Small Bump [EN]

Chapter 20

Anne opened her eyes slowly, trying to get her bearings. A familiar cry came from her left, from Jason's crib.

The walls of her old apartment greeted her with an almost forced familiarity, had it all been a dream? Had Justin never returned?

The little one gave a yelp demanding her attention and, just as she was about to get up to tend to him, Justin came through the bedroom door.

"I got it," he reported as the girl watched him take the baby in his arms gently.

"What happened?" she asked puzzled. "What...?" she shook her head. "Did the police catch John? Are you hurt?"

The brunette laughed. "I don't know what you're talking about. Can you hold him while I get his bottle ready?" he said placing Jason in his mother's arms.

Anne watched as the boy headed for the bedroom door without paying much attention to her questions. "You were in London," Justin paused before he left the room and turned to her. "You left."

He frowned. "Why would I leave? I have everything I want right here," he smiled and, after a few seconds, spun around resuming his task.

A gun settled on his forehead and, slowly, John's figure appeared through the door. Anne froze.

"Hello, Annie," the man said and pulled the trigger.

The girl woke up feeling the adrenaline rushing through her blood at extreme speeds. Her heart was pumping like crazy and her body was covered in cold sweat.

A few hours ago she had received a call from Justin saying that John had been captured and he would be at the cabin soon. Pattie had suggested that she take a nap while she took care of Jason and she had done just that.

She picked up her phone and looked at the time. She had been asleep for 40 minutes.

She needed to call the boy to make sure everything was okay. She needed to calm the heaviness in her chest.

Just as she was about to press the call button, a light knock on the door caught her attention. Dr. Frank peeked through the door.

"May I come in?" he asked. She nodded. "I received the biopsy results. Apparently, we're not dealing with anything cancerous; however, it would be optimal to prepare you for removal surgery as soon as possible, before the tumor obstructs further and causes you more severe pain."

"I must... I must see Justin first."

"Anne, I know this is a difficult time, but we need to prioritize your health. I'm sure Justin is fine. The police is with him. We need to get back to Barrie to get everything ready as soon as possible."

"I can't leave yet. He said he would come here."

"We can tell him to meet us at the hospital. It'll take him a few hours to get out of the station. Ryan will be in the loop."

***
Pattie looked out the window at the light of patrol cars coming at high speed toward the front of the cabin. The sirens interrupted the silence in the place almost as if they were adding danger to the atmosphere.

She made her way to the front door as she heard the doors open and close loudly.

"Clarke, what's wrong?" she asked as soon as she recognized the detective's face.

"Where are Anne and the boy?"

"They left five minutes ago, what's going on?"

The detective let out a curse as he barked orders to the officers behind him, completely ignoring the woman's request.

"Clarke, tell me what's going on," she demanded feeling her heart rate increase.

"John escaped. Jeremy is in the hospital and we still can't find Justin. We need to locate Anne and Jason immediately."

***
Anne looked down at the little boy in her arms sleeping peacefully. She thought of everything they had come so far in such a short time and was glad to know that a better future was smiling at her.

"What the hell...?" she heard Dr. Frank say as he pulled the car to a stop. A police cruiser was blocking the road.

"I'll get out and see what's going on," Ryan reported getting out of the vehicle. He walked a few feet before the patrol car's speaker came to life.

"Well, well, what do we have here?", Anne felt a cold sweat run down her spine as she recognized that voice. "Annie, my dear, let's get this show over with once and for all. This behavior of yours would embarrass your mother. Get away from those people and come to your real family," silence reigned for a few seconds. "Shall I give you some encouragement?", the back door of the cruiser opened and Justin was dragged out of it. John stood beside him as he scratched his chin with a pistol.

Ryan started running toward his friend, but a bullet in his leg stopped him. Dr. Frank came out at that moment, after securing the car, to treat him.

"John, please, let's calm down," the man said with his hands in the air.

"Was I not clear? I want Anne and that child over here right now. I didn't want to get to this point, but you guys made me," he pointed at Justin's head causing Dr. Frank to stop his steps. "I'll count to 3."

"No!" Anne shouted getting out of the car with Jason in her arms. The little boy began crying at that moment, feeling his mother's fear merge with his body. She hugged him a little tighter as she walked to the front of the car, ignoring Dr. Frank's stares. "Please let him go."

A wry laugh escaped John's lips. "Your mother would be ashamed to see how pathetic you've become."

"I'll go with you, I promise, but let him and Jason go."

"Anne, don't...," Justin began, but a punch to his jaw shut him up. The girl took that distraction as an opportunity to put the baby in the driver's seat.

"You're trying my patience," his lip quivered, "I want you to get that child here now!"

"I'll go in his place. Just leave Justin alone."

"Listen to me, Annie. This must end once and for all. Your mother must be avenged and the only way we can do that is to kill that child."

"Why don't you kill me?" she questioned in a harsher tone than she intended. The very mention of her son made it difficult for her to contain her anger.

"Because you're not the one who should pay for everything that happened."

"The only one to blame for everything that happened is you! Don't you understand it yet? It was you who abandoned mom with those gangsters - you destroyed our family!"

John put the gun back on Justin's temple. "Enough! You bring that boy here or I swear I'll put a bullet through his skull!"

"Anne, just go away," Justin pleaded.

"Give me that child!"

"Please, just go away. I'm sorry I wasn't the man you and Jason needed," tears streamed down the girl's face. "If things have to end this way, I'm glad it's protecting you guys."

"You guys are so pathetic," John laughed. Police sirens blared in the distance, increasing with each passing second. " You are so disgusting and sickeningly pathetic," his laughter ceased as he pulled the safety on the gun.

"It's okay, love," the brunette assured as the girl began backing away hesitantly.

A shot rang through the air, paralyzing everyone's movements.

The gun fell from John's hands as blood began to mix with his saliva.

"I'm so sorry, John," the brown-haired woman said holding a gun tightly in her hands.
The man collapsed, feeling weak from the loss of blood. "Rose... My Rose..."