Promise from the heart

Chapter 33

Charlie tensed with anger and he flinched as his body objected to the movement.

"Lay still" she urged him and he nodded slightly.

"Their neighbours, an old couple, had come over and found them both. Jordan's father had been laying in the backyard, unconscious, with a wound on his head."

She scoffed and under her breath she said "Good riddance."

Charlie chuckled darkly into the mask. He had no compassion to extend to that man. Good riddance indeed.

"Then they found Jordan. He was in a very bad condition. When the ambulance arrived, the old couple were doing CPR and had managed to keep the boy breathing, keep his heart beating.

He too was rushed into surgery right away. But unlike you, my dear, he woke up right away. And you know who else did?"

He narrowed his eyes. "Who?"

"His uncle." She smiled warmly and Charlie grinned.

"The doctor's don't know what happened. Jordan went into surgery and when he was in there, his uncle had just opened his eyes, as if he'd just been taking a nap. He didn't wake up confused either. He was completely lucid, asking for both Jordan and for you."

She tilted her head and looked curiously at Charlie, who blushed slightly.

"How did Jordan's uncle know you?" she asked.

Charlie removed his mask slightly. "He may have come to me a few weeks ago, asking for help. He may have been put in a coma by Jordan's father. He may have sat beside me while I was lying in the house, waiting for the ambulance. Maybe." he said and put the mask back on.

Ariel looked at him stunned. She blinked a few times and then shook her head, as if that would help her understand. "I see."

"So Jordan is okay?"

She smiled knowingly. "You really like that boy, huh?"

"I love him." he said and blushed.

Ariel poorly masked her surprise before she continued, "He's okay, love. He was in a bad state, but not nearly as bad as you." she frowned.

"He too seemed to know about you, the second he woke up. The first thing he said was your name. Even though his uncle who had been in a coma sat right next to him, awake." she snorted.

"So I think he likes you too."

Charlie grinned. "I think so too... I can't believe Carl is finally awake. His husband will be over the moon." 

Ariel smiled at her boy's kind heart before continuing. 

"Jordan's father, he... he woke up before the second ambulance could take him. He saw the police and he wasn't in the mood to cooperate. He had yelled at the police, saying that his son and his..." she clenched her jaw and closed her eyes, "you, deserved everything they got. The police asked him to stand down and when he tried to attack them with a bat, the stupid fuck..."

He snorted. He had never loved his aunt more.

"...they shot him." she said matter-of-factly, as if discussing what they were going to eat for supper.

"Did he die?" He asked in the same tone.

"Dead as a door nail."

Charlie nodded and put his mask back on again.

"I believe Jordan will live with his uncle from now on. And his uncle's husband." she smirked.

He just smiled. "I'm glad."