Signed, Danni

Chapter 8

I wake up in the living room my head throbbing, my eyes dry, and memory of what happened last night. I sit on the floor, silently sobbing until the sobs become verbal. All I can think about is my dad, so I rush upstairs to get dressed while still crying. I quickly go downstairs and I'm almost out the kitchen door when a hand grabs my wrist and pulls me to their chest. I start violently shaking as I cry. Colton starts whispering little nothings into my ear as I cry. "Come on, Danni. Let's go see your dad." Before I can start walking I feel Colton's strong arms go under my knees and around my back. He carries me out to his truck and sets me in the passenger's seat. I watch his head, since that's the only part I can see, as he walks around the hood of his truck. He's so tall that he doesn't even need to use the step to get into his lifted truck. He starts it and I listen to the hum of his Chevy. The radio turns on with the truck and I do what I always do when I get into a vehicle, I turn the radio up and roll down my window as Colton follows suit. We get to the hospital and I get out impatiently waiting to see my daddy. I walk to the nurse's station to see a blonde, brown eyed girl sitting there. "Hi. Can you tell me what room my dad is in?"

"What's his name?" She asks, looking lustfully at Colton.

"John Logans." She looks at her computer and when she looks up to tell me she glances at Colton before looking at me and giving me the room number. I glare at her and say thank you through clenched teeth. I walk over to Colton and wrap my arms around his waist as we walk past her and down the hallway. I find the room and quietly push the door open. He's laying on the bed and as I walk to him I start freak out. What if he's in a coma? I look at Colton and he can see the worry in my eyes. He comes to me and pulls me to him. The doctor comes in at that moment.

"Well hello there Danni. Nice to see you again."

"Doctor Johnson! How are you?"

"I'm good. How's the arm?"

"All better," I say, waving my arm around. Colton's arm is still around my shoulders, I wrap mine around his waist bracing myself. I look at Eric. "How is he?" His head drops before he looks at me.

"Danni. He had a heart attack. The police found an oil lantern in the stall with him. They think when he collapsed from the attack he knocked it over. He hit his head pretty hard. Right now it's a medically induced coma, until he heals a little. He'll eventually be fine after some therapy." I sigh, thankful he'll be okay. Colton's arms tighten on me as I take in his scent, trying to relax myself. Colton rubs my back as I start to cry again.

"Thanks, Doc. For everything." He smiles and nods before leaving Colton and I. "Hey, Colton?"

"Yeah?"

"Can you take me to Josh's? I need to let out some steam." He looks a little.... Uncomfortable? Sad? but nods anyway.

We get to Josh's and I see a cloud of exhaust come out of the garage, knowing it's probably Cody I get out and rush to him. "Cody?" I holler. "Cody?"

"I'm over here," he calls.

I find him and see he's okay, "Goodness, you scared me. I thought something had blown up or something."

"Danni," he looks at me, "I'm fine."

I nod as he looks at something behind me. "Oh, um, right, Cody, Colton, Colton, Cody." I say gesturing to them. They greet each other and I turn back to Cody. "Can I have a bike? I need to get lost for a little while."

"Of course ya can. Do you want someone to go with you?"

"No. I'll be fine. Can I have the orange one?"

"Yeah. I'll just go and get your helmet. Do ya want gloves?" I shook my head no and he left. I turned to Colton and saw him playing with a puppy. He was mostly white with brown specks and bigger spots. I walk over and sit beside him. The puppy lays across him and me clearly tired from playing.