Fearful Renegade

Twenty-One

AJ sat on the cold wooden chair as he lightly hung onto Dew’s leash.  The dog slowly walked around the area the leash would let him go.  It was now nightfall, the sun behind the horizon but still leaving a trail of light.  He took a deep breath and sighed as he wondered about Siannah.  He hated not being able to be there, not knowing what was going on, and wondering if they still even had a future.  The patio door opened and AJ looked up as Dew looked over.

“Hey” AJ said as he saw Kevin come out.

The fellas were still there and his Mom too.  Although his Mom had been much quieter than his friends were.  When him and Nick returned he ended up chatting with the guys and then they ordered Chinese food.  Now he sat out here making sure Dew got his nightly outing. 

“So is he going to get any bigger?” Kevin asked as he sat down on the cement step.

“Yeah, Siannah said he’ll grow a little bit more but mostly he’ll bulk up.  That’s why she’s worried about him walking in the future.  The bone is still growing and that could affect the bone scar when he hits adulthood.”  AJ told him.

“He seems like a tough dog.” Kevin replied with a light smile.

“Yeah” AJ replied with a nod.  His mind went back to Siannah and all the what if’s that followed.  What if her Dad and Brothers were right, what if she didn’t want to see him, what if their future was over.  He sighed with a light moan as he rubbed his eyes.

“What’s up?” Kevin asked.

“Just thinking about Sia.” AJ replied.  “This not knowing anything about her is driving me nuts.  Like if she got my card why hasn’t she tried to get back in touch with me.”

“I dunno, maybe she doesn’t want to push her Brothers.  I’m sure they’re hovering around her right now.” Kevin said.

“Maybe they are right” AJ sighed.

“You said yourself she wouldn’t have stayed through everything just to end it now.” Kevin replied.

“I just wish I knew what the hell was going on.” He sighed again as he leaned back a little.

AJ stood up opened the patio door and walked over to Dew.  He picked him up and carried him back into the house.  Laying him down on the blanket he dragged the dog back over in front of he couch.

“How long you gotta do that for?” Nick asked as AJ sat down on the floor.

“About a week Sia said.” AJ told them as he looked down at his dog.  “Help him slowly get strength back.”

Just then there was a knock on the storm door and AJ found himself a little jumpy.  He stood up and walked over to the front door.  Looking out the window he saw Charlie standing on the other side and he wasn’t in uniform.  His heart started to race a little.

He opened the door and as he did Charlie opened the storm door. “Hey”

“Hey” Charlie said as AJ stepped back to let him in.

“Is everything okay?” He asked as he closed the wooden door.

“Yep, she’s doing good, still really tired but she’s more aware when she’s awake than she has been the past few days.” Charlie told him.

“Good” AJ replied with a nod as he felt himself relax.

“So which one of you played delivery boy today?” Charlie asked as he turned to look at AJ’s friends.

“Ah-What?” AJ replied trying to play stupid.

“Alex” Charlie said looking back at him.

“It’s Valentines Day and I wanted to send some flowers what’s so wrong with that?” AJ asked.

“A normal delivery boy couldn’t have sufficed? Charlie asked.

“I wanted to make sure she got them.” Alex as he headed towards the couch.

“Alex if her Brothers had found out…”

AJ spun around.  “Had?” He asked.  “You mean they didn’t find out?”

“No” Charlie replied and he had calmed down already.  “In fact it’s why I’m here.”

“Listening…”AJ said showing interest.

“I got a call from Becca asking me to come down and make it look like I needed to talk to Siannah about what happened.” He told him.  “I go down there do what Becca asked and then Siannah told me about the delivery this morning.”  And he looked at AJ annoyed.

“She needed time to write a letter back and her Brothers haven’t left her alone for a second.” He said as he reached into his pocket.  “So while I was interviewing her.” Charlie said as made air quotes. “She wrote a letter to you.”  As he handed AJ the letter.  “Now I gotta head back I start early tomorrow.”

AJ took the letter from him. “Okay, see ya Charlie and thanks.” He said barely able to take his eyes off the envelope.   When he heard the door close he ripped open the side and pulled out the letter.  When he flipped it open his eyes began to scan the words.

“Thank you for the flowers, NOW GET YOUR ASS HERE PLEASE!”

At first his eyes frowned and then he started laughing.

“What?” Nick and Kevin asked at the same time.

“I need to go to the Hospital.” AJ told them after he gave himself a moment.

“Everything okay?” His Mom asked.

“Everything’s fine, I just need to get down there.” AJ told them.  “You’re more than welcome to crash here but I don’t know when I’ll be back.” He told them.

“I’ll stay and watch Dew” Nick said.

“I’ll stay too.” Denise replied.

“I think we’ll all just stay till you get back.” Kevin said.

AJ grabbed his jacket and said goodbye to his friends and Mom.  He climbed into his truck, started it and pulled out of the drive way.  At first he was extremely happy, she was okay, she wanted him there and everything would work out but the closer he got to the Hospital the more he realized what was in store.  Her Brothers weren’t going to be happy and he didn’t want to put her through that, not until she was stronger. 

When he parked the truck at the hospital he sat there a moment.  His mind drifted back to when he heard the loud ricocheting bang, the way his body jerked in fear, seeing Siannah lying there.  He tightly closed his eyes as he remembered screaming for her, remembered Peter yelling, and watching them wheel her away. 

He gritted his teeth and unbuckled his seatbelt. He got out of the truck, locked it and headed into the building.  It was weird how most Hospitals no matter where you were smelt the same, sterile, clean, yet a hint of something that your brain can never really register what it is.  He made his way to the elevators and waited until one came down.  Hit pressed the fourth floor and watched as the doors closed. 

Taking a deep breath AJ waited as the lift brought him closer to his floor.  He wondered if they would be standing there and he wouldn’t even get a chance to go to her room.  He wondered if some of them would be sitting in the waiting room and created a scene if front of people.  The bell dinged and the doors opened.

As he walked off the elevator he looked around, looking to see if he saw anyone.  With no one in sight he looked for the number boards to see which way her room was.  When he found the right direction he began to walk down the hallway.  His eyes scanned down farther and farther and when they reached the window at the far end, he realized her Brothers weren’t in the hallway either.

“Great” He sighed knowing they would be in the room with her.  When he arrived at her door he stopped and listened, hearing nothing so he slowly, quietly, opened the door, and when he poked his head in he saw no one but Siannah in the room.  She was lying on the bed; her eyes closed looking like she was lost in a peaceful sleep.  She was still pretty pail, her eyes a little sunken and as he got closer he saw the dark circles around them.

He exhaled as he caught his breath as the over whelming relief he felt just by seeing her chest go up and down as she breathed. The fear and nerves brought on by her family disappeared as he stood over her bed.  His eyes drifted along her body following the wires and small tubes they slithered around her body.  He cringed a little at the sight of the IV sticking into the back of her hand and he frowned when he saw the tub under her nose. 

Carefully he tried to lower the bed rail without making noise but the thing kept sticking as it went down, to his surprise it didn’t wake her.  Gently he placed one hand beside her on the other side of the bed and rested his other hand beside her head.  Slowly he leaned down and softly kissed her on the lips making sure he didn’t disturb the air tube on her nose.  He trapped them again and again and then just as he was about to pull away for the final time she kissed him back. As her finger slid down the side of his neck he pulled away.  Her eyes were half open and she gave him a tired smile. 

“Hi” She whispered.

“Hi” He whispered back.

“I’m sorry about my Brothers they’re dick heads.” She told him with a frown.

“Its okay” He told her as he pulled a chair over to the bed.

“No it’s not” She replied.  “When I woke up and you weren’t here I was confused I thought something had happened to you.” She told him.  “Then they told me that you took off to California.”

“What?” AJ replied a little bit pissed and hurt.

“Yeah” She replied as she shifted her body a little.  Her face squinted in pain a little.  “They’re idiots though…”

“Sia” AJ said with a small frown.

“No they are, like Becca wouldn’t have told me you were still here.” Siannah said and it made AJ laugh a little.  “When I found out you didn’t leave and they were lying to me I spazzed on them, even my Dad for letting them do it.”

“Look Sia, I get it they were upset, you guys just lost your Mom.” He told her and he noticed she had a funny look on her face, like she was remembering something. “And then this happens to you, they freaked out, and look who you’re talking to, I’m like king of freakouts.” He told her and she lightly smiled.  “So where are they now?”

“Hopefully back home, I’ve seen enough of them for this week.” Siannah told him.  “Now I know why they never left my room.”

“Why?” AJ asked.

“Didn’t want you sneaking in.” She told him.  “But I’m glad you’re here now and thanks for the flowers.”

He stood up from the chair and kissed her.  “You’re welcome” And then gently he she pulled him into a hug.  His eyes closed and he sighed.  “I’m so glad you’re okay, I really thought I had lost you.” He said before he succumbed to his sobs again.

“Alex?” Sia said her voice tired and groggy.  He pulled away and looked at her.  “Charlie told me…Was it really Emily?”

AJ lightly nodded.

Her brow frowned and squeezed his hand.  “I’m sorry”

“Don’t be” He replied as he brought her hand to his lips.  “Everything that happened led me to you, so nothing else matters okay?”  AJ said and then gently kissed the back of her hand.  As he leaned down he draped it over his shoulder and softly kissed her.  When he pulled away he looked into her tired half open eyes.  “You’re here, alive, breathing, and that is all that matters to me.”