Lennon's Jinx (Lennon's Girls #1)

by Chris Myers

  “Lennon thinks she might have been bitten by a rabid animal.”

  “In Naperville?”

  “Yeah.”

  There’s a long pause before Danny responds. “How’s Currie doing?”

  “We don’t know. They’re running tests.”

  “Should we come down now or wait?” Danny’s voice is shaking. Susan and Clive spew questions at Danny in the background.

  “Later. I’ll tell Lennon you called.” When I come into the room, two doctors speak with Lennon.

  “Has your sister had any headaches, loss of appetite, lethargy as of late?” the older doctor with graying temples asks. His tag reads Doctor Weber.

  “Yes. The Humane Society just called me to tell me the animals were infected.”

  A much younger doctor stands next to them, taking notes. He’s about six-feet with dirty-blond hair and an impish smile. I’d give him a nine on the hot guys at spring break scale. His name tag says Doctor Timmons. He’s so young he’s probably an intern.

  “We should immediately administer the vaccine and immunoglobulin,” the older doctor says.

  “Is that such a good idea?” Timmons asks. “The child is already exhibiting symptoms.”

  Doctor Weber glares at Timmons. “She’ll die without any treatment.”

  “What’s wrong with you?” Lennon says, taking the older doctor by the collar. “My sister is right here.”

  Weber cowers. “Take your hands off me,” he says, trembling.

  Lennon lets go, but his eyes tighten into narrow slits.

  I follow the doctors and Lennon into the hall where Timmons argues with Weber. He’s got some nerve when he has only a fraction of Weber’s experience. Meanwhile, Currie pulls out her cell and stabs the buttons in a panic. Poor kid.

  “What are my options?” Lennon asks, his body rigid.

  Timmons speaks directly to Lennon. “Once symptoms occur, the chances are not good, but there’s the Milwaukee Protocol, which has had some success with treating rabies in humans.”

  Lennon threads his fingers through his thick mop of hair. “What’s that?”

  Weber shakes his finger at Timmons. “I’m warning you, Doctor.”

  “I need to know all my options, so please continue,” Lennon says, his voice oddly calm.

  “It’s an experimental treatment that has a twenty percent recovery rate as of late. The patient is put into a coma and treated with antiviral drugs.”

  “What’s the doctor’s name?” Lennon asks.

  “Doctor Thomas Yeager. He’s in Wauwatosa just outside of Milwaukee.”

  Doctor Weber plants a firm hand on Lennon’s shoulder. “I suggest young man that we take serious action now before your sister becomes even more ill.”

  Lennon shakes it off. “We can wait a few more minutes while I contact this doctor. How do I get a hold of him?”

  Lennon doesn’t even call or consult his mother. He’s in complete control of this situation. Everything Rena said is true. He’s more or less a parent to Currie, and that makes me admire him.

  Doctor Timmons leads Lennon down a hallway. I check-in on Currie. She’s jabbering to someone on the phone. I sit down on the bed next to her.

  When she gets off the phone, she surfs the internet on her mobile. Her face goes pale.

  “Everything will be okay,” I say.

  Currie clenches the bed sheets. “You don’t have to lie to me. This is Zoe bad. According to what I read online, rabies is usually fatal after you show any symptoms. The young doctor is right. This Wisconsin guy may be my only chance.”

  I can’t believe how smart Currie is. Her whole face bunches together. She draws her knees up to her chest and rocks back and forth she’s so scared. I don’t blame her.

  I’m not sure what to say, so I reach for her hand. Currie squeezes it so hard her nails pinch little crescent moons into my palms. I don’t say anything. I know she’s probably going crazy with fear. Death comes quickly with rabies. I watched my dad wither away for a whole year. It practically destroyed my mom. What will this do to Lennon?

  We wait in silence until Lennon returns. His jaw is set in a hard line. “We’ll wait the few hours for the test results while I make flight reservations to leave as soon as we can for Wisconsin.”

  “We could probably drive quicker,” I say. It’s only a couple hours away.

  “You don’t need to make reservations,” Currie whispers. “Dad’s coming. He’s in New York for a tour. He cancelled it. He’s flying here as soon as they clear his jet to take off from JFK. He’ll take us to Wisconsin on his plane. He’s already hired a nurse to come with us.”

  A silent fury consumes Lennon. He doesn’t say anything for several minutes. “We’ll drive up. It’ll be faster.”

  “Don’t be that way,” Currie says. “Dad wants to help, and he’s on his way.” She checks her phone. “They’re in the air. It’s only a two hour flight from New York.”

  “Where was he for the last eighteen years?” Lennon says.

  “He’s trying,” Currie yells, tears pooling in her eyes. “Give him a chance.”

  Lennon’s fists clench at his sides. When Step-monster hits me, it hurts, but I bet Lennon could do serious damage with his large hands. He easily pushed Step-monster off me. He slammed into the bureau, and that had to hurt. Lennon’s fists uncurl and relax at his sides.

  We wait, not saying much by Currie’s bed until she finally falls asleep. Lennon waits a half hour more before asking me if I’m hungry.

  He kisses Currie’s forehead and then takes me down the hall to the nurse’s station. “I need someone to sit in my sister’s room while we get something to eat.”

  A different nurse stands up. “I’ll go, Mr. Tyler.”

  “Call me if Currie wakes,” he says.

  “I will.” The nurse walks back to Currie’s room.

  As we walk, I ask, “What did the doctor say in Wisconsin?”

  “He wants us to get there as soon as possible. He pretty much said what Doctor Timmons told me. That his treatment is Currie’s best chance. If only I’d returned the Humane Society’s call, she wouldn’t be going through this. It’s my fault. I should’ve checked her for scratches. I shouldn’t have taken her word.”

  “You couldn’t have known. Rabies cases are extremely rare.” I hope this treatment works, for his sake and Currie’s.

  “I should’ve done something,” Lennon says, pressing his hands against his temples. “She can’t die on me.” The helpless expression spreading across his face and his sagging shoulders make me want to cry for him.

  CHAPTER TWENTY-THREE

  JINX

  We order a full meal of mash potatoes and gravy with meatloaf. It doesn’t look too bad. I normally hate hospital food after all we ate while Dad was dying.

  I sit down while Lennon chats with the cafeteria lady. For someone that’s a pseudo celeb because of his parents, he doesn’t act all stuck-up.

  My stomach growls because I haven’t eaten all day. I plow into the potatoes. My face that was used as a punching bag earlier aches when I chew.

  “I’m sorry,” I say to Lennon as he takes a seat across from me. “This has been a shitty day for you. I didn’t mean to drag you into my problems, especially when you’ve got a handful of your own.”

  “When life gives you sour grapes, make wine and then get drunk.” Lennon downs the bottled water he bought. His mood definitely matches his vinegary expression.

  Lennon’s fingers skim my forehead just above the brow where my stitches are. “I’m sorry about your stepdad. Some men…” He stops, anger swirling in his eyes.

  In a just a short time after dumping a beer on him, my opinion has dramatically changed about Lennon. He’s not the class slut but a fragile guy trying to keep some semblance of family for Currie. I want to hold him in my arms and wipe away the hard years of his life.

  “Do you really think my stepfather married my mom because of me?” I ask, craving his advice. He knows more than me whe
n it comes to judging people.

  “Predators move into positions where they’ll have the most opportunities and the least risk. Look at Alex. His first option was that drunken freshman at your party. Ran slipped you drugs.”

  “Alex hit on me later that night at my party, and Ran saw me as an opportunity.”

  His lips form a half-hearted smile. “I hope Alex got a beer in his face.”

  My face prickles with heat. “I’m sorry about that, and I’m not. It just seems like you could’ve done that elsewhere other than my dad’s den.”

  “I’m sorry about being in there.”

  “How do I stop guys from taking advantage of me other than staying stone-cold sober?” I like letting loose every once and a while.

  “Didn’t your mother tell you not to talk to strangers?”

  I smile, which only hurts my bruised face.

  “Pay attention to your drinks,” he says. “Don’t let a stranger hand a drink to you, and don’t let it out of your sight. If you’re going to go out with a guy you don’t know well, meet him in a public place. Keep aware of your surroundings and make sure your friends watch out for you as well as you watching out for them. Don’t look like a victim.”

  “What does that mean?”

  “A predator will look for someone who won’t put up a fight.”

  “Where did you learn all this?”

  “When you play in the band, as you’ve already learned, you’ll meet all kinds.”

  “Thanks for looking out for me.”

  “It’s no problem.” His fork twirls in the lump of potatoes. “What happened to you wasn’t your fault.”

  I shake my head. “I was completely zombied, and then I flirted with my stepdad. How screwed-up is that?”

  Lennon reaches across to stop my hand from trembling. His hands are big and strong and engulf mine. “Your stepdad is an adult. He made a vow to your mother that doesn’t include taking advantage of her child, let alone a drunk girl. Rape is a violation.”

  I don’t look at him. “Your first time was probably better than mine. I don’t remember it at all.” Except for the stupid dolls and picking the green glass out of my foot. “The next morning, there was blood and goo. It was disgusting.” I have to force the meatloaf back down when it rises in my throat. “If it wasn’t for Rena, I probably would’ve slit my wrists.”

  “I’m glad you didn’t.” His hand squeezes mine. “My first wasn’t that much better.”

  “Oh come on. Some super model, a pop star. What’s it really like to make love? To feel arms embracing you?”

  “It’s just sex for me. You romanticize something I don’t really buy into.” Lennon curls up one side of his lips. “You want to know my first time. A thirty-something woman seduced me when I was thirteen. Every one of my guy friends has this fantasy. You’re better off if it’s only in your imagination.”

  “That doesn’t sound right. Were you attracted to her because of your parents?”

  “That I have Mommy issues.” His fingers thread through his thick dark hair. I imagine they are my fingers instead of his. Do I feel sorry for him, or could I possibly like Lennon?

  “This woman was nice to me, fixed me meals, took me to the zoo, told me that she loved me,” he says. “I almost believed her until she shared me with her friends, the brunch club they called themselves.”

  “How disgusting.” It’s my turn to cradle his hand in both of mine. His sorrow, pain, disappointment weigh on him. “That’s criminal. How old were they? Do you still…you know?”

  Lennon smirks. “No. They ranged from twenty-five to forty-one. When Bailey came along, I gave her chlamydia that I’d gotten from one of the club. I quit them and learned to wrap my rascal. Lesson learned.”

  I don’t get Lennon. He’s cold with his personal relationships, but when it comes to those two little girls, he’s a completely different person. How screwed up is that? His parents tainted him. “My first time was supposed to be special with Zach. We’d planned it all out.”

  “Lots of girls do that. They wait for that special moment and then are disappointed because it’s over before they even ramp up.”

  This goes against my mantra, but I pity him. “You don’t believe in love, do you?”

  “Not that kind. I love Currie. I love the Nowaks.”

  That’s sad. I loved Zach, the way we touched each other. I can tell Lennon has never felt that with any of the girls he’s been with.

  Lennon draws in a deep breath. “Why Currie? Why Zoe? They’re just little girls. Why do they deserve this? God, I could use a beer.”

  I don’t have an answer for him. I remember asking the same thing while my dad was suffering and dying. We don’t even let animals endure pain like that. We put them to sleep. Lennon and I aren’t as different as I originally thought. He may be more messed up than me.

  “And now Jonathan swoops in to save the day,” Lennon says. “He hasn’t been there for Currie her entire life, and now, he’s going to make up for it.”

  “Shouldn’t you call your mom?” I ask. I realize too late this may be the wrong question to ask at this time.

  “I did when Currie was first admitted. She’s on her way, or so she says.”

  Wow. I had no idea. Heather seemed nice when I met her. It was just an act because she should’ve been here by now.

  As we finish our meals, a few cafeteria people try to sneak up to us. They’re holding a cupcake with a single burning candle in it. Lennon sings Happy Birthday. His voice is so rich and deep that the others don’t join in and sing with him. They just listen and ogle at him.

  They clap when he finishes. The staff is all smiles and has stopped eating. A nurse even wipes her eyes.

  “Thanks,” I say. “With all that’s going on, that was really thoughtful.” It’s the only good thing that’s happened on my birthday, coming from the guy I used to hate.

  Lennon shoves the cupcake toward me. “I’m not all bad. Make a wish.”

  I blow out the candle and pray for Currie’s recovery and for my mom not to kick me out of the house. She texted me earlier, wishing me a happy birthday, but she hasn’t called me yet about Step-monster, which isn’t a good sign. The police must have contacted her by now.

  Lennon opens his mouth to say more when Heather waltzes into the room.

  Every doctor and nurse gaze at her. She’s stunning. Her long hair flows down her back. She’s wearing a black and red suit with a fuzzy lamb coat over it.

  “Where’s my baby?” she asks, dabbing her eyes although not a single bit of mascara has run.

  “She’s in her room,” Lennon says with zero emotion.

  We’re done with our meal, so we escort Heather to Currie’s bedside. She’s still sleeping, looking like an angel, her breathing steady. She’s so peaceful that her illness doesn’t seem real.

  Heather feels her daughter’s forehead and pushes back stray wisps of hair. “My little darling. It’s okay. Mommy’s here.” Lennon called her almost two hours ago. It doesn’t take more than a few minutes to get here from their house or anywhere in Naperville.

  Lennon smirks. He’s not happy about her being here. She really can act, which makes me wonder if there’s anything genuine about her. She certainly can play the part of a doting mother.

  Danny Boy and Susan show up with Clive then Rena. We sit by the hospital bed, not knowing what to say. Lennon refuses to call the Nowaks. They have enough concerns with Zoe.

  Around five o’clock, Jonathan arrives with his entourage, two bodyguards and a lithe, statuesque woman. She looks bi-racial with her flawless honey-colored skin. She wears her silky black hair long and loose around her shoulders.

  Heather’s fists are clenched so tight her knuckles turn white. This is not going to be pretty. The tension in the air grows so thick I can hardly breathe. Lennon’s jaw tightens. He doesn’t even look at his dad. Clive has a hand on Lennon’s shoulder to keep him from rising off the chair.

  “Why are you here?” Lennon says
with so much loathing he spits his words.

  “Don’t be mad,” Currie says. “You know I asked Daddy to come.”

  Heather takes over and introduces everyone except Rena and the mysterious other woman. Lennon finally stands. He tells his dad who Rena is.

  Currie stirs in her bed. “Daddy? Denage?” She reaches for them. She gives an extra special hug to Denage.

  Heather makes a face, and her lips snarl like a deranged mental patient. It’s a strange family dynamic, but it’s good for Currie that they’re here.

  Jonathan Tyler leans down to his child and hugs her tight. “We’ll make this better. I promise.”

  Denage sits next to Currie. “Doctor Yeager will take good care of you.”

  Currie must’ve told them about the doctor in Milwaukee.

  Lennon bites his lips. His fists are balled tight against his sides. There’s going to be a war. I just hope Currie doesn’t get caught in the middle.

  “We can swing by the house and get your things then go to the airport,” Jonathan says. “The sooner Currie gets treatment, the better.”

  Doctor Timmons comes in and releases Currie to Lennon, not Jonathan. I’m not sure, but it seems Lennon has rights to her because the doctor ignores Jonathan Tyler.

  Danny says to Lennon on his way out, “Call us if you need anything.” He gives Lennon a hug and so does Susan. Tears cascade down her milky cheeks.

  “We’ll pray for Currie,” Susan says.

  Clive pats Lennon on the back. “We’ll keep an eye on Zoe and call you if anything changes. I’ll cancel our engagements. Keep us posted.”

  Lennon nods. He looks as if he’s about to shatter at any moment, like a glass vase sitting precariously on the edge of its stand.

  Before Lennon leaves, he says to me, “Are you going to be all right?”

  “Sure. I’m going to stay with Rena for the next few days until my mom gets home. Thanks for everything. I liked my cupcake.” I smile up at him.

  He briefly cups my elbow. His touch tingles in my body. It reminds me of my feelings for Zach. Maybe there’s hope for me after what happened. That I can overcome my fear.

  A nurse comes into the room with a wheelchair for Currie. As Rena and I descend in a separate elevator from Lennon’s family, Mom calls.