Redemption [Sweet Pea x OC]

Chapter 42

"Where are you going?" Sweet Pea asked, looking away from the tv.

"Toni and I are going down to the hospital to visit Cheryl, her nana's still there," I replied.

Fangs tore his attention away from the screen, turning to me. "Hasn't it been like, a week? And she's still there?"

"She's old, I said, shrugging. "Old people are fragile. I'll be back in a few hours."

"Don't forget about tonight," Sweet Pea said as I leaned down to kiss him.

"Wouldn't dream of it." Toni was waiting for me outside and we headed straight for Nana Rose's room.

"Um, excuse me," Toni said, catching the attention of the nurse in the room. "Do you know where Cheryl is?" We'd been waiting ten minutes with no sign of our friend.

"The granddaughter?" the nurse asked, barely glancing at us. "Haven't seen her since yesterday, her mother took her home." Toni and I exchanged glances, making our way to the Blossom mansion.

Toni rang the doorbell and to my surprise, Penelope Blossom herself answered the door. Butler's day off?

"Mrs Blossom, hi. We're looking for Cheryl," Toni said politely. "She wasn't at the hospital with her nana."

"No, she's gone," Penelope said, looking down her nose at us. "Boarding school in Switzerland. All girls. She left just last night."

"Mrs Blossom, that doesn't make any sense," Toni protested.

Penelope glared at the two of us, eyes lingering on our Serpent jackets. "Don't come here again," she said firmly, slamming the door in our faces.

Toni sighed, walking away from the door. "Now what?"

"I glanced back, feeling Penelope's eyes on us through the windows. "Let's go to the Wyrm and talk."

We sat at a table in the corner where no one would be listening, not that anything said was top secret. "I'm guessing you heard back about Cheryl's uncle?"

I nodded, taking a drink of my beer before answering. "Not much, but they did confirm that he skipped town when he was 18 and has been out of the country for the most part since then."

"What else?" Toni asked.

"He's looking to take over Clifford Blossom's old drug ring," I said. "He's been in contact with the Ghoulies about it too."

"Cheryl could be in real danger."

I nodded in agreement, not looking at Toni. She wasn't the only one in danger, or soon to be. When I'd last seen Verne, he'd warned me that Malachai and his buddies were getting released in the next few weeks.

"You're gonna have to choose," he'd told me. "Penny might be okay with you wearing that jacket around here but you've gotta commit to one gang or the other."

"I'll handle Malachai when the time comes, don't worry about me," I'd replied. I didn't have a plan then, and I still didn't. I was running out time but I'd figure something out when the time came.

"Abigail, you okay?" Toni asked, concern in her voice.

I shook my head, clearing my mind. "Yea, sorry. Just thinking about something."

Toni watched me carefully, half believing me. "So, where are you and Sweet Pea going tonight?" she asked, changing the subject.

"We're keeping it simple this week, just dinner and a movie."

Toni smiled. "You know, when you first got here, I never would have imagined the two of you together. But what do I know? I never expected Southside High to be shut down or that either of us would be friends with Cheryl Blossom."