From Different Worlds

Chapter 16

"B-Babe?" Toni whimpered.

Toni had a nightmare. Well, not a nightmare, more of a memory. The memory of Jeremy, hitting her, over, and over. In the same spot, not stopping until she was screaming at the top of her lungs. Then moving on to the next, repeating it over, and over, until he reaches the first spot, and staring over. Not caring how badly he bruised a spot, or if he broke it. Then Toni passing out from him hitting her in the head, she didn't know how many times.

"Cher?" She couldn't see very well, her vision foggy from her tears, and it was dark.

"Hmm?" Cheryl hummed.

"W-Where are you?"

"I'm right here baby... are you okay?" Cheryl said getting up, to stand by her bed. The doctors brought a cot for Cheryl to sleep on, and Toni had already fallen asleep, so she didn't know where it was.

"I-I had a bad d-dream..."

"What was it about?" The doctor told Cheryl she can't lay with her. So she could only sit, or stand by her. Toni wasn't to fond of it.

"Jeremy."

"Babes. He can't hurt you anymore... you don't have to be scared, okay? I'll protect you." Cheryl kissed Toni on the head. "Do you want me to sit with you until you fall asleep again?"

Toni just nodded her head. Cheryl sat in the armchair next to her bed, and held her hand.

A few minutes had passed, and Toni's eyes were shut, but she kept sniffling every once in a while. Cheryl's phone started ringing startling them both. It was Violet, "I'll be right outside the door." Cheryl said as she answered the phone.

"How is she?" Violet asked.

xxx

"We won't know if this is permanent, but if it is then there are some things that you could do to help with it." Dr. Masters said. "This is Dr. Gallagher, your new speech therapist."

Toni just found out she has Anomic Aphasia, and wasn't to happy. She hoped this wasn't permanent. She especially didn't want to go to speech therapy. She was embarrassed about the whole thing. And would if kids from school find out, her reputation would be ruined.

"Hello, Toni. I am Dr. Gallagher as you know, and I will see you once a week."

"Hi." Toni grumbled. She was mad. And where was her mom? "Where's my mom?"

"China, or something." Cheryl said.

"China?" Toni furrowed her eyebrows.

"Yeah I don't know why she's there. She just said she won't be back for another week."

Toni sighed. Not only was she stuck in the hospital, but her mom was away as usual. Did her mom even care about her? She had one question to ask, but was kind of nervous to ask it.

"D-Did you guys ever find Jeremy?"

Everyone looked at each other awkwardly. Then Cheryl spoke up. "He..uh..was found."

"So he's in jail?"

"Not exactly...the police found him with a...bullet in his head."

"Oh my god...oh my god...." Toni was in shock. Yes, she hated Jeremy, but he didn't deserve to die. "H-How? Who shot him."