I Swear It All Over Again (Book 1)

Chapter 23

~~ Annabel's pov ~ ~

"I saw the video of Ray on skates. "Henry laughs. It was at least two o'clock in the morning and Henry hasn't left my side. I've been here since eleven o' clock and not it's two o'clock. 

"He's actually really good at roller-skating, until he ran into a trash can." I say still holding the rose I had in my hand. "This must have cost you a lot of money. " I lean down and smell the rose. Henry just shrugged as he looked over at me.

"Anything is worth getting you to smile," he says and I suddenly felt my heart melt with desire, "are you hungry?" Henry adds while I laid back on the pillow. I shook my head and he nods. I watched him slowly grab my hand then start rubbing his thumb on the palm of my hand.

I felt my eyes get heavy again as I yawned when I seen that Henry had his eyes getting heavy too. Has he been here since I first got in the hospital? And where's my dad? I'm in the hospital and my own dad isn't even with me. Henry's probably been here for hours and hours, and that's Ray's job to sit next to me in the hospital.

But it looks like I already have someone doing that.

~~Rays pov ~ ~

Kelly has her index finger under my chin that was keeping my head up. I felt a hand slap me across the face and I saw that Kelly had slapped me. She looked at me with a death look that made me stiffen up.

"Now you listen to me! You are not going to stop being Captain Man cause Swellview needs you. Your sidekick probably can't handle all this by himself, because he's only fourteen and goes to school and has to deal with all this. If you stop being Captain Man this town is going to fall apart fast. It is not your fault that Bella is dead or that Annabel is in the hospital. What you need to understand is that everyone in Swellview looks up to you. Annabel looks up to you. Annabel needs a father that won't sit in his chair all day crying his eyes out.'' Kelly pauses before continuing again.

"I bet you, Bella is up there in heaven looking down on you with a halo that shines like the sun, and huge angel wings and a white dress. If Bella was still here and sitting next to you and you asked her if you should try and go find love again. She would say yes! Bella would want you to be happy and I know that Bella isn't like any other girl. I know that relationships with other girls probably didn't work out that well in the past. But that doesn't mean that you should stop cause you deserve to have someone that will stay by you even when your sad or mad." Kelly said and I thought she was finished, but I was wrong cause right as I opened my mouth she started up again.

"You need to understand that everyone looks up to you as Captain Man. Everyone in Swellview needs to know that there is someone out there that will save the town of Swellview. Annabel looks up to you as one of the coolest people in the world. I know that this must be really hard on you, but that doesn't mean that you should just stop being Captain Man. Swellview needs you, Annabel needs you and I need you!" I looked at her and did I just hear that Kelly needs me? Like the man that Kelly hated for some of the weirdest reasons.

"None of this is your fault Ray and the sooner you accept that the better you will feel. And when you finally realize that, you better get your lazy butt up, wipe your tears away and become a man! And come talk to me because we are going to go get those four men that are after Annabel, and they are going to pay for what they have done." Kelly says while pulling her hoodie down and turning her whole body around and walking away from me. I saw her walk away from me and leave me sitting on the bench.

Boomer walked over to me and sat next to my leg. I sat there with a blank face trying to figure out what all I just heard from Kelly. I never really knew that Kelly could do that. It shocked me so much. I started petting Boomer and let out a small smile.

"Maybe she's right. Maybe I should let go of Bella and move on. What do you think?" I asked Boomer and he looked at me. Boomer started to bark and run around in circles.

"I guess, that's a yes." I said looking up in the sky. I sighed and decided that its time go check on Annabel and see if she's okay. All I know is that her head was bleeding there were cuts on her legs and arms. I got off the bench and started walking with Boomer back to Junk N Stuff. Kelly is really going to help me find those four men. When has Kelly ever done anything for me? Never. Kelly has never done anything to help me out. This is just not like the Kelly I knew back twenty something years ago. Something is up with Kelly but I just can't put my finger on it.

I opened the doors to Junk N Stuff and instantly Gooch told me that someone just robbed a baby store. "A baby store?" I asked as Boomer ran in the store then almost knocked a glass cup over.

"I know right. People are weird in so many ways." Gooch said keeping a eye on Boomer as he started wagging his tail.

"Okay I guess, I'll get on it." I said pulling out my gum and chewing it. I formed in my costume since there wasn't any costumers in the store. I walked out of the store and went to the man van.

I called Henry, but he never came. Strange right? I wonder what he's doing. After this I was going to go check in on Annabel, but when Henry never came to help me out and I started to get worried. What if something horrible happened to him. After that one time when Henry almost got kidnapped and shot. Who knows what could have happened.

I quickly went to the hospital and went up to the front desk, still wearing my costume.

"Room 106." The girl behind the counter said and I looked at her weirdly. "You're here for Annabel Lanette Manchester. Your sidekick came in here hours ago and said that you two wanted to ask her questions, about the men in the black car. . .right?" I nodded and turned around then started walking to the direction of room 106. How did Henry know about the men in the black car? Has Henry been here for hours. How long has he been here? That's why he never came to help me out. Why would Henry come check on Annabel?

When I reach the doorway I look inside and saw Henry. He was in his costume but he was holding Annabel's hand and rubbing his thumb against the palm of her hand. Annabel was asleep and Henry had his head hanging looking down at the ground. I did a fake cough and Henry looked up and his eyes widened. He slowly let go of Annabel's hand. I walked into the room while Henry rubbed his hands on his pants.

"Um hey Ray." 

"Hey so how long have you been here?"

"Since I seen you two on the news which was probably about three hours ago." Henry said playing with his mask. What is he nervous about? Henry's been here for three hours? He's joking right?

I saw something from the corner of my eye and it was pink and red. I turned my head to the corner of the room and saw a huge pink teddy bear, roses and balloons that said get well soon. My eyes widened as I looked over at Henry who was now standing up, looking at the ground. I glanced back over at the stuff in the corner of the room then back at Henry, he was now blushing a little while Annabel was still sleeping but was holding a red rose in her hand.

"Um. . . ." Was all Henry could say as I took a red rose from the bouquet. I looked at it and a half smile started forming on my face.

"Henry who's are these?" I asked.

". . . .Annabel's. . ." His voice went low as I started spinning the rose in my hand.

"From who?" I asked with my eye brows raised while Henry slowly looked up at me before saying.

"Me."

And that's when I realized that my own sidekick has a crush on my daughter.