Page 63 of Jeremy
“Tyingup a few loose ends that couldn’t wait. He’ll be here.”
Thatturns out to be the understatement of the year.
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Threehours pass while we wait, and I keep peeking through the window to see my baby.It kills me to know he’s suffering, but Clarissa assures me he’s asleep, andnot in pain. Finally, Dr. Hanlon returns.
“Theantibiotics are working. He isn’t suffering any side effects. I want to leavehim on the ventilator until morning, and if we’ve seen enough improvement,he’ll go back to just oxygen.”
Tearsof relief run down my cheeks as I thank him, and he pats my shoulder. “You haveone strong young man in there.”
“Takesafter his mother,” Jeremy says.
Iknow we aren’t out of the woods yet. My baby is still on a ventilator, butthings are looking a little better, so I try to convince everyone else thatthey can go. “We’ll call if anything changes,” I promise.
Daretakes a seat and stretches out his long legs. The man is a damned mountain.“I’m good here until morning.”
Everyoneelse mirrors his response.
It’sbeen so long since I’ve known this feeling. I have a family again.
“Well,if we’re staying, I need food. I’m wasting away over here. Seriously, my ribsare showing,” Justus announces.
“Yourribs always show, you narrow son of a bitch,” Jeremy says.
“Iam not skinny! I’ll have you know I have the muscle tone of a young—”
“Boy?”Dare supplies, and everyone bursts into laughter.
“Bodyshaming is not cool, dude. Just because you look like something The Hulk shitout doesn’t mean you get to judge the rest of us.” He gets to his feet. “Now,I’m going to find a pizza place that’s open late. Any requests?”
“Yeah,get a vasectomy so you don’t pollute the gene pool,” Landon cracks.
“Fuckoff, raisin.”
Theseguys make me laugh in the worst of situations. It strikes me how lucky I was tochoose the house next door to Jeremy. I’ve gained so much more than I everanticipated or even realized until now.
Therest of the night isn’t as hard, mainly because of the periodic reports I getfrom the nurses. Calvin’s temperature is normal. They were able to decrease theventilator so he’s mostly breathing on his own. He’s going to be okay.
Thesun is just starting to rise and most everyone is asleep except for Dare, whokeeps texting with someone. Jeremy suddenly jumps to his feet and turns up thevolume on the TV. The blaring headline and accompanying video shock me to mycore.
TerroristGroup Connected to Indianapolis Mall Shooting Captured by Feds.
Anaerial shot of the True Life compound plays on the screen where a small groupof women and children sit on the grass between the trailers and the big house. Thewomen have their hands cuffed behind them. I can’t make out my sister as thecamera pans away, but I know she’s there.
It’sthe ticker that’s terrifying.
Stockpileof weapons and explosives were recovered, along with plans to detonate a nearbysystem of coal mines. Two known dead and two more injured. ATF, FBI, and USMarshals are on the scene.
Beforethe words can really permeate my numb brain, Jeremy’s head whips around toDare. “Tying up a few loose ends?” I’ve never heard such malice in his voice,but it doesn’t disguise his main emotions. Pain and betrayal.
“Itwas for the best,” Dare replies, his voice even. “We couldn’t let you do it.You have a baby. You have a life, and we weren’t going to let you throw it awayfor revenge.”
Jeremyswallows hard, shrugging off my hand when I touch his arm. I know it’s notpersonal. I don’t think he sees or hears anything but Dare right now.
“Heslaughtered her. She was out shopping, and he fucking mowed her down.”
“Iknow that. I was there.”
