Sudden Hope (7 page)

“Doll, don’t please.” It slips but he catches it.

“I’m your doll now, huh?” He smiles a little, and I do too.

“You've always been my doll
, Danny, you just didn’t know it.”

That is all he needs to hear, his lips are on mine once again but this time soft and slow. Like silk gently caressing me I try to press harder and he pulls back. “CC,” he said in a breathy voice, “I don’t want to hurt you and I don’t know if I’ll be able to control myself. I need to stop.” With that, he kisses me softly on my forehead and sits down beside me. He doesn’t leave my side all night.

The next morning I wake up to Jenny and Lea rearranging flowers all over my room. There are balloons and a giant stuffed monkey in the chair that sit next to the window. I watch them quietly move every flower in the room. I want to laugh at how particular they are being but I just lay there silently. There is a single red rose with baby’s breath sitting in a crystal vase by my nightstand and a little card pinned to the big purple ribbon. I cough a little just to let the girls know that I am awake.

Lea spins around and starts to jump up and down. She squeals like a two year old “You’re awake. Look what everyone brought you.” She waves around the room like she is a fairy casting a spell. “Isn't it beautiful?”

“Yes Lea, it is.” I look at Jenny and sigh. “So guys, why are you sitting up here in this stuffy place with me and why are you not in school?” I just realize that they really shouldn't be here. “Wait! Lea you only act so dramatic when something is wrong. What’s up?”

“Well, our parents said that we could take the day off. No one is telling us what’s wrong with Chris, and we haven't slept because we were worried about you. How are you feeling?”

“I’m fine
, guys, really. My head hurts a little and I don’t really care for the short haircut.” I roll my eyes. My hair had to be cut in the back due to the fact that they had to put ten staples across the center.

“Oh, I love your hair! We will take you to a salon once you get the staples out and get something fresh and chic. You will look amazing.” Only Lea can get excited about a makeover. That's why I love her.

Jenny looks at Lea and then looks at me again. “I have to tell you something, CC.” She looks worried.

“Go ahead
, Jenny. What is it?”

“I talked with James last night and with everything going on I was just a little nervous to tell you. I don't want to get you upset about anything else.”

“Was it a good talk or a bad talk?” I giggle. Jenny is looking down, picking at her nails like she always does when she gets nervous. “I'm not upset, Jenny, I'm glad you’re happy. Just be careful that's all. Okay, Chickie?” She looks up and her smile is so big it reaches her eyes.

“So get my mind off this horrible outfit they have me in and tell me all about him
,” I am demanding not asking. I need her to know I am okay with whatever decision she makes.

“Oh thank God, CC, I was so worried
,” she tells me all about their conversation and how they are going to go out Friday night. I am glad she is happy. I do however wish he wasn't Matt's friend.

Jenny and Lea
leave, but only after I practically throw them out. I needed to get some rest. Jenny told me her mom wanted me to come stay with them in their guest bedroom while I recovered. I knew going home was not going to be good for the recovery and Jenny insisted I stayed there.

After they left, I took a nap, the excitement of having Jenny and Lea visit me wore me out. I was getting ready to try to get up and take a shower for the first time. The smiley nurse that I am beginning to love is going to come help me, but then there is a knock at the door.

“Come in,” I call. Det. Abernathy comes in along with a smaller, young police officer and Danny.

“Hi, CC. How are you today, feeling any better?”

“I'm doing okay I wish they would let me see Chris.” I answer as I look over at Danny with a questioning look. Why are they together?

“That's what we came to discuss with you
, CC. We wanted you to get a little better before I explained exactly the details of Chris's injuries.” Det. Abernathy is standing beside me by this time and the young officer is standing at the doorway holding a pad of paper and a pen. Danny comes and sits down next to me and grabs my hand. He looks at me with a sadness in his eyes and I begin to wonder if everyone is going to look at me with that same expression every time I see them.

“CC, I have to tell you what we found, there was a video outside the deli on the corner where you were attacked. After watching the video we know exactly what happened. No one wanted to tell you about Chris until we knew, so don't be too hard on anyone, okay?” Danny gives my hand a small squeeze and sighs.

“What we believe happened was that you were followed when you left the club. We know from Lea that Chris was waiting for you to come out and he wanted to talk. Lea and Jenny left, and you and Chris must have decided to take a walk to talk.” I nod but I’m not sure if what he is saying is true, but if Lea told him, then it must be.

“Here's where the videos come in. It seems you and Chris stopped and
were arguing about something.” I look toward Danny and he grins. It has to be about us, and Danny seems to know it too.

“That's where we saw two men walk up behind you, one of them swung a bat and Chris shoved you out of the way. You hit your head on a wall and fell to the concrete. You were definitely unconscious at that point.” I touch my head and look at Danny.

“He was trying to protect me?”

“Yes.” Det. Abernathy sa
ys. “He saved your life, that bat would have hit you across the head if he hadn’t shoved you.”

“OH!”
it is all I can say I am in shock.

Danny looks at the detective and asks the one question I need answered. “What happened to Chris?”

I am stunned, shocked that Danny doesn’t even know yet.

“Wait. What?” I am blinking heavily, looking around everywhere. “Why don’t you know how Chris is?”

Det. Abernathy looks at me and sighs. “CC, Chris was beaten to an inch of his life. He is in a coma as you know, but the extent of his injuries was told to no one. His parents wanted you to find out from us before anyone told you. So, no one has been told what happened.”

Danny stands up. “I need to go to him
, CC. I’ll be back.”

“Go! Now Danny, and tell his mom I'm sorry.” I don’t know what I am sorry for but for some reason I feel like I need to say it. Danny runs from the room, he is in a complete state of panic.

“What else did the video show? Why did this happen?” I have so many questions.

“We do
n’t know. All we know is that it was not a robbery and it looked like they were after you.”

“What?
Really? Why?” I am more than surprised.

“Well according to the video, the men kept trying to get to you but Chris threw himself on top of you and took every hit. Do you know if anyone would
possibly want to hurt you?” The younger cop seems to want to pay attention at this point. He walks closer and opens his notebook.

“No! I don’t know of anyone that would want to hurt me.” I am full force crying at this point. “Why would someone want to hurt me like that?” I look at Det. Abernathy and the officer I have yet to be formally introduced to, and start yelling. “Get. Out.
Of. My. Way.” I am going to see Chris, I have to see Chris, and I don’t care who stands in my way. I get out of bed and shove everyone away from me. “I said move!” I take off running. I don’t know where Chris is but I know I am going to find him. I run down the hall and straight into Lea. “Where's Chris?” I demand. “I need to see him! Now!” I am crying and yelling at the same time.

“This way.
I'll take you to him, just please calm down.” Lea is begging and none of this is her fault so I immediately slow myself.

“Sorry, just please, I need to see him.”

“Okay come on, this way.” We step into the elevator and it feels like it is never going to end. Lea is twisting her fingers in her hands.

“What is the matter
, Lea?” She is so nervous.

“Nothing, I just didn’t want to be the one to bring you to Chris, sorry.”
She is scared and I really feel bad. Why does everyone want to keep this a secret from me?

I walk into Chris' room and everyone spins their heads towards me. Danny jumps up and runs to me, I shove him away. What the hell! His parents are at his bedside and flowers line the room. I move closer and tears start streaming down my face, there is no controlling them. What I am looking at is a nightmare!

Chris is connected to every piece of hospital equipment I know of. He has a bandage covering his head and his eyes are swollen shut. His lip has stitches in it, along with his left eyebrow. He has his right arm in a cast that goes all the way to his shoulder and his leg is in traction. There are tubes down his throat and wires coming out from him everywhere. He has an IV steadily dripping something into his forearm and a heart monitor beeping in the background seems to be the only noise I can hear besides the beating of my heart in my ears.

I drop to the ground. Danny comes running to me, kneeling down beside me. He puts his arms around me to console me, but that is not what I want at that moment. I wanted Chris to wake up and flirt with me. As much as I don’t like him always
harping on me to go out with him, there isn’t anything I wouldn’t do to hear him ask me right now. “Can everyone leave for a moment?” I look around the room and everyone stands up.

“Yes of course.” Chris’ mom answers for everyone. She looks at me with sadness in her eyes. Then puts her arms around me and lightly gives me a hug. I stiffen for a moment then realize she isn't mad at me, she doesn’t blame me.

“I came and checked on you
, CC. You were sleeping and I didn't want to wake you.” She whispers in my ear I guess she knows what I was thinking. I look at her as a single tear falls from her cheek. She wipes it away and slowly leaves the room and then I am alone with Chris.

As
I sit down beside him and have a rush of different emotions. I cannot remember what happened but he is like this because of me. I shake my head. I can’t deal with the thought of it. I am in need of answers and know I cannot rest until I get them.

I tell everyone to leave me alone for the afternoon because I need to do some serious thinking. When I get back to my room Det. Abernathy is still waiting for me. I forgot he was speaking to me when I ran out of the room.

“Are you alright?” He asks, but he knows I’m not.

“No.” I can't stop crying and the more I try the worse I gets. “Can you come back tomorrow
? I can’t really deal with anymore right now!” It is not a question.

“Of course.
I’ll see you tomorrow.”

“Thank you.” I turn on my side and cry until I have no tears left to shed.

I wake up screaming. The nightmare I had was unlike anything I had before. I felt it. It was more like a memory instead of a dream. It was Chris and me fighting. He hated me. Then he was screaming and shoving me. “Oh no.” I say to myself, it wasn't a dream, I remember!

Chapter Nine

Jenny picks me up and demands I stay at her house until I fully recover. There is no need to go home, my mother only showed up at the hospital to sign my paper work and never even came in the room to see if I was okay. Ms. Gina had picked up my things and brought them to the hospital along with a new bathrobe and pajamas, a toothbrush, hairbrush and all the things a girl couldn't live without. God I love her. I settle into the guest room like I am home. It has all the things I always want in a bedroom. There is a queen-sized bed with the most beautiful green satin comforter and pillow set. A white oak dresser and hutch align the wall, with a matching accent mirror behind it. There is a large corner bookshelf full of every variety of books. A bay window gives just enough light to fill up the room without a lamp on, even though there are two Tiffany lamps perched on each of the nightstands. There is a private bathroom and even a sliding glass door that leads out to a porch adorned with a wicker sofa and table. It is just perfect. The kind of room you can get lost in. I jump as Jenny knocks on the door.

“Come in
,” I call.

Jenny is smiling and holding a lunch tray. “My mom sent this up for you. I figured I would eat with you.”

“Yea come sit with me, I need the company. I would have come downstairs you know.”

“Yea I know, but I wanted to talk to you.” Jenny looks scared. This might be bad. I grab my ham and Swiss cheese sandwich and start picking at the crust. I hate crust. My dad always ripped it off for me. I wish he was here. He always made me feel better.

I look up at Jenny, I hate when she is worried, I can always tell. She is biting on her bottom lip and not the ‘sexy’ biting. The ‘holy crap I think she is going to chew her lip off biting. “Spill it, Chickie.”

Jenny takes a deep breath and starts rambling and I mean rambling
, “I was so scared, CC. I thought I lost you forever. You know they called me into the police station and had me look at the videos of the attack. It was bad. They wanted to know if I could recognize either of the people that were there. I couldn’t, CC! I tried so hard but I didn’t know who they were. They had masks on.”