| "Babe, wake up." JC shook her hand with his. "What?" She rubbed at her eyes fiercly not sure why JC was waking her. "Which way?" "Left." She looked over the road, finally realizing where she was and what had happened. Upset that it hadn't been a horrible dream like she had hoped. "This one, right?" He pointed to a driveway, slowing the car. "Yeah." Her hands immediately flew to her hair, tucking it back into a pony tail. "I'll get your stuff." He dismissed her from the car, and she quickly scampered up the front steps. "Josh, it's good to see you again." Her father took Brianne's suit case from him, discarding it in a corner of the room. "You too." JC was seated next to Brianne by her father, while he set the cat free to wander the house. "What's wrong Scooter?" Soon her father was at her side, checking her forehead for any sign of fever then feeling her glands to see if they were swollen. "Nothing, Daddy. Why?" She pushed her father's hands away from her becoming more awake with each passing second. "You don't look good. Are you taking your vitamins, getting enough sleep?" "Dad, I was here a couple of days ago and I was taking my vitamins then." She hoped he wouldn't notice she hadn't said anything about sleep. "Alright, get to bed. We'll go to the hospital tomorrow." He sent her a stern look and she immediately obeyed, happy he hadn't picked up on her vague answer. "Josh, I'll show you to the guest room." "Thank you, sir, but I'm going to head home." "You will not, it's late." Brianne almost protested, but knew it would do her no good, instead she ducked into her room. After she had changed and climbed into bed she knew she was safe from Josh for the night. "Hey." At least she thought she knew. "What do you want?" She hissed, careful not to draw her parent's attention. "We never got to finish talking earlier." He felt his way along the bed in the dark, then took a seat on the floor. "We never started talking earlier and I'd like to keep it that way." She turned away from him, pulling the covers tighter around herself. "Brianne, please talk to me. I promise that it won't be as horrible as you think." "I haven't had much sleep lately, and I'd like to at least get a few hours tonight, so please just go." Her hand flew into the air, her fingers trying to find the way to the door, but instead found JC's hand. "Why haven't you been sleeping?" His grip tightened when she tried to pull her hand back to her, so she turned to face him once more. "I've been busy." "Busy doing what?" "It doesn't matter." She finally freed her hand when he was distracted. "It matters to me." As soon as the words left his mouth her hand met her mouth, covering a gasp. "Josh, don't say stuff like that." "Why not?" Although she couldn't see it his eyebrows creased. "It makes you seem a lot sweeter than you are." "Point taken. I'm going to go." Soon he was gone and she was sleeping happily, or at least sleeping. "Josh already left?" Her mother eyed her where she sat on a stool, eating her breakfast. "Guess so." The fork met her lips again, but dropped to the plate in disintrest. "Bri, you're keeping something from me." Her mother rinsed a dish then set it in the drying rack. "Momma, I can't keep anything from you if you aren't asking questions." "Fine, why do you look so tired?" "I've been pretty busy, Momma." Her food was pushed around the plate by her fork. "Why did Josh leave so early?" The dishes were done and her mother took a seat on the other side of the counter. "He's got work and stuff." "And stuff? I think it's a little odd he would leave without saying good bye. And I know for a fact he isn't working." Her mother informed, a knowing grin taking her lips. "What do you mean?" She was soon standing next to her stool, waiting for the information to be devulged. "Justin has called almost ten times, and each one he said to have you call him at his house. Wouldn't Josh need Justin to work?" "Momma, I have no idea why Justin isn't at work. I'll be right back." She grabbed the cordless off the charger and ducked into the living room before her mother could reply. "Justin?" "Brianne? What took you so long to call me back?" "It's not even seven in the morning." She checked her watch for comformation. "Brianne, JC is going crazy. Maybe you should talk to him." "Justin, I love you like you were my own brother, but mind your own business." She giggled to let him know she was only playing. "Bri, I'm serious. He took the rest of the week off." "Poor thing, he'll get over it." "Fine, how are you doing?" "Good, I'm about to leave for the hospital." He heard a hint of tears in her voice. "Do you want me to come down?" "I'll be fine. You just enjoy your time off, I'll be home soon." "Call me as soon you get in. Better yet come by. I mean it, don't even go home first." He chuckled into the phone. "We'll see." "You better, bye hon." "Bye bye." |
| Chapter Thirty One |
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