Rivals 🌈 ✔

22 - Words of Love

Skye found it hard to leave Juice behind. He was falling apart, and in addition, Chibs clearly sensed that it wasn't Skye's boyfriend who was brought in with an ambulance. She however, knew Chibs was always concerned about Juice and she tried to believe that he would comfort Juice now, instead of lecturing him. While the two men were talking to each other, she went through the swing doors where the Mayans had disappeared to, determined to spend her time useful by figuring out how Raine was.

In the waiting area, the bikers had grouped together, their faces telling her that they hadn't heard anything positive about Raine. She studied the small crowd until she found Sammy, to whom she walked over. Ignoring the suspicious glances of the others, she grabbed the girl's hand to pull her out of her thoughts. She was sitting at the corner of a three-seater, a Mayan had wrapped an arm around her shoulders. She recognized him from the festival and assumed he was Raine's best friend, Esai.

Sammy looked up when she felt the squeeze in her hand and she stood up, slightly trembling. Skye pulled her in a tight hug. How horrible would it be when your brother was close to dying, only a couple of weeks after burying your sister?

"He will be fine," she whispered as Sammy started to cry, clinging to her body. Soothingly, she stroked the girl's back. "Raine is strong. Have a little faith in him. Let me get you a glass of water, okay?"

Sammy nodded hesitantly, wiping the tears from her face. Skye headed towards the counter and asked for a glass of water. Turning around, she bumped into a Mayan; the same one who had been sitting next to Sammy.

"Who the fuck are you? You were with the Sons."

"I was. Juice is my boyfriend." She gave him an intrusive look. Raine told her what excuse he had used to explain his lack of interest in girls to his brothers, and Skye played along naturally.

Esai's eyes widened a bit. "You serious? You got some serious balls chica, for checking up on your secret lover, while your old man is bawling his eyes out in the next room."

Skye was close to slapping him in the face, but she kept her anger in check and stared into his unusual blue eyes. "A woman can love two men," she answered. "Raine knew about my feelings for Juice from the start. I'm cheating on Juice, not on your boy. You can drop that attitude."

Esai huffed, yet he stepped aside. Skye walked past him, returned to the waiting area and handed the glass to Sammy.

"So they don't know anything yet?"

"No," Sammy answered, her face pale. "They only told me he has internal haemorrhaging." She peeked over her shoulder, but the other men were busy. "How's Juice?"

"He can't take it much longer. One of his brothers wanted to talk to him in private. I hope he will draw strength from it." She squeezed Sammy's shoulder. "I live close by. You can come with us, if you like? I know most of the nurses, gonna ask 'em to call me once there's news about Raine. You might find a little more distraction at ours than while waiting here."

Sammy hesitated, then she nodded. "Okay."

Skye gave her a small smile. "I'll let you know when we leave."

Because of the entertainment she offered to the patients, she knew a large part of the staff. In the end, it was Esther she spoke up to. The girl was two years older than she, and Skye knew her since primary school.

"Hey Esther. Can I ask for a favor?"

Esther smiled at her. "Hi, Skye. Yes, of course."

Connivingly, Skye leaned into her, asking her question.

. . .

Both Juice and Sammy were lethargically stirring the spaghetti Skye made them. He was glad Raine's sister was with them; Raine would have wanted him to take care of her. Her presence made it easier to control his own fear and pain, although he still couldn't eat a thing.