The Friend Zone

Chapter Thirty-Two: It's the Thought That Counts

 I eventually woke up in the ambulance where they knocked me out with some painkillers before putting me under to have the bullets or whatever was left of them out of my leg. I was extremely doped up after that, they said it would hurt like hell because I didn't have a lot of fat on that part of my thighs and it was mostly muscle.

"Hey babe," Taylor said quietly as he walked into my room after I finally came to, "I, uh, brought you these," he said, handing me a teddy bear and a sad looking bouquet of flowers, "The flowers kind of look like shit but I thought the bear would make up for that"

"Thanks," I smiled, "It's the thought that counts."

"How do you feel?" he asked, sitting on the chair next to the bed.

"Horrible," I replied, shaking my head as my eyes filled with tears.

"I'm so sorry," he sighed, taking my hand in his.

"Ms. Walters, can we speak with you?" a police officer asked as he approached the door.

"Yeah," I replied, wiping away my tears.

"We just need to get a statement from you about the incident, you're the only one not in critical condition," he replied.

"Okay," I said, taking a deep breath.

###

"What about Dr. Robins? Is she going to be okay?" I asked after I had finished recanting my story to the officer.

"They aren't sure," he sighed.

"And my mom? Leslie Walters?" I asked.

"Critical condition," he replied.

"Where did I hit her?" I asked quietly.

"I don't think you should know Ms. Walters," he sighed.

"Please tell me," I begged.

"The face," he sighed, "If she survives she'll have to have several plastic surgeries along to reconstruct her facial structure."

"Oh my gosh," I gasped, "I-I can't believe it."

"You're not going to be in trouble Ms. Walters, it was self-defense. If you need anything or have any questions, we'll leave a card, alright?" he replied, "Now I think you probably want me to leave so you can be with your friend, right?"

"Yeah," I replied, biting my lip before he walked out and sent Taylor back in.

"Hey, are you okay?" Taylor asked as he sat back down in the chair next to me.

"She might die," I cried, letting out the tears.

"Oh Tessa," he sighed.

"I shot her in the face," I sobbed, "She might die Taylor. I might've killed my mother. I'm the worst person on the planet."

"Don't say that baby," he said, taking my hand in his once again, "What happened in there?"

"She came in with a gun," I sobbed, "Dr. Robins told her to put it down, she didn't, she shot her. Then I took Dr. Robins' gun and shot my mom after she shot me."

"Oh Tessa," he sighed, "You're going to be alright."
"But I almost killed my mother," I sobbed.

"Your mother tried to kill you," he replied, "You did what you had to do to stay alive, please remember that."

"But she might die," I choked, my face soaked in tears as he crawled in the hospital bed next to me, "That means I'm a fucking killer Taylor."

"Don't say that, please," he said softly as he took me in his arms and wiped my tears away, "You did what you had to do. That doesn't mean it was easy, but you had to do it or you would've died."