An Illicit Gentleman

                     Chapter Twenty-Five

 AJ sat on a long bench of chairs, his feet resting on a chair while he sat on another.  His head rested against the sweater his Mom gave him to use as a pillow hoping he would sleep but he couldn’t.  So instead he sat leaning against the wall, flipping through his cell phone picture album, and lost himself in better times.

“Excuse me?” A woman said as she stood in the doorway.  AJ looked up and saw the night nurse looking at him.  “She wants to see you.”  He quickly got up and followed the nurse out of the waiting room.  Opening the door AJ quietly he slowly walked into her room and saw her laying on the bed staring at her curtains.

“Eve?” AJ said as he walked over to the chair.  Her eyes drifted to him and she reached for his hand.  Slipping his fingers through hers he sat down by her bedside.

“I just wanted you here.” She told him her voice still weak and dry.  “Were you sleeping?” She asked.

“No” AJ replied shaking his head lightly.  “But why I aren’t you? You need your rest.”

“Bad dream” She whispered.  “The nurse was here when I woke up and I asked her to go get you.”  AJ lightly smiled at her as he kissed her hand and rested it against the side of his neck.

“Well then you can go back to sleep cause I’m here now.” He told her as a soft smile broke from her lips and her eyes slowly closed.

AJ stayed at her bed side the rest of the night and never let go of her hand, even when he fell asleep.  He was awoken the next morning by a nurse coming in and checking on Eve’s vitals and he decided to step out quickly for a smoke and to see if anyone was still around.

“There you are.” His Mom said as he walked into the waiting room.  He was surprised to see her and Kristin there.

“Yeah the nurse came and got me last night, Eve woke up wanted to see me, guess I feel asleep in there.” He told her as she hugged him.

“Well at least you got some sleep.” She sighed.  “Where are you going now?”

“For a smoke while the nurse does her thing.” AJ told her.

“How is she doing?” Kevin asked.

“She’s alive, nurse said her vitals are strong, and she made it through the night, so I guess that’s good.” AJ said with a light smile.

“Need some company?” Kevin asked as AJ turned to leave.

“No” He said turning around.  “This time no, I’m good.”  Kevin smiled at him and AJ left heading to the elevators.  When he got outside he walked over to the local coffee shop and picked up a coffee and then sat outside.  He sat quietly at the small table looking at the hospital across the street.  He wanted to be happy; relieved she made it through the night but he couldn’t he wondered what would be next.  Would she make it through the night only to slip away this afternoon?  AJ tried not to think about it but it haunted him.  Tossing down his smoke he walked back over to the hospital and put his coffee cup into the garbage before he walked into the building.

He walked onto the floor and gave a wave to everyone as he walked past the waiting room.  When he walked into her room he was greeted with a weak smile but it was a smile none the less.

“Did you just wake up?” He asked and she nodded. “How do you feel?”

“Tired but better than yesterday.” She said with a light smile.

“Did they tell you what happened?” He asked.

“Yeah” She said quietly. 

“Did you want to talk about it?” He asked as he took her hand.

“Not right now.” She said looking at him.

“Ok” He nodded squeezing her hand lightly. 

“Have you talked to your Mom at all?” She asked.

“Yeah she’s here.” AJ said nodding.

“Oh she is?” Eve said a little shocked.

“She was the first one here and the last one to leave last night.” AJ told her.

“Good, I’m glad she’s here for you.” Eve replied with a light smile. She took a deep breath and her eyes fluttered.

“Nap time?” AJ asked and she nodded. Carefully he brushed her hair from her face trying to tuck her bangs behind her ear but the breathing tube under her nose hooked around her ears.  He sat at her bed side watching her slowly fall back asleep.

His body yearned to take her into his arms to climb into the bed with her and hold her.  The sound of her door opening distracted him and he sat up as he saw his Mom walk into the room.

“Hey” He said unsure why she was coming to see him.

“Still sleeping?” Denise asked nodding to Eve.

“She was awake when I came back but she’s out again.” AJ said with a light smile.  “Doctor said its normal she’ll be in and out of it the next couple of days.”

“How are you doing?” She asked.

“I’m ok.” He nodded.  “I’m sure once she’s really ok and out of the woods it’ll be another story but right now I’m just happy she made it through to today.”

“You really should go home and eat something and shower.” Denise said to him as she stood near the end of the bed.

“I can’t leave yet.” AJ said as he looked at Eve.

“I’ll stay here if you want me too.” Denise said and AJ turned to her.  “I’ll stay here and you go to the hotel or my house or something, take a shower, get dressed, and have some food.”

“Mom I said no” AJ snapped and she looked at him in shock.  “I’m sorry.” He apologized.  “I told her nothing would happen to her, I told her I wasn’t going to leave her side and look what happened, I’m not making that mistake again.”

“Alex you didn’t know, the police didn’t even know for sure, you need to stop blaming yourself.” Denise said with a frown.

“Well maybe when she gets out of here I’ll look into it but right now I feel like a huge fuck up.” He sighed as he looked at her sleeping.

“Alexander James McLean.” Denise said sternly.  “This is not your fault, what happened to her, it was Mats and his friend and if you keep feeling guilty over this then everything Mats wanted to do to you he did it.” AJ looked at her.  “The police said he wanted to hurt you, get back at you, well if you keep acting this way it’ll eat you up inside and then what will happen? Start drinking again, you’ll start the drugs again, and then where does that leave her?” Denise said pointing to Eve.  “Go back to the hotel, have a shower, change into some fresh clothes and get something to eat; I’ll stay here with her.”

“Ok” AJ nodded finally giving in.  He kissed her hand and placed it back onto the bed.  Standing up he walked over to his Mom and hugged her.  “Thank you”

Denise smiled as they pulled away and AJ said goodbye then headed out the door.  He walked down to the waiting room and saw all his friends still there.  “Can I get a ride back to the hotel?” AJ asked as he walked up to Kevin.  “The cops brought me here, Mom’s watching Eve while I go back to grab something to eat and shower.”

“Yeah man sure” Kevin said standing up.

“I’ll come with you” Kristin said as she followed them.

“So your Mom’s with her?” Kevin asked as they drove out of the hospital.

“Yeah” AJ said with a light laugh.  “Gives me hope.”

“She’s pretty worried about you.” Kristin said looking back at him.

“Yeah” AJ nodded.  “I’m fine though really, well right now I am.”

Kevin pulled into the Hotel parking lot and everyone got out of the car.  He led them upstairs too his room and purposely kept his eyes on the floor not wanting to look at the end of the hall.  Putting his key card into the lock he waited for it to beep and then walked into the room.  Everything was as he left it only coming back to grab his phone after Eve was attacked.

“Have a seat, watch some TV I’ll be out in a bit.” AJ said grabbing his bag and walking into the bathroom.  He showered and took longer than he normally did just standing under the stream of water.  When he got out he wrapped the hotel towel around him and wiped off the foggy mirror.  He looked at the rings around his eyes from lack of sleep and sighed, it was funny he didn’t feel tired until he walked into the room.  Drying off his hair and himself he got dressed and walked out of the bathroom.  Kevin and Kristin were on the couch talking.

“Are you eating here?” Kevin asked.

“I’ll grab something to go down at the restaurant.” AJ said as he brushed his hair back.

“Are you grabbing anything for her?” Kevin asked as AJ put on his jacket.

“Not yet, going to wait and see how long she might be in there.” AJ told them.  “I might just pack everything up and stay at Mom’s until she’s released.”

“ET keeps calling they want an interview, well they call Jive and the managers and they call me.” Kevin sighed.

“I’m not doing no damn interview.” AJ said shaking his head.

“I know” Kevin replied putting up his hands.  “Have you heard anything from the detective?”

“Just that they charged him with attempted murder and are negotiating with LA over the rap charges.” AJ told them.  “They also found out something from Mats.”

“What?” Kevin and Kristin asked.

“They asked him why shoot me and send Thomas, that’s the other dudes name, why send him after Eve.”

“What did he say?” Kevin asked.

“Mats told them it was because of me, because he was in love with her, he wanted her but she didn’t want him.  He was ok with it because she never dated much and she was at the club almost every night.”

“Then you came along.” Kristin frowned.

“Yeah” AJ nodded.  “Remember the barbeque, the last one Sarah went too, and she freaked out because she wanted to go talk?” He asked and the couple nodded.

“You said you were going out and she spazzed.” Kevin replied.

AJ nodded.  “I went and met Mats at the club and he was there with another dancer and Eve, it was their night off, I always thought he invited her but now I’m not so sure.” He said slipping into a thought then he shook his head.  “Anyways, that’s the night we hooked up; I went back to her place after.  He played it off like I was making some big play but really he was trying to find out what was going on.”

“Did you tell him?” Kevin asked.

“No, I didn’t tell anyone about anything really.” AJ replied.  “I left everyone in the dark because I didn’t know myself, we both didn’t there was just something there pulling us together.”

“Is that why he told Sarah?” Kristin asked.

“I think so, wanted to stir up shit but when that didn’t work and he realized how close the two of us were getting he went over the edge.” AJ said with a sigh.  “It wasn’t about her at all it was about me, hurting me the way I had hurt him.”

“Well now you don’t have to worry about it at all, they’re both locked up.” Kevin said.  AJ nodded as he waited for someone to take his to go order.  “Are you still blaming yourself?”

“For not going with her? Every second.” AJ said as a woman approached him.  He gave her his order of a club sandwich and then looked back at Kevin.

“Dude you had know way of knowing, first you weren’t even sure he was there in Florida second, she just went to get some Ice, the threat was outside not inside.”  Kevin told him as he put his hand on his shoulder.

“I told her I wouldn’t let anything happen to her and look what happened to her.” AJ said quietly. 

“It wasn’t your fault Alex and I’m sure she knows that.” Kristin said as they sat at the bar waiting for his order.

“Well I’m glad she does.” AJ sighed as he looked down at the bar and strummed his fingers.  A few minutes later the waitress came out and handed him a box and a can of soda, the group of three then left the hotel and headed back to the hospital as AJ ate in the back seat of the car. 

“This is a rental man don’t spill that radioactive shit in this car.” Kevin said looking into his review mirror as AJ wiped up some soda spillage.

“Learn to drive and you won’t have to worry about it.” AJ joked.

“Make sure you throw that crap out.” Kevin said as AJ got out of the car.

“Yes Mom.” AJ joked as he rolled his eyes.