Honey Stone

Coincidence

Honey was sat on the edge of Nash's bed. Tears flowed freely but silently down her face as she gazed lovingly at him, afraid to blink in case he vanished from her sight. Clara was sat on his other side laughing, her face beaming in joy and relief as she clutched his hand in both of hers and kissed his knuckles frantically as only a mother could.

'Welcome back son.' she said with a voice bubbling with emotions as she struggled to keep in control of her behaviour and not scoop him up into her arms and crush him against her. 

'Mom?' Nash croaked, his voice raw, 'What's going on?' His breathing tubes had been removed but a trace of dry plastic taste lingered and although the doctors had come and checked him over but he was still quite foggy and confused.

'You were shot son, do you remember?' Clara said in a clear voice although she was feeling more shaken than she'd let on, least not to him, he needed his women to be strong; as all strong men did.

'Shot?' He frowned deeply and licked his dry lips as he tried to focus on the floating images that rattled around in his head. There was something important he was forgetting but what? 'How long I been out?' 

'Bout a week, you had some pretty bad damage this time Jamie; they had to dig the bullets out of you.' His mothers face collapsed and she broke down into a sob that she couldn't hold in any longer. 'Bullets Jamie, as in multiple.'

'I'm alright mom, please don't cry. I'm to stubborn to die you know that.' James spoke gently but it caused him to cough painfully and then he cringed against the burning pain in his chest. 'Jesus, feels like I've been sawn in half!' he gasped.

'James?' Honey whispered in a tiny voice and Nash's eyes snapped to her face.  How could he have forgotten? It all came crashing back to him in an instant, he remembered everything in one flash of clarity, even the second that bastard had raised his gun and fired and the punch of that first bullet. He fought to raise his arm so his fingers could graze Honey's cheek but he couldn't manage it and he let it fall back to his side, exhausted from the effort.

'Baby! What's happened? Are you alright?' he demanded thickly, his eyes boring into hers despite the dull pain in his head that the lights were making increasingly worse.

Honey blinked and sniffled out a tiny laugh 'You're lying in a hospital bed, full of holes and you're asking if I'm alright!' 

'Babe, last I know about was someone bastard being in our house and Hank getting you out.' Nash said fiercely. 'That was over two weeks ago. Anything could have happened since then, so yeah, I'm asking if you're alright and some fucker hasn't tried hurting you because if they have, or anything else has happened I swear to god, I'll tear them apart with my bare fucking hands.'

Clara bristled and spoke up, reaching for Honey's hand 'There're be no more swearing James Daniel  Nash. Your girl is just fine, Son; she hasn't left this room for nearly a week. Stayed right here with you.' 

Clara had meant this to sound comforting and romantic but Nash saw it another way and stared down his woman. 'You were afraid! I know you. You might not be hurt but you were afraid. Not just about me but about out there too.' James growled and his hands clenched into fists that caused him to wince as the muscles tightened around his wounds. 

'I needed to be close to you.' she whispered as she dropped her gaze down from his, unable to face him as she admitted her own weakness. 'I can't survive without you; I'm nothing without you.'

'Baby,' he whispered and raised his arm stiffly again, this time managing to  cup her damp cheek. His thumb rubbed at a stray tear and she held his hand to her face, kissing the palm. 'I'm here sweetheart, You can't kill me that easily. How could I leave my girls?' his other hand had reached out to clasp his mothers hand. Suddenly though, his eyes lost focus and he flopped back onto the bed, sweating profusely. 

'You need some rest.' Clara said in her no nonsense tone, standing up and Nash nodded briefly as his eyes fluttered shut. 'Come on Honey, you need a break too, and a shower.'

'Are you saying I stink?' Honey gasped in mock horror as she pretended to sniff her clothes.

 Clara grinned at her. 'Never, but it has been a while sweetheart and you're starting to look a bit of a scarecrow.'

The two ladies heard a faint chuckled and turned their heads to the man in the bed but his eyes were shut and his breath even and slow. A faint smile ghosted his lips and Honey sighed and walked out with Clara's arm link with hers. He was alive and that was enough for now.

In the corridor they were faced with four men marching towards them. Albert lead the way followed by Clay then side by side were Tommy and Preach.

'You know, as often as I see you men, you never cease to give me the heebie-jeebies' Clara said to Tommy and Preach, 'It aint right being so big and so mean looking.'

'Aww come on now Clara-bow,' Tommy chuckled 'I'm not that bad, I'm only mean to people that deserve it , you know that.'

Clara smiled impishly at Tommy before looking at her husband and brother. 'Boy's sleeping again for now, Just about to take Honey home for a shower and some much needed sleep.'

'We rented you a room Honey-pie.' Tommy said warmly to the girl 'Its right next to mine so you have any trouble and I'm right next door.'

'I'm close by too Hon, we all are. All you gotta do is holla.' Preach said in his usual gruff manner.

'I'll take you back, sweetheart.' came Clay's warm lilting voice as he stepped to the front of the group. 'Leave James with his Mom and Pop and I'm sure you don't wanna ride with either of these two reprobates.' Preach and Tommy chuckled again.

'Are you going to stay here?' she asked them innocently but the look that passed between the two men was chilling. Something was going on.

'I'm gonna stay here and Preach will follow you back.' Tommy said as he ran his fingers through his long beard. Honey wasn't imagining this was she? Something was definitely up.

'What's happening?' she demanded but the men all looked at each other, saying nothing.

'For goodness sake, you lot. The girl will have a heart attack if you don't give it a rest.' Clara snapped before turning to Honey and taking her hand. 'Nothing is going on Honey, you know how these fellas get, its all storms in tea cups I betcha. Now get yourself home and into a nice hot shower. I'll stay with my boy and as soon as he's awake again I'll call and Clay can bring you back.'

Honey blinked at Nash's mother twice but knew better than to argue. She leaned into Clay who wrapped his old arm around her shoulder and guided her away with Preach following silently behind.

Once the three of them were out of sight Clara turned to the remaining two men 'Now then, you fella's wanna tell me what's going on, and don't give me any tripe about women needing protecting from the truth. I been dealing with bikers and their politics for too many damn years. So spit it out.'

Albert was the first to speak, although he looked like he was fighting to find the right words 'That little girls momma has gotten herself mixed up with some dangerous kinds, Cla. Seems they think she's responsible for the mom's boyfriend going missing.'

'And is she?'

'No.' Tommy snapped, causing Al to give him a stern look.

Clara thought for a second 'but James is.' It wasn't a question. 'Was it them who shot him.'

Tommy let out a harsh breath 'No, but they ally. Could just be coincidence. Just one of those things, same as the trouble Honey's been getting in school is just a coincidence, but there's a lot of it going round and I don't like it. The sooner we're out of here the better. We'll all be safer on our own turf.'