Page 86 of Creed

He put her down and she took my hand. “We’ll be right back.”

“Okay, I’ll just make the coffee.” He said as we walked away.

After breakfast, Creed took Addie to the living room to watch cartoons while I cleaned the kitchen. After that, Creed had to leave and said something about being outside the gates for a bit and would be home as soon as possible. He had taken a few days off for Addie, but something happened the night prior, and he had to take care of it. I took Addie upstairs and we both got ready for the day. I let her choose her own clothes and she chose a pair of blue shorts with a white tank top and a pair of flip flops. We then went to my room, and I chose jean shorts, a tank top similar to hers and also a pair of flip flops. I unbraided her hair and she wanted pigtails again. They were curly because of the braid and looked adorable.

Hours went by and there was still no Creed. Addie and I planted a few fruit trees, and she played on her play set. I wasthankful she was willing to play instead of constantly holding on to me. I hoped it was a sign that she was feeling safer. The only issue was that she asked for Creed about every ten minutes.

We had peanut butter and jelly for lunch then started dinner. I decided to take Valerie’s advice and keep Addie home with me and Creed for a few days. Just to let her establish some trust and start bonding before introducing her to anyone else. My parents, Savannah, and Patrick probably would have been alright because she already knew them, but mom said she thought we should have time to bond first.

“This is a magical place. In a few days our friend Stephanie will bring her kids over for a play date. Would you like that?”

She set her sandwich down. “Boys?” She Scrunched her nose. “Or girls?” She smiled.

“She has a boy and two girls. My friend Zoey has a baby. Do you like babies?” I asked.

She scrunched her nose. “Babies poop their pants.”

“Well, there are lots of kids and you’ll have plenty to play with around here.” I told her all about the community center, the swimming pool and the children’s programs.

Burdened

Creed

“You better not be telling me he’ll never walk again.” I paced as the doctor explained McLaughlin’s condition.

“With this kind of spinal injury, it will be impossible.” He didn’t even soften the blow. “He’s also not out of the woods yet. His condition is critical, and he has a high chance of complications from the surgery. These first twenty four hours can tell us a lot but he has a far way to go before I’d say he’s out of the woods. He has several internal injuries that we were able to repair, but he does still have a brain bleed that we were able to drain. If he survives, he will be paralyzed.”

I looked at Axton. “What the hell do we do now? We can’t just trust the VA to take care of him. Where will he go once he’s done at rehab?”

Axton lifted his shoulders like he had no fucking clue. McLaughlin had no family that was worth a damn. I ran my hand down my face again and of course, no beard. “Shit!” I put my hands on my hips and looked out the window. “What about the girl?” I didn’t even turn around to look at the man.

“Brain injury. We are waiting on family, and they’ll have a few decisions to make.”

I turned and looked at him. “Like whether or not to keep her on the ventilator?”

He gave me a hesitant nod.

I pinched the bridge of my nose. “How old?” I wasn’t sure I wanted to know.

The doctor cleared his throat. “She just graduated college this spring. She is twenty two and wants to be a journalist. At least that’s what the parents said as they were catching a flight and called in for an update. I’m not on her case, but I did read her file this morning.”

That hit me in the gut. So damn young and full of dreams. I was going to order a fucking helmet for Morgan. She wasn’t getting back on my bike until she had one.

I looked at Axton. “Please tell me he was paid up on his auto insurance.” That was his responsibility, not ours.

He shrugged. “I don’t watch the prospects finances. You’re forgetting what he has done, Creed. He’s going to have to face the justice system. He will face charges if he lives.”

“You mean his fucking life is over no matter what happens!” I walked out and slammed the door behind me. I couldn’t hold my shit together in front of that doctor. Two young lives were over because of one stupid decision.

I marched out of that hospital, but Axton came running up behind me in the parking lot. “Chill out.” He said and I stopped to look at him.

“That prospect is almost thirty fucking years old! She is practically a child, and now, her parents have to make one hell of a hard decision. One that no parent should have to make. I feel gutted for those people. Not to mention the fact that McLaughlinmight as well die! How will he live with himself? Not just because he'll probably do time, and he will never walk, but he took an innocent life! That’s someone’s child laying up there!” I paced as I yelled. “We take these guys in and try to give them what they need. He was going to make some damn good money and have a chance at a future, but he gave it up for one night of young pussy. What the fuck now? Do we stand by him and hire an attorney or let him rot? Because right now, I don’t see a reason to do shit! He killed that innocent girl!”

“Call Sergio, see what he says.” Axton was just as torn up as me.

“Sergio is a corporate attorney, formerly a JAG, what the hell will he know? He got out and went a completely different direction. He isn’t a defense attorney in civilian court.” I stopped pacing and put my hands on my hips. “What about the girl? She deserved better and her parents are going to suffer. It’s out of our hands, we can’t save her or take their pain away. He was sober when he decided to go against orders. I’m just so fucking pissed at all four of them. I can’t make any decisions right now. I’m supposed to be home with Morgan and Addie. Not dealing with this fucking shit.”

I kept thinking back to the day Morgan wanted a helmet. Fuck, I was such a prick to her. I was surprised she was willing to ever give me a chance after I treated her life like it was nothing.

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