CAPTIVITY

48. My Lonely Sunshine

(Ashley POV)

"You are my sunshine,
 my little sunshine,
 you make me happy when times are gray,
you'll never know dear,
how much I love you,
please don't take my sunshine away," 

Finley sings to himself as he faces the window sill. The nurse AI drone gives the first round of shots for the day as I lay my arm on the table.

 "Your son has a beautiful voice," It says and I look over at my beautiful little boy. 

"Fin, where did you learn that song from?" I ask him and he stops without turning to me. 

"Daddy sings it to me sometimes when I cried at night and couldn't sleep because I missed you, too much," He puts it so bluntly it took me a few seconds to realize what he was saying. 

"Oh Johnny," I mumble under my breath as Finley continues singing. 

"The other night dear, 
as I lay sleeping, 
I dreamed I held you in my arms,

But when I awoke dear,
I was mistaken,
So I hung my head and I cried-"

A loud screech and a bang come from outside the window, thankfully disrupting my son's song before he puts me into a depression. 

But with the bang came this strange feeling that overwhelms me to the point where I felt like I was going to be sick. I close my eyes and curse the medication coursing through my veins. 

"PAPA!" He screams my name and runs from the window and into my arms startling both myself and the drone as it finishes up. 

"Jeez, what's wrong buddy?" I ask as he clutches my shirt. 

"There was an accident outside papa, I saw it, I saw it all," He cries and the drone finishes bandaging my arm before I stand up with him in my arms.

 Peeking out the window to see an accident with a hovering semi truck and a crowd of doctors and nurses surrounded the area.

 It was a gory scene and there was a lot of blood on the road, we were so high up I couldn't make out who the people where but I could tell they were badly injured. 

One had a doctor on top of them, pumping their chest as the doctor tries to resuscitate whoever it is. The other person had a white blanket cast over him.

 Clearly, a lost cause by the time they got there.

I pull away from the window and put Fin down on the ground.

 "These things happen sometimes buddy. This is why daddy and I always tell you that you have to look out for cars before crossing the street." I remind him and he gives a sharp nod. 

"I know Papa, when I ran away, I made sure to stay away from the road so I didn't become roadkilled Finley cause being roadkilled would probably hurt like hell and I don't like being in pain." He says and I roll my eyes. He's definitely intelligent, at least to some degree. 

"Papa, daddy said you were alive but I thought he was lying because all my friends at school said you were dead. Where have you been all this time?" He asks, looking up at me with his pleading gauze. I clear my throat and get down on one knee so I was at eye level with my son.

The bright white light from the sun outside window reflects into the room and bounces off Finley making it appear as if he was covered in a light halo of light. For the first time in months, I take a good look at him. Examining every detail of his precious little face filled with innocent wonder and never-ending questions. He's a lot shorter than other children his age, but he's always falling behind on the growth curb because he's such a picky eater. 

His little freckles were visible in the light against his slightly tanned skin and the tiny flecks of gray stood out against the brown in his almond-shaped eyes. His soft dark brown curls flow just like a halo around his dimpled cheeks. I rested my hands on his shoulders and he gives me a strange pout.

 "Papa, why are you looking at me like that?" He asks, taking me back to the present.

 "Because you're so beautiful Finley," I whisper gently, pushing a small curl to the side. 

"I'm was very sick, which is why you didn't see me for a few months, but I'm going to get better soon so I'll be with you and daddy in a few more days okay?" I explain and he quietly nods. That shy side he gets from his father was shining through and I couldn't help myself as I pull him into my arms again and hold him close. 

"I'm sorry that you're sick Papa, and I hope you get better soon because I love you," He whispers in our native language of Alohowa instead of English. His voice was so soft and sweet but he smelled like dirt and blood. 

"I love you too buddy but you really need a shower. Why don't you-" I'm cut off when the door suddenly opens.

 "Are you Ashley Grayson? The spouse of Jonathan Grayson?"

A police drone asks and I'm quick to stand, my son hides behind my leg.

 "Yes?" Confused I hold up my wrist and the drone scans it. 

"What trouble could my husband possibly get himself into within a half hour?" I ask half joking but half seriously.

 "Come with me," A police officer says, walking up behind the drone. She has a weary smile on her face once she sees Finley. 

"We have reason to believe your husband was one of the victims of a major accident that took place outside the hospital this morning,"