Betty's Cardigan

Shade of Blue

Adam thought his heart would give out when Betty closed her eyes. 

In a panic driven surge of strength, he carried her to the car and drove to the hospital. He was touching the speed limit, with one hand on the steering wheel and the other clasping hers as she lay senseless on his backseat. 

The way to the hospital was a blur and Adam couldn't remember anything from the trip when he sat shaking in the reception, waiting for the nurse to return with news. So, he kept replaying the scene just before.

Adam had gone to Betty's room and not found her. He called her phone. The damaged device rang weekly under the bed. He'd called out her name and ran through the house before spotting her from the roof. She had been dangerously close to the cliffs. He'd screamed her name but she hadn't heard. 

Adam hadn't been sure that he'd reach the cliffs in time, but he did. And despite that she'd slipped away. 

Adam was quivering like a leaf in spite of the heat with his balled up hands on his eyes. 

"Hey, kiddo," Madeline the nurse said as she nudged him on the shoulder. She stood taller than Adam and looked quite imposing with her standard clipboard, but her eyes were sympathetic. "She's fine." Adam felt like he could breathe again. He swallowed and nodded. "She fainted because of extreme emotional stress and hypoglycemia. She's gonna be alright."

"Thank you," Adam said. He'd never meant it more.

"She's awake," the nurse continued, "you should take her a soda."

Adam nodded again.

*****
"Hey," Adam whispered tentatively. Betty still had a distant look but at least her eyes met his. "I got you this." He handed her the orange soda.

"Thanks."

Adam waited for Betty. He was afraid of what could happen if he rushed her.

"Am I boring and ugly?" Betty broke the silence.

"Betty, you're the most beautiful and lovely person I've ever met! You couldn't possibly think that of yourself," Adam protested. He could feel rage creeping in his veins. Someone had made her feel bad, and that someone was going to be in deep shit. Adam's fist tightened, his fingernails digging into his flesh.

"But James cheated on me," Betty reasoned. "There's obviously something not right with me."

Adam felt his fist unclench. His anger had been hot before but know it was cold. It was the calm before the storm. As soon as he knocked those baseless ideas from Betty's mind, he would take care of James.

"Betty do not let that son of a bitch make you feel like that."

Betty looked at him disbelievingly.

"Don't you dare look at me like that," he started. "You are smart and strong. And that piece of shit has the audacity to...to...ugh" Even the idea of saying that James had cheated on Betty infuriated him so much that he couldn't put his fury into words.

"Betty I swear on my life that you're worth everything," Adam said and took a deep breath. He tried to keep his words calm. "But right now I'm angry and I don't think I should talk to you right now." He was screaming on the inside and he needed to cool off somewhere. "I'll come back in ten minutes."

It took all of Adam's will power not to storm out. But as soon as he was out of the ER and into the parking lot, he screamed into his palm out of frustration.

The evening air was cold but his anger didn't go away. He fumbled with his phone and dialed a number.

"Hey," James answered. "Look I'm a little busy."

"Sticking your tongue down Lorraine Willis' throat it seems!"

"Dude what the hell?" James said. There was sound of shuffling and then he continued, "How do you know?"

"That's your concern? You sick bastard!" Adam swore.

"Does Betty know?"

"Does she know? She's in the freaking hospital because of this."

"What?"

"Not that you've ever given a shit."

"Adam," James pleaded. "Which hospital?"

"She wouldn't want to see you," Adam said, his anger slowly dissipating. "I just hope she never forgives you." With that he ended the call and clasped his phone.

James called him but Adam just switched his phone off.

He wasn't going to let this boy hurt Betty ever again.