The Peacekeeper

Part Seven

This was absolute madness. What was I thinking? I had picked up the phone and dialed every number but the last. The dial tone screamed in my ear.

But it was two in the morning.

Lucas Thompson would not be awake. I need to snap out of it. Slamming the receiver back down I laid back and looked back at the card.

Lucas Thompson. Sounds privileged to me. Why did I take their cards? I had no intention of being a part of The Peacekeepers. All of my dreams were focused on traveling and becoming a Sherif like Dad.

Was it because he had left flowers and a get well card in my room?

I really was losing it, huh?

I mean sure he was kinda cute but I never wanted a boyfriend. Eve and Ash made several attempts to set me up but after a couple weeks of talking the guys ghosted me.

But maybe he wouldn't be like that. A little voice in the back of my mind suggested.

No. I would not get attached to Lucas Thompson. Ever.

"Cross my heart hope to die.." I said to myself while drifting off to sleep.

𝒫

I woke to Ash gently running her hand up and down my back. "Annie wake up. You're going home." She smiled.

"Five more minutes.." I pushed my head into the warmth of the pillow and held it tighter.

"You can sleep at home." Ash laughed.

I heard the door open, close and footsteps approached the bed.

"Would you get up for your niece and nephew?" Eve asked.

I quickly flipped around and ignored the pull of stitches. "Ok ok I'm up. Hi babies!!" I reached for Eliot and Eliza. "Oh my gosh you guys have grown so much." I tucked Eliot in my arms and a sleepy Eliza in my lap.

Eliot pulled at my hair. "You know how to get me up don't you?" I addressed Eve.

"Hey it's not my fault that they absolutely adore you."

Before I realized it, Eliot had my loose shirt pushed off my shoulder as he poked my cuts. "That's not yours!" I untangled his small hands from my shirt.

"Looks like you finally have an admirer Ann."  Ash was packing clothes into a duffel for me.

"Oh stop. He's too little he doesn't know what he's doing." I laughed again. Glancing at Eliza she was fully out. "And it looks like she's too tired to care it's me. What'd you guys do to her?"

"Ugh it was the absolute worst last night, she screamed the entire time. And I'm not talking like once or twice, no, it was from twelve to five." Eve picked her up. "She's a tiny terror sometimes I swear."

"Is she alright now?" Eliot wrapped his hand around my thumb and put it in his mouth.

"She's not screaming." Ash nodded. "So yes."

A knock on the door startled me. "Come in."

It was Ben. "So you're leaving me here to fend for myself?" He came up to my bedside. "And who's are these!?" Ben looked bewildered.

"These are my siblings thank you very much." Eve huffed and switched Eliza to the other arm.

"Twins?" He asked.

"No three years apart." Ash remarked and finished packing the duffel bag.

I flashed him an apologetic smile.

Eliza raised her head and saw Ben at my bedside. Her expression of tired immediately went to fear as she started to cry again.

"Oh no. Please don't cry." He begged.

"Way to go dude." Ash hissed and held her hands out for Eliza. "I'll take her to the car and bring Annie's stuff. You guys take your time."

Eve gratefully passed her off and waited till Ash had left the room, cooing her all the way down the hall.

"I'm sorry about her, we're all stressed out and her Dad is in the hospital. All three of us are going to live at hers until we can find her Dad and my parents." Eve sat on the bed and ran a hand through her brown hair. "And I'm so hungry and tired and-" Ben grabbed her hand.

"It's gonna be okay. I'll help you." He nodded. "All five of you."

Eliot looked up at Ben, my thumb still in his mouth. He stopped gumming it, letting me gently pull it out. Ben shyly waved.

Then Eliot did something he hadn't before. He laughed.

Eves shocked expression turned to joy. "Ben. Ben he laughed. You made him laugh!"

Hearing his everyone laugh made him laugh more. I picked him up and looked him. Eliot was still giggling. I waited till he calmed down, then said "Boo."

He screamed in laughter.

"Can you record this?" Eve handed Ben her iPhone and sat down next to me. "Hey Eli," She said as Ben pressed record, "Boo."

He laughed even harder.

She smiled at his joy and picked him up. "You think that's funny little man?" Eve stood and spun him around.

I laid back in the bed and smiled. It was all gonna be okay.