"It doesn't look that bad, Gen." Jason informed, lifting the bulky blue cast on my hand so he could inspect the doctor's handiwork. Despite what my brother said, the damn thing looked beastly. It cupped around my fingers to keep them from moving then stretched down the length of my arm to steady my wrist as well. It was ugly, and hard, and heavy.
"I think it makes you look tough, baby girl." Grandma commented, patting the cast as Jason set my arm back down on the hospital bed, "And look at it this way, if anyone ever tries hurtin' you again, you can bash their brains in with my full support."
That thought made me shiver. I didn't want to think about Vic or Roman ever again. I wanted them to disappear, leave, vanish, die. Whatever it takes. Every time I close my eyes, all I see is Vic smiling as his boot hangs over me like a vulture ready to attack. And the sound of their laughs, like ghostly echos scaring my mind. I couldn't get away from it, or them.
The door across the room opened just then as the doctor strolled in. He smiled when he saw me sitting up in the bed, "Awake I see, very good. I figured you'd be out for another few hours at least. How's the hand?"
I glared down upon the cast and shrugged, "Fine I guess."
Jason and grandma returned to their spot on the wall as the doctor pulled up a chair next to the bed. He reached for my hand, inspecting the cast carefully as my brother had earlier, "I know it's not the prettiest sight to see but you should consider yourself lucky. This was a bad break Genevieve, I haven't seen many broken hands that looked like yours. Care to enlighten me on how it happened?"
Naturally I shook my head. I only told grandma and Jason the truth because they're family ... and they kind of forced it out of me. Grandma threatened to stop cooking and let me starve. While I doubt that she'd ever actually go through with her threat, I figured it'd be easier just to tell them.
But telling this doctor would be a mistake. I told him the truth ten years ago when he fixed my hand for the first time, neither he or the cops believed me. Why would now be any different?
The doctor sighed and shook his head, turning towards grandma, "Come on Maggie. You can't honestly condone this kind of secrecy."
Grandma shrugged her pajama clad shoulders, "I don't know what you're talkin' about, doc. I'm as clueless as you are."
The doctor gave her a look that showed he wasn't buying her lies, or mine, or anyone else's, "Fine. I can't force any of you to talk. But just know, broken bones are funny things. They don't always grow back the way you want them too."
Why did it feel like his warning wasn't only about broken bones? Nonetheless, I couldn't tell him how my hand came to look like something out of a Tim Burton film. Not only would he not believe me but Ace would get in trouble as well and we had enough problems to worry about.
"Thank you, for fixing me." I told the doctor.
He offered a small smile, "Of course. Just try to stay in one piece until it heals, okay?"
I nodded.
"Also, I feel I should mention it to you before the nurse comes in. We have to keep you overnight." At his words, grandma and Jason pushed away from the wall to stand directly at my bedside. The doctor rose his hands lightly, "No need to be alarmed. While Genevieve was unconscious we ran a few standard tests and found that her heart is under high amounts of distress. We want to keep her overnight to monitor the problem but she should be free to leave tomorrow morning."
Grandma let out a long sigh of relief as did my brother. We should have told the doctor that my heart has been in distress for basically a decade but that would only cause further trouble. Grandma thanked the doctor quickly and sent him on his way before he could ask any other questions.
Jason turned towards me, "Look at that, pipsqueak. A complimentary stay in a fine establishment, it's almost like going on vacation."
"Yeah, maybe if my hand weren't broken and this room didn't smell like old people." I replied, falling back onto the bed. I didn't want to stay here. I wanted to go home, my candles were probably worried sick about me.
There's a sentence I never thought I'd say.
Grandma returned to my side and squeezed my knee in comfort, "Like the doc said, it could be a lot worse. Just be happy you ain't layin' here as a corpse, okay darlin'?"
She definitely had a point, I could be dead. Vic and Roman spared my life, they broke my hand but they could have done a lot worse. They wanted to hurt me to hurt Ace and my death, by far, would have destroyed him. So why did they let us off easy?
A moment later, the door across the room opened once more and this time a face walked through that I've been dying to see since I woke up. Ace stepped in, Bobby and Creston right behind him. Honestly, I expected Ace to be fully healed. In my mind, I imagined that the doctor put some boo boo spray on his face and the bruises and cuts would be gone.
But they weren't.
One of Ace's eyes was swollen shut and the other was ringed by dark blue. One side of his face was dominated by purple while the other had a deep cut from one of Roman's rings. He was still dressed in his graduation attire but his tie was long gone and now his shirt was unbuttoned down the front, revealing a bloodstained t-shirt underneath.
A prominent ache entered my chest at seeing him like this.
Ace's eyes, well actually just eye, met mine and the smallest of relieved smiles danced through them. But suddenly my vision of him was cut off as my brother rose to his feet, crossed the room in two short strides, grabbed Ace by the front of his shirt, and slammed him against the wall.
"What the hell did you get her into?" Jason demanded, pinning Ace roughly with his knuckles. I saw an overwhelming amount of pain sweep over Ace as his eyes closed tightly and his mouth fell open. But Jason was blinded by his rage, "I trusted you to take care of her!"
"Hey, back off!" Creston ordered as he jerked my brother backwards. With Ace released, Bobby rushed forward to check on him who as he leaned against the wall. Creston and my brother continued to argue while Bobby lifted Ace's head to examine him with extreme caution.
It pained me to see Ace like this so it must kill Bobby. All of his children moved away, Ace was all he had left. In return, Bobby was the only real father Ace has ever known.
"You okay, boy?" Bobby asked, cupping Ace's face.
Ace sucked in a sharp breath but nodded, "Never better, old timer."
Bobby whipped around to face my brother, "What the hell do you think you're doing, kid? He's hurt, you can't just be throwing him around like some old newspaper."
"That old newspaper broke my sister's hand." Jason fired back.
A stone fell into my gut, "No he didn't."
Grandma stepped forward next to Bobby, effectively shielding Ace from my brother, "Listen here, I know you're angry. Trust me, I get it cause' I am too. But this ain't Ace's fault. Look at him, the poor kid can barely stand. He can't be blamed for this."
A moment or two passed where no one spoke. Jason was seething, Creston was watching him closely in case another outburst occurred, and Bobby and grandma seemed to be waiting for something. They all stared at one another as if they expect the other to fix this. Well it wasn't their job to fix this, it was mine.
But when I opened my mouth to speak, I heard Ace's voice instead.
"I'm sorry." He said this quietly at first. Then he straightened himself and tugged on Bobby's shoulder, allowing Ace clear view of my brother and vice versa. Ace swallowed dryly, "I am so sorry. About all of this. I never wanted to get Genevieve involved."
Jason's stare became harder, "Well she is whether you wanted her to be or not. It's your job to keep her safe."
My cheeks heated, "He tried, Jason. You can't expect him to-"
"I expect a hell of a lot more from him than this, Gen." Jason cut in, his glare growing by the minute, "Look at her, Ace. Look at what happened to her. That is my little sister laying over there. After my parents died, she was all I had left. Do you know what it's like going from big brother to legal guardian in a single day?"
Ace's gaze fell downwards as he shook his head.
Jason didn't waver, "It sucks. I had no idea what I was doing. I thought bringing her to our grandma would be better than us trying to make it on our own but I think we can all see how well that turned out. I was supposed to be keeping her safe but I've done a piss poor job of being both a brother and a legal guardian because I actually trusted you to watch out for her. A mistake I don't plan on making again."
His words hit me like a truck and I felt the blood drain from my face, "Jason don't say that."
"I mean it, Ace." Jason barreled on, ignoring the way Ace stumbled backwards at my brother's confession, "I tried being supportive of this because I love you like a brother and I swear I want what's best for you. But I also want what's best for my sister, and it's not you. Not anymore."
Why was he being like this? He said he wanted me to be happy and he accepted that Ace made me happy. So we had a little bump in the road, big deal. Vic's and Roman's actions didn't define Ace, he wasn't the one who broke my hand. Ace did everything in his power to keep me safe. If only Jason had been there, he'd think differently.
"Stop." I told Jason, my uninjured hand crinkling the blanket in my grip, "You can't blame him for what happened-"
"Yes he can." Ace cut in, his tone much deeper than before. The betrayal on Ace's face broke my heart. He thought of my brother as his own. Never have I heard Ace speak ill of Jason, he idolized him too much. But now, standing here while Jason blamed him for everything, it was enough to bring that pain to the surface. A pain different than that of his bruises and cuts. This pain ran much deeper, "I take full responsibility for what happened."
Everyone waited for what was to come next. My brother eyed Ace for a long time, the anger slowly draining from his body. He said it himself, he loved Ace. No doubt Jason remembered all the times we played together as children, all the times we hid Ace from his father. My brother understood Ace's past, so why was he acting as though Ace were the monster?
Ace didn't do this to me.
Jason eventually shook his head and dragged two hands down his face as a long, heavy sigh sounded from deep within his chest. Then he turned towards the door, "I need some air."
The door slammed shut behind him, leaving us all in a thick silence. Creston stared after my brother while Bobby looked back towards Ace who was burning holes in the floor with his stare. It was grandma who broke the silence as she sighed, "Lord give me strength. I guess I ought to go after him, make sure he don't hurt himself." But just before she left, she turned towards Ace and placed a gentle hand on his shoulder, "Don't worry about him, he's just in a bad place right now. He didn't mean anythin' he said."
Ace let out a curt, bitter laugh, "Seemed like he meant it from where I'm standing."
Grandma smiled at him before pecking him softly on the cheek, "I think you, more than anyone, know what he's goin' through right now. Just give him some time to cool down. I don't think you realize how alike you two actually are."
Then she followed after my brother. Bobby stepped towards Ace's side while Creston did the same. I wish I could comfort him the way they could, but I couldn't. After all, it was my brother who just spoke those awful things and it was my fault last night ended so badly. If I had gone to graduation like everyone kept saying, none of this would have happened. I should have gone to the ceremony.
More silence set in and I couldn't stand it. I shifted until my feet were folded under me, "How's Holly doing?"
Creston's gaze remained trailed on Ace a moment more before he slowly came to stand beside the bed, "She's fine. The doctor said she was in shock so they sent her home to rest. I was just there an hour ago, I think she's getting better."
That caught me by surprise, "Why did she go into shock?"
Creston paused for a moment, chancing a look at Ace before he spoke though now much quieter, "I think seeing you ... well, you know ... like that ... I think it kinda got to her."
Holly wouldn't go into shock over seeing me in pain. She hated me, I ruined her relationship. She slapped me for crying out loud. Holly wanted to see me get hit by a bus every day of the week and twice on Sunday.
Then again, she also kind of freaked out when I got cut at the beach. In fact, she brought me all the way back to Ace which couldn't have been easy for her. So maybe she didn't hate me as much as I thought she did, or at least, maybe she didn't hate me as much anymore. We were all being hunted by the same two men. Perhaps she realized we stood a better chance at surviving if we weren't trying to kill each other.
"Can we get a minute?" Ace abruptly asked, his hard gaze still locked on the floor.
Bobby exchanged a worried glance with Creston before he nodded, "Sure thing, kiddo. We'll be right outside if you need us." Creston nodded his agreement then trailed after Bobby as they both exited the door and closed it softly behind them.
My stomach knotted. I wasn't ready for this conversation. But when he didn't speak, or move, I couldn't hold my tongue any longer, "Are you okay?"
The sound of my voice seemed to snap him out of his daze. He lifted his gaze to meet mine but his smile didn't show like I expected it to. He shuffled forwards then lifted himself onto the bed beside me. I scooted over to make sure he had enough room but kept myself close to him. His touch always brought me peace.
He laid beside me, very still, very silent. Then I felt him tug at my arm, urging me to lay beside him. I didn't hesitate. I cuddled up to his side, letting my head rest on his chest. Through his shirt, I could hear his heartbeat. It was steady, a constant thud. My head rose and fell as his chest did with each calm breath he took.
"Say something." I whispered quietly. I couldn't stand the silence. I wanted him to tell me that he was okay and that he didn't believe anything my brother just said. I needed to hear those words.
"I'm sorry, Gen."
Not those words.
I sat back up so I could see Ace clearly. He watched me as he always did, he's always been observant. I fixed him with my best 'don't-go-there' look though it probably wasn't as effective as I was hoping. My teeth grated all the same, "Don't start with that again. We've already been through this."
I've already told him to stop apologizing. I didn't blame him for what happened and despite what my brother said, deep down I knew he didn't believe it either. Ace and I were both victims in this assault.
But when Ace's eyes dipped down towards my cast, I saw shame capture his countenance once more. His fingers reached out slowly, just barely touching the cast as though it might burn him, "Does it hurt?"
"No." I responded quickly, hoping to prove how insignificant this entire ordeal truly was.
A small smirk cracked over his lips, "You should know better than trying to lie to me, Bunny."
"I'm not lying." I lied.
Ace's smirk slowly faded the longer he stared at my cast, finally reaching his hand forward to grab it. Wait, no, not the cast. My fingers. He tried holding my fingers but ... he couldn't. Not with the way the cast dominated my hand.
His lips parted as though he were going to say something. But I already knew what he would say. He'd apologize yet again and I'd tell him to stop and he'd ignore me. That's how the next few moments of my life would have been spent, but I decided to change things.
I wouldn't be able to convince him of his innocence. So why keep trying?
Instead, I settled with a different approach. Before Ace could mutter so much as a single syllable, I leaned down and kissed him. His lips were rough with scabs from being busted during his fight yesterday. At first, he didn't kiss back and I feared that I had lost him for good. But a moment later I felt his hands drift around me, one landing on my back while the other snaked up to bury itself in my hair. His lips pressed harder into mine, providing the certainty I'd been searching for.
My body fell back down to rest on the bed, my curves fitting his. While my body draped over his, my good hand reached up to brush against his jaw. Stubble poked at my fingertips.
His mouth moved skillfully against mine. Ace would always be better than me at a lot of things, but distraction was my specialty. When I felt him pull away to breathe, I followed along, keeping my lips molded with his. This was my way of controlling the situation, forcing him to obey.
I needed him to understand that despite how badly he blamed himself for this mess, I didn't. As soon as he realized that, we could move on.
Ace sunk a little lower into the bed when I denied him fresh oxygen. Still he held me tightly, still he kissed me softly, but now he couldn't move away. His fingers clawed at my skin, his lips moving faster on my own. I too needed oxygen, but I refused to lose this battle. I started it and I sure as hell would finish it.
Clearly Ace agreed because eventually, he jerked himself away from me, breathing heavily, "Damn girl. Some of us need air to survive, you know."
I grinned down at him, hiding my own deep breaths behind quiet words, "Some of us need you to listen for a change."
Without looking at me, he smiled, "If you're going to do that every time I don't listen, consider me deaf."
Ha ha, very funny. He took it as a joke, which might be the only way to actually get through to him, but I couldn't complain. I leaned over him once more, letting my hair fall to one side and brush against his neck. This drew his attention back to me like a moth to the flame, "We're moving on, got it? Yesterday never happened."
Ace cocked his head to the side, "I can't accept that."
"Why not?" I groaned angrily.
His hands reached up, tucking my hair behind my ear as his eyes danced brightly, "Because you told me you loved me yesterday."
Oh ...
"Well that part still happened. I mean, only if you wanted it to happen. Because if you didn't then it didn't and I don't but if you do then it did and I do." I rushed out, feeling my cheeks redden the longer I talked and the more amused Ace became, "Because I really, really do."
"Surprisingly, I understood all that." Ace replied with a small laugh. His fingers stretched along the back of my neck, pulling me down towards him once again as he whispered, "And I do too."
Then we were kissing again and I completely forgot about my broken hand and all our other problems. I forgot that Jason basically hates Ace now and that there were two thugs trying to kill Ace for going behind their backs. I forgot that I still don't have a plan for the fall or the rest of my life for that matter.
I forgot it all, because being with Ace was all I needed to feel secure.
"You're getting better at this kissing thing." Ace whispered against my lips. He twirled a strand of my hair between his fingers, "Maybe we should move on to something a little more ... advanced."
My eyebrows rose in shock, "We're in a hospital ... and I'm pretty sure the guy next door just died."
Ace became just as surprised as I was, as if this were the first time he noticed we weren't in my room. He looked around, taking in the room wall by wall, then he turned back to me, "Well maybe not right now."
"Good call." I replied. My eyes drifted down towards his shirt, "Speaking of, you might want to get a change of clothes before the doctors admit you for excessive blood loss."
Ace glanced down as well. He picked at his shirt, noticed the drops of blood, and nodded, "You're probably right." Reluctant to my own suggestion, I sat up, offering him freedom. He sat up as well, placing his hand on my knee, "Well while I'm out, do you need anything from your house? I can stop on my way back."
I nodded, "Can you bring me more clothes? And maybe a cheeseburger?"
He laughed, "There's a cafeteria right down the hall. I'll tell Creston to get you something."
"No, you should take Creston with you." I informed, "I'm not so sure I trust you driving right now. Besides, your truck almost didn't start last night. What if it breaks down?"
"I'll be fine, Bunny. I always am." Ace leaned sideways to kiss my cheek but when he saw the look of concern on my face he sighed, "Fine. I'll take him with me. But just for the record, I can drive better than Creston even with a swollen eye."
I nodded only to appease his pride, "Yeah, sure babe. Whatever you say."
As he stood from the bed, I did too which brought him to a halt, "What do you think you're doing?"
My shoulders shrugged, "I told you, I'm hungry. I'm going to find the cafeteria."
He shook his head, rounding the bed to stand in front of me, "No. You're going to lay there on that bed in lonely misery until I come back and then I'll find the cafeteria."
Now I shook my head at him, "No, you are going to go home and take a shower and I am going to find some food. I broke my hand not my feet, I can still walk. Besides, I've been laying in this bed forever. A little stroll through the halls will do me good." Ace still wasn't convinced so I gave him a quick peck on the nose for further assurance, "I'm fine."
He still didn't look satisfied but he nodded all the same, "Okay. But I want you back in this bed before I return. Got it?"
"Yes sir." I said.
He nodded and smirked, "That's more like it. A little discipline."
We emerged from the room laughing. Bobby and Creston, whom were both strew across several chairs in the waiting area, jumped to their feet at the sight of us. Bobby reached for Ace, "You okay?"
"Yes, I'm fine. Genevieve has convinced me to go home and shower and Creston, you have the unimaginable honor of escorting me there." Ace spoke proudly.
Creston's face dropped, "Oh goodie, this is exactly how I wanted to spend my day."
Bobby lightly smacked the back of his head, "You had no other plans."
Creston crossed his arms in a pout, "Technically no, but that's not the point."
Bobby rolled his eyes, lifting his fingers to massage the bridge of his nose, "You two will be the death of me, I swear. Care to drop an old man off at his estate on the way home boys?"
"Sure thing, gramps." Ace replied. He turned to give me one last kiss, "I'll be back soon, okay?"
I giggled lightly and repeated, "Yes sir."
I waited until the boys left before I started searching for the food court. I assumed grandma and Jason were still outside so I wouldn't worry about getting them anything. Then again, I wouldn't even be able to get myself something if I didn't find it. I must have wandered the halls for at least ten minutes before I stopped to ask a worker.
"Down the hall and to the left." The nurse informed me. Then he added, "Stay to the left."
I thanked him and went on my way, now insanely curious about what was to the right. And though my curiosity has only gotten me into trouble since arriving in Barren Valley, I decided to give it one more chance.
My feet carried me swiftly down the hall where it came to a T. A sign on the wall pointed to the left and read 'Cafeteria'. But a sign just below that pointed to the right and read 'Rehab Center'.
Why did that stick out in my mind? Rehab ... rehab ... rehab ...
My body reacted before my mind did as a quick gasp inflated my lungs.
Rehab Center ... Ace said his mother was taken to a rehab center. He didn't know where and he never spoke to her again so maybe ... could it be possible that she's here? That she's been here this entire time? We were only one town over from Barren Valley, it's possible.
Suddenly my feet were taking me to the right. I should wait for Ace to come back, I should check to make sure what I was about to do wasn't illegal, I should really get something to eat because I'm starving. But all those thoughts vanished into oblivion the moment I peered through the large glass window looking into the main room of the rehab center.
People wandered about aimlessly, some heading towards the T.V in the corner while others read or played cards with each other. There were a few sitting off to the side, staring out the windows. This was where my eyes were drawn. Because within that group of people sat a petite woman with wild hair and sunken eyes that looked awfully similar to a particular grey pair I knew quite well.
My mind flashed through several memories of her: hiding in the shadows, cowering from her husband, watching emotionlessly as Ace was abused right in front of her. She looked different now. Back then she was young, always covered in dirt and bruises, and clothed in tatters. Now her face was aged by wrinkles beginning to form near her mouth and eyes. Laugh lines. How strange, I don't ever remember her smiling. Ever.
But there was no doubt about it, that was her.
Ace's mom.
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Sooooooo sorry for the late update! My laptop was broken and then my car broke and then my phone broke, so it's bee a rough week lol.
Anyways, I think I'm gonna upload on Friday's from now on, it's just easier for me. How are we feeling about this chapter?? A penny for your thoughts???
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Thank you my lovelies!
xoxo