HEAT in New Orleans || Marcel Gerard

Chapter 23: A Mystery Date

Chapter Twenty Three

"Come now, just one sip," I said to Kieran gently while Josh held my uncle up, towards a corner of the room. I was trying to hand uncle K a cup of water. We were back in the church attic per his request, granted he could roam around freely, at least in the attic instead of chained to a couple feet per Marcel and Cami's idiot decision making.

"No," Uncle spat, flinging his hand and knocking the plastic cup from my grasp. "Uh! I know who you are, you hateful bitch."

"It's your niece," I replied calmly, trying to get through to him now. He's been getting worse and since Klaus said Genevieve wouldn't help, I turned to Davina for help. She was glad to try but said it would take her some time.

Uncle K turned to Josh then, his face crumbling in anguish, "Oh, Sean, I tried to help you. I tried to save you, but this city... this city is full of monsters."

Josh glanced at me then back at him, gulping and awkwardly saying, "Uh, yeah. Trust me, I know," he replied to the priest. Then he looked over at me, shaking his head, "Remind me to never piss off a witch."

With a scream, Kieran crumbled to the floor, his whole body shaking. "Help me lay him on his side!" I shouted to Josh as I dropped to the ground and tried to turn his body.

Josh helped and Kieran slowly stopped seizing, breathing hard. "Gemma," he called out.

"I'm here, Uncle K. You're alright," I said as calmly as I could.

He didn't seem to hear or comprehend anything I said. His head dropped and he stared into the distance as I tried to stop my racing heart. I hated seeing him like this. It scared me and made me anxious. The stress I had to protect him, had my body tense and my mind overwhelmed.

"What do you want from me?" Kieran asked no one in particular—not that I could see. He pulled away from us and backed into a corner, knees to his chest and his arms wrapped around him.

I grabbed Josh and ushered him to the door. "I thank you for coming to check on him and helping me. I just... he can't fend for himself at this... moment," I told him.

"No problem. I was um, in the neighborhood."

I nodded, distractedly. I left Kieran a tray of food and hopefully he will eat but I needed to get myself to work. "I have to get to work so... I'll see you around?" I shrugged.

"Yeah, sure," he mumbled as I brushed by him, giving him a dismissive pat on the shoulder to head for the short balcony trip to the stairs. "Hey, Gemma, wait!"

I stopped abruptly, "What?"

"Marcel told me to come," he confessed.

I raised my brows, "Oh. Okay. Still, thank you."

"He wanted me to check on Kieran. And to check on you. He wanted me to find out how you're doing," Josh continued.

I smirked bitterly, "Tell him to worry about my sister not me." Josh looked dumbfounded, jaw ajar as I joyfully went down the steps.

Thankfully my job was in walking distance so I didn't bother to move my car. After my 6 hours I'd be back to check on my Uncle. I was getting worried. The longer this went on the worse his mind would get and this plan was contingent on the fact he could be saved by psychological therapy when this was all said and done, magically that is.

"Mmm-mm. No way, Marcel," I heard my sister hissing quietly. Her back to me as I entered, she was cowering in a corner, not to be on her phone while running the bar. I slowed my walk to eavesdrop her side of the conversation. What a coincidence about these two. "How? By getting yourself killed? You have a target on your back, Marcel. The last thing I need is for you to get hurt because of me," she said. I couldn't barely contain my eye roll. "I got this. You come here, I'll throw you out myself, all right? I mean it."