Dillon

Love is to put your partner’s needs before your own…

 

 

 

It’s been six fucking weeks since the jackass left his last note. Ariel is on edge every second of every day and I want to fix this for her…but how can I when he makes no contact and has left no evidence behind when he does. I had someone slash my tires at the hospital a week ago, but once again there was no contact made or evidence left behind so we can’t be sure it was him…as much as we suspect it is.

Security at the hospital has tripled due to me losing my shit on the hospital administrator. I know it wasn’t his fault, but anyone in my way became a target. I have a feeling this fucker is trying to get me to run and leave Ariel alone, so he can make his move. This asshole needs to think twice if he thinks there will ever be anything that causes me to leave her side. Abandoning her isn’t in the cards for me, she’s my world and I’ll stand by her side until the end of time.

As much as we’ve tried to keep Glory away, she’s become a daily visitor at the shop and house. She’s worried about her daughter, but we’re worried about her and her health. It’s a constant battle between the two, tongue lashings have a new meaning to me these days. They are both stubborn and hard headed causing me to want to run and hide like a little bitch when they start on each other. Today is no different as I sit on the couch and listen to the two of them go back and forth.

“Mom! It’s not safe for you to be around me right now.”

“I’m not going anywhere, Ariel, why can’t you get that through your thick head. You’re my baby! No way in hell is some piece of shit keeping me away from you!”

“And what about your health, Mom? Does that not matter to you either?” Ariel looks at me for help, I hold my hands up indicating she’s on her own…no way in hell am I stepping in on this.

“You think I’m scared of some punk, Ariel? And my doctor has given me a clean bill of health. I wouldn’t jeopardize myself like that.”

“You’re doing that just that by being here, can’t you see that?”

“I see no such thing, no one is keeping me away from any of my daughters. Why can’t you understand that?”

“Mom! I can’t worry about myself when I’m worried about you.”

“Then stop worrying about me and keep living your life. I’m not going anywhere so get over it.”

See what I mean! These two are impossible and neither of them are willing to give the other an inch of wiggle room. “Why don’t we just eat dinner, so Emory can come and pick your mom up.”

“Fine, I didn’t lay anything out, so I’ll run to the diner and grab us something,” Ariel tells us.

“No, you will not!” I say at the same time Glory says, “You’ll do no such thing young lady.”

“Why don’t we go to the diner together, we’ll eat there, and we can swing by Emory’s and drop your mom off on the way back home,” I say trying to appease everyone. Which is exactly what we end up doing.

 

 

Two days later, I’m sitting up at the shop watching Ariel work on a sleeve that’s apparently been a work in progress for some time now. The guy is just sitting there talking with her like there aren’t needles penetrating his skin. I’ve always wanted a tattoo, I have just had nothing come to mind for being a permanent reminder on my skin. I notice Ariel grab her stomach a few times and I’m beginning to worry. When she finally finishes with her client I grab her hand and pull her into the breakroom. I sit her down and hand her a bottle of water, she looks flushed and I’m at my breaking point.

“Baby, tell me what’s going on. I’ve seen you grabbing your stomach and you look flush.”

“Is she going to puke everywhere?” Rainey asks walking into the room with us, “because if she is I need fair warning…I can’t handle vomit.”

“You’re kidding me, right?” I ask her, “You pierce people, put needles to their skin and a little vomit is what causes you to freak out?”

“Yes, I’d be joining her and there would be twice as much to clean up.”

About that time Emory walks in holding her stomach and looking green to the gills. “I don’t feel so good,” she states.

“There must be a stomach bug going around,” Ariel says.

“Not that I’ve noticed at the hospital, let’s get some crackers and ginger ale in your stomachs,” I say, grabbing my keys ready to head to the convenience store. I kiss her on her forehead and notice she’s not running a fever, so hopefully it’s a twenty-four-hour virus. I head to the front and let Carson know I’m leaving and will be right back.

“Don’t worry, man, I’ve got your girl, go do what you’ve gotta do.”

“Thanks, man, I won’t be gone long.” I tell him the girls are sick and he goes back to stay with them. I leave the shop and head to the back parking lot. I see my windshield is busted…this shit is getting old. I wish the fucker would grow some balls and face me like a man. Deciding to just walk since it’s only a couple of blocks away, I have time to stew on all things I’d like to do to him once he’s caught. I’m a doctor whose vow is ‘do no harm’ but right now I could care less. This fucker is going down one way or another. We need a plan to pull him out of hiding, I pull out my phone and give Wasp a call as I make my way to get the supplies to take care of the girls. I fill him in on what’s happened today, he tells me he’s taking it to the table, and once a plan is in place he will contact me and let me in on what they’ve come up with. Can’t be soon enough!