One Real Thing Read Online Free PDF

directions on the Dramamine yet again to make sure he knew how many Holly should have at a time, mentally dividing the blister pack into doses. Two compartments were already empty. The closer they got to boarding, the twitchier Holly became, but Nick didn’t relent. He couldn’t. He’d given in, let go, looked away too much already, for far too long. When their seat numbers were called, Nick stood and held his hand out to Holly.
    “Come on. It’s time to go,” he said gently.
    “I can’t do this.” In spite of that, Holly pushed to his feet and got moving, ignoring Nick’s offer of help. He’d refused to eat as well, saying it would make him sick. The sunglasses were off now, hanging from the collar of his shirt. His face was dull and sallow and hollow, tight around the mouth and eyes. “Just give me a couple more Dramamine so I can sleep. I might as well be eating fucking candy. I used to take a dozen at a shot when I was a kid.”
    Nick trailed along behind him. It was a familiar situation, at least on the surface. Underneath, though, this was nothing like anything he’d ever done for Holly in college. “You can have another dose once we’re ready to taxi to the runway,” he said, checking his watch. That would put them just before the four-hour-minimum window. Close enough.
    “Damn it, Nick, you’re not my fucking mother. I want to sleep.” Holly’s shoulders were rising and falling too fast and Nick realized his taut posture wasn’t so much from anger as it was fear.
    Nick and Holly shuffled in line to show their boarding passes to the flight attendant at the gate, then followed the rest of the passengers on board. “Look at me,” Nick said, when the line stopped for people ahead of them to shove their luggage into the overhead compartments.
    Holly stood still a moment, back rigid, and then he turned enough to look at Nick. His jaw was clenched, his dull eyes hard like blue stones.
    “You’ve had two,” Nick said. “Once we’re in our seats, I’ll get you four more. If that doesn’t work, let me know, and I’ll get you another two.” Eight was the limit in a twenty-four-hour period, according to the package. The last thing Nick wanted was to hurt Holly while he was trying to help.
    “Thanks.” Holly’s expression softened a little before he turned away. The passengers ahead of them were finally on the move. When they got to their seats, Holly fell into his and reached to do up the belt. The tongue clattered against its slot as he buckled up; his hands were shaking enough that he barely managed to get the two ends to meet. That done, he turned to look out the window and hugged himself, trapping his hands under his arms like he was fighting to hold still.
    Nick pulled the vial of Dramamine out of his pocket and sat down. Once he was strapped in, he shook out the promised four pills and asked, “Do you need me to get a bottle of water from the flight attendant, or can you take them dry?”
    “What do you think?” Holly let one hand loose to reach for them. He wasn’t even looking at Nick, like that would be too much. “Wouldn’t say no to vodka, but I know you will.”
    Nick let that one go. He dropped the tiny pills into Holly’s hand, and Holly clamped his hand to his mouth, threw his head back and swallowed them all at once. It was going to be a long flight; hopefully the pills would make it a little easier on Holly. “I’ll get you some ginger ale and crackers when the flight attendant goes by.” If Holly was even awake by then.
    “Yes, Mother.” Holly tucked himself up in the narrow seat as best he could, keeping his face turned toward the window.
    The flight attendant droned and waved through the explanation of seat belts and exits, and finally the Fasten Seat Belts light flickered to life. Nick glanced at Holly as the plane backed away from the terminal. It was going to be a very long flight.
    Holly shifted, hands on the armrests. Even keeping a tight grip didn’t stop