Since I’m not expecting anyone home for a while, I decide to head to the mall to get a few outfits. I don’t want to keep borrowing clothes from Avery. Plus, I’m in desperate need of some new bras and panties.
I’m not used to driving in Phoenix traffic. It isn’t as bad as Chicago, but all the snow birds are still here, so I’m about to lose my damn mind on the 101. Thankfully, I find the shopping center without any problems.
I stop at Alfredo’s for Italian before I head to the Baby Gap to get some clothes for Brady.
It’s strange shopping for me, though. Trevor made sure I always wore the best of the best when it came to clothes and jewelry, because what kind of doctor’s wife wouldn’t have the top-of-the-line of everything? But I’m used to buying everything according to what he wanted, not because I liked them.
He always wanted me to be conservative, yet sexy. What the hell does that even mean? But it was important to him that I always looked my best in case we ran into anyone he knew while we were out, which was almost always. Chicago has a lot of chiropractors, but Trevor still manages to keep a decent number of clients. We often saw other doctors from around the area. All the chiropractors in Chicago get together several times a year for different benefits, plus I was forced to spend time with those he considered friends. I always felt way out of place with their snooty wives, who always pretended to be friendly.
Once I’m satisfied with my selections, I head back to the parking lot with my bags. I really wanted to get my hair done while I was out, but I’m exhausted. It seems that the simple task of only running errands has become a huge challenge for me. I just want to go back to Evan’s and sleep. I’d love to sleep the rest of the day, but it doesn’t look like that will be happening. I know my brother is only trying to help me by keeping me busy, but right now I just want to hide away from the rest of the world.
4
Claire
When I get back to Evan’s, I’m once again alone, so I decide to lie down and read a bit before I’m forced to face the public again. I love my brother, but he doesn’t comprehend how drained I am.
“Hey, Sis.” I fly out of bed at the sound of Evan’s voice. “Shit. Sorry, I didn’t mean to scare you. I didn’t expect you to be sleeping again.” He eyes me skeptically.
“I dozed off while I was reading.” I wipe the drool off my face with the back of my hand.
“It’s okay. You needed rest and Brady was good for us.”
“Good. I’m glad, but it would have been nice if you told me you were taking my child somewhere. Didn’t you know how worried I’d be?” I say as I stretch my arms above my head. I didn’t realize how tired I was.
“Claire, I’m sorry, but we were trying to help you. You’ve been through a lot lately, so we thought you could use a break.” Great. Now I feel like a bitch.
“You’re right, thank you. I’m an overprotective mom. What can I say?” I half smile.
Evan laughs. “Lucy will be here soon, so hurry if you need to get yourself ready.” He starts to pull the door shut, but I stop him.
“Wait, Evan,” He pushes the door back open and looks at me questioningly. “I think I’m just going to stay in with Brady tonight.” I know he’s not going to fall for my bullshit, but I really don’t want to do anything but sleep. I know I’ll have to care for Brady, but once he’s in bed, I can join him.
“What the hell, Claire? No, get your ass up. We’re leaving soon.” Who the hell does he think he is? Now I’m furious.
“No!” He stops in his tracks and slowly turns back toward me. “Evan. I am not going out.” I know he’s going to argue with me, but I’m not letting him win this one. I know I told him I’d go with him and Avery, but I don’t think I can handle it right now.
“You’re being ridiculous. Get up.”
My composure snaps.
“Goddamn it, Evan! I’m fucking staying home.” Now I have tears running down my face. I know I’m probably overreacting, but the thought of being around people, makes me want to throw up.
“Sis, what’s going on?” Evan walks toward the bed and sits on the edge. “You seemed fine earlier. What happened?”
“Nothing.” I really don’t want to talk about this with my brother. He could never understand what I’ve been through. Hell, I’m not sure I understand how I’m feeling right now. One minute I’m fine, but the next all I want to do is cry and sleep. I know I sound dramatic, but I don’t think I’ve ever felt so awful in all my life.
After several minutes, my brother finally leaves me alone.
Once Evan and Avery are gone for the night, I feed Brady one of his frozen toddler meals and then mix up a bottle. I rock him in the living room until he drifts off to sleep. I’m envious of how carefree he is. To be an innocent child again.
Tonight, I could tell that Evan was pissed that I wasn’t going with them. He was angry with me because Lucy had volunteered to help with Brady and I had refused her offer.
I kiss Brady’s cheek as I run my fingers through the dark ringlets on his head. Holding my son, feeling him, seems to lessen my anxiety and makes me feel a bit better.
“What the hell, Claire? Brady has been screaming for ten minutes. Are you going to get your ass out of bed?” Evan’s voice is muffled as I try to come to. I rub my eyes with the back of my hand and then I hear my son wailing at the top of his lungs. My head feels like a fucking train hit it.
I look over and see my brother getting Brady out of his bed, as he shoots daggers at me with his eyes.
“Claire, I don’t know what the fuck is going on, but you have got to get your shit together. I know Trevor obviously did a number on you, but you still have your child to care for. You’re being a self-centered brat.” Without saying anything else, Evan strolls out of my room with my son in his arms.
I grab my phone off the side table and see that it’s 8:00 AM. Fuck. Brady was probably starving. But I know that Evan is now taking care of him, so I roll back over in bed and sleep is quick to find me again.
I wake to the sound of clattering coming from nearby. Who the hell is being so loud? I sit up in bed and then see Evan emerge from my bathroom.
“What the hell are these?” He asks with rage in his voice.
“Are you going through my things?” I jump out of bed and grab the bottle from his hand. How dare he invade my privacy?
“Why are you taking Codeine? Are you trying to fucking kill yourself?” He yells.
The next moment Avery is standing in the doorway of my room.
“What’s going on?” She asks hesitantly. I can tell she doesn’t want to get in the middle of whatever is going on between me and Evan. My sister-in-law has always been a great friend to me, but I know she also adores my brother. I can respect that, but right now, I hate him.
“Claire is taking Codeine. That’s what’s going on.” Evan answers his wife without taking his eyes off me. I’ve never seen my brother like this and, I have to admit, it’s kind of terrifying. I know he’s only worried but fuck him. I’m an adult and it’s time he starts treating me like one.
“Fuck you, Evan.” I walk to the bathroom and slam the door behind me. I probably shouldn’t be treating their house like this, but he makes me want to fucking scream. What does he know? He has no idea how I’m feeling right now. It’s not like I’m trying to overdose or anything insane like that. Evan didn’t bother reading the bottle to see that my damn name was on the label. He doesn’t know why I need pain meds and it’s not like they aren’t prescription. The fact that they help me sleep is an added bonus. I feel ashamed for acting the way I did in front of Avery, but Evan has managed to piss me off in the last day in more ways than I can count.
My heart sprints in my chest, feeling like it’s trying to climb out. I’m pretty sure I was hit in the head with a brick and my right-hand hurts like hell. Where am I? I slowly ease my eyes open, but nothing comes into focus right away. I can recognize the outline of a few figures. It looks like there are people standing around me. Oh
. My. God. Am I in the hospital?
I try to sit up but am halted by restraints attached to both my wrists. Was I kidnapped? I feel helpless, as I have no clue where I’m at right now.
“Ms. Davis?” I hear a voice in the distance ask but can’t tell where it’s coming from. How do they know my name?
“Ms. Davis, I’m Dr. Stanton. Do you know where you are?” Okay, so I wasn’t kidnapped.
When I don’t answer, he goes on. “You were brought in by ambulance last night after your brother found you passed out on the floor. You were very close to overdosing from your pain medication.” He gives me the look of a disappointed father. What the fuck did I do?
“I’m sorry, w-what?” I barely manage to get out. My throat feels like blades are gouging it. I start to cough and, in the next instant, there’s a straw in front of my face.
“Here. Have a drink.” I take the offered liquid and immediately find relief.
My vision finally comes to focus and I am definitely lying in a hospital bed.
“Claire, I know you just woke up, but we need to discuss what’s going to happen next.” I must give this man an odd look because he goes on to explain. “Your brother just finished filling out the paperwork for you to be admitted to the Ahwatukee Mental Health extended stay facility.” He has got to be fucking kidding me.
“What? No. I’m not going to a psych ward.” I once again try to sit up but am quickly reminded that I’m strapped to the bed. “Can you please get these things off me?” I ask nodding my head toward my wrist. “I want to go home. I need to see my son.” I’m immediately hit with fear. Where is Brady?
“Ms. Davis, I’m truly sorry, but we can’t allow you to go home at this time. We worry that you are a danger to yourself right now and it’s imperative that you’re monitored around the clock.”
I yank at the restraints and start kicking my legs like a toddler. I’m pretty sure my nine-month-old acts better than this.
My throat feels like it’s closing up and my eyes begin to burn with the tears I desperately need to let fall. How is this my life?
“I wasn’t trying to kill myself, doctor. I broke my tailbone last month and it was bothering me, so I took some Codeine. I have a prescription for it.” I know he’s not believing a word I’m saying as he stares at the clipboard in front of him. “I swear to you. I’d never do anything like that to myself. My son needs me too much.” I’m being completely honest with him.
“I believe you, but you’ve become extremely ill from taking it. You got very lucky.” What he doesn’t realize is that I’ve also lost a significant amount of weight in the last month. Most of my clothes seem to swallow me whole.
I hear the door swing open and in walks Evan, but then I see my husband behind him. I can tell Evan isn’t thrilled about seeing Trevor, but then why the hell is he here? I’m seeing red. He has no right to be here in Phoenix. He needs to go back to his whores and stay the hell away from me. He’s done enough damage to me to last a lifetime.
“What the hell is he doing here?” I yell but then regret it as I flinch in pain from the ache in my throat.
“Sis, Trevor is going to take Brady back to Chicago with him while you’re in Ahwatukee.” The look on his face shows how nervous he was about telling me this. Over my dead body!
“No fucking way!” I’d grab my throat if I could, but they have me strapped to this damn bed like a freaking prisoner. I’m not a threat to myself, but I’m about to become a threat to them if they don’t let me go.
“Claire, Brady isn’t safe with you right now.” This comes from fucking Trevor. Evan shoots him a look saying shut the fuck up, but right now I want to kill them both.
“Isn’t safe with me? What the hell do you know about taking care of our child?” There is no way I’m letting him take my baby away from me. “No, he’s staying with me. I’m going back to Evan’s and so is Brady.”
Everything in the room becomes a haze, as my eyes can’t seem to focus on anything. I can’t get enough air into my lungs.
The pain only lasts a short moment. I’m suddenly relaxed before everything fades away.
5
Ryker
“Hey, what’s up, man?” I haven’t talked to Carter in some time, so it’s kind of strange that he’s calling. We used to hang out a lot, especially growing up, but life got crazy and shit happened.
“Hey, I’ve got a bunch of people coming over tonight for drinks. You off?” I honestly couldn’t tell you the last time me and Carter got together to hang out. But it was nice we could always pick up where we left off. We weren’t a couple of pussies that had to hold each other’s hands through everything.
“Yeah, I’m off. What time should I come?” I’ve been so busy lately with my bar, that a night out sounds exactly like what I need.
“Just come whenever. Everyone is coming at seven.”
I click “end” to disconnect the call and go to my small kitchen to retrieve a beer from the fridge. I probably shouldn’t be drinking yet because God knows that’s all we’ll do tonight at Carter’s. It’s a miracle we aren’t both alcoholics after all the beers we’ve consumed over the years.
Being a single father, my dad always let us get away with shit that I’m sure Carter’s parents would have been pissed about. It sucked not having my mother around, but he made up for it the best he knew how.
I let my shih tzu Grizzly out and then quickly change into some worn jeans and a form-fitting t-shirt. After I let Griz back inside, I slip my shoes on and head out the door.
Carter has lived in this old, worn-down neighborhood on the west side of town, for as long as I can remember. His house is white with chipped paint on the side of it and a roof that should have been replaced years ago.
“Hey!” Carter yells towards me as I enter the house. He’s clearly been drinking for a while as he’s already making an ass out of himself.
We give each other a bro hug and then he hands me a cold beer from the fridge.
He introduces me to a bunch of people I’ve never seen before and I see a few I have. Unlike me, Carter never stayed in touch with anyone after high school. Hell, I almost married my high school girlfriend. That idea went to hell.
The smell of stale beer and cigarette smoke permeates the air. Even being the owner of a bar, the smell of cigarettes gives me a fucking headache. I tried smoking once in school and choked so bad that I never picked another one up. Carter, on the other hand, either always had one in his mouth or behind his ear.
I vaguely remember my mother, but I do remember her coming home with alcohol on her breath. I can still see her yellowing, discolored teeth from the rare moments when she smiled, unmistakably the result of always having a cancer stick in her mouth.
I finish the last sip of my Corona and toss the bottle in the garbage can under the kitchen sink. I lean into the fridge to grab another but then feel a hand rubbing my ass. I immediately get a fucking hard-on. So, sue me. I’m am a twenty-eight-year-old single man. A single man who hasn’t gotten laid in God knows how long.
I stand up straight and when I turn around, I’m greeted by a blonde girl who is possibly an entire foot shorter than me. Her golden locks just barely hit her shoulders, her eyes the color of grass. Not freshly watered grass. No, more like the color it becomes here in Phoenix after a long summer’s drought. She’s hot. I’ll give her that.
“Hey, darlin’.” I give her my signature let’s fuck smile and I can tell that she’s thinking the exact thing I am. It seems that we both have one thing on our minds tonight.
She giggles. It’s fucking obnoxious, but my raging dick couldn’t give two fucks about her laugh. “Hi, I’m Vanessa, but you can call me Van.” She giggles again as she runs her long, fire engine red nails down my arm.
“Ryker,” I whisper as I lean into her ear. “Want to get out of here?” I’m fucking horny as hell and if this girl turns me down, I’m going to have to find another one, quick. Or I’ll be getting myself off in Carter’s bathroom with
my hand, which has been the norm lately.
“Yes,” she says in a breathy voice. I use that as an invitation to grab her hand and lead her through the house. I have no intention of taking her back to my house, but I better figure out where I’m taking her fast, or I’m going to blow a damn load in my pants.
We make it out to Carter’s backyard and there are several other people out here, sitting around a fire that is slowly losing its flame.
“Let’s go this way,” I say as I lead Vanessa to the run-down storage building at the end of the yard.
“You want to fuck me in this old thing?” Vanessa asks as she waves her arm in the air, looking at the outdated structure.
“Yes, is that alright? I don’t think I can wait another second to be inside you.” At that, she seems to be appeased.
I grab her hair and crash my lips to hers.
The sex is certainly nothing to write home about, but it at least sated my hunger a bit.
6
Claire
I’m not sure how long I’ve been staring at the gray, textured wall in front of me. It feels like hours, but I’m sure it’s been less than ten minutes. The strong scent of hand sanitizer makes me want to heave the bland lunch of ham and potatoes the nurse just brought to my room. Okay, so it could have been much worse, but hospital food always tastes repulsive.
Soon after my anxiety attack at the hospital last night, I was discharged and brought to Ahwatukee Mental Health. The doctor and nurses here are slowly losing their patience with me. I’ve refused to speak to anyone because they won’t let me call to check on Brady. I’m sure that if any of these people have children at home, they’d also be livid if they were kept from them for the unforeseeable future. Not only am I being kept from my child, Trevor is the one who is taking care of him right now.
Revived (Unexpected Series Book 1) Page 3