Page 6 of Bedlam

“Bro, what’s the update on Jade? Can I go see her? What room is she in?” I ask in a panic. My brother is alive and in surgery, now I need my girl. He slides his phone into his pocket and starts walking. I follow suit, waiting for answers.

“Listen man, I don’t know how to say this but–” I interrupt, gripping his shirt and slamming him against the wall.

“Don’t you fucking say it, Slim. Tell me she is okay and take me to her.” I spit.

“Get your fucking hands off me, Rodriguez.” He warns, but I don’t give a fuck if he’s Irish royalty.

“Where’s my fucking girl, Cillian?” I growl, pushing him again.

“She’s gone.” He says through gritted teeth, pushing me off him. I stumble back, trying to grasp my bearings because I know I didn’t hear him correctly.

“Run that back.” I grit. He shakes his head, running his hands over his face.

“She’s gone. The doctor called her time of death at 6:45p.m.” He says, taking a step closer to me.No, this can’t be right. There’s no fucking way.

“Show me the body.” I demand, and he shakes his head again.

“She was cremated twenty minutes ago.” He informs, handing me a small box and my eyes narrow, taking it from him with shaky hands.

“She what? Who signed off on it? Her parents are fucking dead. Her brother is MIA, while the other is in here somewhere in a coma. How can anyone sign off on that?”

“Exactly! Since there was no next of kin, she’s technically a ‘Jane Doe’ so they went ahead and did it.” He says as I shake my head, not wanting to believe this is fucking happening.

“I-I need to go.” I stammer, shoving the box into his chest. “My girl isn’t in that fucking box, and you should be ashamed of yourself. She’s your best friend and you give the man she loved a box of her ashes! Get fucked, Irish scum.” I growl, spitting at his feet, leaving him standing against the wall speechless.

Jade’s dead? She’s fucking dead?The only girl I ever loved is fucking gone, nothing but ashes.

I run to the nearest trash can and wretch up my guts. Tears flood my eyes as I puke into the wastebasket. This can’t be real. This is some kind of sick joke, right? She can’t be gone. My Babygirl isn’t fucking dead. My heart seizes in my chest as I try to take a breath of air into my lungs. I stand up, wiping my mouth with my sleeve and head for the exit.

Tears continue to pour down my face as I reach the doors, shoving them open and walking to the side of the building. I look up at the clear night sky and scream.

“Why? Why would you take her?” I roar, falling to my knees.

“How am I supposed to live without her?” I sob on the cold concrete against the side of the building.

“We didn’t protect her. Why didn’t we just take her and run?”

“Why Jade, why?”

I can’t do this shit without her. First Harper, and then Jay flatlining, now this. I fucking can’t handle it. I can’t. I wasn’t even given the chance to say goodbye. I scream again into the chilly night. I’m so fucking angry, and what makes this worse, is I’m all alone, but as mad as I am with Ri, I need my brother more. I stand from the ground, wiping my tears, heading back around to the front entrance. I don’t want to be alone anymore through this. I hate being alone. I just want her wrapped in my arms, giggling at my jokes.Fuck.

I enter the hospital and go back to the surgery waiting area. Stepping into the room, I expect to see Ri, but my eyes narrow at the three mother fuckers in front of me.

“Hello, son. I’m glad you’re still here.” My father says, but I ignore him, walking over to the window, waiting for it to open when surgery is complete.

“Any update on my son?” Dalton asks, and I snicker.

“Like you give a shit.” I spit.

“Watch your tone, boy. I will not tolerate your disrespect tonight.” My father growls.

“Yeah, well, fuck you and your demands.” I spit and his eyes go wide. He goes to stand up from his seat, but Armando stops him, placing an arm across his chest.

“Dario must be the only one of you three who actually listens to orders.” He says proudly, causing me to laugh.

“Hardly, but we’ll go with that. Why are the all mighty Aces here this evening? It can’t be for Jameson. Oh, but I think I know why you’re here.” I taunt, running my fingers over my chin.

“Don’t play games with us. Spit it out, since you think you’re so fucking smart.” Dalton replies.

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