Point Of View 2 [*Do not read until you've read the same chapter of ATW]

Chapter 38 Cringe

Nate sent my sisters a surprise check for us all to go out to eat and spend time together, but with everyone's busy schedules, we never made it happen. Instead, my sisters have been taking turns sleeping at my house and ordering takeout for dinner to spend time together. Tonight, it's Gwen and Ashley camping out in my den watching movies. We ordered pizza, and once again, I had to remind them I needed help with eating dinner. It's humiliating and wearing down on me a little. I've got too many sisters to keep reminding what I can and can't do and even though I know they are amazing and all trying to help me, it can sometimes be tiring. 

"Hey, Gwen. Can you call Nate's bodyguard Paul for me? The number is on my fridge. I just want to see how Julia is doing without...."

"Without having to talk to her? You're such a loser, you know that?" Gwen scoffs at me but heads downstairs to get Paul's number. Once she has it in her phone, she hands me her phone and for the first time, I'm actually able to coordinate my hands to grab it and hold it the proper way. I don't bother telling my sisters this huge accomplishment because it's not one to them. But if I told Julia or Trisha or even Nate, they'd be ecstatic to hear.

"Hey Paul, just wanted to check in to see how Julia is."

"I'm actually not there. I have the stomach bug, but Dante is watching over Julia."  Paul responds.

I think I know Dante. He's a good bodyguard. Quiet, but will get the job done. I wonder how Hollan must feel about Paul not being there for Julia, though.

"Oh. Sorry to hear you're under the weather. How's she been lately?"

"Gallo, she could use a friend. You've been avoiding her."

I swallow hard with a nod like the bodyguard can even see me.

"I know. I have. Going there kinda creeps me out." I admit.

"She'd do it for you, James. She'd be by your side......she WAS by your side 24/7 while you were in a coma. You should do the same for her. I'm not trying to be rude here... But she misses you. Pull yourself together and get to the Avalon to see her soon, ok?"

"Yeah. Ok." I hand the phone to my sister.

 I've been an awful friend to Julia.

******

*Trisha*

This morning, I take Casey to a well-known salon here in Amsterdam for a little girl's day. We get manicures and pedicures and even get some waxing done. Casey is really fun to hang out with. She is the wild one where Jonah is the stable one. Kinda like Julia and Nate. Though Casey has a good head on her shoulders. She's just young and likes to have fun too but knows when to reel it in. We get along great together.

"Ok, THAT hurt!" Casey comes out of the waxing room red in the face.

"Have you never gotten a bikini wax before??" I raise a brow at her, and she blushes a little more just like Julia would.

"Yeah, but not ALLL of it taken off! Never again!"  She blurts out and I shrug. 

"Eh, you get used to it. Jonah will love it."

"TRISHA!" Casey isn't used to me talking personal shit with her yet so that one threw her for a loop.

"Oh please, every guy loves it. But...the real question here is.... Did he love the lingerie you picked out in Milan?" I get right into it and Casey laughs and blushes at the same time. "I take that as a yes."

"He couldn't keep his darn hands off me." She smirks.

We shop the rest of the morning and early afternoon away and buy even more cute lingerie sets to surprise our...... well...... I don't know what me and Nate are.... but to surprise our "guys" with. Once we put everything away, we head to the venue knowing Nate and Jonah will be in the rec room hanging out. That's where the food is. Jonah is always where the food is. 

Right when we get settled in, Jeremy calls Nate's cell phone. I get a pit in my stomach knowing this can't be good.

"Why the hell is he calling me?" Nate furrows his brows.

"Let me." Jonah takes Nate's phone to answer it.

"Hello?" Jonah puts it on speaker so we can all hear Jeremy.

"Is this Nate?"

"No. This is Jonah, his personal nurse. Is Julia ok?"

"Yes. But I was hoping to catch Nate so I can get his permission to discharge Julia. He is the one responsible for her payments here at the Aval-"

"I'm here." Nate grabs the phone. "Julia can be discharged????"

 I find this extremely odd seeing as Jeremy was adamant that the longer she stayed, the better.

"Yes. I think she has gotten all she can out of the Avalon's setting, and to be honest. This whole thing she's got going on with another patient..."

"Wait. What the hell are you talking about, Donovan??"

"Julia no longer has a fever. She would benefit from detoxing away from Michael Maloney, another patient in this facility. They have become......close... and it's frowned upon here at The Avalon. If Julia isn't going to take her detox seriously, then we have nothing more to offer her here."

Oh shit.

"What do you mean... close?" Nate beings to pace.

"Julia has been intimate with Michael. Two patients detoxing at the same time, getting involved with each other, is only setting them both of for disaster. Not only that, having relations in the facility with another patient is frowned upon."

Intimate?

Julia slept with Mike Maloney?

*****