“It would kill her, Frank. You see, my mom… my mom is like my dad. She’s not good at dealing with stress.”

“But—”

“No Frank.” Cole held his gaze. “You’re already the asshole who ruined my life. Don’t be the asshole who ruins my mother’s life too.”

Frank cleared the cabinet and went downstairs to fulfill Cole’s request. He found Susan mid-conversation and believed she had already told Jackie about everything that happened. It was when he heard her say ‘Mr. Lockhart’ that he realized she was speaking with his father.

“Did you tell his mom?” He asked when she got off the phone.

“No, I haven’t spoken to her yet.”

“He doesn’t want her to know. Can you keep it from her?”

“Ethically,” she began, “I shouldn’t. She needs to know the state of mind he’s in. She needs to know what he’s going through and how to cope once— well if, he ever tries it again.”

“I know but he regrets it. I don’t think he will do it again.”

She searched Frank for a second. “I won’t tell her. Your father already advised me not to. If Cole’s mother ever learns he attempted suicide your father would be stuck in courtrooms. Just be glad we came here in time.”

“Anything else you want me to do here?”

“No, but you should at least talk to the guy. He needs someone to talk to.”

“Trust me, I’m the last person he wants to talk to. He made that very clear.”

“Sometimes people are tough because they’re soft.” She started for the stairs. “You should know that.”

“Wait,” he called, “how am I supposed to get home?”

“Uber.”

“You know how expensive that’s gonna be?”

“You can afford it.” By this time, she was out of sight and had to yell back at him.

Frank sucked wind and eyed his Porsche in the driveway. Because of his recklessness, he had to drive in a stranger’s car instead of his own. Once he made the request, the Uber driver came fifteen minutes later. Initially, the driver attempted to make small talk but once he realized Frank wasn’t going to say a word he focused on driving.

On the long way back to his house, Frank thought only of the item that had caused this incident in the first place. Maybe if he hadn’t succumbed to his impulses, then he wouldn’t be in this mess. But hindsight is always twenty-twenty. He knew that no matter how much he imagined different scenarios none of them would magically replace his current reality.

After the driver pulled up beside his house Frank swiped his dad’s credit card and then went inside. He hoped that his father wouldn’t be home, but due to his current luck, the large man was waiting for him in the living room. Frank continued on his way to the staircase.

“I know you see me here.” His father’s voice grabbed him from around the corner of the hallway.

“I didn’t. I’m tired. Had a long day.”

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His father looked at him. “I know. I heard. But I wouldn’t exactly call attempted suicide a long day. Well, not for Cole Shaw.”

“Are you trying to say it’s my fault?” Frank turned to him. “Did I shove those pills down his throat? Did I tell him to overdose?”

“No. But you ruined his life. Selling a man a gun doesn’t mean you pulled the trigger, but if you give him ammo and a target, there’s no difference between you.”

“Don’t you think I feel bad? I know what I did was wrong. I’m not stupid!”

His father sprung up from the couch. “You feel bad? So what? The kid can’t even feel his legs.” He closed in on Frank.

Frank stepped back and looked away. “He can feel his legs, he just can’t move them.”

“What?”

Frank jumped.

“Nothing.”

“It doesn’t matter what the medical term for it is. The point is this is going to cost us. You think that Susan is going over there just for today? She has to be there every day until one of them dies. And it doesn’t stop there. I have to pay off Jackie, I have to pay for medication, doctor bills, the whole goddamn thing!” By now he had Frank up against the wall. “Do you get it now?”

“Yes.”

“I didn’t hear you.”

“Yes!”

They locked eyes for a little while and then his father released him.

“Good. Now how the hell did this happen?”

“I told you, it was an accident. I was riding around and he came out of nowhere.”

“Why were you riding on campus? You had your car. Why’d you bring your bike?”

“If you had been paying attention to me instead of your work you would’ve noticed that I like to go cycling.” Frank noted his father’s reaction and knew he was pushing it. “I cycle all the time. I go out with a group of friends sometimes. We ride together. Just to sweat a little, you know.”

“Cut the crap, Francis. What did you do?”

Frank looked away quickly. “I told you I was riding around.”

“What else?”

“Nothing. That’s it.”

“I swear to God if you drag us into any more shit you’re taking care of it yourself.” His father scanned him. “Don’t think this isn’t going to affect you. There’s a price for everything, Francis, and you’re going to learn that pretty soon. You probably already have. Let’s hope.”

His father stepped back and allowed him to pass. Frank quickly went upstairs into his room and made sure to lock the door. Every fiber of his being was pushing him to call his mother, to beg once more to be where she was. But he knew he wouldn’t be able to stand living there. His willpower kept him from calling her, but he still checked his phone.

He noticed a few missed calls from her along with some text messages. Apparently, she heard what happened too. Unlike her father, she wasn’t admonishing him, even though she was well aware of the severity of the situation. At that same moment, the phone rang and her picture popped up. Again an impulse wanted him to answer. He gave in.

“Hey, Mom.”

“Hey, sweetie. How are you?” Her voice was fine and light. The countryside was doing her some good.

“Dad told you what happened, didn’t he?”

“Yeah. He just wants to keep me in the loop, you know. We haven’t talked for a while after all. And before you tell me some lie about the school and assignments and stuff, I know it’s because you’re not comfortable around David.”

“You always seem to know what I’m thinking.”

“And I also know you’re sorry about what you did. Don’t beat yourself up about it. Every cloud has a silver lining.”

“I don’t see a silver lining in being a cripple, Mom.”

“Trust me, if anyone can spot value in things it’s you. Use this as an opportunity to connect with someone other than me, with someone completely different than you. Many great friendships have tragic beginnings.”

“You’re the only one who gets me.”

“That’s because I’m the only one you show your real self.”

Frank sighed.

“Think about it, honey. Remember, if it doesn’t hurt…”

“Do it.”

“Good. Think about it. We’ll talk soon okay?”

“Okay.”

Frank threw the phone on the bed and then fell back into the soft sheets. He didn’t know how he was supposed to connect with a loner cripple. As he ruminated on the subject his eyes remained fixed on the wooden closet door. It had been bothering him ever since he learned Cole would never walk again.

He finally got up, opened the closet, and took down the box on the overhead shelf. In it was the thing that stole Cole's legs. A crude painting of a girl and her mother along with a handcrafted toy. It was a meaningless memento that would benefit Frank in no other way but by staying in this box. Did someone nearly die because of something so insignificant?

Frank could not bring himself to an answer. Instead, he decided to drown these morbid thoughts with distraction. He set the toy beside him on the bed and pulled down a black helmet over his head. The Immersion Gear buzzed to life as it prepared to transport him to a different world and he hoped that it would swallow him forever.