Signed, Yours Truly

Chapter Seven - You're Real

[Claire's POV]
I blinked as sunlight filtered through my sheer lace curtains, my cat, Rexy, was chattering on my middle, demanding breakfast. "Sorry, buddy." I lifted him off while glancing at my clock, 10:30. Shoot. I should have been up an hour ago, no wonder Rexy was fussing. "I'll be with you in a second, Rexy. Relax." He meowed his opinion while following me down the small hallway to the kitchen, waiting somewhat patiently while I opened his breakfast.
"Hey," Emily mumbled from the hallway, rubbing her eyes. "How did the date go?"
"It was not a date." I replied, setting the bowl near Rexy before he started munching loudly. "But it went... different than what I expected."
"What did he look like?" She sat backwards on the couch, leaning on the backrest. "Sexy?"
"Thats the thing. I couldn't tell. He was wearing a mask."
"He what??" She nearly squealed. "For real?"
"Yeah." I replied, offering her a mini-doughnut. "It just covered his nose and mouth, but he has silver eyes."
"Ooh, grey is pretty."
"Not grey, silver. Metallic silver."
"Whoa," she straightened up. "More mystery. Did you get a name or just a pseudonym?"
"He said his name was Eric. And boy is he tall. At least 6'3"." "And and??"
"He said he's gonna help me with my stance."
"Like, posture?" She gave me a confused look.
"No," I set my coffee down. "Fighting."
"What!?"
"He showed me where to aim if I'm ever attacked."
"So, let me get this straight-" she spun herself face forwards on the couch. "-Your stalker who has been following you around for what, eleven months, finally meets you in person, doesn't in fact kidnap you, but helps you??"
"Do you want me kidnapped???"
"No, its just not what people do. Stalkers are mental."
"He seems normal. He genuinely wants to help me. Apparently he has a twin brother."
"This just keeps getting better and better." Emily laughed. "Remember that guy who tried to quote, unquote 'help' us that night when you moved in?"
"That creep??"
"Thats him. Eric said he's like that only when he drinks so we should be fine most of the time."
"He is cute, I will give him that. Eric must look like him." "Wha-What makes you say that??"
"They're twins. I would think one would look like the other." She deadpanned.
"Ah.." I nodded, Rexy was sniffing at my legs, obviously noticing the new scents of last night.
"Well, I've got a job this morning." Emily announced, swinging her legs off the couch.
"Really, where?"
"Baby-sitting. Some lady saw my social and called me yesterday evening before the show. Must be filthy rich, she's gonna pay 80 dollars just for my trouble."
"Dang!" I cried. Eighty dollars was a lot for a baby-sitting job. "How old is the kid?"
"12, I think. I know he's old enough to take care of himself but still needs supervision."
"Should be easy then." I said as she closed the door to the bathroom. I could hear the shower turn on as she started humming her favorite song.
"You gonna walk?" I called through the door, recalling Archie offered his car anytime for me.
"Why, you got a ride?" Emily called back.
"Archie said he's got a car he can let me borrow. Its an old Ford Explorer, I think."
"Sure! Call 'em!"
~
I was still in Archie's place, just looking through old photos of Jared and I before...you know. I was deleting the really old ones but kept a select few and moved them to a private album. I would delete them when someone else came a long. It was then my phone rang. It was an unknown number but I answered it anyway.
"Claire, here."
"Do you know Emily Nate??" An older man replied, he sounded like he was in his sixties maybe.
"Yes, shes my step-sister." I listened more closely now.
"She's been in a wreck."
"She what??" I stood up, taking my conversation out the back door so I wouldn't bother anyone. "Is she okay?? What happened?"
"She's stable, a few bruised ribs and a fractured collarbone." "No...no, no, no.." I tried not to panic, if Emily was hurt it was my fault. I offered the car.
"M-may..may I s-see her?" I asked, pushing back my tears.
"Of course. We're at Langon Hospital, do you need directions?" "No-No tha-thanks..I'll find it. Thank y-you..-" I heard him hang up, but I still kept the phone to my ear, stunned
"Claire?" Archie said from the doorway, his voice breaking me from my trance. "You look like you've seen a ghost. Something wrong??"
I could hear him but I wasn't listening.
"Claire?"
"Oh," I looked up and saw his hand gently holding me steady, then I realized I was swaying slightly. "Its Emily." I croaked out. "She's hurt pretty bad."
"I'm sorry but I don't have another ride. I'll call you an Uber, hows that?"
I nodded mutely, still unmoving from my position. I felt his breeze as he rushed away, the door closing behind him. The smell of coffee still lingered on my clothes as memories rushed into my mind.
"Order turns to chaos."
Of all the things to happen. I didn't want to blame myself but Emily was all the family I had left, and if she wasn't okay I don't-..I don't know what I would do..
I rubbed my face, clearing it was the ugly tear-stained mask I had made, I actually had to look human to go outside.
Gathering my things into my messenger bag, I saw my Uber pull up outside the large window of the shop.
"Be careful, Claire." Archie said, holding the door opened for me and giving me a gracious hug.
"Thanks for everything, Archie." I tried to smile.
"Hey, its the least I can do."
I climbed into the back of the little Nissan Altima, the inside cooler than the heat from the midday sun.
"You in a hurry, ma'am?" The driver asked, his bright green sunglasses catching my eyes.
"Not for me. But if you could hurry, please."
"Gotcha." He nodded and pulled into the busy traffic, the radio was playing rock music but turned down. "This station fine with you?"
"Yeah." I numbly responded, mentally somewhere else.
The drive was quick and when I saw the hospital appear around the corner, my stomach dropped. He slowed to a stop under the veranda and I opened the door, taking a breath before stepping out.
"Oh, sorry-" I screeched to a halt before leaving him. "-How much do I owe you?"
"11.23, miss." He said, holding his card reader.
"Thanks." I smiled, waving before jogging toward the doors. Inside smelled like it always did, disinfectant and official. Don't ask me what official smells like, you know it. Like the library, or the DMV, they all smelled the same.
"Excuse me, but where is Emily Nate?" I asked the girl behind the counter who had a phone tucked between her shoulder and ear.
"Hold on please," she pulled the phone away. "I'm sorry, Emily what?"
"Emily Nate."
"Oh, shes in surgery right now. You can wait in room 34 though. They'll call you when shes available." She pointed down the hall. "Third to the right."
"Thank you." I nodded then started down the hall, the drone of people around me was white noise to me. I didn't like places like this. Always busy. I don't know why, but it always seems like whenever someone goes into a hospital, they never come out... No, no. Don't think about that. You're okay. Just breathe. "Claire??"
Milo??!
I spun around and saw Eric's brother speed-walking toward me, a concerned look on his face. "Whats going on? Eric called me." "He-" I stammered, trying to process. "It-its Emily. She was in a wreck-.."
"Oh my gosh, I'm so sorry." Milo looked down. I couldn't help myself and pressed myself against him, his warmth comforting me. He hugged me back, realizing my connection with Emily. If I lost her, I would be so lost.
"Miss Daas?" Someone said from my left. I pulled away from Milo and wiped the tears from my face.
"Yes?"
"Miss Nate is stable but we are sending her to surgery. Her legs were crushed and I believe one of them will have to come off." "Oh-no..." I gasped, my hands flying to my face. "No, no, no, no..."
"Do you have any relations?" the doctor asked Milo.
"No, sir. I'm a friend of Claire's."
"When can we see her?" I choked out.
"In a few hours. Surgery shouldn't take long."
"Thank you."
~
[Eric's POV]
I watched from the street as Milo raced into the hospital, his concern authentic. I was fingering the paper I had picked up that night when we first met, she dropped it from her bag. It was a small thing, but it was special. It simply read 'To the moon and back.' It was an old paper too, nearly yellowed with age and seemed to be crumbled a bit too many times. I was meaning to give it back to her when I saw her last but it seemed like it would be a little bit before that was going to happen.
Strolling past the hospital's garden area for the mobile patients, I saw a young boy attempting to play ball by bouncing it against a wall and letting it bounce back to himself, but he was in a wheelchair, making it hard to catch it if it bounced wrong.
I wasn't wearing my mask today but instead pulled my cap farther over my face and approached him.
He grunted in frustration when I reached him. He couldn't have been any older than ten...
"You okay?" I asked, cautiously keeping my distance not to scare him. My stance was sometimes threatening.
"This dumb chair." He grumbled, tossing the ball away, I reached my foot out and stopped it mid-roll.
"Limiting. I know."
"You've been in one?"
"No, I can't say I've had that experience." I bent down and picked up the ball, my large hand reaching all the way around it. "Are you alone?"
"I'm..." He hesitated for a split second. "I'm not supposed to talk to strangers."
"Okay, then." I squatted down to his level, fingering the ball. "You can call me Ranger. Whats yours?"
"Arron." His face split into a smile. It was then I realized he was just like me. "Is that your real name?"
"Lets just say I'm keeping undercover for certain reasons." I shrugged, pretending not to smile.
"You mean like, a spy??"
"Mmm, could be."
"Cooooool." He grinned, rotating his chair to face me. "You fight Russians??"
"No, not Russians." I tossed him the ball. "I make this place safer for others."
"Thats awesome." He grinned again, throwing me the ball. I backed up, stretching the distance between us.
"What do you do?" I inquired, now throwing the ball harder to cover the distance.
"Mainly just sit in bed while the nurses take tests." His tone changed to more annoyed. "I'm anemic. That's why I'm so weak."
"Don't say that. You're not so weak. I battled sickness like you when I little. I had the flu at a young age, didn't get over the coughing till I was eleven."
"Really??"
"Yep." I tossed the ball back to him. "And here we are. Soldiers."
"Yeah," he smiled a wishful smile.
"Hey," I stepped closer, a smirk on my face. "They don't happen to have a monkey bars around here do they??"
"Just around the corner, a lot of the other kids go but I'm not tall enough the reach them."
"Today you are." I held up a finger to show him to stay put for a few seconds while I scouted the area. "Perfect, c'mer."
I crouched down, letting him crawl on my back. The feeling was so alien to me since I haven't let anyone touch me for five years. I pushed those thoughts away as I speed-walked to the jungle gym , making Arron laugh in glee. But one thing was for sure, he was skinnier than I thought as well as extremely light for his height and age.
Ducking under the bars, I lifted him toward them, his arms reaching upwards.
"Now, I'm gonna let you go but I'll catch you if you fall. Okay?"
"Yeah!" He cheered, sounding more optimistic.
I let go of his legs, letting his weight be supported by his arms. I kept my hands near his shoulders if he fell, I would be able to
catch him.
"Go!" I encouraged, watching his arms swing from one bar to the next, he got past six before his hands gave out. I caught him a few nano-seconds after he let go.
"Aw!" He grumbled, tossing his arms in frustration.
"Hey, you got six! Thats better than none at all!"
"True! You're awesome, Ranger."
I now regretted not wearing my mask as a blush crept up my neck. I never had those words said to me. I set Arron down, his skinny legs shaking slightly at the exertion, but I still kept my hands under his arms.
"Arron!!" someone shrieked from the door, making me whip my head around to find the cause of the scream. Instinct kicked in before I calmed myself.
"Where is your chair??"
"Over there, Mrs. Dibble!" He pointed to where we left to device.
"Why aren't you in it?? And who is that man??"
"This is Ranger," He patted my arms while the lady ran to the chair and wheeled it over to where we were standing dumbstruck. Well, I was.
"He helped me with the monkey bars."
"That was very nice of him," The Dibble lady nearly ran me over while Arron sat down, a hand still on my arm. "Did you say thank you?"
"Thanks, Ranger!" He grinned, I returned it with a salute and took a few steps back to let the nurse, or whom I assumed was his nurse, wheel him back inside.
I felt my chest feel warm all of sudden, a feeling I hadn't felt since I saw Claire...
Could this be what its like to be human?
[Claire POV]
I paced between two chairs as the clock ticked past two hours. Still no word on Emily. Milo was sitting with his leg crossed over the other, watching me pace.
"This is one of the best hospitals on New York," He tried to encourage me. "She'll be just fine."
"And what if she isn't? Hmm?" I turned on him, his sudden change of expression making me rethink my words. "I'm sorry, Milo. I'm scared, thats all."
"We're all scared," He stood up, stepping closer to me. "Its simply how we face that fear."
"Hospitals are not my thing." I shivered, rubbing my arms.
"I get it. Oh, I'm not sure if this a good time, but Eric is right outside."
"Wait, what??" I looked at him.
"Yeah, I just saw him with a kid. He's helping him with the monkey bars."
"Excuse me." I brushed past him, shoving my phone back in my pocket and weaving between doctors and nurses, and the occasional visitor.
I quickly found the outside door where the pediatric area was. A small wheelchair accessible playground stood under a shady area with kids everywhere. I glanced around the area, looking for that tall, battle ready frame I felt strangely safe with. I spotted him standing next to one of the small trees that shaded the area. He was gorgeous. His mask was gone, revealing his chiseled jawline and four day growth, adding that certain ruggedness, to put it simply.
I stood like a rock for a long moment, watching him. It wasn't before his silver eyes glanced over in my direction I felt my heart start up again.
"Claire..." I heard him murmur, striding over to me with the most compassionate face I would have never imagined on him.
I didn't even try to speak but fell into his arms, sobs threatening to rack my body again.
"Hey..."He shushed me, running his hands, not gloved, running through my hair. His warmth was like nothing else. "I'm right here, its fine."
"I don't know what to do!" I whined, tears threatening to fall. All through the years I've shoved my fear down and walked right through it, now it was coming back to haunt me.
"Claire." he took my chin, making me look into his steel eyes. "You can't let this overthrow you. You're bigger than it. Alright?"
"Okay..." I blew out my breath, raking my hair away from my face. "She my only one.."
"You want to go somewhere else instead of the middle of the road?" His soft tone made my lips tug into a small smile. Nodding, I followed him numbly as we walked to a quieter section, the trees more thick and the dappled lighting was golden.
"Will she alright?" His voice startled me from my numbness. "Emily. I heard her leg might have to come off
"I don't know. She went into surgery and I haven't heard anything yet." My gaze dropped to the concrete.
"But there is something I want to know."
"Alright..."
"Who are you??" I let go of his hand.
"Even I'm not sure. A creep? Yes. Human...I don't know."
"You care. That should make you human."
"It should." He turned away. "But I still don't do right by other's view."
"Does that make it wrong?"
"In their eyes it does."
"But morally-"
"Vigilante justice is better than no justice at all." He looked at me for a long moment before turning away again. "If no one else will do it, I have to."
"Isn't that taking the law into your own hands??"
"In a sense. I help the enforcement while keeping the fear in the syndicates. A phantom can do more than rules in this game."
"I think I understand. But thats just your mask. I want to know you." I set my hand on his chest where his heart was. A slight thumping tickled my fingers.
"What do you mean?"
"I want to know if you're real. Live and genuine."
He reached and held my wrists, gently rubbing his thumb over the top of my hand. "My name is Eric Kyattes, I'm 29 and I want you."
"Me?" I gasped. "Whats so special about me?"
"Everything." He whispered. "Your heart, your willingness to get up and go. I need that. Please, Claire."
He was so desperate, he even tried to hide his anxiousness by closing his eyes.
"Eric," I felt his fingers pull away. "You've been alone for so long. I-..."
"I'm sorry, this was wrong. I know its hard."
"I'm not angry, just-"
"I know. Here," He reached into his pocket and pulled out a pen. Taking my arm, he wrote a number on my wrist. "I'm always listening."
I stared at the digits for a moment, his handwriting was so smooth and fluid. But when I looked up again, he was gone.