Sigh. I have no self restraint. And sadly this chapter pairs very well with the next chapter. You already know I'm likely posting that next chapter either today or tomorrow. Maybe one day I'll stick to an updating schedule, but today is not that day.
Maybe leave a comment or two since I'm posting so much <3
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Tatum felt light as she walked into the hospital a few days later.
She couldn't get her mind off of Brady. Their night together was unexpected. But Tatum can confidently say that she had never felt so comfortable with someone. She didn't think she would ever find that with anyone. And to find that with Brady? Tatum can confidently say that she never could have seen that coming.
When Tatum got back the next day and saw Kinsley, she really wanted to tell her friend what happened. But she just didn't know how. It wasn't something that casually came up in conversation. Kinsley seemed stressed about her job and her classes, it didn't seem like the right time for Tatum to tell her about everything going on. Not to mention, nothing really had been going on. She couldn't exactly wrap her head around any of this. And nothing had happened, right? There was nothing to tell Kinsley about.
She had a good couple of days. Really, she did. Her grades were where they should be again, but she wasn't torturing herself to study. Her Mom was doing well. And she felt... good about whatever was going on with Brady.
So, Tatum was feeling good.
That was until she saw Brady screaming at a group of doctors with security standing around him.
She hurried over as her heart began to beat a bit faster. Brady had a look in his eyes that Tatum had never seen. He looked wild almost. Like anyone who went into his vicinity was fair game for him to yell at. Brady was gesturing towards Jamie's room, arms flailing as he shouted. It truly looked like he was trying to contain himself, but it just seemed like he had met the end of his rope. She felt a jolt of fear go through her, trying to see into Jamie's room. Tatum finally arrived in Brady's line of vision, stepping in front of one of the security guards.
"Brady, what the hell is going on?" Tatum asked with widened eyes and panic in her voice, placing a tentative hand on his arm.
"What happened?" Brady repeated bitterly, taking his arm out of her reach. She felt a pang in her chest, swallowing thickly at the gesture. "It's exactly what's been happening. But I thought it would be fine, like an idiot."
She shook her head, completely lost. "Can you stop being cryptic and vague long enough to tell me what happened?"
"Jamie is dying."
It felt like someone poured ice cold water over her. Like she was ripped from whatever dream she was in. Tatum somehow forgot about everything going on here. Things had been going so well that Tatum almost forgot that things could take a turn for the worse. Not only could they, but they did. She had been distracted by everything. Tatum opened her mouth to say something, but nothing came out. Brady scoffed, shaking his head at the doctors around them.
"And all these fucking doctors are acting like it's fine, but it's not fine!" Brady nearly roared, gesturing harshly at everyone around them. "He's getting worse every day and they're not doing the damn surgery."
A security guard stepped forward. "Sir, if you don't calm down, we'll have you removed."
"Remove him, and you deal with me," Tatum warned instantly, looking at him over her shoulder but still facing towards Brady.
"Should that scare me?" the man asked in amusement.
She gave him a wicked grin. "Absolutely, it should. Kids growing up didn't call me Hurricane Hartley for no reason."
The security guard huffed out. "Just get him to stop shouting, all right?"
"Whatever," Tatum brushed off, turning back to Brady. "Listen to me, I'm gonna fix this, okay?"
Brady gritted his teeth. "And what the hell do you think you're gonna do?"
"I—" Tatum blanked, her mouth dry. "Are they not operating? I don't get what's happening."
"No, they're not," he said tightly, only growing angrier with each passing moment. "We... we can't fucking afford it. So, they won't do the surgery."
She narrowed her eyes, thoughts spinning around her head. "But I don't get it. If it's critical, they should be doing the surgery anyway. They can't not do a surgery if it reaches a certain point."
"Well, tell them that," Brady ordered, throwing his arm out at the hospital staff around them. "Because they're not doing it."
"I'll talk to them, okay?" Tatum assured him before turning to try to find the right person to about this.
"This is your fault, you know." His voice was almost pleading, like he needed that to be true.
Turning her body back to him, Tatum took a moment to pause. She raised her head at him, trying her best to maintain her composure. "And how do you figure that?
"He's dying, and I wasn't here because I've been with you," Brady spat at her harshly.
Tatum swallowed, trying to keep a level head as she said, "Brady, I just wanted to help you—"
"Help, right," he sneered, a bitter scoff escaping his lips. "No, you just wanted to get that stupid recommendation. That's all this was for you. You don't want to help. You just wanted to win."
"That's not true," she denied pleadingly, taking a step towards him. "I... I care about you."
She was hopeful that he would see reason, but he was blinded by the situation. "If you really cared about me, you wouldn't... you wouldn't..." his voice trailed off, shaking his head as he heaved in a breath. He blinked rapidly as his eyes watered and Tatum felt her body sag. "I-I don't—"
"Brady," Tatum tried softly. "Brady, it's okay."
"No, no, I'm gonna lose him," Brady rasped horribly, eyes wild.
"No, you won't," Tatum whispered, hoping despite the odds in place.
"I'm sorry," he groaned out, hand flying to tug at his hair. "I didn't mean that. Any of that. I'm sorry."
"It's okay," she swore firmly. She meant that, too. Tatum wasn't immune to saying things she didn't mean when she was stressed. She lashed out when she felt backed into a corner. And like she had said before, she and Brady were the same. Tatum knew what he was doing. If everyone she had ever lashed out against had held it against her, she would probably be alone. "It's okay, I promise."
Brady looked no less tortured by the situation. Tatum took a step towards him and wrapped her arms around him, resting comfortably around his neck. His eyes shut as his body relaxed into her touch. His arms wrapped around her torso, holding her impossibly tighter with each passing moment. Brady shoved his face into her hair, eyes screwing shut momentarily.
"I'm sorry," he continued to murmur, the noise blocked by her hair. "I'm sorry, I'm sorry, I'm sorry."
The more he said it, the more Tatum realized that it wasn't her Brady was apologizing to anymore. His eyes were locked on the window into Jamie's room. His voice was pained as he groaned out, "I tried, I really did."
But Tatum didn't know what that meant. She didn't know what he tried to do. Maybe he was concerned that he didn't go pro in time to get the money needed for the surgery— Tatum wasn't sure. It didn't matter anymore. She held him tighter, sinking into his touch.
"What the hell?" someone asked in confusion. The two broke apart, looking at who just walked in.
Kinsley.
Tatum's eyes widened, her mouth gaping as she tried to think of some sort of explanation. Brady didn't miss a beat, saying, "Didn't even know you knew where this place was."
"Shut it," Kinsley snapped, eyes glistening. "Tatum, why are you here?"
"It's my shift," Tatum explained lamely with a shrug. "I just... I saw Brady. He seemed upset."
"Right," her friend said, clearly not believing the watered down explanation. Tatum wanted to comfort her friend, but she didn't know how. There wasn't exactly a good way to bounce back and forth between siblings who despised each other.
But Tatum didn't care. She was never one for tact anyway. Moving towards Kinsley, she didn't hesitate to wrap her arms around her. They didn't hug often, but Tatum thought this was deserving of one. Kinsley hesitated before hugging her back, resting her chin on Tatum's shoulder and closing her eyes. Tatum felt a bit relieved that her friend hadn't shoved her immediately off.
"Why didn't you tell me about Jamie?" Tatum asked in a whisper. "I didn't even know you had another brother."
Tatum could feel Kinsley's throat bob against her shoulder. "It's complicated."
She knew that was the only explanation she would get. Kinsley barely seemed capable of words right now and Tatum could hardly blame her. Tatum pulled back, rubbing her friend's upper arm comfortingly. She glanced between the two siblings as she said, "I'm gonna go try to find a doctor, see if I can get some answers."
Walking away, Tatum was slightly unsure if it was the best idea to leave those two alone. But she couldn't think about that right now. This was for Jamie. She had to figure out some way to get him the help he needed. It wasn't fair. She had to fix this. Weaving in and out of various nurses and doctors, her eyes were filled with determination as she scanned the area.
Tatum finally spotted the main pediatric cardiologist surgeon on the floor, hustling towards her. "Doctor Porter!"
The dark haired woman stopped in her tracks, raising her eyebrows in question. "Yes?"
"I'm Tatum Hartley, volunteer—" she started, hastily trying to skip past introductions.
"I know who you are, Tatum," the doctor assured her. "How can I help you?"
"Jamie— James Parker, he has an Atrial Septal Defect," Tatum started formally, swallowing thickly as she spoke.
"I'm aware. The hole increased recently," she recalled dreadfully, glancing towards the boy's room. "The family can't afford the surgery to my knowledge, and it hasn't reached the point where surgery is critical."
"How has it not reached that point?" Tatum asked instantly, feeling aner begin to pump through her despite her efforts to remain calm. She pointed to his room, continuing with, "A ten-year old boy is dying, and we can help him."
"Even if I wanted to, it's not up to me," Doctor Porter explained calmly. "The surgery poses risks in and of itself as well. He... he might just be too weak. We have to explore other options before resorting to surgery."
"Nothing's working," Tatum reminded her, trying to keep her voice hush. "I know the treatments you're giving him and you know his only shot is surgery. How is it not critical?"
Doctor Porter sighed out. "Look, I'll talk to the chief and see what I can do."
And then Tatum heard it.
"You."
A simple word, yet viciously accusatory.
Tatum turned around, seeing Brady storm towards a man who just entered the area. She gasped as Brady grabbed him by the collar of his shirt and slammed him against the wall. Hurrying over, she watched in utter confusion as Brady spat at him, "This is your fault."
"Hey, not now," Kinsley said pleadingly, a bit of a bite in her tone.
"No, you know it's true," Brady denied, turning to her briefly. "If it weren't for you, then Jamie could've had the surgery and been fine. Now he's dying in there."
"I'm sorry," the man whispered with a painful gasp, glancing around like he didn't have his bearings.
Brady's face contorted painfully. "You're sorry? That's all you have?"
"I thought I was doing the right thing," the man said distantly, not trying to get his way out of his current predicament. "I really did."
"The right thing? How is any of this the right thing?" Brady yelled loudly, his eyes ablaze.
Tatum turned to Jamie's room, where the tired looking boy was watching with pained eyes. Tatum tilted to her head to get Brady's attention, softly saying, "Brady."
He turned towards her, visibly calming when he caught sight of Jamie over Tatum's body. Brady seemed slightly less like he was on the verge of killing the man as he turned back to him. His fists clenched around the fabric of his shirt, saying, "That's your kid in there. Fucking figure this out."
Tatum took one look at the man in front of her and knew that he was not going to figure this out.
The man in front of her was... worn down. His hair was untamed in a way that she almost saw the resemblance to Brady if he completely let himself go. His eyes were empty of any sort of emotion except for exhaustion. His entire body seemed limp. Nothing about him seemed like he was capable of what he needed to do.
Tatum knew that if this was going to get done, she was gonna have to do it herself.
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Tatum "touch him and you die" Hurricane Hartley.
I just looooove the way Tatum understands Brady so easily like she knows he lashes out when he feels backed into a corner because she does the same thing, so she knows how to help him. They're perfect.