Chapter 176 Lilian Baker

Chapter 176 Lilian Baker
The moment I stepped into the clinic, I realized I had panicked for absolutely nothing.

Well… not absolutely nothing.

Lewis was lying on the examination bed with an ice pack pressed against one side of his face, but he was very much awake and very much alive.

And, judging by the smile on his face, very much enjoying my misery.

I stood at the doorway and stared at him. He stared back, then he smiled.

"Why are you looking at me like that?"

"Because you scared me."

"I scared you?"

"Yes."

"I got hit by a basketball."

"Exactly!"

He laughed.

I walked closer.

"Do you have any idea what I thought happened?"

"Apparently, you thought I was dying."

"I didn't say that."

"You didn't have to."

I rolled my eyes.

The truth was, I felt embarrassed. The entire situation had gotten out of control because I had panicked.

One minute, I had been standing beside the coach watching practice. The next, I heard that terrible cry and saw Lewis on the floor.

I didn't stop to think. I didn't stop to ask questions. I didn't even wait for someone to tell me exactly what had happened.

I just called Andrew.

Now that I knew what had happened, I felt ridiculous.

The ball had hit Lewis in the face and that was it. It had given him a black eye and apparently a lot of attention.

The clinic had already checked him, and the injury wasn't serious. He just needed the ice pack and some rest.

I should have known better.

"You're dramatic," Lewis said.

"You are the one lying on a clinic bed with an ice pack on your face."

"Because I got hit."

"And then you told me to calm down."

"You were panicking."

"Because you were acting like you were dying."

"I never said I was dying."

"You didn't have to."

He laughed.

I wanted to be annoyed. I really did, but seeing him smiling made it difficult.

I sat on the chair beside the bed. "I can't believe I called Andrew."

Lewis's smile grew. "Neither can I."

"Don't."

"I'm just saying."

"Don't say anything."

He laughed again.

"I think you were scared."

"I was," I admitted. "That's why I called him."

Lewis looked at me for a moment, then he smiled. "That's actually kind of sweet."

"Don't make it weird," I said with a playful frown.

"I'm not."

"You are."

Before he could respond, the door opened, Andrew walked in, and everything changed.

I didn't know how to explain it.

One second, Lewis and I were laughing. And the next, the room became completely silent.

Andrew stood in the doorway, breathing heavily as though he ran all the way here. Maybe he did.

His eyes immediately found Lewis, then the ice pack, then me.

"What happened?" he asked with a hardened expression.

Lewis sighed. "I'm fine."

Andrew walked closer.

"You're fine?"

"Yes."

"You were lying on the floor."

"I got hit by a basketball."

"Exactly."

Andrew looked at the ice pack.

"Did the doctor check you?"

"Yes."

"And?"

"They said it's not serious."

Andrew shook his head. "You still have to be careful."

Lewis sighed. "I know."

"What if it had been worse?"

"But it wasn't."

"That isn't the point."

Lewis lowered the ice pack slightly.

"Andrew."

"What?"

"Calm down."

Andrew stared at him.

"I rushed here thinking something terrible had happened to you."

"I know and I appreciate you."

Andrew looked away for a second.

I could tell he was angry. He had been genuinely frightened because of my call and somehow, seeing that made me feel guilty.

"I should have asked more questions before calling you,” I said quietly.

Andrew looked at me with a narrowed gaze.

"Who told you to call me?"

I didn't know how to answer that without sounding stupid.

Who else was I supposed to call? Their parents?

"How did you even know that he got hit?” Andrew asked.

"I invited her," Lewis answered.

Andrew turned toward him.

"What?"

"I invited Lily to practice."

Andrew stared at him in disbelief.

"You invited her?"

"Yes."

"To a private practice?"

"Yes."

Andrew shook his head. “What were you thinking?"

Lewis groaned. "It's not a big deal."

"You keep saying that."

"Because it isn't."

Andrew looked at him.

"You have responsibilities."

"I know."

"Then act like it."

Lewis's smile disappeared.

"Andrew..."

"I'm serious."

"I know."

"What if something worse had happened?"

Lewis sat up slightly.

"But it didn't."

Andrew's jaw tightened. "You need to stop treating things like this as if nothing matters."

Lewis was silent.

Andrew's voice became quieter. "If something happens to you, Dad won't take it lightly."

Lewis looked away.

I had no idea what they were talking about.

Andrew continued. "You know what he's like."

Lewis sighed. "Don't bring Dad into this."

"I'm telling you to be careful."

"You don't have to."

"Yes, I do."

"Why?"

Andrew looked at him. "Because you're my brother."

The room fell silent as Lewis stared at him.

Andrew looked away briefly before he went on, "You know how Dad reacts when things go wrong."

Lewis's expression changed.

"And if something happens to you..." His voice became quieter. "He might abandon you too."

Abandon him?

Why?

There was clearly a story behind those words. Something I didn't understand. Something neither of them wanted to explain.

I looked at Lewis. He didn't look at me.

I made a mental note to ask him about it later.

Andrew took a deep breath and finally turned toward the door.

He just ignored my entire existence.

Lewis called after him.

"Andrew."

He stopped.

"What?"

"Thanks for coming."

Andrew didn't answer immediately.

"Of course,” he said.

Then he walked out.

The door closed behind him and silence filled the room again.

I looked at Lewis. He finally looked at me.

"That went well."

I gave him a look.

"Don't."

He laughed.

"What?"

"Your brother just got another reason to hate me."

"Let him be.”

"He looked like he wanted to throw me out of the window."

"That's just him when he is seriously angry."

I looked toward the door.

Something about the entire conversation bothered me.

Not just Andrew's anger. Not just the way he had reacted to the accident. There was something else. Something underneath everything he'd said.

His fear… his mention of their father… the way Lewis had immediately gone quiet. And the way Andrew didn't even look at me before leaving.

I turned back to Lewis.

"Why did he mention your dad?"

His smile disappeared.

I knew immediately that I'd touched something important.

"Lily..."

"Don't do that."

"Do what?"

"Give me that look."

"What look?"

"The look that says you're about to avoid my question."

He sighed. "Can we talk about something else?"

"No."

He laughed softly.

"You really don't give up."

"No, because you're going to tell me."

He looked at me, then at the door Andrew had disappeared through.

For the first time since I had arrived at the clinic, Lewis didn't look amused. He looked worried.

And suddenly, I knew that whatever had happened between Andrew, Lewis, and their father was much bigger than a basketball injury. Much bigger than I had expected.

I leaned forward and whispered, "Tell me."