My Partner Against Crime

Chapter 51

I hug Spencer again before my brothers and I leave Jason's house.

We get into the car and my mind is racing with memories.

"Shit this is weird." Anthony leans forward and rests his cheek against my seat.

"I know... I haven't seen him in years." I take a deep breath. I feel like I could have a panic attack at any second.

"I think we'll regret it if we don't see him." Jason says. I partially agree with him. 
-

When we arrive at the hospital it starts feeling real. The three of us check in and put on our visitor stickers.

"Room 307." Anthony and I follow behind Jason.

When we get into the elevator none of us say anything. I'm still trying to process the fact that I'm going to see my brother on his death bed.

It's a short walk from Chris's room from the elevator. Jason stops and turns around to face us.

"How are we doing this? Should we go in at the same time?" I look back from Jason to Anthony.

"I guess we'll just all go in? I don't think I want to be alone with him." I say, and wait for one of my brothers to enter the room first.

I follow behind them, my heart is racing fast enough that I swear everyone can hear it. When I walk into my room my mom stands up from the couch and hugs me.

"He's hemorrhaging, he doesn't have a lot of time left." I pull back from the hug and see my pale brother laying in his hospital bed with his left wrist cuffed to the bed.

"Hey Chris." I manage to get out. I walk closer to his bed.

"I've been wanting to see you all so badly, I guess all I should've gotten stabbed sooner." He jokes.

"We just wanted to say bye to you." Anthony says. Blunt, but that's Anthony.

"Thank you for coming. Marina, can I talk to you alone for a minute?" I bite my lip. I knew he would do this.

"I don't think that's a good idea." Jason says for me, I smile at him.

"It's okay." Jason waits a second to see if I change my mind, then he leads everyone out of the room.

I move to the seat next to the bed.

"I know you hate me, but I can't tell you how happy I am to have you here with me." His cuffed hand reaches for my free one.

"I never said I hated you, and mom told us your were dying."

"She's right. I don't think I'll even be around tonight. It's bad, Mar." I give in and hold his hand. I no longer see my killer of a brother, but the kid that I grew up with, my goofy brother who I loved.

"How are things with you? You don't ever respond to my letters. Are you still with Adam?" I wipe my eyes with my free hand.

"No, but I'm married now, to a guy named Spencer. He's great, I've always thought if things were different you two would get along." His eyes slightly widened.

"Married now? Shit, that's great. I'm guessing you don't have kids? I know you've never wanted any." I laugh and blink away the tears clouding my vision.

"Things have sort of changed. We have an eleven year old boy we adopted and... I can't believe I'm telling you this because not even the rest of the family knows this but... I'm pregnant." His eyes open wider.

"Really? That's amazing, I'm so happy for you. I wish I could be around for that. Do you have pictures?" I frown. If he wasn't dying I wouldn't have come to see him, let alone let my kids near him.

"Uh, Yeah." I let go of his hand and unlock my phone. I don't have to scroll far in my camera roll to find a picture of the three of us. I hand him my phone.

"Wow, he actually looks like you guys. I mean it, if I didn't know you adopted him I would've assumed he was yours. What's his name?" He continues to stare at the picture.

"Marshall." He smiles, and hands my phone back to me.

"Look, I wanted to tell you that I'm sorry about the last time we talked. I don't mean on my birthday when you answered my call, but before I went to jail, I've thought about that every day since. I'm so sorry, you have never deserved for me to talk to you that way. I hope you don't remember me like that." I shake my head.

"I don't." I stand up.

"I should probably bring everyone back in."

"Wait." I stop, hearing the desperation in his weak voice.

"I love you, I'm sorry for all of this." I bite my shaky lip. Say it, you'll regret it, if you don't.

"I love you too."

I sit on the couch with my brothers while my mom sits in the seat next to the bed quietly talking with Chris.

I involuntarily start crying as I hear his monitor go off, and the sound of my mom yelling out to Chris. People flood in the room and attempt to revive my broken brother. I watch Jason hold my mom as she sobs into his chest. Anthony wraps his arm around my shoulder, and I rest my head on his shoulder.

I know he's gone, even as I watch the nurses try and try to bring him back.