   “Shit,” he whispered.
    “Liam, are you okay?”
    “Yeah, I’m fine.   Something just didn’t agree with me,” he
said, closing his eyes.
    “I really think—“
    “I’m fine, Grace.   Just tired.”   He sighed and pulled her blanket over
himself.
    She walked to him, knelt down by his side
and ran her fingers through his bangs, softly.   She felt suddenly tender towards him.
    His face looked boyish and fragile.
    “That’s nice,” he smiled.
    “Good,” she soothed, continuing to stroke
his hair.   When his breathing became
regular again, Grace got to her feet and pulled out her cell.
    Something was wrong and she just felt it
in her gut, like a punch—an ache that wouldn’t stop.
    She called the only person she could
thing of who could help her with this particular situation.
    “Yeah?” her brother answered brusquely.
    “Scott, I need a favor,” Grace said
softy, as she walked out of her bedroom in order not to wake Liam.
    “I just gave you money a couple weeks
ago,” he said.   “Did you blow
through it all that fast?”
    “No, it’s not money,” she said.   “I have a problem and I’m not sure how
to handle it.”
    She heard Scott’s muffled voice telling
somebody to hold their horses.   “Okay,” he said, now back on the line
with her.   “What’s going on?”
    “I’m not sure how to say this without really
upsetting you,” she began.
    “Then just say it quickly, because I’m
getting more upset the more you beat around the bush.”
    “Liam Houston is in my apartment and I
think he might need a doctor.”
    There was a long, stunned silence.
    “Scott?” she asked, thinking he’d already
hung up on her.
    “Yeah,” he said.
    “Well?   Do you want to know more?”
    “How the hell is he at your apartment?”
Scott asked.   His voice sounded on
the verge of complete panic.   “Are
you kidnapping people now?”
    “No, I’m not kidnapping people.   Take it easy.”
    “I’m not going to take it easy,
Grace.   I should never have let