Siren In The Sky // Bradley Bradshaw

Chapter 9

I've been asking the nurse to let me see Bradley, but she's declined everytime. I just want him to see that I'm okay. After what happened to his dad this whole ordeal has to be triggering for him. My heart hurts at the thought of him stressing out through those doors. Not only that, but what happened was scary. I just want him to hold me and tell me I'm okay. 

I rapidly sit up in the bed when the door opens. Hope rises in my chest that it's Bradley, but I am quickly disappointed at seeing Maverick. "What are you doing here?" I stoicly question. He stops a few feet in front of me. "They said family can visit." I pretend to look around the room. I innocently state, "Funny. I don't see any family here." He frowns. "Selene." "Forget it. Just go." I cut him off, turning away. 

But he doesn't leave. "We gotta have it out." The stress of this long day and now him makes me finally snap. "Have what out? How you abandoned me?" He swallows thickly from my glower.  "Or how you couldn't even stand to be around me because I LOOKED LIKE MY MOTHER?" I yell. I realize that we're in a hospital, and that I should keep my voice down, but I've waited too long to say my piece. I'm gonna give him hell.

"It wasn't like that-" "Then tell me father, what was it like?" I ask, standing. "What did you say to me that night?" His eyes widen and he stutters. "I-I" "WHAT DID YOU SAY TO ME THAT NIGHT?" 

I can't be in this house. I can't be around you when you're the spitting image of your mother.

We both remember, but he's too chicken shit to own his words now.  "I WAS GRIEVING!" Maverick angrily screams. "SO WAS I!" A haunting silence follows. His face falls and something close to realization flashes in his eyes. I scoff in disbelief for it seems that for the first time he comprehends that I lost someone too. 

I fill the silence with a low voice. "I lost my mother. And then, because of you, I lost my father." I poke his chest with my finger. "You. Left. Me. And you have the audacity to show up now?  What about the time I was 17? I had an allergic reaction and got sent to the hospital. Where were you then?" I interrogate. He's flabergasted. "What- I didn't know!" He pleads. "You would've known if you had answered ONE of the THOUSANDS  of phone calls I gave you." 

My eyes burn, my anger fading into what it really is. A broken heart. I choke back the tears. I don't want him to see me cry. "I needed you." A tear rolls down my cheek as I whimper the words. "And you weren't there." I see his irises reflect my pain with his. His own eyes turn watery and he reaches out to me. I step away and hug myself. I can't just forgive and forget. 

"You should go." I emotionlessly say, not looking at him. I walk over to the door and open it for him to leave. My eyes widen as I see the entire group in the hallway snapping their heads away. Most of them look at the ground or at the ceiling, avoiding eye contact. Did they.... My eyes meet Bradley's. With a grim face and slight nod, he gives me my answer. 

They heard everything.

Bradley's POV

It's been a few hours since Maverick left Selene's room. My chest aches from their fight. Selene doesn't like for people to see her weak, and her past with her dad; well that's her weakest point. She's still embarrassed from when she broke down in front of me about it. Now, everyone knows. We all sat in the hallway clearly hearing every word. And when she opened that door and realization came across her face, she seemed mortified. No one brought it up after she shut the door, but the scowls pointed at Maverick seemed to be even worse going out than when he walked in. I don't think he noticed, though. His eyes remained dead ahead as he walked straight out the door.

It's late now, a little past midnight. Everyone left to get some sleep after making me promise I'll call if anything changes. It's only me and Niel left in the hallway. He's asleep a few feet away. The reception area is just down the hall, so they can clearly see if I go in. Otherwise I would've long ago. I was glad to see her for a moment, to see that she was physically okay. But after that fight, all I want to do is comfort her. 

My legs are starting to turn numb and my back aches from sitting on the hospital floor for so long. I opt to take a walk, stretch out for a moment. My feet carry me outside the hospital, the warm night air relaxing me from the cold white walls. My eyes spot Maverick sitting on a bench. He must've stayed after all.  Mav doesn't move his head from his hands.

"They're just keeping them overnight for observation. The doctor said they'll be okay." Maverick breaks the silence. "That's good," I say, keeping my eyes in front of me. Today's incident scared me more than I'd like to admit. "I've never lost a wingman." I don't know why I said it, but it just comes out. "You're lucky. Fly long enough it'll happen." He says it grimly, like multiple lives flash through his eyes. Including my dad.

"Why'd you pull my papers at the academy?" I probe. I've been angry at him for a long time, but the question I've rehearsed over and over in my head comes out calmly. The day has been exhausting, I don't have it in me at this point. Plus my girl already gave him hell, and from experience I know that it was worse than anything I could do. She can be really scary when she wants to be. 

"You weren't ready," He simply states. I let out an exasperated sigh. "Ready for what? To fly like you?" He shakes his head. "No, ready to forget the book. To trust your instincts. Don't think, just do." He's turned to face me now, so I mirror his actions. "Sometimes thinking isn't a bad thing." "If you think up there, you're dead." His face shows all seriousness.

"Did you think when you left her?" I scrutinize. He sighs and looks away, staring at the trees. "No," he whispers. "No I didn't." When I don't respond he continues. "She's right to hate me. I hate me. I know there is no excuse. But, I felt like my entire world collapsed. Charlotte-" Maverick chokes on her name like it's painful to even say. "Selene's mother, she was my everything. Is my everything. I fell in love with her the moment I saw her. She was there for me when Goose.... when you're dad died. She made me feel as alive on the ground as I was in the air." 

My eyes stay on my shoes as I listen to him talk. "And when I lost her, I lost myself. I should never have done what I did, and I regret it everyday. But there were moments, however brief, when Selene was cooking or reading that I'd think I was looking at her mother. And when I'd realize it wasn't her, I felt like I had lost her all over again." I still despise him, but I can't help but feel bad for him. If I lost Selene- I don't think I could recover. It doesn't make it right, but it does make it make sense. 

"I'm glad she has you." My gaze snaps up to him, and he's giving me a knowing look. "How did you-?" "Even the blind could see how you look at each other."

My disbelief shakes off and I let out a humorless chuckle. "Apparently not the nurse. She still won't let me see her." Mav concentrates for a moment deep in thought. "I'll go distract her so you can sneak past." My eyebrows shoot up. "Why?" He gives me a smile. "It'll make her happy." 

Maverick walks in first and begins to speak with the nurse. It's apparent he's sweet talking her from the flutter of her eyelashes and giggles. Making a shooing motion behind his back I slip past. Walking down the corridor I step into Selene's dimly lit room. Quietly shutting the door behind me I watch her sit up. "Bradley?" I give her a smile. "Hey baby." Sliding into bed next to her I wrap her up in my arms. Finally letting out a sigh of relief I clutch her tightly, feeling her heartbeat against my chest. She relaxes into me as well, both of us needing this. 

Pulling back she searches my face with a confused smile. "How did you get in? I thought it was family only." I give her a grin. "The nurse was distracted so I snuck in." She smiles and lightly laughs before snuggling into my arms once more. "Thank you," she whispers.