Bender jutted his head out of one of the closed doors I had already passed. “Could the two of you be any fucking louder?”
Fangs barked with laughter. “Ah, get over it, Bender. Let her feel good for a bit.”
“Yeah,” I said with a nod of my head, “let me feel good for a bit.”
Bender grinned at me before he stuck his head back into the room and closed the door. Then, after one last glance exchanged between me and Fangs, I turned around and headed straight for the room where he had told me my sister was staying. I burst through the door, throwing it open as I prepared myself to search frantically for her. But I didn’t have to look very far to find her.
Because right in the middle of the room was a lovely bed made up with crisp, fresh sheets.
And on top of those sheets, having her pulse taken by Goose, was my sister.
“Jay? Is that you?” she asked.
I whimpered as I rushed to her side. “Tee. Hey, it’s me. I’m right here. Hey there.”
She looked up at me with teary eyes. “Julia.”
I bent down and kissed her forehead. “It’s okay. Everything’s okay. We’re safe, all right?”
Goose stood to his feet. “She’s getting stronger already, which is a good sign. Her pulse is steady, her blood sugar is great, and extra strength Tylenol is keeping her pain at bay. I’d say in another week, she’ll be up on her feet as if nothing happened.”
“Harley? His girlfriend? She helped me clean up in a bath earlier,” Tee said.
I smoothed her hair away from her forehead. “Your skin looks healthier. Have you eaten since you’ve been here?”
Tee nodded. “Twice. Have you?”
I shook my head. “I slept. I was so fucking tired, and then gross. So, I took a shower, and now I’m starving. Are you hungry?”
She propped herself up. “Oh, you know me. I can always eat.”
Goose chuckled as he made his way toward the door. “If you guys need anything, I’ll be downstairs. Just keep going down that hallway until you hit the door that opens up into a staircase that goes downstairs. Don’t hesitate to come find me.”
I waved at him. “Thank you. For everything.”
He nodded. “It’s really not a problem. If you guys don’t come find me, I’ll come back around at ten to check in.”
“Thanks, Goose,” Tee said.
Even though my sister still looked really beat up, that twinkle in her eye was back. The color to her skin had returned with a beautiful sort of force that reassured me she’d be okay in the long run. At least, physically.
“Oh, Jay,” my sister whispered.
And when she threw her arms around my neck, I laid down next to her. I held her tightly.
While the two of us cried with one another.
“Why in the world did you do that?” Tee asked breathlessly.
I sniffled and dried my tears as best as I could. “Did what?”
She laid there on a pillow, staring at me in disbelief. “Why in the hell did you come after me? You should’ve run, Jay. You should’ve—”
I leaned forward and kissed her cheek. “You’re my baby sister, Theresa. My best friend. My confidante. The only shred of family I have on this planet. I’m always coming after you, whether you like it or not.”
Tee sniffled. “I love you so much.”
I took her shaking hand in mine. “I love you, too. So, what do you say we take this love to the kitchen so I can whip us up some food?”
