It's Strange Love 🌷 afi MAJOR EDITING

035

A D D I S O N

I rush through the hospital doors. Heading to the front I scamper my way in like a lost child.  "Luke Hemmings." I mumble. Nadia's family was already up there so I knew she was okay with them. But Luke had nobody.

"Room 345 it's on floor 6 to your right." The secretary tells me. I'm dripping from the rain. The power cuts out.

The storms in Sydney never seem to get this bad. But today was the day. The clouds rolled in so quickly and before I knew it, it was storming like god was mad at the earth.

I run up the stairs. The hospital has backup lights and stuff, but it's for the machines and the rooms for operation. Most other rooms get lit with candles.

I told Ashton to go home to help his mom with the storm. He tried to refuse so I just ran into the hospital. I get to the 6th floor. The pungent smell of bleach is in the air along with the causal hospital smell. Like old people. That's what Luke told me when we came here because I broke my arm riding his bike at 6. I always longed to be just like my big brother. Though I'd never admit it to him.

I turn the corner to see his number at the very end of the hallway. I keep walking and tune out all the background noises.

Do you ever forget how to breathe? Like you try to suck in but you're so gutted nothing passes your lips. Like you're hyperventilating but not showing it. Your heart races and you begin to feel the sweat on your palms start to build. Like the first time you told your crush you liked them. The anticipation of waiting for their answer. My breath croaked in my throat like a child begging for attention as I saw his body. I swallowed and felt the tears build. I begin to feel sick as the tears fall down to the floor. Sobs escaping my torn throat.

"No!" I whimper out screaming as doctors running to me. Strong arms wrap around me before I hit the ground.

"It's gonna be okay." He whispers into my shoulder blade.

"Ash do you see him?" I whimper before looking up to see an unexpected face. Ryder. He holds onto me.

"Ashton left. Your dad called me. Next flight isn't for a week. He sent me to deal with everything." Ryder stares into my eyes.

"Ashton left?" I whimper low.

Ryder nods. I know I told him to. But I really thought he was gonna come be with me when I needed him. Tears still drip from my face. Ryder helps me stand up properly. I walk into the room.

"Miss.Hemmings were just prepping Luke here for surgery. We can discuss it in our board room, I just do ask that you leave. It's not good for you to see him like this." A doctor tells me. I look through him to see the men flipping Luke onto a new movable table. I feel a whimper escape my mouth.

"I-I-" I couldn't speak. How could I? My brother was laying on a table looking dead.

"Sir, she's already seen him now. Could she just give him a kiss before surgery." Ryder asks. The doctor looks into my misty eyes and tear stained face.

"Go." He nods. "Just cover his lower half. Chest down. She doesn't need to see the close ups." He tells the other doctors. They do as they're told as I walk over to him.

His face his beaten up. Blood dried all over. His eyebrow and nose swollen.

"The girlfriend said his nose and eyebrow were from a fight with one of his classmates." The doctor tells me.

I nod trying to hold back some tears. I wipe his fallen hair out of his face. "Hey Pudge." Mom and me have Luke the nickname when he was 5 and I was 4. "I know you're gonna be okay. Because you're strong. And when you wake up I think moms gonna kill you. You know, for scaring her so much. Me too. Just be okay." I mumble and kiss his blood dried forehead.

"We have to get the surgery started. Our head doctor will be performing it on him." The doctor nods. "Let's go to my office to talk." He takes my shaking hand. Ryder follows us rubbing circles into my back.

-

"He was speeding?" I ask with teary eyes.

"Yes. We think over 120 but we can't be sure yet. But the light was green for him and another car was trying to drive through your brother." Dr.Quinton tells me. I swallow. The cop stands behind me. "So when he wakes up, we're going to be dealing with a huge legal problem." He tells me.

"Was anyone else injured?" I ask.

"The third car had a women and her 6 month old baby-"

"No-" I throw my head into my hands sobbing out. God how would Luke live with himself.

"Hey, Hey! It's okay, the baby is perfectly fine. The mother just has a broken pinky. Your brother and his friend took most of the damage." Dr.Quinton tells me.

"What about the 2nd car?" I ask.

"The man, he was drunk. His wife was a shot and killed last week, so the man had nothing left to lose. Fortunately, or unfortunately for him he only came out with a concussion." He nods. I swallow.

"And if he was drunk and it was his light then how is this a debate of who's fault it was?" I question standing up in rage.

"Hey, calm down it's okay." Ryder takes my hand and pulls me back down.

I whimper. "It couldn't have been his fault." Tear spill from my red eyes. My raw nose sore from sniffling.

"The police will figure that out hon. You just need to focus on your brother." He tells me. I nod. "So for his room-"

"I'll deal with this, go see Nadia or get something to eat." Ryder tells me.

"No I'm not leaving." I shake my head. Ryder huffs.

"We're paying for a single private room. No police until we get his lawyer." Ryder straightens himself out like the business man that he is.

"And you are?"

"Ryder Throneberry. Mr.Hemmings business partner. He's already called and okayed me to deal with all of this because he can't be here." Ryder says. He hate to be undermined. Not even by a man with a doctorate.

"Okay Mr.Throneberry, 20,000 for the room. 40,000 for the surgery, 10,000 for all the extras." Another man in a suit comes in and says. Ryder smirks.

"Cash or credit?" Ryder licks his bottom lip raising a brow. The man raises his brow challenging him. Ryder looks down to the brief case beside him. Smiling like a child.

"We'll talk about this when the payment comes." Dr.Quinton clears his throat breaking the tension. "Addison, your brothers surgery should only be two more hours. You can go wait in his room. Number 402." Dr.Quinton tells me. I nod standing up. Ryder picks up his brief case and takes my shaky hand guiding me up to Luke's room.

ARE YOU GUYS LIKING THIS?

Because I do, but like if no one else is it can be changed. The next few chapters will be about this whole situation. I have some ideas. Might post again tonight, we'll see. 😂😚

Love you guys,

R