by Barb Shuler
6
Kennedy
I’ve known Jennifer Callahan all of my life. I’ve never seen her panic, or even get really stressed out… but right now, she is off the rails. I don’t blame her. My heart is about to beat itself out of my chest. I was trying to keep calm, to keep her calm, but it wasn’t working.
The moment Hunter called to say Max had been hurt in the line of duty, the world as I knew it had dimmed. It was a moment of Déjà vu that I hoped I’d never have to live through again. But, Jenn needed me to be strong for her, and that’s what I was going to do. I would be here for my best friend.
“Jenn, babe, you have to calm down.” I reached over and took her hand, giving it a squeeze. She was visibly shaking, and the feel of her body vibrating under my hand had tears burning at my eyes. Two blocks. Just two more blocks until we’d be at the hospital. I’d get us there and we’d see Max, see that he’s alive and okay.
Right? God, please let him be okay. I wouldn’t survive if he wasn’t.
“I’m calm. I’m so fucking calm, I’m chill,” she snarked. I rolled my eyes and pulled into the parking lot of the hospital. I saw her wiping her face. The glistening tears said more than her words.
I parked the car in the first spot I found close to the doors. I didn’t have time to hunt for the best one. I needed to get inside, to see him. Jenn was out the car and running before I could even get the keys out the ignition, me just steps behind her. As soon as we were through the E.R. doors, I saw Hunter and the others. Their eyes each held a different emotion. Fear, worry, hope! Jenn went to the desk and that’s when shit got dicey, quickly.
“Maximus Callahan.. he was brought in by… shit, I don’t know how, ambulance I’m guessing. Where is he?” She said this as she slammed her hand down on the desk. The portly woman before her raised a brow at Jenn’s behavior.
“And you are?”
“His fucking sister. Where is he? I want to see him now!” I tried to pull her back, but she pushed me off and leaned further over the counter.
“Jenn, come on. Don’t be a bitch to the lady.” I turned to face the woman.
“Maximus, we need to see him, please.”
“You can’t see him yet. He’s in X-Ray,” Hunter said as he pulled Jenn from my grasp and engulfed her in his arms. I shook my head, fighting to keep my shit together.
“The Doctor will be out to speak to you-” The woman was cut off when the double doors behind her opened, a man in light blue scrubs approached us.
“Callahan?”
Jenn pulled herself out of Hunter’s arms and brushed past us.
“Oh My God, is my brother okay? Can I see him, please? I need to see him. Is he okay?”
“Ms. Callahan, I’m Doctor Phillips. Your brother is going to be fine. Please, follow me, I’ll take you to his room. You can see him, but only for a moment. I’m afraid the rest of you will have to wait here. We’ll be moving him upstairs shortly, and the rest of you can see him then.
“Kennedy has to come too, she’s his girlfriend… and I need her there.”
“Okay, that will be fine. Please, follow me.” The man turned to walk back through the doors. He kept talking as we walked. “Your brother sustained a gunshot to the left arm and shoulder. Thankfully, the bullets went straight through, which means we won’t have to go in and surgically remove them. Your brother is very lucky. The bullets missed the arteries and went through cleanly. The damage to the muscles was minimal. He’ll need a bit of physical therapy, but I’m confident that he’ll make a full recovery.”
With each word he spoke, I died a little. Max had been shot... twice? Jesus Christ!
The Doctor pulled a curtain back and there he was. He was laying back against the bed, an oxygen mask covering his face, machines beeping, nurses bustling around as another Doctor in those same light blue scrubs bandaged Max’s arm.
Jenn moved to his side and took his hand. It was when she moved his arm that I saw two bandages on his side. One was just under his arm, and the other was almost on his hip. I turned to the Doctor.
“You said he was only shot twice. What the fuck are those bandages for?”
Panic. Sheer panic ran through me. The last person I saw laying on a bed like this had died. Jesus, what was happening here?
Images of my brother laying on a gurney, bleeding out, flashed before me. My parents hadn’t wanted me to be in the room, but I pushed through the curtains. I’d only been sixteen. I hadn’t been prepared for what I saw. Hell, even now thirteen years later, I still wasn’t able to handle what I was seeing.
“He was only shot twice, once in the shoulder and once in the upper part of his left arm. The bandages on his side are only from grazes. They were small and didn’t need any stitches. As I said, he was very lucky.”
Nausea rolled through me. I had to get out of here. Johnny’s face was all I could see as I stumbled from the room. I ran for the double doors. I had to get out. I needed air. I couldn’t chance looking at Max and seeing that same look in his eyes that I had seen in Johnny’s. That memory was as fresh today as it had been that day so many years ago.
I hit the double doors to the waiting room so hard they slammed against the wall, startling the nurse and a few others. I didn’t care. Someone shouted my name, but I couldn’t stop, not now. I need air, space.
I hustled to get through the door that would lead me outside. My stomach was churning by the time I hit the end of the sidewalk. I doubled over into the bushes. The memories of the day my life and the life of my parents had changed forever assaulted me.
“Kennedy!” I heard my name shouted twice before a warm hand landed on my back. “It’s okay, sweetheart, let it out.” I coughed as my hair was pulled from my face. The gentle touch caused the sobs I’d been trying to hold back escape.
“Kennedy. Oh God, Kennedy.” I heard Jen’s voice and tried to right myself. She didn’t need to see me like this. Not now.
I was supposed to be the one staying strong for her.
“I’m sorry,” she said as she engulfed me in a tight hug.
“I’m fine.” The words sounded dead as they left mouth. I swallowed back the bile that was once again creeping up the back of my throat. “I’m fine.” I was fine, dammit! Jenn needed me to keep my shit together. “I’m fine,” I said, more for myself than her.
“Kennedy,” Jenn said, pulling me to face her. “I’m sorry, I wasn’t thinking.”
I shook my head.
“Don’t,” she said to me, her eyes tearing up. Fuck!
“Someone want to fill us in on what’s happening here? Is Max okay?” Hunter’s aggregation was apparent as he stared us down.
“He’s going to be fine. He was trying to come after our girl here…”
All I could say was, “I’m sorry,” before I walked towards my car. I seriously needed to get out of here, and clear my head.
7
Maximus
Two days of staring at white walls, listening to things beep around me and eating slop that’s was almost as bad as MRE’s in the desert, had me on edge. Add to this, the fact that I hadn’t seen Kennedy since she ran out of the ER… means I’m close to unhooking myself and walking out of here. Doctors be damned.
“Officer Callahan, good news. You’re being discharged.” At the doctor’s words I instantly began pushing the covers off of my legs.
“‘Bout fucking time,” I muttered. I pulled the lever to release the bed rail that the nurse insisted had to remain up. I dropped my legs off the edge of the bed, my feet resting on the floor. “I have things to do.”
“Whoa, there. You were shot. The only thing you’re going to do is go home and rest. I’ve sent my results and orders to the Chief already.” The fucker had the nerve to smirk.
I narrowed my eyes. I could kill him before he even moved if I wanted to, though it probably wasn’t a good idea. I sighed and shook my head.
“Where’s my cell?” I asked, my voice raising slightly. “I need to call for a ride.”
<
br /> “No need. Your chariot awaits,” Hunter said. He had Rooster and Tony with him as he came in.
“Good. Let’s hit it.” I stood, gritting my teeth as my aching muscles pulled against the bandages and this stupid thing they had hooked around them to keep my arm stationary.
“Max, chill. We’ll be leaving soon enough, but you probably won’t want to wear that Johnny home. I got you some clothes.” He dropped my bag on the bed and started pulling things out. By the time the Doctor and Nurse came back in with my discharge papers, I was dressed in shorts and a T-shirt, sliding my feet into my trainers. I hated that I needed help with putting on socks and pulling up my pants but, hey, shit happens.
“You’re free to go now. Remember, you have to follow up with the ortho department in ten days, Officer Callahan.” The nurse gave me one of those stern motherly looks and I nodded.
“Yes ma’am,” I said as an orderly came in behind her pushing a wheelchair, earning a glare from me.
“Hospital policy. You have to ride this to the exit. Unless, of course, you’d rather stay with us a bit longer.” she stated, smirking because she knew my need to leave was greater than my need to protect my ego.
I grudgingly sat down in the chair, and Hunter hurried us out of the door, which let’s face it, wasn’t as fast as I wanted to move. I was in some serious pain, but my need to see Kennedy helped me push the pain aside. When the elevator doors shut us in together, I sighed.
“We need to talk, man.”
Hunter stepped around the chair to stand next to me.
“What? What happened? Is Jenn okay? Is Kennedy okay?”
“Jenn is fine. Worried about you, but Kennedy-”
“What happened?” I demanded as the elevator doors opened.
We moved out, me more so by force as Tony was now guiding me and this god forsaken chair to the main door. The moment we were outside in the fresh air, I stood and turned to face Hunter again. “What happened to Kennedy!?”
“What do you know about her brother?”
I raised a brow. What? They guided me out to the parking lot and towards the big, black SUV Hunter drove.
“Not much. I’d seen him a few times when they were younger. He was a bit younger than me so, different circles, ya know. I know he died not long after I left for Cali. Why? What’s going on?” By the time we got to the SUV everyone seemed uncomfortable. Hunter rubbed the back of his neck.
“Get in. This is something she should tell you.” With that, he got into the SUV. I had to have a little help, but once we were in my mind started to race with worry. What had happened to Kennedy? Why was her brother being brought up now? It didn’t take long for us to pull up in front of my house. I raised a brow.
Rooster answered my unspoken question. “She needed to be someplace safe. She and Jenn have been staying here. I guess she needed to feel close to your sorry ass.” I grunted at that as I slid from the SUV.
“Yeah, after all of- well, she needed it,” Hunter said. He moved to my door. It flung open and Jenn came running at me. I braced myself for the impact, but she slowed just before running into my arms, gently wrapping her arms around me. I kissed her head and tried to return the embrace.
“Hey, kid. Where’s my girl?” Jenn stepped away and looked toward the house. Her eyes moved to the ground and it took her a minute before her gaze came back to meet mine.
“She’s on the back deck.” I went to move around her, but she stopped me. “Max, there’s a lot going on that you don’t know about.”
“Like?” I prompted. The looks on the other men’s faces said it all. They knew what was going on here.
Jenn looked away before she spoke again. “You need to ask her.”
“I’m asking you, Jennifer.”
“And I’m not telling you Maximus!”
She stormed off around the back of the house and I cursed. I pushed passed the boys, and moved into my home. My head was starting to pound. I had to calm myself before I walked out to the back patio. I needed to be calm, gentle with Kennedy. I kicked my shoes off, fought like a mad man to get the damn socks off and sighed as I made it to the back sliding door.
I saw her then. Her small frame was curled up on the wicker couch. I moved to sit beside her, making sure I moved slow. I didn’t want to scare her. The second I sat back she moved to curl into me. I wrapped my good arm around her and tugged her body tighter against mine. I had to bite back a groan when she shifted against me. I felt the shaking in her body before I heard her crying.
“I’ve got you, baby. It’s okay. I’m here. I’m okay.” My voice was soft as I kissed her on the head.
“It was Johnny all over again…”
I raised a brow. What was that supposed to mean? I ran my fingers along the back of her neck. Stroking her skin, trying to comfort her.
“What was Johnny all over again, baby?” It took her a few minutes to look up at me. Her hands brushed her tears away. I was helpless to do anything to help her. I cursed my injured arm. I needed to be able to hold her properly.
“My brother… seeing you on that bed. I couldn’t do it. I was so scared…” Tears started to roll down her cheeks again. I cursed and leaned in to kiss her lips softly. Then, I kissed each cheek, and her eyes.
“I’m sorry, baby. I’m okay, though. Nothing major, I promise. Do you want to tell me about your brother?” I asked her.
I wanted her to know she could open up to me.
“He- he was six years older than me. He was-” she trailed off and buried her face in her hands. I gave her the time she needed to compose herself. When she sat back up I continued to rub the back of her neck and her shoulder. “Johnny was a police officer. He was shot while on duty. By the time-” she hiccuped. I gave her neck another gentle squeeze. “By the time we got there... it was too late. He was gone.” Her eyes met mine, tears still filling them. “My parents told me to wait outside, but I couldn’t. I had to see him. When the curtains opened he was laying on the bed, tubes and wires everywhere. Machines beeping…”
“Fuck, baby. I’m so sorry.” I shifted slightly so she was laying against me more.
“I’m sorry. I freaked out. I didn’t expect to see you like that. I don’t know what I expected, but it wasn’t that. It was exactly how it was that day. If I lost you.. Max, I couldn’t do it. I wouldn’t survive. I’m already too far into this…”
“I’m not going anywhere, you hear me? I am not going to leave you, not on purpose. I love you. You hear me, Kennedy Walker. I love you. I will always do whatever I can to come back to you.”
“Oh Max...I love you, too!” She threw her arms around me and, despite the shot of pain rolling through me, having her in my arms was all I could feel.
“I’d like to talk more about this when you’re ready. I want to know everything that happened. I want to make sure that you’re ready and able to be with me, even with the danger that I sometimes have to face.”
She gave me a hard look. “I swear, Maximus, if you hurt me, I will cut your balls off and toss them to the Lions at the zoo. You will live in the everafter ball-less.”
I snorted at that. Jesus, this woman. I pulled her to me and pressed a kiss to her lips. I’d prove to her that I meant what I said. I would always do everything and anything I had to in order to make it back to her.
8
Kennedy
It’s been about five weeks now since Max’s injury and my total breakdown. I’ve been able to talk to him and Jenn about Johnny more since the night Max came home from the hospital. The more I’m able to talk about Johnny - without breaking down - the stronger I feel. I think - despite the despair and freak outs - this experience, and Max getting hurt, has had an upside. It’s made me face a demon I’ve been trying to forget for many years.
I’ve managed to pull myself from the funk the memories of my brother’s death always darken me with. I can remember the good times we had. I’m able to laugh and tell the stories about our childhood, without always breaking down. I can sh
are things that are precious to me. The times spent trying to cook and almost burning the kitchen up. The pranks we played on each other and our parents. One of the best memories I have of me and Johnny is the last Christmas we had as a family.
This has put my life somewhat on track again. Though, road bumps would happen, for now it was smooth sailing. Well, sort of. My only ‘problem’ is the off-duty SWAT officer who is determined to do things he’s not supposed to be. Like, painting the railing on his back patio. Seriously! I caught him bent over painting last night when I came over. This was not the first time I’d caught him doing something he shouldn’t be doing. He tried to keep himself busy. The man is incapable of just sitting on his ass like normal folks. The thought makes me laugh.
I climbed out of my car and chewed on my lip as I looked up at Max’s house. It was time to play devil’s advocate. He had to stop doing things so he didn’t hurt himself more. I was nervous. He hated being pinned down and sorted. God love him, the man was a grown toddler sometimes.
That’s why I’m here now, with four really big men and, of course, Jenn as back up. I was not going into the lion's den alone. I’m not stupid! Crazy, yes, stupid no! I stopped at the door and placed a hand on the knob. Taking a deep breath, I tried to shake off my nerves. I heard someone chuckle and I looked over my shoulder. Hunter and Tucker were both wearing matching smirks. Hunter reaches over my head - which isn’t that hard to do for him - and raps his knuckles against the door. Did I mention I was nervous. I wasn’t sure how Max was going to handle us coming in and basically telling him what he - a grown man - can and can’t do. Blah!
The door opened and I jumped. So much for being all big and bad on my part. With a sigh I look up to meet Max’s gaze. He was wearing only swim shorts, water dripping down his body. He didn’t have the sling on, but his arm was held close to his body. I raised a brow when I heard a woman’s voice from inside. Max shook his head. I didn’t have a chance to say anything before Jenn burst through the door.
