When the Bough Breaks

Chapter 20

BRITTNEY POV.

I slowly bat my eyes as I wake up in a hospital bed. I didn't see anyone. I close my eyes again wanting to fall asleep but I open them again. I was hoping that everything was a dream or maybe the outcome was better than I had hoped.

Suddenly, Kate walks into the room.

"Hey", said Kate. "How are you feeling?"

"Who took me out of the water?", I asked.

"Dontrell", said Kate.

"No", I said softly. "I didn't want him to do that"

I pull the IV out of my arm and stands up. That's when I start getting off balance. Kate hold my arm to guide me back onto the bed. She sits next to me.

"Stay calm", said Kate.

"Stay calm?", I asked sobbing. I'm crying at this point. "My son is gone."

Kate didn't say anything she didn't know what to say.

"My baby. My innocent baby", I cried.

Kate begins to shed tears.

"How in the hell are you going to tell me to calm down during a time like this?", I asked. "My husband killed his own son. My son!"

Kate begins to rub my back to comfort me.

"You know...I thought you would say that Dontrell saved him but you aren't", I said.

"He tried", said Kate. "He tried but it was too late and then he noticed you were gone so he went to save you."

"I wish he didn't", I said.

"But he needed to", said Kate. "I could only understand how traumatized you are but you can't let Carter win. I had to tell the same thing to Dontrell. Dontrell wanted to kill Carter. The police took him away instead. Dontrell is outside in the lobby...blaming himself for what happened."

"It's my fault. Not his", I said.

"It's nobody's fault", said Kate.

"I may have some things going on with myself mentally, but I am stable enough to protect my baby. I didn't protect him. I should've left Carter a lot time again",at I said. "I should've saved some money and ran away. But I didn't. Now my child is gone and I'm alone."

"You're not alone", said Kate. "You have me and Dontrell.

"...Can you ask Dontrell to come here. I want to talk to him alone", I said.

"Before I do that, I'm going to get a nurse", said Kate. "So she can get your medication started again."

"I'm ready to go. I hate hospitals", I said.

"How come?", asked Kate.

"Because...every time I come here it's because of Carter...so every moment that I'm here I remember the pain that he has caused me and now my baby", I said.

Kate nods. "I understand...but I just want to make sure that you're okay so you can leave like you want", said Kate.

"...thank you", I said.

DONTRELL POV.

As I sit in the waiting room, my leg is jumping just thinking about what had happened today.

FLASHBACK

As I give Grayson chest compressions, I start talking to Brittney.

"Brittney, I need you to do breaths", I said.

A wait a couple of seconds for her response.

"Brittney", I said as I look back. I don't see her anymore. "Shit"

"Let her kill herself. That's what she's been wanting to do anyway", said Carter.

I ran to the water and jumped in. Once I saw Brittney I pulled her out of the water and start doing CPR on her. She begins coughing so I knew she was alive. I laid her on her side

I ran back to Grayson to continue compressions.

"He's gone. He's been in there too long", said Carter.

"How about you shut the fuck up!", I said as I look at Carter. "You're sick. Disgusting...I hope you burn in hell."

I start to stand up.

Suddenly Carter's eyes rolls. He start talking a little different. He sounds more concerned and guilty.

"Call 911. I want them to give me the electric chair. I didn't mean to do this, it was him", said Carter. "I never wanted to hu—"

Suddenly his eyes roll again and his demeanor changed back to his sick and twisted personality.

"I just gave her what she wanted.", said Carter.

That was actually scary. I never seen that before.

"Guess the only person that didn't get what they wanted was you", said Carter.

As I walk to Carter, Brittney begins blinking.

"I can beat your ass, better yet I can kill you, you sick bastard.", I said.

"No", said Brittney. "He— not worth it"

Brittney began coughing.

I look back at Brittney.

She continued to cough.

I look at Carter and punch him so hard at he passes out.

I looked down at Carter then I began calling 911.

FLASHBACK OVER.

As I wander in my thoughts, I see Kate walk up to me.

"She's okay. She's up. She does wanna leave though but I don't think they will advise that she does because she's still having suicidal thoughts.", said Kate.

"You were right", I said. "I...I got feelings for her and at the end of the day I'm putting my heart on the line because her and I will never be. She's too far gone to not only love someone but love herself to and it hurts. It's hurts to see her like that, it hurts to see her go through something like that...and it's crazy because I know the type of person she is when she's happy...I just...I don't know. I wanna hold her all night and all day in hopes that she'll feel better but...I can't because we talked about our friendship and I don't want either of us to have mixed emotions."

"I know...but you still make her feel better. We both can", said Kate. "I'm hurting for her too but...the state that she's in now doesn't mean she can't come back from it."

I look at Kate for a moment then I look back at the floor.

"She lasted this long...she can come back", said Kate.

"Maybe Grayson was her backbone...that's why", I said.

Kate didn't say anything. I took her silence as a point of her agreeing that I'm right but she didn't think about it until I said it.

"I'm going to go use the restroom. I'll be right back", I said.

"She wants to talk to you...privately by the way", said Kate.

"Okay", I said before walking toward the restrooms.

TO BE CONTINUED...