#heartmatch Read online

  Jason had prepared a cup of mint tea for his mom and watched while she dallied and sipped.

  “Do you have to go in today?” He wrung a dishtowel nervously as some serious thoughts flooded his mind.

  I have to tell her before she leaves.

  “I do. I have a young patient who’s depending on me to distract her.”

  “From what?”

  “An overbearing mother.” His mom’s piercing stare caught and held his. “Don’t say it.”

  “You’re the opposite, though a little overly protective.” He reflected for a moment. “The storm is supposed to get bad by evening. You are coming back after work, right?”

  “Yes, I’ll be back though my shift will finish later than usual. Why do you ask?”

  Because you sometimes stop along the way and refill your flask tank. Because the roads could be slippery.

  “Tomorrow’s your big day.” She continued without waiting for his answer. “Grandma and I have a surprise for you.”

  Jason started to pace.

  How am I going to tell her?

  “Is anything wrong, Jase?”

  He needed to get this talk over with before his mom went to work, but lacked the balls to even start the conversation.

  “Come on. You can level with me. I won’t get mad.” She laughed. “Did you speed on your skateboard and a policeman ticketed you?”

  Jason didn’t answer.

  She pounded the table and giggled. “I know. You brought a female into your bedroom.”

  Jason knew what he had to say, even though his mouth stuck like glue, holding his lips closed.

  “I know you sometimes smoke.”

  Her expression didn’t show any signs of shock about smoking, which surprised him.

  I wish my topic was that easy.

  His mom’s smile dissolved. Her back stiffened. She intertwined her fingers. When her gaze lifted, the light faded from her hazel eyes until they turned dark and empty.

  Shit.

  Jason became the bunny and she the tiger. She would pounce at any moment. She would devour him with anger when she realized what he’d done behind her back.

  “It’s about your dad, isn’t it?”

  His head moved slowly up and down.

  “Don’t tell me he and that bimbo are coming to Colorado.”

  “Dad’s coming alone.”

  “I don’t believe you. He wouldn’t drive all the way here to see you, or even his own mother, by himself.”

  “Darla promised.”

  “And you believe that hussy? The one who fricking screwed my husband while we lived together and made him break his vows?”

  “She said she didn’t—"

  His mom jumped up from the chair and looked him up and down. She put a finger to his chest and pushed. “Conniving. Just like your dad.”

  Dark pools of fear clouded her eyes.

  She’s scared she’ll lose me too.

  “You want to see you dad, go ahead. Just not in this house.”

  “He’s coming for my birthday and he wants to fix our relationship.”

  “You spoke to him? He mentioned the word fix?”

  “Well, not exactly.”

  Her voice lowered to a whisper. “Are you telling me she, the one who’s living with him in sin, is working all this out for you?”

  His eyes moistened.

  Damn tears stay put.

  What he had to say next would blow his mother’s mind. At this point Jason had no choice. He had to tell her the rest.

  “They got married.”

  The blood drained from her face. Her fists tightened. She blinked and peered sightlessly at the wall.

  “I’m sorry, mom. I want things the way they used to be, just like you.” He winced. “It’s too late for the past to rewind.”

  She didn’t speak or look at him. Her immobile stare remained at the nothing land behind him.

  “Mom, please. Talk to me.”

  When she turned her gaze to his, she squinted and brought her hand over her eyes, shielding them as if the sun were too bright. She eyed him with disbelief. “You don’t know how a broken heart feels. One day you’ll reflect on this moment and know how the kick in the stomach you just gave me hurts like hell.”

  “He’s got a present for me.” Jason grasped at any topic. “You could have dinner with us.”

  She shook her head forcefully. “Count me out, Jason. I will not see him while he’s here.”

  “It’s not my fault you two couldn’t get along. Fricking hell you both caused me.” He’d never raised his voice to his mom.

  Her body jerked to attention.

  “My shift ends at seven. When I get home, there had better not be a single sign he stepped one foot in this house.” She took a deep breath. Her hands trembled. “And forget the evening celebration your grandma and I had planned.”

  “Mom, please don’t be mad. I just need to resolve some things with dad.”

  “Next, you’ll be telling me you’re moving to California.”

  “You know better than that. I wouldn’t leave you or grandma.”

  Her vision narrowed once more. She walked to the front door, picked up her coat and day bag, then walked out the door without saying goodbye.

  Jason’s chest hurt. His mom used to tell him to never go to bed mad and she’d just left madder than hell.

  He went into his room, opened the desk drawer, and grabbed the bottle of Fentanyl. He shook the container wildly in his hand.

  Enough to either die or have a good high.

  Words ran through his brain.

  Alcoholism, addiction, unfaithfulness. Damn them all.

  “Am I any better than my parents if I give in to the pain I’m feeling right now?” His own voice sounded raspy, unrecognizable.

  He walked slowly to the bathroom with the container in his hand. Chances are the whole bottle would overdose and then kill him. Could he eliminate his agony playing the blood and guts games in real life? Would his pain ever completely go away? What would become of his mom if he left? His grandma?

  He opened the door. The commode stood in front of him, the sink to the left.

  And Sam?

  The word fate struck him like a bull running into a red brick wall. Jason pushed down on the container lid with his hand and turned. He emptied the pills in his palm. His eyes blurred, clouded over with tears.

  I’ve lost my bearings in a cloud of fog. Need to get my direction back on the right path.

  “Those words came from somewhere. I didn’t say them.” He looked to the ceiling.

  Grandpa?

  He turned to the toilet, threw all the pills into the water, and flushed.

  “Why the shit did I just toss those down the drain?”

  Unrecognizable words churned around his mind. Maybe too many computer blood and gut games had burned up his brain.

  Okay now. Take care of Sam.

  He went back into his room to sit behind his computer He clicked on #heartmatch.

  Please be there.

  She wasn’t.

  He Skyped. No answer.

  What if something happened to her? I’d never know.

  He grabbed his phone, hit contacts, found her number and pressed Facetime.

  She picked up on the second ring. He almost lost it. The pit of his stomach felt like a wrench gripping a bolt and turning.

  “Hey,” he breathed a sigh of relief.

  “Hey yourself.”

  “You busy?”

  “No.”

  Her hair flowed around her shoulders. He’d never seen such red-gold abundance before.

  “Sam, I have a present I want to mail to you,” he lied. “Can you tell me which hospital you’re in?”

  “Ah, such a nice thought.”

  “And?”

  “Promise you won’t try to come to see me?”

  “I promise.” Fingers crossed. “I’ll send your gift out today.”

  “Okay.”

  “Can we meet up la
ter though?”

  “You mean when it’s all over?” She didn’t smile and lowered her chin.

  Jason hadn’t done so well in responding to his mom earlier on. He needed to say the right thing now.

  “Sam, look at me.”

  Her gaze lifted.

  “If I could give you my heart, I would.” He tried smiling. She didn’t respond. “I’ve done some research and we’re probably not a blood type match, so—”

  “So?” She asked.

  “I want you to know that you have a part of my heart anyway.”

  Her expression seemed uncertain. “I don’t understand.”

  “I—I like you a lot.” He’d never told a girl his inner thoughts before and meant it. At nineteen maybe he’d just ruined his chances with this angel who’d come to mind every time he connected or disconnected from his computer.

  A frown flitted across her brow. “I’m sick. I might die.” She rubbed her eyes like she’d cry.

  “That’s not possible.”

  “What makes you say that?”

  “Because—” he took in a deep breath and expelled the air out slowly. “Because fate brought us together, so you couldn’t die.”

  “I don’t get what you’re telling me.”

  He shrugged. “I don’t know, Sam. Maybe we just have to wait and see what destiny’s plan is.”

  Her dark expression went from thoughtful to radiant, her eyes shining a bright blue.

  The color of the sky on a perfect day.

  “But we met online.”

  “I’m saying that didn’t happen by coincidence.”

  “You said before—”

  “I know. I know. Well, I made a mistake. Fate is real.”

  The corners of her mouth lifted.

  “When I hang up, text me the address of your hospital and I’ll send something nice over for you. A Valentine’s Day present.”

  Her lips parted, showing the most perfect teeth.

  Jason put a finger to her smile.

  “That’s my girl.”

  He hung up and minutes later the address came through.

  Shit. The same hospital where my mom works.

  “Well, thank God they’ll never meet.”

  Jason knew exactly what he wanted to get. He glanced outside as he got dressed. The snow had picked up. If he couldn’t ride his skateboard, he’d jog to buy what he wanted. A warm jacket and tennis shoes came next.

  “I’ll take the present to Sam myself. Tomorrow.” He grinned and glanced at the ceiling.

  Grandpa, you stay out of this.

  A couple of puffs on a joint and out the door he flew.

  ###

  That’s my girl.

  She smiled. Her dad said that to her and now Jason.

  Nurse Elizabeth entered.

  “Nice to see you smiling.” She glanced around the room. “Your mother’s not here?

  Samantha shook her head. “Mother wanted to get home before dark. Is everything okay between you two?”

  “We had our discussion and now we understand each other.”

  “Will she tell on you?”

  Elizabeth stopped dead still and her body wilted. Samantha’s question had taken Elizabeth aback.

  “I’ll stay while you’re in the hospital. Don’t worry Samantha,” she patted her hand. “Could I ask what brought about this pleased appearance that fills the room with brightness?”

  “A guy I met online.”

  “Sometimes computer technology isn’t always a positive. You’re sure he’s not a predator in disguise?”

  “We’ve Skyped and Facetimed. I’ll put my trust in him as I have in you.”

  “I’m so glad to see your spirits have lifted.”

  “I just want my daddy here. I can’t be truly relaxed until he’s right here beside me.”

  “He’ll be here soon, right?” Elizabeth commented as she walked to the window to peek out.

  “Yes. Tomorrow.”

  Elizabeth shivered. “It’s sure cold and blowing right now.”

  Samantha focused on the window. She wondered if Jason had a car.

  “I’ve got a long twelve-hour shift to do tomorrow.”

  Samantha turned with a questioning stare.

  “When the weather’s bad, we take on longer shifts so some of the nurses who live further away can stay home.”

  “Isn’t the bad weather supposed to stop today?”

  “The forecasters have lengthened their prediction. The storm will carry through a few more days.”

  “No,” Samantha moaned and picked up her cell phone. She let the phone ring five times before her dad’s voicemail picked up. She left a message.

  “Daddy?” She covered part of her phone and watched Elizabeth change the TV channel. “Call me.”

  Elizabeth lowered the volume before pointing to the weather channel. “That’s the lingering storm, right there in red.”

  Samantha blinked several times as tears threatened to fall. “Isn’t the weather better above the clouds?”

  “Probably,” Elizabeth answered. She hurried over to the window to peer out once again. “The snow is blowing sideways.” Glancing at her watch and then the television again, she sighed loudly.

  “Are you driving home?”

  “I have to. My son would become frantic if I stayed here all night.” She gave Samantha the bright-eyed look of an optimist, then winked. “I had chains put on at noontime, so I’ll be fine. And then back in the morning before you know it.”

  Samantha nodded as other thoughts besides her dad’s trip raced through her mind. “In one of the pamphlets I read, a paragraph said the donor has to be a blood match, right?” She didn’t wait for an answer. “What blood type am I?”

  “O Positive.”

  “Does that hurt my chances?”

  Elizabeth shook her head. “It’s the most common and so it’s the most frequently matched. We’ll be just fine when the time comes.”

  “Heart size counts too.” Samantha said insistently.

  “That’s a critical factor.” Elizabeth grew pensive. “You’ve been briefed. You know the answers already, so what’s up with the questions?”

  “My online friend said he’d give me his heart if he could.” Samantha reflected momentarily. “Then he said he probably wouldn’t be a match anyway.”

  Elizabeth’s brow arched. “Now that’s what I call a true friend.”

  “He’s sending me a present.”

  “In this weather?” Elizabeth smiled. “He must be driving a truck.”

  “Oh, he’s not coming over. He’ll send my package by special delivery.”

  “How can he resist a quick once-over of such a beautiful girl on Valentine’s Day?”

  “He promised he wouldn’t try to visit me.” She dialed her dad again.

  Her dad’s face popped into the phone frame.

  “Hey, precious. Sorry I missed your last call.”

  “Daddy are you still coming?”

  “Our personal newsman said the storm had strengthened, so last night—”

  “No” Samantha cried out. “You’re not going to make the trip?”

  “I’ll be there, my love. I called your mother and told her all about the next part of my journey. I asked her to stay put at home. Driving in Denver is hazardous right now.”

  “When, daddy? When will you get here?”

  “Hey, slow down. We left yesterday by plane and landed in Utah. I’ll leave tomorrow after a good night’s sleep.”

  “Couldn’t an airplane lose control below the clouds?”

  “I rented a car and I’ll drive from here to Wyoming and then on the highway south to you. Maybe there’ll be some wind between the borders, though the highway should be clear of snow by then.”

  “What if—”

  Elizabeth stroked her arm.

  “Hello, Elizabeth.” Samantha’s dad said. “We didn’t talk the last time I saw you.”

  Elizabeth waved.

  “Are you staying
the night at the hospital?”

  Elizabeth shook her head.

  “She has to get back to her son or he’ll get upset.”

  Her dad smiled and then put a finger to the screen. “Sleep well tonight, Sammy. I’ll call you along the way on my drive. I love you, sweetheart.”

  “Me too, daddy.”

  Her dad broke the connection.

  “You see, he’s more than halfway here,” Elizabeth said. “Now a few more things to do here and after that, I’ll tuck you in and head home.”

  “I probably won’t sleep. I’m so excited about tomorrow.”

  “Don’t over-exert yourself with anxiousness though. Keep your mind free from thought tonight.”

  “I’ll try.”

  Elizabeth turned off the television and checked her vitals. She changed the IV as Samantha put her earplugs in and plugged them into her phone.

  Music. Loud music.

  The only way she could sleep.

  ###

  The television gave background noise. “Storm worsening. Airport crews can’t keep up with falling snow.”

  “Hearts can be fixed,” Jason muttered to himself as he held Samantha’s gift. “This will prove something to her.”

  He pulled out his phone. Darla had left a message and her phone number. “I just might have a birthday present for you too.”

  He pressed call back. After a number of unanswered rings, he hung up. The evening before, he’d spoken to Darla on Skype and knew his dad’s plans for leaving Los Angeles for Denver.

  I could call him but I’m still mad. When he gets here he’d better apologize or I’m not talking to him.

  Jason tried Skyping Darla. She didn’t answer.

  He pressed contacts on his phone and tried her cell number again. He got her voicemail after the tenth ring.

  “Hi, it’s Jason. Just wanted to tell you I think you’re downright sick. Talk soon.”

  Jason hung up.

  A betrayal to mom? She never has to know.

  He glanced at the TV. “Denver is the epicenter of the storm. Tomorrow, on the day of hearts, many roads might be closed.

  He let Sonic out and stayed by the door until his best buddy ran back in, then moved back to his bedroom.

  The front door slammed. His mother stomped her boots. Jason’s door stood open. He waited. His mom walked past his doorway, down the hall, and into her room. Jason strode across the room and kicked the door shut.