Adulting Requires Cheesecake (Book 4, Lonstino & Greenwood Series)

Chapter 25 - Over

OLIVER

Dad isn't allowed to drive, but there's no way I would have made it into Greenwood in one piece. My whole body is shaking right now. We got a call from the zoo administration office while having lunch at Roma. Tristan had an accident at work and has been brought to the hospital. I begged them to tell me what happened and the woman on the phone said he had a fall, but didn't have more details.

The memories from our teenage years took over, sending me into a meltdown and Dad had to take control of the situation. He said that we can't assume the worst and that we need to keep our hope that he will come out of this once more. Since we got in the car, I've been trying to reach Madeline and Harper without result. I'm probably the last person Madeline wants to talk to right now, but I need to find out what happened to Tristan.

"Oliver, we'll be there soon. You need to calm down for his sake."

"What if this time is worse? What if he never walks again?"

"We don't know the extent of his injuries. Don't jump to the worst-case scenario. Can you please try to get hold of your mom or Darla again?"

I try to reach Mom, but like in the previous times, it goes straight to her voicemail. This time, I leave a message.

"Mom, it's Oliver. Tristan had an accident at work. Dad and I are on our way to the hospital in Greenwood. We don't know exactly what happened. Darla is not answering her fucking phone..." Dad frowns at my choice of language, but I can't care less right now. "Please let her know when you listen to this and meet us there."

We reach the hospital and after parking in the multi-floor garage, I help my dad to sit in his wheelchair. Going down the elevator seems to take a lifetime and I want to kick the rattling doors. At the reception, a woman informs us where we can find my brother.

Madeline and Harper sit outside a room and their gloomy faces make my nerves go up a notch.

"Is he okay?" I ask Harper, who startles at my voice.

"He is stable," she says with relief. "I was barely inside for a few minutes when he woke up and I had to call for a doctor because he was in a lot of pain. There's some medical staff attending to him right now. I don't know exactly what is the extent of his injuries yet."

"What happened?" Dad asks.

"Madeline and Tristan had been working in the chimp enclosure. Tristan went to retrieve some forgotten equipment. Going up the ladder, one of the metal steps broke, and he slipped and fell. I'm still shocked because I've been up and down that ladder many times. It could have happened to any of us."

"You are avoiding to say that it was my fault," Madeline says and Harper holds her hand.

"No, Madeline, it wasn't. Get that out of your head, it was an accident."

"I was the one who forgot the tools in the enclosure. He offered to go get them because I wasn't feeling well. He sent me back to the office to get something to eat and drink."

"You did this?"

"Oliver, no-" Harper stands up.

"What was it? You couldn't stand the smell of animal shit? Is the job too strenuous for you? Are you afraid of ladders? You really picked the wrong career."

"Oliver, that's enough!" Dad holds my arm and I shake it off.

Madeline's face drains of color and she looks as if she's about to pass out.

"WHAT? You have nothing to say?"

"Fuck off, Oliver!" Harper yells while pushing me. "You don't know a shit about what's been happening."