Spin

Chapter Twenty Three

I was awakened several nights later by the sound of my name being called.
No, not called. Chanted.
"Lexi, Lexi, Lexi."
It was coming from outside. I had just made it to my window when it imploded, shards of glass scattering everywhere, slicing into my bare arms, cutting my face. A baseball landed with a thud at my feet. I let out a scream, and my bedroom door flew open.
"Lexi, get away from the window!" Dad shouted, grabbing me and practically throwing me into my mother's arms.
He leaned out the window.
"You better run! We'll take every last one of you down, along with your rapist pitcher!" Dad bellowed.
I could see at least a dozen baseball uniforms fading into the darkness, hooting and shouting threats until they vanished from sight.
Dad turned to me, visibly shaking with anger.
"God, Lexi, you're bleeding," he said softly. "We've got to get you to the hospital."
Dad pulled out his cell phone and scooped up the baseball as Mom helped me descend the stairs.
"Who are you calling?" she asked over her shoulder.
"Detective Manning. I'm going to have him meet us at the ER. And I'm going to tell him to bring that no good captain with him. The two of us are going to have a little heart to heart."
                                   ****
"What do you mean, there's nothing you can do? Look at my daughter! She could've been killed!" Dad was nearly purple with rage as he yelled at Captain Walker in the emergency room. I felt sort of proud of my parents, holding their ground the way they were. I grimaced as the nurse plucked glass out of my arm. I turned to Manning, who sat patiently by my side.
"You weren't kidding when you said it was just going to get worse, huh?" I tried to laugh, to ignore the painful tugging sensation in my arm. The detective didn't smile.
"You're a very brave girl, Lexi Howard. I admire your strength."
"Strength? I'm anything but strong, Detective."
"Most people would've given up by now. You're still pushing on in spite of it all. That's strength," Manning pointed out.
"I don't really see it that way. I just can't give up. Spin wouldn't stand for it."
A commotion outside my hospital room kept either of us from saying anymore. I glanced up in time to see Captain Walker falling to the floor, Dad towering over him, fists up. Mom stood beside him, her hands covering her mouth, her eyes wide in disbelief.
"Get up, you son of a bitch! Get up!" Dad screamed. Manning bolted out of the room as security guards swarmed my father. I started to get up, but the nurse clamped a hand on my shoulder.
"You can't go out there, honey. We have to take care of you first," she said kindly.
Tears filled my eyes as they slapped handcuffs on Dad. He struggled against them, kicking at the captain, who was staggering to his feet.
"Get him out of my sight! You're going to pay for that one!" Walker shouted at Dad.
"Good! Fight for her, you bastard! Do your job and fight for her!" Dad's voice echoed off the walls, and tears spilled down my cheeks. Mom ran to my side as Dad was dragged out of view.
"It's okay, Lexi. Calm down. It's bad for the baby," Mom said soothingly. I continued my cry.
"I don't care!" I sobbed. "This is all because of me! Spin's dead, Daddy's going to jail, and all of it is my fault!"
Mom took my face in her hands, and I could see the pain in her eyes as she spoke.
"Lexi, listen to me. No one is blaming you for any- thing. Spencer loved you, your dad loves you, and that's why all of this is happening. These are powerful testimonies of love, Lexi, not blame games."
"But I'm not worth it," I wept. "Any of it."
"Don't think that way. You can't. Because then all of this is for nothing. I miss your brother, baby, I miss him so much, and I loved him more than you will ever know, but we have to fight for him. He fought for you, Lexi. Now it's your turn."
As I lay in bed that night, my mother's words reverberated in my mind.
Fight for him.
He fought for you.
I drew a deep, shuddering breath.
"Oh, Spin," I said aloud, my voice cracking with emotion. "What am I supposed to do? You always gave me the strength I needed. Where am I supposed to get it from now? I
don't know what to do. I need help. I need you."
I reached over and grabbed a picture frame off my nightstand. It held a photo of Spin, smiling, happy, alive. I clutched it close to my heart, rolled over, and cried myself to sleep.