TRIPPED ON YOU

CHAPTER 24: TRIPPED ON CORPSES

THERNICY'S POV

" what? A gun?" I asked Lloyd as my eyes bulged.
I was officially done taking the shit they were forcing into my life but killing my father and attempting to kill my friends again was the last thing on my list of unwanted solutions.

"It's just a figure of speech- for when you take it all. No actual guns."... I couldn't tell if he was teasing me or just confirming my fears indirectly.

"Let's get going?" I changed the subject before I ended up pressing on the issue.

"Yeah. Are you really ready for this?" He asked me looking rather impressed than concerned about my decision.

"Sure. And thanks! I just realized that I didn't thank you." I said and he smiled at me as we walked to the drive way outside the house.

"No need. I'm supposed to protect you. After all we're all just slaves to our family's obligations and expectations." He said casually but I could literally feel the misery of his reality. I wondered if at all his mother maintained her relationship with him.

"How is cara by the way?" I finally asked.
"Still as demented as ever. Ended up raising a monster after her own likeness, except he's even worse than she is, taking the fact that he's still sane even after the deliria driven insight on life he got from her years with him." He announced to me, more like complained. But it was loud enough anyone close by to hear clearly.

"What do you mean by another son? We have another brother?" I asks after he starts the engine.

"HE isn't our relative not by any ties whatsoever." He corrects.
And silence engulfs us. I'm totally in agreement that we've had enough of the exchange of words.
A few minutes into the drive and I ask, "How much longer?" Realizing the danger the girls are in if Terry and his crew are at the apartment too...

So I take out my phone and dail Norah's line...

It went smooth with her and they were prolly out of there right after my call. I didn't understand why Abraham would result to being this manipulative and calculative.

I thought about all the good times we'd just talk about softwares and how algurithymes could improve the the medication formulation and development.

It wasn't something new in science but it's not popular as other forms of research that most scientists use.

We were like lost siblings and he'd been so open about what he thought, felt and even when he'd argue with someone in the group, he'd never take it out on the rest.

He's always been the most realistic person amongst us all. Holding a grudge was not his is type of coping mechanism. He never let things get to him often and when they would he'd face them head on.

Sage was almost just as open but a little too obsessed with his Sculptures to make it the on the front page of Vogue, The Cosmo and America's Finest Art magazines, this year at least.
Which was a little too much but he'd always emphasise the need for coverage and recognition in the Art industry. Guess it was more than just the coverage.

It was depressing thinking about the little things they all decided to keep from us, from me.

I needed an explanation for going after my father that day. They knew he was the only one I had all my life. Was it really all just about power or is there more to the story that we all haven't realized yet.

Lost in my thoughts, Lloyd tapped my shoulder, gesturing towards my very lightly vibrating phone.
No wonder I didn't feel the movement in my hands.

Jaden's profile was on the screen and I couldn't help the butterflies that attacked my tummy. And without warning I begin to chuckle and picked up before the call was retrieved.

"Hey-" I was cut off by Emmanuel's uneasy and agitated rant," Thernicy, There was an accident at Mercy's apartment.
You need to get to the public hospital six blocks down from there as soon as possible! He's been calling for you and he doesn't want to go into surgery until he talks to you. I don't think he'll make it.-" I heard that he'd started to talk to someone else about alread being on a call with me.
It seems they were trying to get some assurance that I'll be there..."-sorry I have to go to Jaden." He ended the call before I could say anything else.

Oh my God! Jaden can't leave me! Not yet. He promised.

★★★

The ride was so long I almost passed out from the anxiety.
As soon as he pulled into the parking lot I got out of the call before he could kill the engine.

"Hey!" Lloyd called before I got through the doors. I stopped in my tracks and turned to him.

"He'll be fine..." He reassured me and I couldn't help the calm that engulfed me just knowing someone else shared my sentiments.
Just the Few hours we spent together was enough to remind me of the relationship we shared. It was as if he'd always been there.
I had a brother and I would never be alone again not even in death cause I now know that there's always someone who'll be around to remember me and love me when I'm living.

It was comforting to have someone who wasn't there just because they needed to but because they wanted to.
I would never trade this moment of realisation for anything.

I didn't even notice that I had started walking back and by the time I understood what I was doing he had already cuffed me in a gentle embrace.
My brother was hugging me! He was consoling me.
He'd never once made physical contact with me, not when my father died but here we were hugging.
My eyes finally gave in and I cried for all the things that led us to this point, the time we were apart and for the fear that I might actually loose the first man I've ever loved my whole life.
It was just a few seconds but it felt like a lifetime worth of misery was lifted off my shoulders.

With that being done I was released from the protective hold and he seriously shoved me towards the doors," You need to go now. Stop sulking and be the strong young woman that you were raised to be!" He said firmly.

I couldn't help the smirk that took over my face before I dashed through the doors to the receptionist. Didn't even check if he was still following.

★★★

"Am really sorry. But he didn't make it." Emmanuel came towards me on the waiting area looking so worn out that I was afraid he'd been up for too long. And all the energy I had left drained out of me.

We had arrived at the hospital yesterday in the late afternoon and after talking to him he went into surgery right away.
Lloyd had to excuse himself due to an emergency.
I didn't want pry so I let him go wait.
They couldn't get the bullet out in time so he suffered from excess loss of blood and the head trauma was not helping his state.
They induced him into a coma so that he could recover well and faster until it was safe to get him transfered to his family health care facility in Manhattan since then he was not permitted any visitors.

Jaden was supposed to be back from the cafeteria but here we were with Emmanuel telling me that he's trying to find the right coffee.

"So I'm supposed to get high on what? Cola? Isn't there anything, just anything I could have to keep me awake? Because am not leaving this building until I'm sure that Abe is going to recover just fine. So just go back and tell him to just get an already made cu-"
"Freshly brewed coffee for you and an iced latte for you." Jaden sneaked from behind me and I jumped out of fright almost hitting the cup of freshly brewed heavenly scented coffee.

Without delay I snatched the cup and begun to sip on it like my life depended on it while Emmanuel took his more
Calmly and calculatedly.
I was just a cup away from getting jittery if I ever missed my coffee break. That's how good it was. I was an addict and I don't think I could live without at least one cup a day.

"What? Not even a thanks or a kiss for being thoughtful?" He asked with nothing but mockery in his tone.
Clearly not surprised but still hopeful, he was.

"All hail Lord best coffee maker! All hail" I teasingly bowed my head.

The laugh that escaped Emmanuel's lips was so infectious that we almost forgot where we were.
Until a nurse came rushing passed us to Abe's room that it dawned on us that there was an emergency.