From Pune Sector

Chapter 26 || "Bruno."

"And I will hold
I'll hold onto you
No matter what this world'll throw
It won't shake me loose

I'll reach my hands out in the dark
And wait for yours to interlock
I'll wait for you
I'll wait for you."

-Don't give up on me, Andy Grammer

Chapter 26

I woke up groggily to the loud blaring of not mine but Jeremy's ringtone. I groaned.

"Jeremy!"

"I can't reach it right now, my hands are-"

"I don't care, shut it off-"

"Wait, it's grandpa-Hello?"

"It's been a while since the old folks called-" I smirked while sitting up straight, suddenly hyped about talking to my grandparents.

While I was struggling to get out of my bed though, Jeremy appeared in front of my room, his hand outstretched and a distraught expression on his face.

"Wha-"

"The call is for you," he said quietly.

My heart galloped in my throat as I stumbled towards him before grabbing the phone in a haste.

"Jennifer, darling," a soft gruff voice came from the other side.

"Yes, Benny," I mumbled.

Benny was what I called my maternal grandfather. It was an inside joke which always stayed between us, its source long forgotten.

"Jen-" he sighed again.

"Benny, you're scaring me, is naanu alright?"

"Your grandmother is alright-"

"You-"

"Your grandfather is well too-"

My heart skipped a beat.

"Bruno?" I whispered quietly.

Another sigh.

"Bruno was vomiting blood in the morning, we rushed him to the hospital-"

"What?"

"But don't worry, he is stable now, the doctors are-"

"Where are you?"

"You don't have to worry-"

"Benny!" I shouted before Jeremy snatched the phone from me and placed it on his ear.

"Yes-" Jeremy was nodding frantically while walking away from me, but I followed him determinedly wanting to know any piece of information about Bruno.

My Bruno.

I had to get to him.

"Jeremy," I whimpered as he came to a stop in front of our couch. He patted it while continuing to mumble to my grandfather. I quietly sauntered to him and collapsed on it, exhaustion hitting me while he rested his hand on my head, petting me softly.

"Yes, I will. Keep us updated," he said before ending the call. He sat next to me and I curled up to him, his arm coming around me. His warmth giving me the comfort only a brother can.

"What did he say?" I mumbled into his hoodie.

"Bruno is stable at the moment-"

"What do you mean by at the moment?" I asked gently, not wanting to lose my temper.

"The docs aren't saying much to them either, but both of them are there-"

"We should be there too-"