If Not for You (Completed)

Chapter 5: Kazzi

5 Kazzi

After our blow-up of questions and accusations, I was feeling better about the fact that Kale and I had been able to make up. At least to a degree. He knew about Kailee, and I knew the truth of why he'd abandoned me. Both were things that hurt me deeply, but I had to learn to leave them in the past where they belonged and move on to the future.

Kale slept the whole rest of the day, even though he'd crashed close to three in the afternoon. When I checked on him before turning in at midnight, he was still deep asleep, laying on his back in the same position I'd left him. I was almost certain that, with the position of his pain, he had gallstones. They sucked enough on their own but paired with a broken rib, I could understand how it would feel unbearable. Seemed even ten years later, poor Kale still couldn't catch a break.

First thing in the morning, after checking the size of his filthy clothes, I hit the store and bought half a dozen shirts and a few pairs of pants for him, along with underwear, socks, and a pair of sneakers. I stopped to pick up fast food breakfast on the way home, then marched into his room to find him still asleep.

"Wakey, wakey, eggs and bakey..." I hollered as I dropped the bags at the end of the bed and pulled a bacon, egg, and cheese sandwich from the fast food sack, rounded the bed to wave it in front of his nose. "Kale... breakfast..." I taunted and frowned when he didn't so much as twitch. "Kale?" Setting the sandwich on the night table I gently shook his shoulder, then harder when he didn't move. "Kale!" Taking his face in my hands, I noticed the subtle difference in our skin tones. I was pale, slightly red from the heat outside, and Kale... Kale was yellow, a sign of jaundice.

With my fingers shaking, I dug my phone out of my pocket and called for an ambulance. Two hours and several tests later, I was pacing the hospital hallways, waiting for someone, anyone to come and tell me what was wrong with Kale.

"Ms. Inman?" A voice came from behind me, and I turned to see a nurse approaching. "You can come back in, now."

My teeth gnawed my lower lip as I returned to Kale's room. He was awake but hooked up to machines that, given my area of medical training, I couldn't identify. Immediately, I went to his side and took his hand.

"Hey, how are you feeling?" I asked, and he shrugged, looking extremely tired.

His expression showed the same nervous worry that mine did, only mine intensified when I saw the yellow hue to his eyes. The doctor was standing at his side, his eyes on a chart in his hand, lips pressed into a thin line.

"So, what's wrong with him?" I asked, and his eyes lifted to me.

"Forgive me for being curt, but how many sexual partners do the two of you have between you?" He asked, and I blinked at him in surprise before glancing at Kale, who suddenly had a horrified look on his face.

"Excuse me? Kale and I aren't sleeping together. We're just... friends."

The doctor made a sound of approval, then looked at the chart again before releasing a breath and lowering into the rolling stool next to Kale to look at him. "Mr. Jackson, how many sexual partners have you had recently?"

Shaking my head, I eyed the doctor. "Wait, what does that have to do with anything?"

"It's important." Was all he said in reply, then looked at Kale again. "Mr. Jackson?"

My eyes shot to Kale with a hint of accusation that I had no right having, but couldn't help, especially when he lowered his eyes to stare at his folded hands, looking like a kid caught stealing.

"I'm... not sure."

"More than... five, maybe?" The doctor asked, and I was shocked to see Kale nod.