Al(lie)son

Chapter 31

This beeping was killing me. My head pounded the same rhythm as my heart, which didn't help at all.

Why was I having this feeling again?

Oh God. Cole. The beeping increased it's tempo.

Soothing and cool, I registered something sweeping back the hair from my forehead. "Allie? Baby? Can you hear me?"

I opened my eyes and blearily took in my dimmed surroundings, and my mother's face, gaunt and pale.

"Where-"

"You're in the hospital, sweetheart." She couldn't hold back her tears. "We almost lost you."

A door opened, and we both turned to see my brothers each holding a paper takeaway cup and my father holding two. All of their quiet conversation stopped when they saw me.

Needless to say, everything after that happened very fast.

A doctor was called into my embarrassingly large hospital suite, along with the janitor who had to mop up four cups of coffee from the floor at 4am. My blood pressure was taken, and injuries explained. Bullet nicked my liver and bounced off a rib. Recovery was highly likely. I swallowed some pills, my parents asked the doctor more questions while my brothers fussed over me.

"Are you comfortable?"

"Do you want to eat?"

"Have you drank water?"

"How's your side feeling?"

I groaned. "Quit bugging me. Mom gave me water and I'm irritated and in some pain. I'm not hungry right now but I probably will be in a while. "

"Allison, you took a bullet." Matthew said seriously. "Even we haven't."

"And if you want one, I'll be happy to oblige."

"Not funny." Brandon pursed his lips together.

I rolled my eyes. "Can't you take a joke?"

My father kissed my cheek. "No, not really." He grinned, though it did nothing to hide how he'd clearly been to hell and back.

"How long was I out?"

"Three days." My mother replied. "Three days of living an actual nightmare."

"Hey, I thought they-" I gestured to either side of myself "-were nightmares from birth."

It really showed how worried my brothers were when they didn't acknowledge the statement. Matt pinched my cheek indulgently. "We love you too."

Brandon's face softened as he squeezed my hand. "We've missed you. Really."

"What happened?" I sat up a little straighter. "I blacked out."

I saw my brother's faces darken heavily. And yet pain in the depths of their eyes. They knew now. No more lies.

"We'll let Wes tell you." Matt exhaled heavily. "We just wish we knew sooner."

"You couldn't have known." I tried to comfort them. "He was good. Very good."

"We could've been better."

"Boys." My mother gently admonished, shaking her head. "We were all fooled. Your dad and I too. He played all of us."

"Like chess pieces in a bloody ballgame." My father sighed.

"Where's Wes?"

My entire family's facial expressions varied from gratitude to amusement. "Well, he's home." Brandon said.