In search for the origins

Part 22

Sue

As I drove Charles to the airport, I knew there was something worrying him, though I didn't know whether to ask or not. I barely knew him, and even if I was going steady with his nephew, he had no real reasons to trust me. We were almost arriving when he asked me if I was in a hurry...

-II need to ask you something. I'm really worried about May. Back at your place, when you and Andy were in the porch, she asked me if I knew someone who could help them go to Canada. It's...

-It's just foolish! How could she ever have such an idea? I will talk to her, sure...I know this ain't easy, but that's not the way to arrange things... She should go on with the emancipation, as she thought in the first place. I will have to talk yo my father too, he might know some lawyer...

-I'll take care of that, don't you worry. One of my best friends in Billings is a lawyer...you know, the Comissioner is supposed to have good friends. I'll talk to him tonight, and  will ask him if he can come here for a couple days.

Charles's plane finally took off, and I drove back home, trying to figure out how could I convince Andy and May not to run away to Canada.

 I arrived home later that afternoon. It shocked me not seeing my father's car by the doorway. I opened  with an awful feeling, and that silence gave me the chills. Then, I saw my mother's note: " Sue, we're in the hospital. Your father has just had an accident. Come as soon as you read this. XX, Ma"

I went out again and drove off to the hospital, with a heavy heart and warm, salty tears running down my cheeks.

*******

I was trying my best to focus all my senses in Biology and the exam I was about to have, when I heard a kind of argument downstairs. I got up from the chair, and before going down, I knocked on Becky's room, knowing May would be there...both of them looked at me kinda scared, specially May...she had recognised Richard Stevens's voice as much as I had.

-Don't go down, ok? There's nothing to worry about, Becky...-And I winked at her, in an attempt to confort her... I closed the door and went downstairs. Hugh, Sue's father, was having a more than heated discussion with Stevens.

-I've come here to take my daughter back home, and neither you or anybody else would stop me! So, tell her to come or I will go looking for her.

-She's a guest here, and will stay as much as she wants! And don't even think of putting a feet in my house, Richard!

-This is all your fault!-Stevens had seen me, at last- We had a normal life until you had that stupid idea of looking for your real parents! And what did you win with it, huh? We should have left you at the orphanage that day, you jerk!

Stevens was deffinitely out of control, and Hugh couldn't stop him any more. He stormed into the house, and ran upstairs. Hugh went after him.  

Then, it all happened in the blink of an eye. I saw Stevens turning around and pushing Hugh...who fell backwards and stood there, inconscious.

-No! Hugh!

Stevens looked at me, and to be true, I thought that there was guilt in his eyes. Without saying a word, he left the house and drove away.  I took Hugh's pulses, they were quite unsteady. I hurried to the phone, and called an ambulance . Right then, Sue's mother, Joanne, was opening the door.

-I've just seen...Hugh! What happened, Andy? It was...?

I nodded silently, while I told the doctors the address they would have to go to. As soon as I hung, I told Joanne everything...she was pretty scared, and asked me to keep Becky company until the ambulance came.

*****

May

 I told Becky to stay in her room, and went out of it . I stayed on top of the stairs, and my heart pounded when I saw my foster father coming. Then, as if it were in file motion, I saw him pushing Sue's father, who just fell. I held a cry and went back to Becky's room... After a short while, Andy came in and told us what had happened. Becky ran downstairs with her parents, and I just sat on the bed...

-Why can't he just leave us alone?