The Woe We Deserve

Chapter 19

She sat with Xavier for a while after that, but it was clear he was drained, and it didn't take him long to drift off to sleep. She watched him for a while, and took some time to answer texts from Enid. Thing and the others had collected evidence and were keeping her in the loop. Nothing was exciting enough to pull her away from Xavier. Delegating wasn't so bad after all.

When she couldn't sit still any longer, she stepped outside. She had been thinking about something Xavier had said about his father. Who did Vincent Thorpe think he was. Wednesday knew her parents would have moved mountains to be by her bedside if she got hurt.

It was dumb and impulsive, but through Thing, she got Vincent Thorpe's phone number. His phone rang twice before the line went dead. Her following attempts were no good either, so she settled for leaving a message.

Not five minutes later, she saw a call from the same number she had been trying to reach. She let it ring for a bit before picking up.

"Mr. Thorpe? I see you got my message."

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Wednesday snuck back into Xavier's room after a while, expecting him to still be asleep, but he was already on the phone with his father. She loitered by the door, pretending to look at her phone while he talked, or rather listened.

"Okay, Dad," he said. "Okay. Yeah. Bye."

"Your father?" she asked innocently. "Did he call to check up on you?"

"Something like that," he muttered. "I'm being moved back to the Nevermore hospital wing tomorrow. I'm sure he's worried someone will find out I'm here."

"Why?"

"Famous psychic's incompetent son almost dies—too useless to fight off a monsters," he says in a mocking voice.

"That's a bit wordy for a headline."

Xavier rolled his eyes. " Add that to the list of things I'm no good at."

"Did he really say that to you?" she asked. "That he didn't want people to know?"

"No." Xavier sighed. "He doesn't have to say it. He pretends to be concerned, but I know it's fake. There's always some ulterior motive with him."

Wednesday sat on the edge of his hospital bed, and reached for his hand. "I'm sorry your dad is such a jerk."

"It's alright" he sighed. "He said he might even come visit this time."

"He did?"

"How ever did you manage that?"

"I'm sure I don't know what you mean."

"Blackmail, I'm guessing."

"Xavier—"

"You really shouldn't have." He squeezed her hand in a reassuring gesture. "He's such a dick. He's probably going to try to get you in trouble."

"I'm not scared of your father," she assured him.

"So you did call him."

"I never admitted to that."

Xavier eyed her with narrowed eyes both exasperated and delighted. "I don't care if he comes, you know?"

"You must care a little."

Xavier sighed and leaned his head back against his lumpy hospital pillow. "I'm sure deep down I care more than I'd like to admit. But I'm used to his absence. I almost prefer it now."

"He should be here though."

Xavier shook his head. "I've stopped worrying about what he should or shouldn't do for me as a father."

"In that case, I'm sorry," Wednesday said. Apologizing didn't come naturally—neither did staying out of people's business. "I didn't mean to make things worse."

"Wednesday, you have no idea how much it means to me that you'd even go through the trouble of tracking down my dad." He chuckled. "Next time at least let me hear the conversation."

Wednesday smiled in spite of herself. "I'll keep that in mind."

"Thank you." He met her eyes once more. "Truly. Thank you. For everything you've done for me so far."

"It's the least I could do... if it weren't for me—"

"I'd probably be dead."

"He wouldn't have come after you."

Wednesday clenched her jaw and averted her gaze. As much as she tried to make things right with Xavier, she only seemed able to hurt him and get him into trouble.

"It's not your fault," he said. "It's not."

She breathed deeply.

"My life has changed for the better since I met you," Xavier whispered. "And I don't only mean years ago when we were kids."

"Xavier—"

"Whatever has happened since you started at Nevermore... there's nothing you or I could have done. You saved the school. You saved me. And whatever happens to me moving forward, I wouldn't change a thing. I... I love you."

Wednesday's eyes widened. She stared at him in silence.

"I'm sorry," Xavier exclaimed. "I'm on a lot of drugs, and I nearly just died, okay? Cut me some slack."

Wednesday took his face softly between both hands and kissed him urgently, still being careful not to move and possibly hurt him.

"I've never felt the way I do about you... I don't know if it's love or not, but... And you know it's not easy for me to... you know..."

Xavier smiled. "Yes, I know you don't like talking about your feelings."

Wednesday sighed. "Exactly. But I want you to know that I do care about you; a lot more than I expected to."

"I've never been great with first impressions," he teased. Wednesday rolled her eyes. "Thank you, Wednesday."

She nodded and gave him another kiss. "You need to rest. I need to plot."

"I know."

"I'll be back before you miss me."