by Brook Wilder
“Lee’s men,” Aiden muttered, struggling to take his breath. He floored the gas pedal and flew down the highway; he knew he had to get as far away from there as he possibly could. He wondered if Lee’s men recognized his face. No, no, it was too dark, he thought to himself. Suddenly, he felt that pain again, but it was migrating from his stomach and spreading out through his ribcage. He leaned forward in his seat and clenched his eyes, tucking in his stomach and feeling for the source of the pain with his fingers. He jabbed two of his fingers in between his ribs and took in a deep breath when he felt a sharp, shooting pain fly out through his chest.
“Oh, fuck!” he grunted, clenching his jaw. For a moment he thought he would stomp on the brakes and stop the car, but he didn’t. He knew he had to get home even if he was being followed. In no more than ten minutes he had made it to his neighborhood, but as soon as he stepped out of his car, he felt like he couldn’t even walk.
Aiden limped his way up Junie’s driveway, briefly knocking on the door and just standing there with his back arched. “Aiden?” Junie said, inching the door open and motioning for him to step inside. “What’s wrong?”
“I went to scope out the bar on Rosenberg Hill… a bunch of Lee’s men saw me there, they beat me up,” he said, clenching his stomach. “One of them threw a punch at me, and I think it’s pretty bad this time.”
“Alright, wait, I want you to lie down over here,” Junie said, nodding towards the couch. She took Aiden’s hand and slowly helped him lie down. “Mind if I lift up your shirt?” she asked.
“That even a real question?” Aiden asked, his eyes fixated on the ceiling fan. Junie wondered how he could possibly be in so much pain and still manage to flirt with her.
“Alright, does it hurt when you breathe?” she asked, her head cocked to the side.
“Hell, yes,” Aiden said.
“How about when I press over here?” Junie asked, pushing down his ribs with two fingers. Aiden shook his head. She repeated the same process in several other places and he shook his head still. “Alright, can you get up for me?” she asked.
Aiden tried to push himself up but failed miserably. Junie held his hands for support and pulled him back up to a seating position. “It hurts even worse right now,” Aiden said, shaking his head frantically.
“Okay, you might have a broken rib,” Junie said. “I’m going to get you some ice, but for now, you need to lie down,” she continued.
“Okay,” Aiden said, falling back down onto the couch. He eyed Junie as she made a beeline for the kitchen, wondering what he could’ve possibly done to deserve her. He wanted to kiss her right then and there, let her know he appreciated what she was doing for him. After all, she didn’t have to do all of this, but then again, he felt the need to remind himself that it was her job. It had occurred to him that maybe he wasn’t so special, after all.
“I know it’s a chilly night, but you’re going to have to put this on for at least a couple of minutes, just to let the swelling go down,” Junie said, coming back with a pack of nice. She held it against Aiden’s bare chest; he gasped at how cold the ice felt against his skin. “It’s okay,” Junie said again, stroking his cheek with the back of her hand. “It’s all going to be okay.” Aiden looked at her, but she looked away.
“Thank you for doing this,” he breathed. “I don’t know what I would’ve possibly done without you.”
“So, whose men beat you up exactly?” Junie asked after a long pause.
There was silence. “Lee’s men,” he said finally. “They saw me trying to sneak into their bar and they beat me up… it’s a good thing I even managed to escape.”
“But you did manage to get in regardless, right?” Junie asked, tilting her head sideways.
Aiden nodded. “I was only in there for a couple of minutes, and.” There was a pause. Suddenly Aiden felt like telling Junie what he heard in there was the wrong thing to do.
“And what?” she asked, her eyebrows furrowed.
“They were all drunk, they didn’t even pay me any attention,” Aiden said.
“Oh, they didn’t?” Junie asked. “I’m not convinced.”
“Don’t worry, I’ll tell you all about it later, but for now, I just need to focus on making this pain go away,” he said, holding the pack to his ribs. “This hurts like a bitch.”
“The pain is going to be there for a while,” Junie said, shaking her head. “We just need to get you some painkillers and some ointment for your bruises, but otherwise, broken ribs are usually left to heal on their own.”
Aiden nodded and took Junie’s hand. “Thank you for doing this, and I promise you, I will update you on every single thing that happened when all of this blows over.”
Junie nodded, but deep down, she felt like Aiden was hiding something.
“You know I never thought I’d say this, Junie, but I’m scared, I’m scared for this neighborhood,” he said, his voice trailing off. “I don’t know what these people are plotting, but all I know is that they need to be stopped.”
“First they terrorize our kids…who knows what they could do next,” Junie said, her eyes fixated on the floor tiles. “Just thinking about it drives me crazy.”
“The Rebels are the only ones who can stop them,” Aiden said, suddenly confident. “I’m going to meet up with Tom early in the morning, so we can finalize our plan.”
“And I’ll be with you,” Junie said, her eyes locked on his. Aiden smoothed his hand along the velvet couch cushion and looked at her, a smile settling over his face.
“Come on,” he said, tracing circles on Junie’s palm. “Come closer.”
Without giving it much thought, Junie leaned in and pressed her lips against Aiden’s. She knew it was coming, she just didn’t know when. And today was just one of those days where everything felt right, like things were meant to happen the way they did. The truth was, Junie hadn’t felt this way about anyone for a very, very long time. Her head felt clearer than before, she even though she wouldn’t have ever imagined being with a guy like Aiden, she still felt that rush, that excitement every time their tongues collided. “You’re a good kisser,” she whispered against his lips.
Aiden grazed her bottom lip gently with his teeth and then pulled away, sucking lightly on the fleshy inside part. He looked into her eyes, and what he saw was heavenly. He thought about the day he met her, how infatuated he must have been to let her into his life like that. He wondered if there was room for something else, something greater, but he decided he wasn’t going to think about that right now. The last thing he wanted to do was to make things more complicated than they already were. “You’re an amazing person, Junie,” he said, tilting his head sideways and working his way down the length of her neck, but she pulled away.
“Aiden, I don’t think we should-”
“I get it,” he said, interrupting her. “You’re absolutely right.”
A silence washed over the two of them like a tide, and Aiden found himself at a loss for words. “I think you should go home and prepare for tomorrow,” Junie said, pursing her lips.
“You’re right,” Aiden said, shifting in his seat before he got up.
“I think, I think you should get your ribs checked,” Junie said, rising to her feet. “Before you meet up with Tom tomorrow morning, can you do that?”
Aiden nodded. “Yeah, I can.” They exchanged brief glances before he slowly made his way for the door. “Thank you, Junie… for everything.”
CHAPTER 9
Junie woke up to the sound of knocking at her door. It was as if she had never fallen asleep to begin with; every day resembled the one before. She had woken up pretty early and then went back for a nap, but when she heard the knocking, she had a good hunch it was Aiden. “Good morning,” she said, smiling.
“Good morning,” Aiden said. “Can I come in?”
“I don’t think you should be asking this question by now,” Junie said, her lips curving to a smile. “Do you want some coffee?”
“Alright, good, good,” Junie said, fumbling with some cups on the kitchen counter. “And?”
“And… I’m worried, Junie,” Aiden said, raising his eyes to her. She turned to look at him, and she could’ve sworn she had never seen him so terrified in her life. “I know I wasn’t totally honest with you about this before… but I’m concerned about the lives of our men. I don’t know if many of us will make it out of there alive.”
Junie stopped what she was doing. She turned to look at him, her eyes wide. “What do you mean?” she asked, her face turning a million different colors.
“What I mean is that… this sounds to me like a suicidal mission, Junie.”
For a moment, she didn’t say anything. It was like she was living the exact same nightmare all over again. She couldn’t stand to lose someone else, not like that. “How do you want me to react to that?” she asked, her voice trembling. “I obviously knew it was dangerous but, Aiden, suicidal mission? How am I supposed to handle that?”
“Listen, listen, I know you’re scared shitless,” Aiden said. “But we both knew right off the bat that this was dangerous,” he continued.
“And you’re okay with it being a suicidal mission?” Junie asked, her eyes wide.
“Of course, not! That’s exactly why I came to you… I need us to think of something, together.”
Junie clenched her eyes, trying to think. A million thoughts were racing through her mind, but deep down, she knew she had to do something. “I have an idea,” she said finally. “I can distract the Mercenaries while you’re in there.”
“No, I don’t want you to be a part of this,” Aiden said, his voice stern. “This is too dangerous, you’re going to get yourself hurt.”
“Listen, it’s not like I’m going to be in there firing shots with you… I’m just going to find a way to throw them off balance,” she said. “Come on, I can do more than just hang around that shed, and you know that.”
“I think you’re downplaying this whole thing; your job won’t be easy, Junie,” Aiden said, sighing. “Why are you making this even harder on yourself?”
There was a pause. “Because I don’t want you to be alone in this,” she said, her eyes locked on his. Aiden leaned in and pressed his lips to hers. All his life, he had never felt so cared for. Junie wasn’t just like any woman, and she was no ordinary woman, either. She was probably one of the bravest, strongest females he had ever seen. For some reason, he knew she could handle this.
“You know what, I know you can do this,” Aiden said. “I’m scared for you, but I know you can do it.”
Junie’s eyes lit up. Nothing made her feel better than feeling empowered. This way, she felt like she could do anything. “Thank you,” she said. “Now, can we please celebrate the fact that your ribs aren’t broken?” she asked, flashing Aiden a smirk.
“Celebrate, how?” he asked, a cheeky smiled plastered to his face. He wrapped his arms around her waist and pulled her close, but when he heard that clammy thumping sound coming down the stairs, he knew he needed to keep his distance. “Matty!” he said, crouching down on the floor. “Come here!” The little boy rushed over to Aiden and melted into his arms. Junie just watched them, a look of disbelief in her eyes. She never thought her son would ever get used to someone other than his father, and as much as it conflicted her having someone else around the house other than her husband, a part of her felt relieved that she had someone to rely on. She knew raising a son alone at such a young age wasn’t easy, and know that Aiden was in her life, a part of her felt reassured.
“Mom, can I play ball with Aiden?” Matt asked.
“Of course,” she said, a smile settling over her face. Her eyes darted from Aiden, to her son, and then to Aiden again, and in her head she formed a picture perfect memory of the two of them running around the basketball court, the sound of their laughter ringing in her ears. She found herself in deep contemplation over her life and what it had come down to. Her mind was buzzing with her memory of her husband, how she thought she smelled him everywhere she went. But for the first time, she woke up this morning not smelling anything but the scent of garden roses blooming outside, and she knew, she knew he was in peace. She thought that maybe it was time to move on.
“Alright, so, do you know how to dribble?” Aiden asked, taking Matt’s hand and walking him to the small basketball court in his garage. The little boy nodded. “Do you want to pass me that ball over there?” he asked.
Junie stood at the far end of the garage, by the mailbox, and she watched as the two of them ran around together, laughing and passing the ball to each other. Nothing could beat the feeling of seeing her son happy. He needed a male role model in her life, and as much as she liked to deny it, even to herself, Junie needed someone to take care of her. She had grown so used to being alone, but when Aiden came along, it was like she had just come out of a fog.
Aiden made a slam dunk. “Woah! That was amazing!” Matt said, his eyes flaring with excitement. “Can you teach me how to do that?”
“Sure thing, buddy,” Aiden said. “You just need to grow a little bit taller.”
“No fair,” Matt said, stomping his feet against the ground. Aiden just smiled at him. It was like he reminded him of the son he never had. His mind kept going back to their mission, how dangerous it was. The uncertainty was killing him. What if something were to happen to Junie, or to the both of them? A part of him wanted to back out immediately; why did he have to drag her into this? He thought that if anything were to happen to her he wouldn’t be able to live with the guilt of taking a single mother away from her son. But he shook his head, trying to dispel all the negative thoughts. Right now, Junie was alive, and he was alive, and nothing could take that away from them.
“Uncle Aiden!” Matt yelled, reaching his hands up in the air and bouncing up and down. “When I grow up, I want to play basketball just like you!”
Junie’s heart hurt when she heard him say that. In the back of her mind the images of her husband lingered, and she couldn’t help but ask herself: will Matty forget about his father eventually? Will all his memories with him dissolve with time, until there’s nothing left of them but little foggy remnants? Things he’ll grow up claiming he remembers like they were yesterday, but in reality, he remembers nothing at all? Junie felt her stomach churn at the thought. She had promised herself over and over again that she would keep her husband’s memory alive, no matter what happened. But before her eyes she could see her son getting along with someone else, someone she could potentially end up with if it weren’t for her reluctance to move on.
Will I ever really move on? she thought to herself. But the answer was no. No matter how much time passed, Junie knew she would never forget her husband, but that didn’t mean she didn’t see herself with anyone else.
“Oh, you’re getting away with the ball, you’re getting away with it!” Aiden’s voice rippled in the distance. To Junie, it sounded like a faraway dream, something so futuristic that it was almost intangible in her mind. She watched the duo as they ran after each other for the ball, Aiden feigning frustration over not being able to catch it. Matt ran in the direction of the hoop, and then finally, he squatted down and catapulted it into the air so it went straight through the ring.
“Goooaaalll!” the little boy yelled, throwing his hands up in the air and beginning to run around in circles. Aiden charged towards him, picked him up and carried him on his shoulders. He turned around and smiled at Junie.
“Your son’s even more talented than I am,” he said, squinting in the sun. Junie was beaming. She hadn’t seen Matt this happy in a very, very long time. She eyed Aiden as he put Matt down and started talking to him. A part of her wanted to go over there and listen in on the conversation, but she decided not to. Somehow, she trusted
Aiden to say all the right things. “Your mother’s an amazing woman,” his voice echoed in the distance. It was only then did she truly realize how much Aiden thought of her. She didn’t know why he did, or what brought him into her life. It had occurred to her that maybe the universe brought the two of them together for a reason, and the truth was, she was really starting to believe it.
“Hey,” she said, walking over to them. “Thank you for this.”
“Why are you thanking me?” Aiden asked, his pearly teeth showing through this smile. His eyes sparkled when he looked at Junie; it was making her blush.
“Mommy, can Aiden come live with us?” Matt asked.
“Aiden, Aiden has a job, honey, he’s not going to be free all the time to come and play,” Junie said, her eyes dropping to the floor. She could feel Aiden staring at her, but she didn’t mind it. “In fact, I think we should leave him to it right now,” she continued, nodding towards their house. “But we’ll come back later.”