Oh Brothers

Chapter 23

"Well pick up," Thomas urges.

"And put it on speaker phone," Carter adds and comes beside me to hold my hand. I reach out and squeeze Jason's hand in support. It becomes so silent you could hear a mouse talk. Or squeak. Or whatever it is that mice actually vocalize. Okay you could hear mice make verbal noise. There! ... I'm losing my mind.

"Right," Jason takes a deep breath and answers, "hello?"

"What's this I hear about kidnappers?" Mom asks, "clamp."

"What?" Jason asks.

"I'm in surgery, what's happening Jason? I get a call from the police that my sons brought in three kidnappers who admit to coming for Ara. What's this all about?" Mom asks.

Jason sighs and rubs a hand over his face, "we don't know who they are or why they want Ara but we can assume it's for money like the last time."

I take a sharp intake of breath at the mention of the last time and Carter pulls me into a side hug.

"Last time? Wait who paid them off last time?" Mom demands.

"Grandpa and Grandma," Jason replies.

"I told them not to! See this is what happens, you pay one set of kidnappers and it sends the signal to others that we'd pay them off again if they take her again," Mom bites and my breath catches in my throat.

"They were going to kill her!" Jason exclaims.

"No they wouldn't it was an empty threat, where are you right now?" Mom asks.

"At a friend's house," Jason replies.

"You're at a friend's house at a time like this? You're supposed to be the responsible one, Jason- " Mom starts yelling but thankfully he cuts her off.

"We're at Ara's friend's house. We're going to stay here for a while," Jason clarifies.

"You most certainly will not. You will gather everyone and take them back to the penthouse now, Jason," Mom demands.

"It's not safe Mom, the kidnappers won't know we're here and the property has a security gate and guards. We're safest here," Jason argues.

"But I don't know where you are so go to the penthouse!" Mom exclaims.

"BPs dropping, page Dr. Samuels now," another voice says through the phone.

"You have to go, we're staying here, bye," Jason hangs up on her.

"Wow," Lu states.

"She's such a..." Clinton starts but then looks over at us.

"Bitch," Grandpa finishes.

I smack Grandpa in the stomach, "Grandpa!"

"Well it's true," he shrugs. Lu, Clint, Will and Lynn laugh, and my brothers foolishly grin and I sigh. Cole is studying me.

"Enough excitement for today, we can talk in the morning, it's time for bed," Cole announces,"I'll show Ara and her brothers to their rooms."

"Wait, I need to talk to my brothers and Grandpa, you can show Ara to her room Cole," Jason interrupts.

"Alright," I sleepily agree. I start walking down the hall and Cole follows me.

"Whoa, slow down Tiger. Do you know where you're going?" Cole asks. I stop in my tracks.

"No," I say slowly. My brain has slowed down significantly because of how tired I am.

Cole laughs, "come on sleepy head."