Chapter Eight

 

Drew

 

     Lydia and Tasha have been teasing me all morning and it’s even having an effect on the clients. The girls having their hair and nails done are now starting to giggle along with them and when it’s time for me to have my break, I jump at some time alone.

“Make me a cup of tea please!” Tasha pleads from the reception desk as she finishes with her client.

When I escape into the staff room, I collect my phone that is secured in my locker. The first thing I see is that I have a high number missed calls and they’re not just from one person, but a number of them. My dad, mother and all of my brothers, but when I reach Miley’s name I feel frozen. She works with Sketch, and I know her dad, he’s with the club and even though I don’t know her really well, I will speak with her whenever I see her. She’s lovely, but I don’t think I’ve ever received a phone call from her and when I see her name amongst a long list of missed calls, it doesn’t feel right.

“I’m so hungry!” Tasha opens the door, joining me in the staff room. “You not made me a drink yet?”

I shake my head, looking down at my phone but no words come out.

“Drew?” Tasha asks, coming to stand behind me.

“I have missed calls.” Is all I can say.

“What’s wrong with a missed call?” She laughs, looking over my shoulder. “Shit, that’s a lot.”

Suddenly, my phone rings and it’s my dad. I look at Tasha and she watches my panic as I answer.

“Dad?” I ask and I hear him sigh his relief.

“Thank fuck!” He shouts. “Maci is on her way to get you babe.”

“What?” I frown. “Why?”

I see Tasha mime, ‘What’s he saying?’ so I put my dad on loudspeaker and now she can listen in. I really don’t have a good feeling in my gut about all of this.

“Maci will be bringing you to the hospital.” He delivers and I almost drop my phone.

“What?” I begin to shake. Tasha looks at me with wide eyes, now feeling my own worry and I’m so grateful that she’s here with me.

My dad’s voice turns gentle and I just know it’s bad. “Listen princess, you should get Tasha to close up the salon while you come to the hospital. Maci should be there soon, so grab your things and make your way here. I don’t want to tell you over the phone.” He takes a deep breath. “I love you Drew.”

Well, if I didn’t know it was serious before, now I defiantly do. Tears pool in my eyes and Tasha wraps her arm around me, knowing I need some support right now.

I take a deep breath, trying to calm myself. “Dad? Please tell me why I need to come to the hospital.”

There’s a couple of seconds silence, and I’m about to repeat my question, but my dad answers. “It’s Sketch.”

My heart drops and it feels as though everything around me has stopped. Just then, Lydia pokes her heard around the corner. “Maci is here.”

As Maci walks in, wearing a mournful expression, my tears fall down my cheeks. “Dad, she’s here.”

“I’ll see you soon princess.” He replies, sounding as upset as I feel and hangs up.

“We need to hurry.” Maci delivers.

“What’s happened?” I ask her, now becoming frantic as I grab my bag from my locker and preparing myself for the worse.

“I don’t know.” Maci speaks quietly. “All I know is, is that Sketch is badly hurt.”

“Hurt?” I cry, gripping my bag and turning to Tasha.

“Don’t you worry about this place.” Tasha hugs me. “You get going to your man and I’ll take care of things here.”

I quickly nod, following Maci out of the salon and feeling a mixture of numbness and panic. Nothing around me matters, other than getting to Sketch. I walk towards Maci’s car, trying to control my breathing but all I can think about is the man I love, hurt and needing me. I have to get to him! A car door slams behind me, and I snap out of my dreaming. I’m already sat in the passenger seat of Maci’s car. I can’t remember getting in her at all. I watch Maci walk around the front of the car and as she takes her seat behind the wheel, she gives me a hopeful smile before we set off.

It’s deadly silent as we make our way to the hospital. Maci turns on the radio but I don’t pay it any attention. Nothing is worth my time right now other than Sketch and the fifteen minute drive feels like an hour, but we eventually arrive and as soon as Maci pulls over I’m out the car.

“Dee wait!” She calls from the car, but I don’t have time to wait. I’m so eager to find Sketch and calm my nerves. I have no idea what’s happened, if he’s ok and why he’s here in the first place. I need to set my eyes on Sketch and I won’t relax until that happens.

I’m running towards the hospital, but as I reach the doors I immediately come to a stop. I hear Maci running up to me, her breathing laboured. I didn’t even realise I was walking that fast.

“Drew?” She asks me quietly. “What’s the matter?”

I watch people exit and enter the entrance to the hospital, noticing for the first time the row of motorcycles, recognising my dad’s and all three of my brothers. “I’m scared.”

In fact, I’m fucking petrified.

“Come on.” Maci takes my hand in hers and squeezes. “Let’s do this together.”

With tears blocking most of my vision, I nod and Maci leads me inside. She’s my support right now and I don’t know what I would do without her in the moment. We walk straight to the reception area, but before we even get the desk, I hear my dad and his voice comforts me in ways I never knew it could.

“Princess.” He welcomes me, and I run into my dad’s arms like a little girl. My tears roll freely down my cheeks and my dad’s arms wrap around me and he makes me feel warm. I didn’t even know I was so cold.

“Dad.” I cry, burying my face into his chest, hiding from the world and the reality around me.

“Come on princess.” My dad ushers me away and I reach out for Maci’s hand, I need to feel her support.

“Where’s Sketch?” I ask my dad as we walk. My dad makes a grumbling sound, but doesn’t say a thing. “Dad please, I need to know.”

“Let’s just get you alone and I will tell you everything you wanna know.” My dad pleads, and I’m glad his feet go faster because I’m sick of waiting now.

We reach a door that reads, Family Room, and as soon as my dad opens the door I see all of my brothers, Scrappy, Bomber, Ryder, Doodle and many more. This comforts me but also scares the shit out of me too. Club members always come to show their respect for a badly injured brother and their immediate family, this is what’s happening right now. Every single one of them is wearing a sad expression and I have to look away.

“Now tell me.” I look to my father. “What’s happened to Sketch, I’m fucking getting sick of the silence and all the sad eyes, I need to know!”

Baby appears at my side, trying to wrap an arm around me and telling me to calm down, but I don’t want to. I need to know what’s happening.

“The doctor will be here in a sec Dee.” Baby encourages but I shove him away.

“I don’t wanna see the fucking doctor.” I look around at all of them. “Tell me what’s happened or I swear to god I’ll run around this hospital and find him for myself.”

Devlin stands in front of me, his emotion obvious by the tears in his eyes. It shakes me because this is my big brother. “He’s with the doc, they’ll sort him out.”

The sadness in his voice doesn’t sit right with me. “Is it serious?”

My dad sighs and decides to give me some answers I’m dying to know about the man I love. “The tattoo shop was raided,” my blood runs cold, but I listen. “Sketch was stabbed and he’s hurt real bad baby girl.”

A sob escapes me as my world spins, my legs wobble but Devlin and my dad are there to catch me. I don’t have time to ask them more questions, because the door opens and in walks two men, one in a white coat and the other in blue scrubs.

“Doctor.” My dad nods towards them and spreads his arm out to me, tucking me into his side. “This is my daughter, Drew.”

“Hi Drew.” The doctor smiles at me. “You’re the girlfriend of Lucas?”

Lucas is Sketch’s birth name. I nod to the doctor. “Where is he?”

The doctor exchanges a certain look with his friend and a shiver runs down my spine. “We’ve done everything that we can but unfortunately Lucas had lost a lot of blood before he had arrived here.” Although I am stone cold, I’m beginning to sweat and my heart beats a thousand times a minute as the doctor tells me the dreadful news. “As well as having multiple bullet wounds to the legs and arms, Lucas has two stab wounds to the back, the first has badly damaged the kidneys. The second stabbing was forced through the third and fourth rib, hitting Lucas’s heart and causing serious damage. Unfortunately, there’s nothing we can do for him, but make to him as comfortable as we can.” The doctor places a comforting hand on my shoulder. “I’m so sorry Drew.”

The room is deadly quiet. I take in a shaky breath and as I breathe out, my crying escapes and my dad holds onto me. I scream into his body, angry at whoever did this for taking my man away from me.

“He’s going to die.” I sob into my dad’s shirt. “He’s going to die!”

I hear the doctor informing someone where Sketch is and that we should make our way there now before they leave. When the doctor goes, my dad peals me away from him and takes hold of my face in his large hands.

“Look baby, it’s time to go and see your man.” I see the tears in my father’s eyes and it shakes me, but as upset and scared as I am, I know he’s right. I nod, and reach out for Maci again, because I need her support.

Maci gives me a smile, taking my hand in hers and my dad leads us to Sketch’s room. As we arrive at the door, I begin to shake but my dad and Maci leave me to it.

“We’ll be right here baby girl.” My dad assures me as I dry my face with my hands, all the tears I’ve shed are now making my face feel sticky and raw.

I reach for the door handle, giving my dad a quick head bob in return and push the door open. Taking a deep breath, I enter the bright and sterile room. I can smell the cleanliness in the air. The hospital equipment makes me scared to go near anything because I don’t want to break something important. Stepping further inside, the door shuts behind me with a clunk and I settle my eyes on the large hospital bed. It’s the main focus of the room and it takes up most of the limited space. In the bed, of course, lays Sketch and I’m not prepared for what I see. Tubes are sticking out of him and he looks really fucking pale. Not your usual twenty four hours sickness type of pale, but a ghostly white shade of pale and I don’t like it one bit. He looks so fragile as he slowly turns his head to see me. A slow smile spreads across his face and as much as I want to sob at his bedside and beg for some sort of miracle, I put on a brave face for him.

“Hey babe.” Sketch greets me, his voice sounding breathless and scratchy.

I give him a smile, but I think it turns out to be more of a grimace because I can’t create a genuine smile for him. This isn’t a smiling matter. My heart is breaking in my chest and I wish this was some fucked up nightmare and I’m about to wake up. However, this is my reality and I’m petrified to lose the man I love.

“I love you.” I whisper, kissing his forehead and trying my best to hold back the tears. “Forever.”

“I know.” Sketch nods, reaching out for my hand and I eagerly take hold. Wanting to touch him for as long as possible. “I need you to listen to me, ok?”

“Why?” I ask suspiciously.

“Just listen.” He smirks. “I don’t want you to be miserable when I’m gone.”

“Don’t.” I shake my head, arguing with him. “I’m not talking about this.”

“We are.” Sketch orders, beginning to cough and it scares the shit out of me.

“Relax.” I try to sooth him.

Sketch looks me dead in the eye, determined to say what he wants to. “When I go, I want you to carry on living. I want you to fall in love and live a happy life. I want to watch you building your own family, because we didn’t get around to doing that yet.”

I begin to cry, my promise to hold back my tears is broken. “Stop it.” I sob.

“I want you to hear this.” He argues. “I can’t have you living alone for the rest of your life Drew.”

“But I love you.” I cry, leaning onto his bed and gently resting my head on his shoulder. “I don’t want anyone but you.”

“Come and lay with me.” Sketch suggests and I look at his bed.

“There’s no room.” I point out.

“Get up here.” He laughs, and I don’t argue. Truthfully, I want to be as close as I can with him right now.

As soon as I’m on the bed, careful to not touch anything I shouldn’t we presume the usual position we do every night in bed. I lay my head on his chest. I let loose of some more tears while he can’t see me.

“Promise me that you will love again Drew.” Sketch asks quietly.

I close my eyes. “I can’t do that.”

“Look at me.” I lean my head up, staring into his beautiful eyes. “Promise me?”

I can’t ever see me loving anyone again. Sketch is the man I love and I saw us living a long and happy life together, but here we are and I fear my heart won’t be able to take it, but while he’s here with me, I have to give him some happiness.

“I don’t like it, but I promise.” I sigh, leaning closer and giving him another kiss. Sketch returns it, and our tears mix together.

I lay my head on his shoulder, listening to his breathing and wishing with everything that I have, that the doctors have this all wrong. I don’t get my wish though, and after just ten minutes laying with one another and talking about our favourite memories, I notice Sketch’s breathing is becoming more laboured and I dread the time is coming.

“I love you.” I whisper to him and from my position on his shoulder, I manage to look up at him, looking at his handsome profile.

“I love you.” Sketch whispers back, so quiet that I almost don’t hear him. I watch him, smiling to myself as his eyes close and I kiss him softly on the cheek. Sketch grins and soon after, an awful beeping sounds.

“Sketch?” I begin to panic, sitting up on the bed. “Sketch?” I cry.

The doctor who spoke to me just twenty minutes before comes in, checks Sketch’s pulse and looks to me. I know Sketch has gone, but I don’t want to believe it.

“Save him.” I beg the doctor. “Please! You’re a doctor. Save him!”

My face is now dripping with all of my tears, and I’m suddenly lifted from the bed. “Come on Drew.” Grim speaks behind me.

I see my dad and Maci standing by the door. Both of them are crying and I hear the emotion in my brother’s voice. I look to my beautiful man, he looks peaceful and still has that small smile in place, as if he’s about to make a rude comment or open those gorgeous eyes and flash me a naughty wink. But I won’t ever see that again.

“No!” I sob. “He’s a doctor, he needs to do his job and save him!”

“I’m sorry.” The doctor says, genially looking upset, but I don’t care about his pain.

“No you’re not!” I scream. “If you were, you would bring him back to me!”

“Drew.” I look to the door and see Lauren, behind her stands Elise, Tasha and Maci. They come into the room and I run from my brother’s arms and into theirs. My crying becomes louder and the girls give me their comfort.

“Oh baby.” I hear my mum behind them and I look up to see her. She’s crying and holds her arms open to me. This is one of those moments that you want to be a child again and curl into your parents arms, soaking all their love and comfort.

“Mum.” I cry, running over to her and screaming into her shoulder. She holds me tight and begins to lead me away from the room. “No.” I shake my head, hiccupping through my crying.

“Let’s get you home.” She gently urges.

I look back into the room, Sketch still lying in bed. My brothers are now in the room, giving their fallen brother respect.

“I can’t leave him.” I begin to panic. “I have to stay.”

My mother holds onto my shoulders. “No baby, you have to come home. Let the doctors do their thing and let me take care of my daughter.”

I shake my head, crying all over again. “I can’t.”

My dad joins us, wiping under his eyes. “Come on princess, I don’t want you here anymore.”

“Dad.” I sob, looking back at Sketch. A number of doctors are by him now and I look away, not wanting to see what they’re doing, but I still can’t leave him. “I need to stay.”

Sighing, my dad squares his shoulders. “I’ve seen death enough times to know what comes next Drew, and I don’t want you to see Sketch like that. You need to remember him as the man you love, and keep those last memories forever. Please don’t hate me.”

Suddenly, my dad picks me up and I scream in his arms. “No!” I try to wriggle out his hold. “Dad no, please!”

“I’m sorry.” My dad whispers and I continue to cry.

He carries me through the hospital and people stare but I don’t give a crap. I just lost the man I love and I haven’t had enough time to soak this in. I need to go back and check he’s ok. The doctor got it all wrong. I see my brothers walking behind us. All watching me with sad, mournful expressions and I can’t take it. I finally collapse in my dad’s arms, not able to stop the sobs escaping me. He gives me a kiss on the head but I don’t stop crying the whole drive home and when we reach my parents, I run to my old room and cry some more. Soaking my bed sheets with my tears.