Zailey (Sequel) ✔️

Part Twelve

It felt like a huge weight was lifted from my shoulders as I made my way up the stairs toward my Dad's house which no longer contained my Dad.
Doctor Elsa told me my blood test confirmed I'm not pregnant.
As much as I knew deep inside my heart that I should only feel relieved about that, there was actually a small emotion swirling in me that I couldn't yet quite decipher.
She told me once I could calm down and begin to deal with the overwhelming stresses I was feeling weighing were on my shoulders in my life right now, my cycle would likely kick in or at least next month it should.
Alice helped me in remembering details about what had been going on lately and Doctor Elsa insisted she wasn't surprised my cycle was taking a break.
But she also said she understood that in itself was an extra stress and alarming for a teenager, recommending I start on The Pill.
My first months' dose was currently sitting in the front pocket of my school backpack.
I just had to work out my 'regular' time to take the tablet.
Doctor Elsa already recommended never straying any more than an hour maximum.
She was so lovely, telling me she was happy for me to become another of her regular patients.
She even offered to hook me up with some counselling, but I wasn't keen on that yet.
She urged me to sit on it and call the clinic if I changed my mind, because she was worried I was trying to shoulder too much on my own.
I didn't think I was quite at the point of needing a shrink to talk to me yet.
The safety gate at the top of the stairs was open, making me frown in confusion as I climbed the last half of the staircase.
Normally the gate is always closed, to ensure nobody forgets to close it when the young kids are around.
What's going on?
Who would leave it open?
That's just careless!
I adjusted my school backpack on my back and reached out to open the screen door to enter the house.
The door gave its usual creaking squeak which told me the hinges still needed oiling.
I just kept forgetting to mention it to any of my brother's...
Booming bark's sounded from the boofhead American Staffordshire Terrier's and their nails scratched on the floor as I heard them running as they no doubt came to see whom had arrived.
Hurrying footsteps sounded also, so I aimed for the kitchen to investigate what was going on.
"What the hell?!"
I flinched back a step at the sound of Keegan's shout.
I blinked at my next older brother, shocked.
What's his problem?
"Where the hell have you been?!"
Keegan demanded, grabbing onto the tops of my arms.
I'd figured he'd be worried and maybe a little angry I left school without a word.
But I didn't expect this.
"I- I can ex-explain."
I stammered, my heart beginning to pound in my chest.
"You'd bloody better start talking! I've been looking all over the place for you!"
Keegan yelled, his bright blue eyes frantic with anger and alarm.
"Keegan give her a chance."
I snapped my gaze from my brother's face, to see that a crowd of people were gathered behind him in our kitchen.
His friend Benjie was the one who'd urged him to relax and give me a chance to talk.
But with everybody's eyes on me, I felt my face rapidly heat up.
I'm not good at being the centre of attention.
I'd wanted this talk to be privately between Keegan and I.
"Your phone was ringing! You didn't answer! Then it was only going to voicemail!"
Keegan ranted, throwing his hands into the air in frustration.
I swallowed nervously and self consciously eyed his friends and a few of mine, who were crowded in our kitchen, expressions of relief beginning to make way onto their faces.
I didn't exactly want to tell him the details of why I'd abruptly left school.
But given the way he's currently acting, I knew I was no doubt going to have to, as mortifying as it was going to be.
He's a worrisome and protective brother and as embarrassing as it will be to confess I'd had a chance I might have been pregnant...
Keegan would hit the roof, but at least I could tell him I found out via a blood test that it was a false alarm, so his shock and worry wouldn't need to last.
"C-can we t-talk in p-private?"
I stammered, heat rising on my face as I shot an embarrassed glance towards mine and his friends.
Keegan opened his mouth to answer, but a blaring noise of some punk style music referring to brotherhood erupted in the kitchen, sounding muffled.
A knowing look passed on all of Keegan's friends' faces.
Something in the back of my brain told me I was missing something obvious, but of course I couldn't pinpoint it right now, too concerned about calming Keegan down and not letting everybody find out about what my day had been about...
Keegan kept his eyes glued to mine as he pulled his ringing phone from his pocket.
He didn't even glance at the screen to check the caller ID as he slid a finger across the screen and placed the mobile against his ear.
"She's home."
He declared, his blue eyes biting into mine.
My heart pounded in my chest.
Whoever is on the other end is on the 'find Bailey' brigade?
Oh god I hope he hasn't recruited all of our brother's in this!
"Okay."
Keegan said and pulled the phone from his ear.
He apparently ended the call, also without looking at the screen.
"Come on."
He told me and stepped forward, placing a hand on my shoulder to turn me around.
"Where are we going?"
I asked, surprised.
I've only just gotten home!
I haven't yet ditched my backpack or gotten changed out of my uniform!
"Downstairs."
My next older brother explained, guiding me towards the door.
"Keegan-"
I protested.
"Don't argue."
He all but growled.
Aaaargh!
I sighed.
"At least let me ditch my backpack."
I bargained.
This stupid thing was heavy.
"Ditch it."
He agreed, nodding towards the wall by the door.
Argh!
That's not quite what I meant!
Biting my tongue in an attempt to refrain from arguing, I slid my backpack off my shoulders and eased the weight down to the floor.
Keegan pushed the creaky screen door open and I followed him back out onto the balcony.
Voices and footsteps sounded behind me, indicating our friends were following, but I paid them little attention and instead followed Keegan down the stairs.
"What exactly are we doing?"
I asked, doing my best to keep my frustration out of my voice.
I've had a hell of a long day today in case he didn't realise!
The roar of a Diesel engine sounded in the direction of the driveway as we reached flat ground again.
Frowning in confusion, because Keegan still didn't answer me, I followed him around the corner of the under house shed and walked towards the gravel driveway.
It felt like Deja Vu seeing as I'd just been here mere moments ago.
I sighed as I caught sight of Benjie's black Ford Ranger in the driveway.
"Seriously?"
I asked, sending a frown towards Keegan.
Why would he have Benjie on the search brigade and not Arian?
Keegan shrugged.
"Well I kinda had to call him, didn't I."
Had to call-?
I frowned in bewilderment as Benjie Hunter closed the driver's door of his car and walked around the bonnet to the passenger side.
What the hell is going on?
Why would Benjie be opening the door for his passenger?
The Hunter brother's all look fairly identical, but I immediately recognised the person whom Benjie assisted down from the passenger side of the 4x4.
My jaw dropped and my eyes popped wide open, my eyeballs feeling like they might just jump out of their sockets.
Benjie pulled a pair of crutches from within the car and soon Zander was crutcher-walking his way up the last of the driveway, with Benjie trailing behind him, wearing an expressionless mask.
No doubt there was concern in his eyes behind his mirror lenses sunglasses though.
Zander's dark hair was dishevelled and his deep blue eyes cast on the gravel of the driveway as he no doubt struggled to make his way on about a fifty degree uphill angle towards the slate platform we were standing on, his mouth set into a grim line and his tanned face perhaps a little pale.
Did he seriously not inform me that he was coming home?!
How rude!
"What the hell?!"
I demanded, my shock giving way to something almost like anger.
Why the hell would he not tell me he was allowed to come home?!
Benjie smiled and shook his head, his expressionless mask breaking.
Zander's head snapped up and within seconds his gaze found mine.
I noticed relief glow in his dark, beautiful eyes, but I was too shocked and admittedly hurt to properly acknowledge it right now.
I propped my hands on my hips and stared at Zander, doing my best to telepathically inform him that I was not happy Jan!
Several feet from the couple of steps that led up to the slate platform, Zander stopped his crutches hobble and a pained grimace overtook his face.
Immediately my irritation flew out the window to be replaced with concern.
I pushed myself into gear and raced down the steps to go meet him, my heart pounding in my chest while his knuckles seemed to begin to turn pale while he gripped the pads of the crutches.
"Zan what's wrong?"
Benjie was at his side even before me, concern now clear as day on his tanned face.
"Zander?"
I asked, the anxiousness no doubt clear in my voice.
My eyes were stinging with fresh tears and I had to force myself to keep my hands at my sides, reminding myself only last minute that only a couple of weeks ago my boyfriend had his side and his right leg torn apart by the jaws of a Great White Shark.
Zander peeled his eyes open, clenched his jaw tight and tipped his head back to glare at the blue sky above.
"I'm... fine."
He eventually gritted.
The strain in his words and the grimace on his face were a strong indicator he was anything but fine, however.
Benjie turned towards the platform where most of the teens were gathered, looking on with awe as they finally saw Zander in person again for the first time since the Surf Carnival.
Only Keegan had stepped off the slate platform to join Zander, Benjie and I on the driveway.
"You've seen him, you can run along now."
Benjie informed the teens.
I almost felt sorry for them.
Almost.
But right now my priority had to be Zander.
He wouldn't want them all ogling him while he fought against no doubt severe measures of pain.
Was he even supposed to be out of hospital?
In all our visits and chats via the phone he'd not once told me they were even thinking of letting him out yet!
Whisper's sounded behind me, soon followed by the scuff of shoes against the stone surface.
"Come sit down."
Benjie urged, carefully placing a hand onto Zander's slightly shaking shoulder.
I dug my teeth into my lower lip, desperately attempting to hold back my tears.
I didn't want Zander to catch me crying over his attempts at getting back to normal life.
Zander shook his head in denial to Benjie's request.
"Sit down or it's straight back to the hospital right this second! Your choice!"
Benjie snapped, clearly at wits end.
Back to the hospital?
So Zander wasn't meant to be out?
Or Benjie was worried about his condition and wanted him checked on?
"C'mon man."
Keegan urged, taking a step backwards towards the slate patio.
Zander quite visibly sighed in resignation.
But his body soon tensed again as he prepared to get on the move again.
The nearest place he could sit, was making it to that slate patio where Keegan was now already standing again.
Thankfully it looked like everybody else had gone back inside.
They were probably frustrated, no doubt wanting a chance to talk to Zander.
But it was pretty obvious he was pushing his limits right now.
It took him a fairly obvious great deal of effort to haul himself up the couple of steps off the driveway and onto the slate patio, but he managed it, with white knuckles and a grimace on his tanned face.
Keegan already had a chair waiting for him and dashed out of sight saying he was going to get us drinks.
I knew the drink idea was more for Zander.
But Keegan and Zander understand each other.
Keegan would know Zander doesn't want to be singled out as the guy who needs special treatment.
"I'm gonna call Mum back."
Benjie muttered and headed back towards his car.
Zander and I were suddenly alone, him sitting on a sturdy deck chair with his gaze cast down at the floor that was in need of a sweep and me standing awkwardly a few feet away, completely at a loss of what to do or say.
"What happened?"
Zander finally all but whispered.
Despite the quiet volume of his voice, I jumped in surprise because of him breaking the silence.
I pressed my lips firmly together and blinked hard against my warm, salty tears.
Was now really the time to confess I'd thought I could have been pregnant?
Well you're going to have to give him something aren't you.
"O-of course I-I'm glad to s-see you, but wh-what are you d-doing here?"
I asked, sinking to my knees about a foot in front of where he was seated by an old wrought iron table.
Zander lifted his gaze to meet mine, his deep blue eyes swirling with something that I couldn't pinpoint.
My mind flashed me back to watching him crutcher walk from the car, across maybe five meters of space.
He'd been in great amounts of discomfort.
Yes, his path had been a little uphill.
But surely his Doctor's wouldn't have discharged him yet if he was still in that much pain.
"Keegan eventually rang me when he couldn't find you anywhere."
Zander all but whispered.
I literally felt my heart sink a little in my chest.
Keegan rang Zander?
What exactly did he expect Zander to be able to do from the hospital?
"I'm sorry."
The tears had built up too fast and a steady stream of them overflowed, no longer able to fit in my eye sockets.
Zander was struggling to deal with enough of his own shit without having to worry about Me on top of it!
Guilt hit me like a wave, crashing over me to ensure it soaked almost every possible inch.
"I'm so sorry."
I shifted my weight so that my butt landed on the patio and I buried my face into my hands, my voice cracking.
"Just tell me if you're okay or not?"
Wasn't it fairly obvious that I'm okay?
I was sitting before him without a mark on me, all limbs in tact.
"I'm fine."
I answered, ensuring to keep my face buried in my hands.
"Then where the hell have you been? Keegan reckons you literally told nobody and nobody saw where you went! The last person to see you was apparently the guy who's got a crush on you and even he wasn't telling Keegan anything. Your brother punched him before he finally fessed that he tried to follow you but couldn't catch you before you escaped the school."
Oh my god!
Keegan punched Andre?
What a mess!
I forced myself to drop my hands into my lap and lift my face to look at Zander's.
"I went to see a Doctor."
I confessed.
I guess I had no choice but to tell him the truth about what had happened now.
His eyes widened, surprise clearly engulfing him.
Mild anger quickly replaced it though, a scowl forming on his face.
"Why the hell wouldn't you just say you were doing that?!"
I closed my eyes, inhaling a deep breath.
I'd let him be bewildered and even a little angry for now.
Because when I confessed what it was all about, I knew I was likely to scare the pants off him.
Apparently he wanted us to wait until I was thirty!
Slowly I peeled my eyes open to find Zander staring at me, waiting.
It's now or never Bailey.
Maybe the best bet would just be to not tell him.
But we've already had our fair share of 'not saying things' getting between us.
I had to just be honest, or we'd no doubt be headed for a lifetime of suffering.
"I finally realised this morning that I was late."
I explained.
Immediately my heart began to pound inside my chest.
I could literally hear a ringing in my ears.
For an entire, long three seconds Zander's expression didn't change.
Finally, he frowned, looking confused.
"You were late so you ditched an entire day of school?"
He questioned, cocking his head slightly to the side.
My heart skipped a beat inside my chest.
He obviously didn't catch my emphasis on 'late'.
I dropped my gaze to the slate floor I was sitting on.
"Late for my period."
I explained, my cheeks flaming in a blush.
Zander didn't say a word.
The silence stretched.
My heart began to pound even harder inside my chest.
I guess I'd better hurry up and inform him that all was a false alarm.
I tipped my head back to I could look at his ashen face.
He was staring, seemingly unseeingly and I could quiet literally see the wheels spinning inside his head.
"Blood test said we're in the clear."
I whispered, attempting to gain his attention.
He snapped his attention to my face, blinking quickly.
"What?"
He croaked.
I couldn't help but smile slightly.
He's just so damn adorable!
"False alarm."
I told him.
I could see the relief evident in his eyes before he closed them, the serenity of his expression looking like somebody had poured a bucket of cool water over his head on a hot Summer day.
"Everything okay?"
I shot Keegan a quick smile as he approached, carrying a small stack of soft drink can's.
Zander opened his eyes and shot him a quick glance.
"All good."
"Good to hear."
My brother stated and offered us each a drink.
Zander instantly popped his open and immediately sculled a few long gulps.