The Billionaire Throuple

Nehemiah Jones

I'm here at the hospital, pacing the hall outside of Andreas's room. He ain't conscious, but he ain't dead either. Honestly, I dunno what the hell I'm doing, but walking takes my mind off regretting what's done already. I dunno if I should've taken Andreas here by myself, but I did it. I can't change that.

Looking back, calling the police should've been the obvious move, but I didn't do it. Samuel and Andreas told me what they wanted and it made sense, so my mind went on auto-pilot listening to them. I couldn't think for myself. I was in shock. I still am. All I knew was that I had to get outta there and there can't be a better reason than saving somebody's life. At the time, it not only seemed like the right thing to do, it seemed like the only way I could help. 

I didn't doubt my actions until the nurse started asking a bunch of questions after Andreas got checked into the ER. Apparently, he's on palliative care, so they were surprised to see him. They wanted to know why no one tried stabilizing him with the equipment at home and why an ambulance wasn't called.

I couldn't tell them I didn't want the heart Samuel cut out of CW to go to waste 'cause he ain't an organ donor. Instead, I told them we were out when it happened and I thought they'd be better help. I only just found out Andreas was dying. They got suspicious, wondering why I was the one who brought him in when I knew so little. I got defensive and they kicked me outta the damn room, which is fine. I just hope I didn't say nothing to jeopardize Andreas getting that heart.

I'm still freaking out, but I ain't worried about me. It ain't a crime to take somebody to the hospital 'cause I'm uninformed. It's this day that's got me tripping. It's beyond belief. It's unreal. My head feels like it's gonna explode. So does my heart. Had I done the 'right thing', I'd be grieving the only three people I ever loved, at the same damn time.

CW died for his heart, Samuel is gonna be locked away forever for killing him for it and Andreas wouldn't have even gotten it. That's why I can't regret what I did. I can't lose all of them. Up until now, I never understood how a parent could defend a kid killing their own sibling, but now I kinda get it. Even though they hate what they did, they don't wanna lose everybody. It's too much.

I didn't know Andreas was dying until I saw Cameron laying dead on the floor and I'll never be able to get that outta my head for as long as I live. I hate that Samuel did it and he can't go free, but I can't pretend I dunno why he did it. I can't pretend I shouldn't have seen it coming. Andreas shouldn't have been able to hide a terminal illness from me for five months, not if I love him like I claim to. When you love somebody, you're supposed to make their problems your business, but I kept to myself. And 'cause of that, I gotta shoulder the blame.

I paced the hall from Andreas's room to the swinging doors and back about a thousand times. Finally, I push through them and go out to the lobby. I turn toward the ER exit to go outside to catch some air, but before I get there, a woman calls out to me.

"Nehemiah Jones?"

I turn around and see the nurse that was asking me questions earlier. She's a heavyset lady in light blue scrubs with a stern face and thick glasses. She has black hair tied up in a ponytail with streaks of gray in it. I nod.

"You can go in and see Andreas now."

"Oh?" I'm scrunching up my face a bit 'cause she was being so rude earlier. I'm so surprised she ran me down. "Is he awake?"

She winces and shakes her head, so I start heading outside. "Wait," she says, jogging after me, "You're not leaving, are you?"

"Nah, I thought I'd catch some air," I say, "Sorry if I was rude earlier. I'm scared is all."She tightens her lips and nods silently. I start heading back over toward the swinging doors. "Know what? I'll stay with him. I don't want him to wake up and think he's all alone."

She smiles, but I can tell it's forced. I almost get the feeling she doesn't think he's ever waking up. She says quickly, "I'll be in there with you, drawing blood, taking tests and what." She seems nervous.

I can't blame her. I probably scared her with how frantic I've been about all this. I follow her inside the room and sit down in a chair next to Andreas's bed. She walks over to stand on the other side of him and starts tinkering with the machines and IVs. She asks, "Does Andreas have any other family members or friends that might want to come see him?"

I snap my fingers and point. "That's right! I totally forgot. Thanks for reminding me."

I pull out my phone to start calling Andreas's parents like Samuel asked me to. I was gonna do that while I was outside, but I guess I'll do it here. I'm kinda nervous 'cause I've never talk to them before. The whole time I knew Andreas, they weren't close, but maybe that'll change now that he's getting a transplant. Andreas's father answers on the first ring.

"Hey, uh, this is Nehemiah. I wanted to let you know that Andreas is here at the hospital."

"The hospital?" he asks, a bit confused, "I thought he was stable in specialized home care" —his voice starts wavering, "he's gotten worse then. They said he'd only go back if he needed to go on a ventilator." He starts crying on the phone.

"No, no Mr. Santiago," I can't let him think the worst. "He's gonna be alright."

He gasps and his voice bursts with excitement. "Then, they found him a heart?"

"Yeah, I think he's gonna be okay."

"Andreas is getting a heart transplant!" Cheers erupt in the background. "Our boy is getting a heart. He's going to live! We're on our way!"

He thanks me about a hundred times before hanging up. I feel so good about being able to give the news to them. It validates my decision to stay silent, at least until the transplant is over and done with. After all, Andreas didn't do anything wrong. There's no reason he shouldn't be saved. He can't be responsible for Samuel. He was bed-stricken and just as shocked as I was to see Cameron dead.

I stand up, stretching my arms out far apart and that's when I noticed the nurse has been staring the whole time. She does not look happy either. I walk over to the door 'cause I ain't trying to have her kill my mood. I step out of the room and two officers are waiting by the door. One of them I know better than I should.

Lt. Marshall says, "Nehemiah Jones, you're under arrest. You are being charged for the kidnapping and murder of Cameron Wallace." He slams me up against the wall, even though I'm not resisting and the other officer starts putting me in handcuffs. "You thought you could have your buddy show up with a heart for your new boyfriend and nobody would notice? Guess again."

His partner cuts in to start reading me my rights, reminding me that there ain't nothing I can say that's gonna help my case, except one thing. I say, "Call Pamela Lawler, she's my lawyer! The card is in my wallet!"

Lt. Marshall says, "She's good, maybe even get you off on murder good, but she's going to have to put on her pretty britches and prove that shit in court this time." He slams me into the wall for no fucking reason. "What you did is fucking sick and idiotic. You really thought a heart would keep in a fucking shopping bag? And it's cut to pieces, such a goddamn waste."

My heart drops and I start crying like I never have before, not even for the arrest or most of what Lt. Marshall said. He gotta be lying to bait me into talking. Samuel brought the heart in an icebox in one piece. I can still see it when I close my eyes.

I'm crying 'cause if they know it's Cameron's heart, they ain't gonna give it to Andreas. He's gonna die right after I told his family he was gonna be okay.