“Jeff, do you remember what happened? Do you know why you’re here?” Gunner asked.
“Yeah…. I remember why Gun. I remember everything…. . I wish I didn’t. I wish I could just forget it all. ” Jefferson said with such a lost look in his eyes.
“So all of this Jefferson, all this fighting the last few days was because of what happened Saturday night?” I asked as I took his hand in mine. He closed his eyes for a few seconds. When he opened them a tear rolled down his face and he squeezed my hand. His tear soaked eyes captured mine.
“I’m so sorry I disappointed you. I will never forgive myself for hurting you. You’re all I have Ells…. . I promise I will never disappoint you again. Please tell me you forgive me for being such a prick. Please Ellie…. . ”
My heart started to pound. Oh my God Jefferson.
“Of course I forgive you Jefferson. I love you more than anything you know that. Jefferson you can’t keep doing this…you have to stop. Having someone beat up on you like a punching bag is not going to make it go away, you have to talk to Ari. You have to tell her how sorry you are. ” I said as I looked up at Gunner who was watching me intensely.
“FUCK! I have been trying to tell her I’m sorry. She won’t fucking answer her phone when I call. I’ve been texting her to please call me and she just ignores me!” The heart monitors they had Jeff connected to started to beep faster and faster…. .
“Jeff, dude just calm down…. . let me go out and get Ari…. she’s right outside Jeff. Let me go get her. ” Gunner said as a nurse walked in.
“Mr. Johnson is everything okay in here?” the nurse asked as she looked between Gunner and me.
“Jefferson, please just take a few deep breaths okay? It’s alright Gunner is going to get Ari right now. Everything is fine…. he um, just started to get a little upset. When can we take him home?” I asked as the nurse starting taking all of Jefferson’s vital signs.
“As soon as the doctor says he can leave we can start on the paper work. Until then…. . please try to keep him calm. ” Nurse meanie said as she walked back out the door.
“She’s pleasant, she been your nurse the whole time?”
Jefferson laughed. “Yeah, but she has been pretty cool. I’m sorry Ellie I scared you. I love you sis…. more than life itself. I wanted to take you shopping last Monday for your graduation gift. Maybe we could do it tomorrow? What do you say?”
“Ohhhh…. what type of store do we need to go to for this gift?!” I said as I hopped up and down. Jefferson was the BEST gift giver! I couldn’t wait to see what he was going to get me.
“A car dealership……. that type of store. ” He said with a smile.
“Wait…. . what? A car dealership…. . shut the hell up Jefferson! You’re buying me a car????! OH MY GOD! How can you afford to buy me a car?” I practically screamed out.
“Gesh Ells, try to keep it down. There are sick people here and my head is fucking killing me right now. Don’t worry about how I can afford it. I work and I must say I am a pretty damn good investor when it comes to money. Think about what kind of car you want honey and we will go shopping tomorrow. ”
I started to jump up and down I was so excited! The smile on Jefferson’s face melted my heart. Just then my phone beeped alerting me to a text message. I grabbed it out of my back pocket. It was from Gunner.
Ari left. . . . . she left a message with the nurse that she was heading back home.
Fuck a duck! Why did she leave? I looked up at Jefferson. His smiled faded when he saw my face.
“She left didn’t she Ellie?” he said with such a sad look in his eyes.
“Yes, I’m afraid she did. I’m so sorry Jefferson. ” I said as I took his hand again in mine.
“S’okay…. I didn’t even really expect her to be here after what I did to her so…it’s no big deal. Um, can you go see about getting me out of here? I’m really ready to get home. ”
I nodded my head and headed out the door. When I walked out to the nurses’ station Gunner was already talking about Jefferson being able to leave. They told him they were getting the paper work together and it shouldn’t be much longer.
“Hey…. everything okay with Jeff, does he know Ari left?” Gunner asked as he held open his arms for me.
I melted into his body. Only he could take away the hurt I was feeling. Hurt for Ari, for Jefferson…. . shit…. my own damn hurt. It all just melted away in his arms.
“Yes he knows she left. And no…. he doesn’t seem okay. He’s hurting so bad Gunner. What do I do?”
“I don’t know sweetheart…. . I really don’t know. ” Gunner said has he held me tighter in his arms.
CHAPTER TWENTY FOUR
Gunner…….