CHAPTER 17

Drake

The sun was threatening to crest the whole of New Orleans when I finally made it back to the bus. I didn’t know where the fuck Landon and Stone were, but I wasn’t feeling well. I leaned against the door and somehow managed to get it open, then I crawled my way into the bus. I reached my foot out and stumbled trying to shut the door when a groan caught my attention.

I pulled myself upright and saw Delia asleep on the table right where I’d left her the night before. I’d let her think she’d won that round, but once she fell asleep, I was gone. I met up with the guys on Bourbon Street and partied my ass off like I’d wanted to in the first place.

I leaned against the kitchen counter and studied her angelic form. The sun that began to rise over the landscape of New Orleans cast a wondrous glow along her skin. I wanted to lean in and kiss her. To lick my tongue all the way up her arm and capture her lips once she tried to complain about it. That woman was so damn cute when she was angry, with her red cheeks and her scrunched up nose. I’d piss her off just to watch it happen.

My head felt heavy and my stomach felt like it was on fire. I’d drank too much with the guys. Way too fucking much. Delia had been right. One drink wasn’t just ever one fucking drink.

Damn it. Why the hell was she right?

I stumbled back to my bedroom and passed out. I remembered kicking one of my boots off before sleep took me under. I dreamed of running around in the pasture with my father as Momma sat on the porch with Elsie. I dreamed about the times my father taught me how to repair the tractor Paul and I were now working on. I saw my mother, her face smiling as she cradled me in her arms. She always did that when I was sick.

She would probably do that now.

I saw Elsie learning to read for the first time. My father being patient with her while Momma cooked red beans and rice in the kitchen. I dreamed of the smell of homemade biscuits and gravy and the blackberry pies my sister and I used to eat until I was sick to my stomach. I blinked and found myself under a tree, my head in my Momma’s lap as she ran her fingers through my hair.

“You see those stars?” my mother asked.

“Yeah,” I said. “I do.”

“They’re big giant burning balls of gas, baby. Billions and billions of miles away.”

“No they’re not,” I said, with a giggle. “They’re the eyes of angels winking at us.”

“You know what? I think I like that story better.”

“It’s not a story, Momma. It’s true. My Sunday School teacher taught me that.”

“Oh she did, did she?” she asked. “Well, I guess I’ll have to consult her on all things involving space from now on.”

“Billions and billions of miles, Momma?”

“And billions, Drake.”

“Drake.”

“Drake.”

“Drake!”

My momma’s voice morphed into Delia’s and it shocked me awake. There was a bright light shining down on me. One that hurt my eyes and did nothing to warm my skin. I heard Delia calling my name as I turned my head, trying to see where she was. There was a strange man sitting next to me. Dressed in something I couldn’t recognize because the fucking light was too damn bright.

“Can someone turn down the sun?” I asked.

“Drake! Drake, you’re awake. Can you hear me? It’s Delia.”

“What the fuck were you thinking, letting him go off like that?”

Hank.

That was Hank’s voice.

He sounded angry.

Why did he sound angry?

“I didn’t! He came back to the bus with me, but he must have snuck out after I fell asleep,” Delia said.

“Well then you shouldn’t have fallen asleep! I hired you for one fucking purpose, and look where he is now,” Hank said.

“Short of pumping myself full of caffeine that would have been nearly impossible. I thought he was really going to stay put. How was I to know he’d sneak off like a dumb teenager?”

“Has he proven to you so far that he is anything but a dumb teenager?” Hank replied.

“Look, Hank, I’m sorry –” she started to say before Hank cut her off.

“Sorry doesn’t cut it. Not now. Not standing here in the damn hospital because that asshole drank himself stupid”,” Hank said.

Hospital. I was in the hospital.

I felt my body being moved as my back landed on something strong. I heard echoes of Landon and Stone’s voices as my eyes fluttered shut. When I woke up again, the smell of disinfectant wafted up my nose. I was cold and my feet were exposed and I felt a needle piercing the top of my hand.

I tried to yank it away, but someone’s grasp was tight on my wrist.

“Hold still, Mr. Blackthorn. I’m almost done.”

Another voice I didn’t fucking recognize.

“Is he gonna be okay?”

It was Delia again.

I tried to reach out to her, but I couldn’t move my body.

Why the fuck could I not move my body?

“We gotta get him hydrated and do a full work up of what he’s got in his system. But we’re in the process of setting him up to have his stomach pumped.”

“Holy fucking shit,” I heard Hank say.

I passed out again as I was being rolled down a hallway. The passing lights were mesmerizing and they lulled me to sleep. I saw my mother’s face again, with her raven black hair and her dark brown eyes. She had a beautiful smile on her cheeks and a rosiness to her features I hadn’t seen in years. I lifted my hand to try and touch her. To try and feel the warmth and comfort only a mother could provide.

But the illusion was busted when someone else took my hand.

“Drake? Can you hear me? Please tell me you can hear me.”

I heard Delia sniffle as my eyes finally pried themselves open.

“Holy shit. Drake. Hi. Hello there. How are you feeling?” she asked.

Her hand cupped my cheek and I mindlessly nuzzled into it.

“What happened?” I asked.

I coughed when I tried to swallow. My throat fucking hurt.

“Here, drink some of this. It might help,” Delia said.

I felt a straw dancing around my lips as I parted them to drink the water she offered me.

“You um…”

My eyes cleared long enough to find Delia’s. They were puffy and red, swollen from all the tears she had cried. The hospital bed was uncomfortable, and I tried to shift, but all of a sudden, I felt someone’s arms underneath mine.

“Easy does it,” Hank said. “Let us help.”

“I’ll—deal with you in a second,” I said. “I heard how you were—talking to her.”

I cast my gaze back to Delia as she sat on the edge of my bed. Even though I’d done my fair share to get her to quit, I didn’t like hearing Hank talk down to her. It didn’t sit right in my gut. Especially when this one was all on me.

“What happened?” I asked.

“You gave yourself alcohol poisoning,” she said, looking at me with sad eyes.

“Doctors had to pump your stomach and fill you with fluids to get your body put back together again,” Hank said.

“It was just a few drinks,” I said.

“Your blood alcohol content was 0.41, Drake. That’s almost six times the legal limit,” Delia said.

“You almost killed yourself,” Hank said. “You’re lucky Delia woke up when she did. If she would’ve slept any longer, she would’ve found you dead.”

I closed my eyes and shook my head, trying to clear it. It felt muddled. Like I was moving through Jell-O with cotton swabs in my ears. I couldn’t focus on anything.

Not even Delia’s beautiful eyes as they gazed upon me.

“Where are Landon? And—uh—and Stone?” I asked.

“Heading home,” Delia said. “Your last concert’s been canceled.”

“No, no, no. We can’t cancel that one. My sister’s favorite city is Dallas. We gotta do this Texas show.”

“You can’t. You have to go to rehab. No one can deny you have an issue anymore. Not even you,” she said.

“I’m doing the fucking concert, Delia.”

“No, you’re not,” she said sternly. “You’re going to rehab, and I’m going back to being a regular remote personal assistant until I can get my degree completed.”

“So—you’re gonna quit on me. Just like that?” I said. But wasn’t that what I’d wanted all along?

“I was hired to do two things; keep you on schedule and help you start your journey to sobriety. I failed to do both of those things.”

“You didn’t fail shit. I heard you and Hank arguing, but I was the one who snuck out. It wasn’t your fault.”

Alcohol poisoning? Had I really drunk that much? I was usually so careful.

“I failed you, but I can do some good before I get out of here. I’ve already called a rehab facility in Nashville. They’re expecting you. Landon and Stone are on comfortable flights to their hometowns to spend some time with their families. This thing with you has really done them in,” Delia said.

“And you’re just going to walk away? Just like that?” I asked.

Delia looked at me with genuine sadness in her eyes.

“Goodbye, Drake,” she said. “And please take rehab seriously. If you do, it’ll get you on a good path.”

I tried to keep her hand within mine, but she slid too easily from my grasp. My eyes hooked onto her as she picked up her things, and I watched her walk out of the room, leaving me alone and cold in this fucking hospital bed with some dumbass gown on and a needle in my hand.

The pain in my chest was heavier than I’d ever felt it before, and I found myself wanting to drown the sensation in bourbon, even now. How fucking sick was I?