Hello Stranger

Chapter 9

I paced back and forth watching my brother lay in the hospital bed. He was sleeping, the doctors gave him pain medication and said he was going to be fine. There were no severe injuries to him, but he did have a broken arm. I was grateful he wasn't hurt more. But I wanted to know what happened.

"I swear you're going to walk a whole in the floor," Asher grumbled as he opened his previously closed eyes.

I practically ran to the side of his bed clutching his hand in mine. "You're okay?"

"Yeah. I mean my arm hurts, but it's broken so it's understandable," Asher replies. It broke my heart to see my brother like this.

"Did mom come to visit already?" I ask remembering that I saw her before the party.

"Mom? Why would mom fly all the way out here just to check on me?" Ashe asked confusedly. It was obvious he didn't know mom was in town.

"Didn't you go back to the house before the party?" I question. If he went home, he would've seen mom.

"Yeah," Asher answered. "What does that have to do with mom?"

"She was here," I say lowly. "Before I left with Aaron, she was at the house. She told me she needed to tell me something important."

Asher's face went cold, "What was it?"

I shrug, "I don't know. I told her if it was really important, she'd still be there to tell me in the morning."

"She wasn't there," Asher whispered barely loud enough for me to hear.

"I guess it wasn't important," I state flatly.

"You wanted her to be there tomorrow. Didn't you?" Asher asked.

I sat down on the chair beside his bed. "I don't know."

"They love us," Asher says. But who was he trying to convince, me or himself?

"They resent us," I counter. "They left us the moment they could. They leave every chance they get. If that's what you call love, then I want no part of it."

"They care about us," Asher says.

"We care about each other. I don't think they care about us," I sigh.

Asher knew I didn't want to talk about it, so he changed the subject. But this one was no better. "Is Drew okay?"

I looked at him with wide eyes. "Why do you care?"

"We were in the car together, Andy. I just want to know if he's okay," Asher tried to reason with me.

"Why were you?" I ask.

"Why was I what?" Asher asks like an idiot. He knew full well what I was asking him.

"Why were you in the car with Drew?" I clarify.

"Later. Is he okay?" Asher dismisses my question.

I roll my eyes. "I don't know. And personally, I don't care. He almost killed you!"

"What?" Asher looked confused.

"I don't know how he's doing, but I know he was driving the car, Asher. What were you thinking?" I snap at my brother.

"He... I'm confused," Asher says.

Before I could continue, Ethan waltzed into the hospital room. "So, I talked to the doctor. They want you to stay here and rest tonight, but you can be released tomorrow."

"Good. You can take Andy home for me right?" Asher asks.

I look at him in disbelief. He was crazy if he thought I was going to leave him. "Like hell he is. I'm staying here with you."