The Journey Taken Together

Chapter Twenty-Two

Chapter Status: Edited

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~Dennis~

I arrive at the police station as the sun's rays peak out from behind the clouds. The rain gets lighter as the weather begins to move out. Stepping off the bus, I head to my car. I open it and poke my head inside. I immediately jerk my head back and blast the air conditioner. The humid, rainy days have only made my car hotter.

"Hey Ford." a sudden voice makes me jump, and I look at the door. Officer Kurt stands in front of the police station with a coffee in his hands.

"Oh...hey Officer..Kurt," I say, my heart thumping from the sudden surprise of his appearance. He steps out into the sun and squints while looking up at the clouds.

"Nasty day wouldn't you say?" he says while taking a sip of the coffee. I slowly nod and poke my head back into the car to feel the temperature. I furrow my brow and raise my head back up to cool it down some more.

"How've you been?" he pesters, and I look away.

"Could be better. Listen, I have to run. Goodbye Officer," I bid him goodbye and hop into my car. He steps to the side of it as I pull out of the parking spot.

"You know, you shouldn't give up on her. Only you know the truth," he says, and I shake my head. 'How dare he mention Thea?' I think to myself while glaring at him. I pull away from him and head to the restaurant where I am meeting Samantha.

******

As soon as I walk inside of the restaurant, I instantly smell pasta. Garlic and herbs appeal to my senses as I walk up to the register.

"Yes, I made a reservation for two," I say to the man at the desk. The cashier looks no older than twenty. He must've just been hired.

"Name please?"

"Dennis Ford," I reply quickly.

"Right this way," the man says. He escorts me to an empty table in the back, and I sit down. I pull out my phone and text Samantha.

Me: Hey I am at the restaurant.

I look up to see Samantha at the desk. Her blonde hair is straightened to her shoulders, and she is dressed in her scrubs from work. She begins to walk over to the table, and I quickly put my phone away. I hear a beep and begin to blush. She pulls out her phone and reads my message while smiling.

"Nice to see you," I say to break the awkward silence.

"You look nice," she says with a small smile. She sets her purse down and sits in the chair across from me.

"Thank you. You look....normal," I say, instantly regretting my statement.

"Thank you?" she says, picking up the menu with a grin on her face. I quickly pick up mine and scan through the options. We both order the same thing: Fettuccini Alfredo and a cherry limeade. Samantha excuses herself to the bathroom, and I turn on my phone. Looking to see if Samantha replied to my message, I see a new message from Thea. I open it and gulp. Scanning my eyes across the message, my heart begins to thump in my chest.

Samantha returns to the table and interrupts my thoughts. "Heyyy did you miss me?" she asks playfully. I bite my lip and look down, letting her know something is wrong.

"Are you okay?" she asks, and I look into her eyes.

"Thea and Steven are in the hospital," is all I manage to say. She bites her lip and nods.

"Go check up on her. There will be other dates," she says while placing her hand on mine. I thank her and immediately head for the door. I race out to my car and begin to drive.

'I should've never let her out of my sight,' I mumble to myself and head for the highway.

~Thea~

I wake up to the sound of cart wheels squeaking on the floor. Opening one eye, I see a female bringing in a cart full of food. I immediately shut my eyes, listening to the sound of the cart. I hear her footsteps leave the room and turn to eat my breakfast.

"Well, aren't you a sneaky one," I hear a male voice say and jump. I look behind me and see Dennis sitting on one of the chairs.

"Dennis," I say, smiling a little. He grins and looks down and begins playing with his shoelace.

"How are you doing?" he asks, looking up at me with a smirk. I force down a piece of toast and sigh.

"Well, I'm hungry. I haven't had anything to eat since yesterday morning when-"

"It's okay Thea, I'm here for you now," he replies, cutting me off. My stomach feels like there is a volcano erupting inside of it. I bite my lip, trying hard not to remember the good memories between Dennis and I.

"Thanks," I mumble and continue eating. The room falls silent until a nurse comes in, interrupting my "feast".

"Good morning, Thea. How are you feeling?" she asks.

"I'm feeling a lot better," I lie. For some reason, I am only comfortable around Dennis. I don't have to pretend around him. Yet, he failed to do the same. I'm just concentrated on trying to get out of here to see Steven.

"That's good," she says, checking my vitals.

"When can I leave?" I ask while looking at Dennis.

"The doctor will be in to see you to discuss what happened and such, then you may leave," she explains, and I nod. The nurse leaves the room, and the room goes silent once again. Dennis clears his throat, and I look at him concerned.

"Do you think Steven is going to make it?" I question. He bites his lip, and a single tear runs down his cheek.

"I hope," is all he manages to say.

"Did you see him yet?" I immediately ask.

"No.." he says, trailing off. I continue eating my food, and my stomach rumbles.

Something tells me he is hiding something about Steven.

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