Returned

Chapter 23

The alarm began to buzz and I woke up. I went to shake John awake but I realised I was in my own bedroom. Jake wasn't in the room. He must have been in the shower. I walked into Johns room.

"Wake up."

He groaned and turned away from me and went back to bed. I walked in and tried to drag him out by his arm but he was stronger than me, so I took his duvet.
"Come on your going to be late."

I put the duvet on the other side of the room, on the wooden chair.

I grabbed some clothes and headed into the bathroom when Jake came out.  I looked away from him and tried to walk straight in, but he grabbed my arm.

"Kiera, I'm sorry about what I said last night, it wasn't fair."

"I know you didn't mean it" I looked down "but it still hurt."

"And I'm sorry, I was half asleep I didn't know what I was saying."

"It's okay, I forgive you." I smiled.

"Kiss and make up?"
I grinned and gave him a quick peck and entered the bathroom.

***

I was packing Johns sandwiches and they both came down. Jake first then a few minutes later John.

"I can take John to school today." Feeling as though he was going to say the wrong thing to John, I declined.

"No it's okay, I can take him." I handed John his sandwiches.

"Honestly it's not a problem."

"Jake-" John cut me off.

"Mom, it's okay, I'll go with dad."

I smiled to hide the growing worry. "Are you sure?"

"Yes"
I nodded and gave John a hug and a kiss and whispered "if he says anything mean, jump out the car."

He smiled and they left, I grabbed my keys and left a little while later.

Johns POV.

The car ride was just silent, I think he didn't know how to say what he wanted to say. I went to turn the radio on but he spoke.
"Your mother tells me that you're, gay."
Here it comes.

"Yeah."

"I want to understand but I don't, it's supposed to be man and women, that's how we keep the population up. Man and man don't make sense. Women and women don't either."

"Isn't there enough people in the world? And I don't get it either, I just prefer men than women. It's hard to explain."

"I don't want to be the bad guy here, I'm just looking out for you."

"I get that, but it would just be awesome if you could just accept the way I am."

He nodded but nothing more was said. We arrived outside the school. I grabbed my backpack and swung it on my back after I got out the car.

"Bye" I said as I shut the door.

"Bye" he replied. I watched him drive away and I entered the school.

I waited outside the classroom and I felt someone tap me from behind.

"Hey"

"Hi"

"Did you tell them?"

"Yeah"

"How did they take it?"

"Better than I thought." I walked into class and sat down and she sat next to me. "My mom was fine, I think it was a bit of a shock but she's okay with it. My dad's just taking longer to process it all."

"He'll come around. He seems nice."
With that the teacher entered the room and started the lesson. Harley was my best friend, she was the only one that didn't care about my sexuality. She stuck up for me through everything.

Kiera's POV

I finished work and was about to enter the car when my phone rang.
"Hello?"

"Hello, this is Saffron I'm calling regarding Jake."

"Is he okay?"

"He was shot in the line of duty and is currently in Oakland hospital."

I gasped "Oh my god."
I hung up and jumped in the car and drove there as fast as I could.

I ran up to reception.

"I'm here for Jake carter, I'm his wife."

"His in the surgery room right now. Removing the bullet."

I could feel the tears fighting to be released.
"If you take a seat and I'll let you know when you can see him."

I took a seat and sat in shock. I began to sob, I put my head in my hands and just waited, all these feeling were running around my body. All these thoughts, what if I loose him? How do I tell John? I tried to snap out of the thoughts.

I called Johns school and asked to speak with him. I waited a while then I heard him answer.
"Hello?"

"John, your dad's in hospital." I began sobbing. "He, he, got sh-sh-shot."

"I'm on my way." He hung up and I sat there with the phone still next to my ear. I didn't know what to do.

Minutes felt like hours. I sat alone, and cried. I didn't know how long I was there for.
"MOM!" I heard a voice call out to me. Then arms wrap around me. I cried into his chest. After many tears I felt a little better. I wiped my face and made my way to the toilets to wash my face. I looked up and saw myself in the mirror. My eyes were blood red and watery, I looked like a mess, without Jake, that's all I was, a mess. I walked back to John who was sat there, staring at nothing. I took a seat next to him and it was just silent which made waiting even longer.

"What lesson did you miss?" I asked trying to get our mind off Jake.

"History, it was boring anyway."

I gave a weak laugh, and he pulled my head into his chest and hugged me.

"You're the best daughter anyone could have, do you know that?" I joked lightening the mood slightly.

"Of course I am, daughters don't get any better than me."

I chuckled and we sat in silence a little longer. The nurse from the reception desk walked up to us and said "you can see him now, but he has had a lot of anaesthetics so he may still be asleep or dazed."

"Okay."
She pointed us in the direction of Jakes room and we left without another word. I held the handle and took a deep breath and tried to embrace what was to come. I felt someone gently hold my hand, I looked down and saw John who gave me a reassuring smile. I smiled back and entered the room. I saw him lying on the bed asleep, attached to all these different machines. I sat next to him and held his hand. It was complete silence, the constant beeping was the only sound.