Chapter 08
“L acey Connor. C-O-N-N-O-R. She was in a car accident and I’m her mother-”
“Mon. Slow down.” Lucas’ brusque voice came from behind me as his hand rested heavily on my shoulder. I felt like I was coming undone all over again. I had been waiting on the street when Lucas had gotten to my house earlier and practically been screaming at him to drive faster the entire way to the hospital.
“Monica!” Trevor’s voice echoed behind us and I spun around, searching him out frantically. Seeing him coming toward me across the room, I rushed to meet him halfway as his hands came up to my arms. Why was everyone holding me back? Didn’t they sense the urgency?
“Mon.” Trevor spoke again, drawing my panicked eyes up to his.
“Breathe,” he instructed. “In through your nose and out through your mouth. Three times for me, sweetheart.”
I obeyed mindlessly as his eyes bore into mine, watching me, and nodding encouragingly.
Everything in my body was so tightly wound, just the extra deep breaths were calming me slightly. Bringing me out of a panicked head space where I wasn’t even thinking rationally.
“Where is she? Is she okay?” my voice wasn’t one I recognized. Trembling and shaky. I couldn’t lose another person I loved.
“She’s fine. Banged up and scared as hell. They’re taking her for some scans just to be safe. But she’s okay. She’s fine.” he repeated, drawing me against his chest. I didn’t even think. My arms wrapped around his waist tightly, pressing my face against his chest as I sobbed. I felt his large hand find the back of my head, holding me against him like I was precious, his other running up and down my back soothingly as he thanked Lucas for getting me here safely and informing him we’d call him with more information later.
This felt nice. Having someone to rely on and hold onto me when I was scared. I’d missed this. I was a social person. I had cut myself off too much the last year and a half. I continued taking deep breaths, smelling Trevor’s spicy cologne. My hands and arms were warm under his firecoat and I could feel the muscles under his shirt. He’d bulked up since we were younger. Reluctantly I drew back and wiped my eyes.
“You good?” he asked, looking down at me worriedly. His hand came up cupping my face gently, his thumb sliding over my cheek, collecting some of my tears.
“I’m fine. I’m sorry I keep crying on you—”
“You never have to apologize for that.” he interrupted.
“What fucking boy was she with?” I blurted out suddenly, without a filter. Lacey was a bit boy crazy and always had been. But she'd never had a serious relationship, or even brought someone home to introduce us to go on a date. I was floored that she’d been so deceptive and snuck out of the house.
Trevor’s eyes hardened, going into protective father mode.
“Some Jackson kid. He’s apparently nineteen. She met him at the pool earlier this summer? Said they’d been texting and he’d wanted to drive around and talk. She’s a mess, Mon. She knows she fucked up.”
“Damn right she fucked up!” I exclaimed. “She’s grounded! FOREVER!”
Trevor’s eyebrow rose, his piercing glinting under the fluorescent lighting.
“Easy, tiger.” he scoffed. “I’m just as livid. But the more we come down on her, the more she’s going to act out, I think.”
I huffed. “Since when did you become the rational one?”
He just shook his head and grabbed my arm to lead me down the hallway to our daughter’s triage room in the emergency department. The nurses were just getting her settled back into the bed. Her eyes met mine and instantly filled with tears. She looked so small and scared in that hospital gown and I instantly started sobbing again myself.
“Mom! I’m so sorry. I know what I did was stupid and-”
“Shhhhh.” I said, going over and drawing her into my arms.
“Lacey,” I whispered, “You could’ve been killed.”
I broke off, my voice cracking.
She cried harder.
“Who is this boy? You’ve never mentioned a Jackson? He doesn’t even sound like he’s in your usual group of friends. Nineteen?” I drew back staring at her.
She avoided my eyes, picking at her fingernails.
“Jackson Flinton.” she said. “I met him at the pool a couple of weeks ago. He graduated when I was a freshman. I knew of him in school-”
“Flinton?” Trevor interrupted. Turning my head I stared at him. His eyes were narrowed on our daughter. “As in Richard Flinton’s son?”
Now Trevor’s voice was rising, almost like he was panicking. My own eyes narrowed on him in concern at what this meant, head turning back towards my daughter questioningly.
“Yes?” she answered. Seeming to not understand whatever had her father on edge.
“WHERE’S MY BOY!” came bellowed from the hallway, right before a large hand yanked the curtain back from the room entrance.
A huge lumbering man stood there, breathing heavily. Dark eyes, wild and oily shoulder-length brown hair hung limply around his shoulders. He was wearing a stained white tank top and ratty jeans that had seen better days. They sagged around his waist, the belt not doing its job. A beer belly stood out and his arms were covered in tattoos. Not the artwork Trevor, Lucas, and all the guys had. These looked like poorly hashed out random ideas that were permanent mistakes. He reeked of alcohol and cigarette smoke.
Lacey cowered behind me at the intrusion and my body instinctively moved in front of her.
The man's eyes swung over us before landing on Trevor standing at the foot of the hospital bed.
“Well, well, well. Fancy seeing you here, old friend.” he smirked, the nurse that had been attempting to stop him from entering our room, wringing her hands nervously.
“Is it?” Trevor’s voice was hard and cold. I’d never heard it like this.
“Considering it was your fucking kid that had my underage daughter out past curfew?” Trevor’s voice was clipped, shaking in rage, and I stood suddenly feeling the urge to restrain him.
The man laughed rudely, crossing his arms.
“My boys got good taste. It's a small world, Connor. Think you could move on and do better than all of us and just leave everything behind?”
“What is going on?” I interrupted, moving in front of Trevor, holding both hands out like I could hold these giant men back from each other. There was a volatile tension in the room and I was feeling slightly nauseous. I didn’t need this happening in front of my child either, even if she was almost a grown woman.
“Must be the missus.” The man spoke condescendingly to me. “Introduce us, Connor. We’re old friends. We go way back.”
“We’re not friends, Richard.” snapped Trevor, stepping forward, his flat, muscled stomach pressing into my hand. “Never were.”
“Okay.” I said. “I think you should leave, Mr. Flinton.” My voice was coming out stronger than I felt at the moment.
Looking at this man’s hard eyes, I sensed a danger. All my nerves were on high alert and I could feel myself about to lose it again.
“I’ll leave.” Richard smirked again. “But, I’m sure we’ll be seeing each other again soon.”
He left, the room reeking of his odor, and Lacey spoke first.
“Who was that?” her voice was small and timid.
Trevor shrugged out of his fireman’s coat angrily and threw it in the hospital chair.
“That was your new boyfriend’s father.” he said, running both hands through his hair. “And someone from my past that I never wanted to see again. Let alone have involved with you two. Dammit, Lacey!”
He began pacing, and my dread grew. I felt like I may be sick.
“Who is he?” I asked. “What’s so bad about him? Trevor?” I was begging as he was avoiding eye contact.
Trevor finally stopped and stared at me.
“He was my drug dealer, Monica.”
My stomach felt like it hit my feet and my head jerked back like I’d been physically hit.
“Are you on drugs?” I spun on my daughter.
Her eyes were huge, staring at us.
“What? No! I’ve never even met his parents and didn’t know who they were?” she exclaimed.
I spun back to Trevor, believing her, seeing the shock on her face, knowing it couldn’t be an act.
“Trevor? How bad is this?” I asked.
“Bad.” he replied, staring at Lacey and me.
“Fucking horrible.”