Plane Ticket To You

Chapter 30

ELIAS

"Is he going to be okay?"

I blinked my eyes open. I had to be dreaming. Was that... Lucia?

She looked so beautiful in the glow of the afternoon sun streaming through the windows. Her eyes were rimmed red.

I nearly fainted all over again.

"Oh my God, he's awake," Lucia said, relief plain in her voice. Tears welled in her eyes, and she took my hand gently.

Her touch was like a feverish daydream, warm and fleeting and dreamy.

"Lucia, is it really you?" I asked softly, sitting up against the cushions on the couch. 

"Yes, it's me," she said, smiling down at me. "Jas called me as soon as you fainted. She said she thought you had a panic attack. Oh, God, Elias. I was so scared. You have no idea."

She came for me. The boundless joy that filled my chest surprised me.

A tear slipped from her eye, and immediately almost on instinct I brushed it away with my thumb.

"Please don't cry for me," I whispered. "I'll be okay."

"Elias?" I spotted Penny flounce into the room, followed by Jas.

"Are you okay, big brother?" Jas asked.

"Well, I will be," I said, laughing faintly. I tried to get off the couch, but Lucia took my arm. She guided me back onto the cushions.

"Not yet," she said. "You have to rest."

"Is he awake?"

Startled, I recognized the voice to be Orion's.

He lumbered into the room, his expression flooding with relief when he saw me conscious on the couch.

"Orion, hey," I said, hesitant to bring up our past argument in front of my sisters.

He simply nodded at me once. "Hey, Jas, Penny, could you leave us for a few minutes?"

They nodded and ran off, though they no doubt would have their ears pressed to the door the entire time, eavesdropping on our conversation.

"So..." Lucia trailed off.

The atmosphere between the three of us grew so thick, anyone could have cut it with a knife.

"Have you ever... fainted before? I mean, during a panic attack," Orion asked.

I shook my head. "No. This one was really... bad."

"You need to start going to therapy," Orion concluded. "You can't keep going on like this, Elias."

"I know," I said. "My-- my mom might start taking care of my sisters, if she agrees to take custody of them. My insurance doesn't fully cover therapy, which is why I didn't try it before. But if they live with her, maybe I'll have more money to spend on myself."

"You will," Lucia said firmly, grasping my hand again.

Orion noticed our hands intertwined, and he sighed. "I-- we should talk."

"Yes, we should," I said. "I'm so sorry for everything. Truly. We were going to tell you, at the dinner."

"I know, and I severely overreacted," Orion said, dragging a hand through his hair. "I'm sorry. From now on, I'll be happy for you if you choose to be together."

Those are kind words, but they're too late. Lucia won't ever take me back.

Lucia seemed to sense my thoughts and withdrew her hand. I watched as she swallowed deep in her throat.