Aria called Joshua's friends and now we all sat in the waiting room. The doctors wouldn't tell us much because we weren't family. But Joshua doesn't have family.
"Man, we been here for hours." Mateo rubbed his head, his foot thumping against the ground. He stood and walked to the nurse's station.
"Hey, can I get the status of Joshua Manfred? Like, can we see him yet?"
"Are you family?" The woman asked, not looking up.
"We the closest thing he got. Does that count?"
She looked up at him, then us, and sighed. "I'll see what I can find out for you."
Mateo sat back down and his foot began its rhythmic drum against the floor. More minutes passed.
"Are you all here for Joshua?"
We stood as a group, crowding around the man in the white coat. "He's out of surgery and awake. You can see him one or two at a time." He glanced at each of us waiting for us to decide who should go. Everyone was looking at me.
"Are you guys sure? I mean, you've known him longer-"
"Maggie, just go." Juanita said, pushing me gently.
I gave them a small smile and followed the doctor to Joshua's room.
The door was open, so I knocked on the door frame before I entered. "Joshua?"
"Maggie."His voice sounded sad. I thought about leaving. He probably doesn't want to see me. "Maggie, I'm sorry."
I took a deep breath and walked into the room. "Why? Why did you attack him?"
"He's not good, Maggie. He's from a part of my life I was hoping I could leave behind."
"You've been a real jerk lately." I say, but honestly, I'm just glad to see he is okay. Tears start running down my face as I inch closer to his bed. He reached up and took my hand.
"I know. I'm sorry. I wish I could tell you everything, explain it to you, but there is part of my life that, well, it's just better if you don't know."
"Why? Why can't you?"
"I just, I can't, Maggie. Please don't ask me to."
"I don't like secrets, but I'll let you have this one if you promise to tell me someday. You can't keep it forever, especially if it is going to get you hurt."
"I'm more worried about you getting hurt. The more you know the more likely that is to happen."
"If I might get hurt, don't you think I should be prepared for what's coming? Who is Nicolas? What is going on between you?"
"Maggie, I can't..."
I turn my back on him and walk out of the room. In my head, I know he's trying to protect me but it is hard to believe when I don't know what he's trying to protect me from. Especially when Nicolas has been a perfect gentleman to me.
I walk past the others on my way out and Aria runs up to me.
"Maggie, what's wrong?"
"I don't know Aria. I-I just need some time to think."
"I'll take you home."
Wednesday. I can't focus on any of my morning classes. Aria and I didn't get back home until after midnight and I had a lot to think about. Mom offered to let me skip today, to take me back to the hospital to visit Joshua but I don't have anything more to say to him right now. He's been acting so weird lately, and then just attacking Nicolas...
"Earth to Maggie," Sam says, waving his hand in front of my face. I lookup at him and the rest of the group gathered at the lunch table.
"Sorry. I'm just tired."
"You gunna come with us to visit Joshua after school?"
"How well do you guys know Joshua?"
"He's like my best bro, man. I know everything." Mateo says.
I chew on my lip as I try to think of how to phrase my next question. Mateo seems to know what I'm trying to ask and answers before I can speak.
"Look, Joshua is the best guy I know. Where he came from don't matter. He said he came here to start over and be a better person, and ain't nobody better than my boy, Joshua. What he did, who he was, that's all in the past. He don't like talking about it and we don't make him. God's all about forgiveness and second chances and that's what he came here for. That's what we give him."
"But he attacked Nicolas."
"Nic's a guy from his past and when he found out Nic was tryin' to court you, yeah, he was mad. He really cares about you, Mags. He wants you to be happy but Nicolas is trouble. He wouldn't tell us much more than that, but that's enough."
"I thought Nicolas was from Cedar Creek."
"You think anyone who lives here could afford a car like that? Nicolas ain't never been to Cedar Creek."
After school I see someone leaning against Little Red. Nicolas. His face is swollen and bruised but he still manages to look devilishly handsome in his black suit.
I stop several feet away. After the conversations I've had with Joshua and the others, Nicolas makes me even more nervous. His lascivious smile falls from his lips and looks at the ground.
"Magnolia,why are you being so aloof?" He takes a step toward me and I backup.
"Bela flor, please talk to me."
"You stabbed him."
"He attacked me, bela. Joshua has always been a strong fighter. I have never been able to best him. It was the only way I would survive that fight. He and I are not on good terms." A smirk pulled slightly at his lips with his last words.
"Who are you Nicolas. And don't lie to me this time."
"Let us go somewhere we can talk, a cafe." He reached out for my hand but I backed up further, though now I've trapped myself against the building.
"We can talk here, Nicolas. Tell me who you are."
He sighs and takes a step back. "It is true, I lied to you. I am sorry, bela. I am Joshua's brother." I raise my eyebrow, looking at his dark skin and black hair in comparison to Joshua's light complexion.
"I am adopted. But we were raised as brothers. The truth is, our father is dying. He left his company to me but I can not run it on my own. Joshua was always the smartest of us. I came to bring him home, to help me run our father's business."
"And what business is that?"
"Oil, as I have said."
"Do you actually own The Petroleum Club?"
He brings that devilish smile to his lips. "Yes. I purchased it recently."
"You bought a restaurant so you could take me out?"
"It was much faster than the membership process."
"Why does Joshua hate you so much?"
"We did not leave on good terms. Father always pitted us against each other. We were in constant competition for his affections. When he announced that I would be the one to inherit the business Joshua was enraged, and rightly so. Not only is he our father's biological son, he is the more intelligent of the two of us."
"So why did your father leave it to you?"
"Because I am more charismatic, better at charming the clients and press. Joshua was never good at public speaking."
Nicolas steps closer and this time I let him take my hand. "Did you really have to stab him?"
He gives me a sad smile. "I am ashamed to admit, it is not the first time, but he has given me as many scars." He pulls up his shirt revealing several jagged scars across his body. "We have not been kind to each other, but I need him now."
"Oh my goodness! Joshua did that to you?" I trace my fingertips over one of the scars.
"Some of them, yes. Some of them were punishments from father or fights with other kids."
"You guys had a really screwed up childhood."
He laughed at that. "Yes. I suppose we did, but it was normal to us."
"That's not normal. If your father wasn't already dead, I might kill him for making you guys go through that."
He laughed again. "Your concern makes me happy, bela, but it is not your job to protect us. Please, let me take you out somewhere, then we can go visit Joshua. I would like to talk to him without involving violence and this may be my only chance." He smiled, pulling me toward his car parked a few spaces away.
He opened the passenger door and I slid into the seat. He got in the driver's seat but instead of starting the car he opened the center console. He took out a glasses case, but inside wasn't sunglasses, rather a small syringe. I was about to ask him if he was diabetic when he looked at me with a pained expression on his face.
"I am truly sorry about this, Magnolia." He said, and before I could even grab the door handle he shoved the syringe into my neck.
Dear readers,
Chapter 10! So what do you think of these developments? Uh oh, Maybe Maggie should have listened to her friends..... What's going to happen to her now?
Please leave your predictions in the comments and don't forget to vote and share!