Unbreakable

Chapter 17

They came around and went through our purses and got all of our cash. I thought after they got what they wanted they would leave. Instead, they stayed because someone called the cops and they were outside, surrounding the whole building. While they were all up front looking for something to do, I talked to John-Luke.

"Hey buddy. Can you hear me?" I asked.

"Yeah... Momma I gotta stay here?" he asked.

"You need to stay there until me or Daddy tells you to come out okay?"

"Otay Momma. For you." I almost cried. I bent my head down and blew him a kiss. He caught it and put it on his cheek and smiled. Tears were now feely streaming down my face.

"You're a great mom." I snapped my head up to look at Jana. I almost forgot she was there. She was looking at me with an apologetic look.

"You know, you are still his mother. You just have to step up to the plate." I told her. If I died today, she needed to be there for my boys. No matter if, she took my place.

"No. I think it's time I start fresh. Somewhere away from here so you, John-Luke, and Austin can be a family. You can tell him about me one day but just try to make it not seem so bad. I know I don't deserve it."

"You're right. You don't. But, I'm gonna tell him that you loved him very much but you had to go away. You can still come around if you change your mind. You just can't act like you have been. If I die, you need to grow up and be his mother." She was fixing to reply when we heard shouting at the front that sounded like the police came in the door. I didn't know what was going on but they came running down the aisle and one of them tripped and I heard a gunshot. I reached for John-Luke but I couldn't feel him. When I went to turn side ways I felt a pain in my side. I looked down and heard Jana gasp. It hit me. The bullet that was fired hit me. I felt my eyes begin to droop and I laid down in the floor.

"Momma okay?" John-Luke asked. I couldn't manage to say anything. I felt weak and I assumed I was losing a lot of blood.

"John-Luke wait here. I'm gonna go get help." Jana said as she ran down the aisle. I could feel a little hand in mine.

"Momma wake up." I knew I might die here and I was okay with that. I had experienced my own little family and I loved them so much. I couldn't fight it anymore. I let darkness consume me and I drifted off...

Austin POV

Since I heard about the robbery at the grocery store, I had been in the parking lot, waiting for any sign of John-Luke and Ava. I needed them to be okay. I couldn't lose them. They were my life. I snapped my head up because I heard a gun shot. I started to get really scared and the police were moving in the store but the guys weren't at the front anymore. I heard the door bust open and saw Jana run out. She spotted the paramedics and pointed inside. She looked at me and the lol she gave me was enough to have me sprinting in the store.

I raced down the aisles until I saw John-Luke standing up looking down at Ava. "Daddy Momma not wake up." He said with tears in his eyes. I ran to him and hugged him to me and told him to follow me. I lifted Ava's flimsy body off the ground and ran to the paramedics who were being too slow. Jana was with them leading them to Ava. I put her on the bed and picked up John-Luke. The gunshot I heard, it was her. They shot her. We rushed out the door to the ambulance. I climbed in the back with John-Luke and rode to the hospital. Before they shut the doors I saw the police arresting the men who did it. They tried to run out the back but luckily they were surrounded. I hope they get what they deserve.

When we got there, they took her back for surgery. Me and John-Luke were sent to the waiting room. I held him close for a while until he said he was hungry. When I got up to go get him something to eat, I came face to face with Callie and Jake. They had came for support. Jake took John-Luke and Callie consumed me in a hug and I instantly broke down. I wasn't sobbing but rather creating a huge puddle with all the tears that seemed to flow from eyes. I don't think I could make a sound if I tried.

"Ava is strong and she will make it." I nodded my head because I knew that but it still hurt to know it was her instead of me.

After a while, everyone was here. Her friends, my family, her family, and even my friends were here. They all helped with John-Luke and brought us food and clothes. I was surprised to see her dad come in. I stood up and shook his hand. I gave him a look that said its nice to meet you but not under these circumstances.

John-Luke came up to me and asked "Daddy... Momma?" He looked at me and shrugged his shoulders, as if to say he couldn't find her. Almost everyone got up to come get him, but I held my hand up for them to stop. He needed to know where she was.

"You remember those bad guys in the store?" I asked.

"Yeah. Momma said hide." I was tearing up at his bravery and the way Ava protected him.

"Yeah. Well those bad guys hurt Momma. But, the doctors are trying to make it better right now. We just got to keep praying for her okay."

"Daddy. Pray now." He held out his hand and I took it in mine and we said a prayer for the woman who put our world back together. The woman who I know we loved as much as she loved us. The woman who I will marry one day and make even more children with. I prayed that God would heal her so she could raise John-Luke to be a respectful man and teach him how he is supposed to treat a lady. I prayed that God would heal her, because without her love and those beautiful eyes, I couldn't do this on my own. I needed Ava like I needed to breathe.

I saw a doctor heading our way and I kissed his forehead and put him in Callie's lap. My parents, me, Ava's mom and stepdad, and her dad got up to greet him. "Who are Avalyn's parents?" He asked. I knew he was insinuating that he would only speak with them on her condition. I was about to get angry.

"We are." Ava's mom motioned between her and Ava's dad. "But these people are her family and you're gonna tell all of us." Pops put his arm around her and I smiled a thank you her way. I could see Ava's being worried so I decided to put my hand on his shoulder and squeeze it while the doctor spoke.

"Okay. Avalyn didn't have to have surgery because the bullet never penetrated her body. However, the bullet grazed her side and she lost a lot of blood. We stopped the building and stitched the wound. Her heartbeat is weak and she is very pale. We presume she will be out for a day tops to recuperate and get some more blood flowing in her system. If she fails to do so we will do a blood transfusion. But you can breathe easy, Avalyn is going to be just fine." I sighed and bent over to rest my hand on my knees. I felt my mom kiss my cheeks and hug my head.

"When can we see her?" I asked as I regained my composure and stood up.

"Only fam-" the doctor started but stopped short when he received glares from everyone huddled around him. "Only a couple at a time." He mumbled while we all smiled. I let Ava's mom and dad go first while I went back to tell all of our friends.

I stood up and walked over to our group of friends. John-Luke climbed out of Callie's lap and gripped my leg. I bent to pick him up and told everyone that she was going to be fine the bullet just grazed her side. They all sighed in relief and some shouted a 'yes' or 'whoo'. Callie, Shelby, Jake, and more hugged me and told them to keep them updated. They said they would come see her when she woke up.

I lifted John-Luke in the air and gently shook his body. "Momma's gonna be okay buddy." He laughed and cheered yay as I brought him in for a hug.

"Austin you can go back there now." I heard Ava's dad say.

"Are you sure?" I asked and he nodded in reply. My mom took John-Luke and I gave Ava's dad a man hug. "You need to be here when she wakes up." I told him. I knew they were on rocky terms but if he was here when she woke up it would turn the tables. I know how Ava is and if he was here she would be happy.

"I plan on it. Thank you for loving her like you do." He told me. I knew he meant that he didn't really show Ava how a man should love a woman but he was proud of the way I loved her.

"She makes it easy." I said. "Sometimes." I also added to which we laughed. I got John-Luke from my mom and whisked him back to see the girl of my dreams. She would be asleep, and I explained that to John-Luke, but for us to be able to see her and touch her knowing she was gonna wake up was more than enough.