Page 3 of Cole
“It was… weird,” said Cole. “What he said made me uncomfortable.”
“I’m proud of you for admitting that,” said Ham. “We’ll talk about what he said later, okay?”
“Okay.”
It was a few days later that Doc came to speak with Cole about Arnie and all the tests they’d run on him. With him, was Arnie and his parents.
“Hi,” said Cole holding his arm against his stomach.
“Cool cast,” said Arnie.
“You wanna sign it?” asked Cole. The boy nodded, signing his name and a big ‘I’m sorry’ next to it.
“Are you okay?” asked Cole.
“He will be,” smiled his mother. “All because he taunted a very brave, very smart boy.”
“I don’t get it,” said Cole looking up at Doc with a confused expression.
“Arnie has some very serious deficiencies involving his hormones and thyroid. It’s causing him to be small for his age. We’re going to get him on some medications that will help, and hopefully he’ll catch up with other boys.”
“Are you gonna come back and hit me in the nose?” asked Cole looking at him sideways. Arnie actually laughed, causing his parents to smile for the first time in a long while.
“No. I promise I won’t Cole. I came to say I was sorry, again. Are-are your sisters around? I need to apologize to them too.”
After apologizing to all the McDonald children, Arnie and his parents left. They moved away two years later but Arnie was already nearing the normal height and weight for a boy his age. Whenever he saw the McDonald sisters, he was sure to wave and tried to make them feel safe and watched over.
“Cole! Hey, Cole!” yelled Ambry. “I was wanting to tell you something. Do you remember Arnie Moore?”
“Definitely,” he grinned. “My hand still aches when it rains.”
“Sherri Forrest said that her older brother is friends with Arnie’s older brother. They went to college together and Arnie just got accepted to law school.”
“That’s pretty cool,” smirked Cole.
“What about you?” asked Bailey. “Are you going to college?”
“No. We’ve talked about this, Bailey. I’m meant to be a SEAL.”
“Just because dad, and grandpa, and great-grandpa and all our uncles were SEALs, doesn’t mean you have to be one,” she said staring at him.
He hugged his sister, tugging her ponytail. In spite of being seventeen, Cole was five inches taller than his triplet sisters. They were all tall, lean, blonde-hair and blue eyes. They were beautiful children.
“I love you, Bailey. I love you both but I have to do this.”
“I understand,” said Ambry. “I’m going to nursing school and then I’m going to consider medical school.” Ambry wasn’t going to tell them her entire plan, just the bare necessities.
“What about you, Bailey?” he asked his sister.
“I’m-I’m not sure yet. Please don’t do this, Cole. I have a bad feeling about it.”
“Bailey, you’ve had a bad feeling about everything since the day you were born,” laughed Cole. “I swear, you got both of our issues with indigestion, heartburn, worry, and bad feelings.”
“It’s not funny, Cole!” she said stomping her foot. Ambry looked at Cole who looked back at Bailey.
“I’m sorry,” he said calmly. “I didn’t mean to make fun of you. But you worry too much. I’ll be fine. I’ve been trained by the best.” He hugged both of his sisters and walked toward a few of his friends from Belle Fleur, anxious to start their careers together.
“He’ll be fine, Bailey,” said Ambry. She kissed her sister and walked into the cafeteria for dinner. But Bailey stood where she was, staring at her triplet, a feeling of dread in the pit of her stomach.
