The Dead of Winter (Seasons of Jefferson: Book 2) (9 page)

“What are you talking about?”

“I’m talking about keeping us out of trouble, Jenna. When we get back to my room, we need to settle in and act like we’ve been playing poker all night. And, make sure you’re wearing that costume.”

“Why is that? What are you thinking?”

“Tonight we’re turning the tables on them. I’m pretty sure we need to call the front desk and make a report of three girls playing out in the wishing pond. Just imagine the looks on their faces when they try to pin the whole thing on you, and conveniently, Jenna Bailey wasn't even at the hospital tonight. If anyone comes to check out the story, the only thing they’ll find is a black-haired nurse with a horrible southern accent.” I have to laugh as the vision unfolds in my mind. “I can just picture the looks on their faces as security drags them through the hallways in their sopping wet leggings and sequined ugly Christmas sweaters.”

Back up at the room, we sit down at the poker game. Now that I’m no longer sidetracked by the gossip girls, I’m growing fidgety and anxious, waiting for Jenna’s report on Peyton. I know she has to be alive, or the skirmish down at the wishing pond would’ve never happened. But, she hasn’t said a word, so it makes me nervous to ask. Maybe it’s so bad that she doesn’t want to say anything.
Is she hiding something from me?
I pick up my cards and hold them up to my face, peeking over the top. I scan her face for signs of deception. I press the cards against my lips, trying to give Jenna a chance to spill her guts, but I can’t keep my mouth shut for one more second.
Oh, grow a pair
. “Well?”

“Well, what?”

“Are you going to tell me what you found out about Peyton? You’re killing me here.”

“She’s alive. That’s all I know. They moved her back into ICU. I tried to follow them down the hallway, but all I could hear was that they need to watch her fluctuating heart rate. I guess there aren’t enough doctors and nurses here right now to have her in a regular room. There’s no way we’re getting back in there. I’m afraid we’re at the Carter’s mercy for updates.”

“Great, they’re the ones who won’t let us see her. This sucks.” I hang my head in defeat.

“It’s gonna be okay. If your blood work checks out, you’ll be out of here tomorrow morning, and we’ll figure out another plan. She’s going to be alright. It’s better for her in there anyway. They can watch her more closely.”

I can’t stand the thought of being any farther away from Peyton than I am right now. My frustration builds until finally, my anger comes to a head. I’m furious that this happened to her. What’s worse is that it’s my fault. And, I can’t even express my outrage that they’re keeping her from me. I throw my good arm into the cards, blasting our poker game into the air.

Jenna surveys the mess of cards, scattered all over the ground. “You know what? Forget about poker. Let’s just watch TV and relax. It’s been a stressful day.”

I feel bad about the mess. I work to mask my anger by helping Jenna pick up the cards. While I’m down on the ground, there’s a soft knock at the door. “Hide, Jenna. In the bathroom. Quick.” Jenna scampers off to the bathroom, leaving me on the floor alone.

“Are you okay, son?” It’s my dad’s voice. “You didn’t fall, did you?”

I look up to see he’s standing next to my doctor. “No. No. I just knocked some cards off the table while I was feeling around for the remote. I didn’t want to give the nurses any more work tonight. They seem kind of shorthanded.”

“That’s what we want to talk to you about. Doctor Smith here, seems to think it’s okay for you to go home a little early. He’s checked over your blood work, and he thinks it’ll be safe to release you tonight. They just don’t have the staff for extra patients, so it looks like we need to get your stuff together.”

Whoa
. The news surprises me. It’s a bittersweet moment. I am so ready to get out of here and back to my own bed, but it’s hard thinking about being so far away from Peyton. The thought of her being stuck here indefinitely is especially hard.

Dr. Smith walks toward the bed, “I just need one last check on your vitals, and then we’ll have you out of here.”

My pulse quickens, and blood rushes to my head when I stand up. Stumbling back toward the bed, I work to disguise my falter as a fancy skip.
I can’t let this guy know that I feel way worse than I look.
“Just practicing my stellar footwork, Doc.” I snap my fingers and throw up my finger guns. “My teammates don’t call me Twinkle Toes for nothing.”

“Well, if you can move like that, I’d say you’re ready to get out of here. No need for this, I suppose.” He dangles his stethoscope out in front of him and tosses it up and over his shoulder. “I’ll just need your dad to come with me to take care of some final paperwork.”

As soon as the door closes behind them I call out to my stowaway. “Time to leave, Jenna! Make the break while you have the chance!”

Jenna claws her way out of the bathroom, pulling off her scrubs and throwing them into her paper bag. “Meet you back home.”

I SLOWLY TWIRL THE LAST
pill in the little tan bottle, watching it roll around in circles.
How could one little tablet cause so much misery?
It’s been a week since I got home, and I’m going out of my mind. I work to pull the blurry living room into focus.
Damn painkillers.
I should really try to get to the bathroom to relieve this nausea, but my heavy body changes my mind. At the slight movement of trying to lift myself from the couch, I groan and force the bile back down my throat. I hate feeling trapped.

The frustration of not being able to move has me crawling out of my skin. The worst part of this whole mess is having no control. I lie on the couch waiting for the side effects of my medicine to wear off. I need to get to that numb place. Helplessly, I watch Brody shuffle Kaitlyn into the kitchen. He’s had her fused to his side since I got home. He watches her every move. It’s a relief to know he’s with her in case Pistol shows up, but at the same time, it’s hard for me to watch him take on that role alone. I want to be able to jump in if he needs me. I also want to be there for Peyton. In the hospital, I promised to protect her. I hate that I’m breaking that promise. Guilt and worry eat at the back of my mind.

I still haven’t heard from Peyton or her parents. I keep trying to call the hospital, but they won’t release any updates. I wonder if I’m on a blocked list or something. I’ve got to get my mind off of it. I fiddle with the remote and surf through the channels looking for any kind of distraction. The unending flood of overplayed Christmas specials and infomercials leave my mind to wander once again.
I can’t stand not being able to drive. One refill left and the pain should be gone. I can’t wait til I’m off of these stupid painkillers. I’ve got to go see Peyton. I hate not knowing if she’s okay. I hate Pistol Black. That bastard.
My scattered thoughts have my head spinning.
I need to get out of this place
.

My eyes drift across the room. Watching Brody with his forehead glued to Kaitlyn’s is getting on my nerves. From what I’ve gathered, it’s getting on Jenna’s too. We’ve had a little adjusting to do, to get used to our “best-friend swap.” The time I’ve spent with Jenna has been good for me, though. Thank God she’s been around to help me work through my winter plans, and keep my mind straight.

Damn, my arm hurts.
I stand up and stumble my way back to my bedroom to call her again.
I hope she gets here soon to help me get my medicine.
She told me she’d be here an hour ago, but she’s taking forever, and I’ve got to get down to the pharmacy. My thoughts begin to bounce into overdrive. Bounce.
Does all pain medicine make you want to puke?
Bounce.
Thank God Jenna’s willing to lug my lame, helpless ass around.
Bounce.
I should’ve just taken both of them, cutting the dosage isn’t helping the pain.
Bounce.
I’d better get that medicine before Officer Marnia and the detective get here.
I’m dizzy from the ping ponging thoughts. I wipe a small trickle of sweat from my brow as I pick up my phone to dial Jenna.

“Hello?”

“Hey, are you coming?”

“Sorry I’m running late. I’m out of gas, and I still can’t find my wallet.”

It seems like Jenna’s been losing a lot of stuff lately. She should probably clean her room. “Did you check under your bed? It’s probably wrapped up in your dirty underwear.” I chuckle.

“Funny. No, seriously, dude. I haven’t been able to find it since our trip.”

“Did you check your suitcase?”

“Believe me, I’ve checked everywhere. I’m getting worried. I had some stuff in there that I really need.”

“Stuff? Like your credit cards?”

“Well, yeah … and never mind. I’ll keep looking.”

“Listen, do you have enough gas to get here? I can spot you the money. I just really need to get down to Cumming’s Drug and talk to Gordy. I don’t think my medicine is working right. My thoughts are bouncing all over the place. It’s making me dizzy and sick to my stomach. I think it’s the prescription.”

“Yeah, I might roll in on fumes, but I’ll pick you up in a few. Hey, Cade, thanks. I’ll pay you back as soon as I find it.”

“No prob. Hurry!”

I hang up the phone and hear that Mason has joined Kaitlyn and Brody in the front room. I guess I can go out there and see what’s up before Jenna gets here. I grab my wallet off the nightstand and drag myself down the hall to find Kaitlyn sitting on Brody’s lap. She’s chatting with Mason who’s perched on the couch opposite them.

“Hey ladies, sup?”

“Just kickin’ it, waiting to talk to the officers.”

Once again, Brody is cradling Kaitlyn like a doll. Watching them comfort each other hurts. I want to be able to do that for Peyton, and their constant displays of affection remind me of my broken promises. A rush of heat overtakes me, and I feel my cheeks flush red. I bitterly click my tongue and watch a confused look spread across Kaitlyn’s face. She looks at me with a furrowed brow, “You okay?”

Stop being an ass, Caden
. I remind myself that I’m glad they have each other to help get through the aftermath of Pistol Black. “Yeah,” I force a half grin, then pulling my stare off of my sister. I glance over to Mason, remembering there was another person who was witness to the horror on the river. She hasn’t been around either.

“Hey, Mas! No Marissa? Doesn’t she need to be here to help with the investigation?”

“Nah, her parents wouldn’t let her out. They’ve kept her under lock and key since the Forks. They say if the police want to speak to her, they can do it at her house.”

Boy, those people sure did seem strict. It doesn’t surprise me that they didn’t let her come over, but I wonder if it’s because they think we’re at fault for what happened. “That sucks, dude. Do they blame us?”

“I don’t know. They’re just pretty uptight people. I don’t think she gets out much.”

“I get it. They don’t know us well enough to trust us.”

The room grows silent as we all look at each other not knowing what more to say.

“Well, Jenna’s coming over to take me down to the pharmacy. If we’re not home before Officer Marnia gets here, let her know we’ll be right back.”

I hear a car door close and look out the window to see Jenna down at the bottom of the driveway.

“K, ladies, she’s here. See you in a few.”

I slowly walk down the long, icy driveway to meet Jenna at the bottom. It takes me a minute to gain my footing, but the brisk air does me good. The nausea begins to subside as I make my way toward her car.

“Sorry, I’m all the way down here, didn’t want to push my luck with the gas.”

“I’ve got it covered.” I hold up my wallet. “Let’s go.”

I bend down and stuff myself inside the little VW Beetle. After thirty seconds, I’m sweating from the heater, and my rear is on fire from the seat warmer.

“Uh, Jenna, I’m dying here. Can we roll down the windows or something?”

“Sorry. I haven’t been able to warm up since that day on the river. Maybe it was the hypothermia or frostbite … I don’t know.” She shakes her head and stares out the window as a faraway look drifts across her eyes.

With the windows down, the icy breeze blasts into the car, sparking another flashback. It’s that damn image of Pistol again. He’s barreling toward us waving his hand frantically. Usually, this nightmare haunts my dreams. This is the first time I’ve had it while I’m wide awake. It looks a little different now that my eyes are open. I draw my focus to his hand, something I haven’t been able to do in my countless recurring night terrors. It’s empty. I hear gunshots, but Pistol’s hand is empty.
I swore he was holding a gun. It’s that awful medicine. It’s messing with my memories now.

“Earth to Caden. Where are you, man?”

“Sorry. I just keep having that messed up vision of Pistol flying toward us in his truck.” I take a deep breath and let it out slowly. “Maybe I’m just worried because they still haven’t found him. My mind likes to play tricks on me.” I shake my head, trying to replay the image of gunless Pistol. “I hope the investigators have turned up something. I just can’t wrap my mind around it. I feel like we’re missing something here. Maybe they’ll have some kind of news for us. Let’s hurry up with that medicine so we can get back there, k?”