DANCE OR DIE: Two Guys, One Girl. No Voice. No Choice. by A. E. Murphy & Xela Knight

Author:A. E. Murphy & Xela Knight [Murphy, A. E.]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Published: 2019-12-19T18:30:00+00:00

We walk through the halls together, leaving one part of the hospital to get to another. The children’s ward to the intensive care unit. Both are so far apart; the walk takes it out of me. I do love how everything is decorated for fall and Halloween. October in Louisiana is an incredible month.

It smells of sanitizer and death though which takes away from the festive ambience. I’ve never spent any time in an actual hospital until now. I’ve been fortunate in that regard. I don’t like it. It reminds me of L.I. Where I spent a year of my life for trying to tell the truth.

“She’s in here,” he says, looking tense and nervous.

He pushes on the door and Paisley immediately cries a happy sounding, “Momma!” Her voice is as husky as mine. Smoke will do that to you.

“Hey, baby,” comes a weak voice from the bed in the middle of the room. The frail, brown-haired woman is hooked up to so many machines she’s more wires than human. “How are your hands?”

Presley lifts Paisley onto the bed and then holds his hand out to me. I didn’t realize I pressed my back against the door until now.

I step closer, taking his hand to comfort myself or him I’m not sure.

Her eyes are so much like Presley’s it makes my heart ache. Seeing her lying there so sick is like seeing him.

“You’re the girl who saved my baby.”

I shrug my shoulders. “I did what anyone could have done.”

“But nobody else did.”

I don’t know what to say to that so I give a generic response. “I’m glad I succeeded.”

She smiles, making her sallow cheeks a bit fuller. “I saw the video.” Her breathing is raspy, not like mine after the smoke inhalation, but like her lungs are just too weak to function. This is so sad. My mom is a deadbeat, she deserves this fate, not Presley’s mom, Rebecca, who has those kind motherly eyes like she cares about everything you’re saying even if it doesn’t interest her. Just like mothers are supposed to do.

I cringe as what she just said sinks in. “There’s a video?”

“There’s always a video,” Presley mutters, leaning his shoulder into mine.

Rebecca lifts her hand to me. I take it gently.

“Thank you, Scandal.”

Now I really hate that stupid name.

“I wish I could show my thanks in other ways, but all I have are words these days.”

“Even those aren’t necessary.”

“Regardless, I mean them. From the bottom of my soul.” Rebecca lifts her hand to me. I take it gently. “It’s the most frustrating thing, being here while your kids are on the outside, being unable to properly guide them in the world. Loa graced them with an angel last night. I’ll forever be in your debt.”

“So will I,” Presley breathes and we smile at each other.

“You must really care about my son to have done something so insane.”

Both Presley and I laugh nervously at that, sharing a look that projects that particular anxiety. “He’s alright I guess.”

She grins at us with hazy eyes and cracked lips.

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