Page 52 of Rue

Geo helped her into the back seat, then got in next to her and put an arm around her shoulders, pulling her close to him.

Sailor didn’t fight it. She knew he needed to put on a show for the people at the hospital. She wanted quick and painless, not torture.

She lay unmoving against his chest, feeling empty.

Her life hadn’t even started yet and it was over.

Should she plead? Beg him? Make him promises?

No, it wouldn’t matter. She’d killed his child. You didn’t take what was his. She knew that.

Mig got in front and pulled away, but Sailor didn’t look around. They would probably take her back to that warehouse from the first night. Someplace where they could do it without worrying about the mess.

Maybe Geo would make Davon do it, to prove his loyalty. Would he? Could Davon kill her? He had anger in him towards her, but she didn’t think he could kill her. She knew Davon loved her, even knew now that he’d been in love with her for a couple of years. Maybe he would try to save her? He would just get himself killed too.

They finally stopped and she sighed dismally, trying to find the strength to fight him and run. She couldn’t summon it at all and she wondered if she was still drugged.

No. It was just grief. Heart-rending, gut-wrenching grief, immobilizing her and shutting her down.

Geo got out and helped her, and she didn’t pull away or fight him. It was better to get it over with. He led her into abuilding and she did look up and around then, at the place they were in. The woman behind the desk smiled, but Geo walked past her and down a hall with people. Orderlies, nurses, and people in robes who looked like patients. Wealthy patients. Like some aftercare facility for people who’d just had plastic surgery. Was he taking her to have her organs harvested or something? Make money on her death? Sell her parts to wealthy people who need them? That made sense.

He opened a door and led her into a room. Sailor stopped and stared, not processing what she was seeing.

Her mother, sitting up in bed, an IV in her arm. Her grandmother was in the next bed with a book. The large room was nice and lavish and even had a large TV on. Her mother quickly turned it off, smiling at Sailor.

She seemed to snap out of it then, wrenching away from Geo who let her go and ran to her mother's side. Half tackling her in the bed, she climbed in with her, then broke down sobbing huge, wracking, sobs. She knew this was goodbye, but she was so grateful for it! She got to say goodbye!

“Oh, baby girl, I know it hurts,” her mother whispered, kissing her head over and over again. “I know it hurts so much, and I’m sorry I couldn’t be there for you! Your friend came and told us what happened and I’m just heartbroken for you, baby! The pain eases, it passes, I promise! Especially when the next one comes. You’ll have a baby soon, when you’re ready for it, okay?”

“MOM!” was all Sailor could say, hugging her as she cried.

Geo moved closer, stroking her hair. “Rue. How ‘bout this place, huh? You see all this? They takin’ care a shit. ‘N you see this?” he asked, touching the IV bag going to her mom's arm. “Medicine. Clinical trial or some shit. Lookit your mom. You seen her lookin’ this good in a while?” he asked as Sailor sat up and looked at her mom who was smiling at her.

“He put us in here together,” she told Sailor. “Mom and I. He said you were doing side work for him? So it wasn’t really costing him much? And he got them to put me in the trials, baby girl. The medication… I haven’t felt this good in months! I think it’s working?”

“She tries to talk my ear off!” her grandmother called. “Don't give me a minute's peace! Can’t read a whole dang chapter without her chattering at me!”

Sailor stared at her grandmother, who hadn’t coughed once. Turning, she hugged Geo, breaking out into happy tears this time. “Thank you! Thank you! You can’t know what this means to me! And thank you for letting me say goodbye!”

“Goodbye?” he asked, confused. “Our deal was twice a week, remember?”

Sailor pulled back and looked up at him, confused.

Of course. She still had a job to do. He wanted his money, his return, and he was going to use her mother and grandmother to make sure she did it.

Giving him a nod, she moved back, then turned and hugged her mom again before going and hugging her grandmother.

Geo made a motion to Mig and they both stepped out, letting her have some time alone with them.

When he came back over an hour later, he had a bag of food and a drink that he set on the table next to her mom's bed, where she was curled up watching TV with her.

“You need ta eat, Rue,” he told her. “Finish it, then we gotta go. We’ll come back after we get some shit done, okay? Anyways, you got school tomorrow ‘n shit. They excused the extra days when the doctors faxed them the paperwork on what happened, but they say you gotta do finals in person ‘n shit. You also gotta get them that homework ‘n shit. Hurry’n eat.”

Sailor opened the bag, but her heart was breaking again. She felt he’d never let her return if she left. He’d just hold it over her to get what he wanted. Still, it was better than the alternative. She was alive, they were alive, and even doing better in a place that was taking exceptional care of them. She had no factual basis for complaint.

Eating as much as she could, she handed the rest to Mig, knowing he would eat it, and hugged her mom as tight asshe could. She hugged her gramma, then her mom again, tears welling up when her mom kissed her head and whispered how much she loved her.

Geo put his arm around her, resting a hand on her shoulder as he led her out and she felt tense. Didn’t he know she wasn’t going to fight now? He had her mom and gramma. She was going to do whatever he asked, steal however much he wanted her to.

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