The Little Life

Chapter Forty

Later that day Jack arrived back at home with news. I was making a chicken wrap when he walked into the house and sat his keys on the entry table. Ashton said his goodbyes to us both and left us to talk.

"Princess come have a seat" he said as he walked into the living room and sat on the couch.

"Okay. Let me clean up" I said as I began putting my ingredients back in their original places. After I was finished I grabbed the paper plate with my wrap on it and met Jack on the couch.

As I went to take a bite, he spoke. "They found them. Tasha and Leo"

My eyes went wide and I dropped my wrap on the plate. "W-what?"

"They found them. Tasha is safe but sweetheart, Leo did a number on her. She's been asking for you. I can take you to the hospital to see her if you'd like"

"I-I don't know I-I-is she okay? What happened?"

"Well. For starters she has a couple broken bones in her face. Apparently she was giving Leo a run for his money so he..." Jack cleared his throat as he tried holding back tears, "he uh, hit her. He hurt her a lot. I'll be there with you every second if you need me to be, baby. Tasha really needs you right now"

"Let's go" I said as I sat my plate on the table.

"Put your food in the fridge or Salem will eat it while we're gone" he said as the echo of the cats toy rolling met our ears.

"Oh. Um, right. I forgot" I said, doing as he said.

I changed into different clothes and brushed my hair a little and soon we were on our way to the hospital. I didn't know what to expect, all Jack kept telling me was that it was bad. I don't know if I could handle seeing her beat up, but she needed me so I had to be strong for her. Jack would always be there after we left if I needed to be little.

We parked in the parking deck and made our way into the hospital. I held jacks hand tightly as we got onto the elevators and he pressed the number 4 to get to the ICU. As the elevator doors opened, I froze. It smelled like death and rubbing alcohol. There were monitors beeping from every corner of the unit. An alarm started sounding from one room as three or four people rushed in, causing me to grab onto Jack for dear life.

"It's okay, sweetheart. Daddy's got you. She's in room number eleven" he said as he pointed down the hallway. I nodded and kept my grasp on him as we walked down the brightly lit hallway. Jack said hello to an officer sitting outside of Tasha's room and we slowly entered the the room, pulling aside the curtain that was in front of the sliding door to give her privacy.

I gasped as I saw her. Tasha's face was purple and red, and still had some blood on it. Her eye was swollen shut and her lip was busted, along with the skin above her eyebrow. I was snapped out of my trance as she spoke.

"You look like you're about to take a dick in your mouth. Get over here you brat" she said quietly as she slowly lifted both of her arms.

I looked at Jack and he nodded as he let go of my hand for me to go to Tasha. "H-how are you?" I asked as I gave her the softest hug known to man.

"Well I've gone...Jesus fuck who knows how long without alcohol so ya know, been better" she smiled but winced as she did.

"Sixty seven" I whispered.

"What?"

"S-sixty seven days. Y-you've been gone for sixty seven days" I said as I looked at the floor.

"Holy shit. Well I gave that fucker a run for his money in those sixty seven days. One time I acted like I was gonna give him head and then bit the fuck out of his dick it-" she said, half laughing.

"STOP IT" I yelled as I burst into tears.

"Woah Cal what's wrong?" Tasha asked, taken aback by my sudden change in tone.

"You've been gone over two months and you're making fucking jokes about it?! It's not fucking funny. I went every single day thinking you were dead somewhere. Do you know how much that hurt me? Just for you to come back looking like-like this and then laughing about it?!" I said trying to hold back my tears.

Tasha sighed then held out her arms as she looked at me. I ran to her and laid on the bed as she held me and I cried. She stroked my hair slowly as I cried into her. "Shhhh I know. I'm sorry. I'm so sorry I worried you"

"No-no you-you don't apologize. You didn't do anything. I should be apologizing for yelling at you," I choked out.

"I know it was hard. I'm here now. I'm so happy to see you. You know, one of the things that got me through most days was knowing I was coming home to you still being here. You're my best friend, Cal. I thought about you too" she said as she teared up. "Look now you got me crying like a fucking pussy" she said and I let out a small laugh. "God what has Jack been feeding you? Air? You weigh nothing"

"I...um.." I said as I looked down, embarrassed to tell her why I had lost so much weight.

"I know. It's okay. But you gotta eat now. I'm here. I'm back. I'm okay...ish. Well, alive. Promise me you'll start eating like a normal person again?"

I sniffled and nodded my head in agreement as she pulled me into her. "Good. Maybe we can get some wicked hospital food for lunch. You know, the off brand Panera" I rolled my eyes and smiled. "Awww Jack she rolled her eyes at me"

"Cal, no rolling your eyes" Jack said as he smiled and laughed a bit.

"What! You guys are ganging up on me! That's not fair!" I pouted.

"Oh look, now she spouting" Tasha said as she stuck her tongue out at me.

I groaned and lightly flicked her nose as she rolled her eyes at me. "She rolled her eyes at me!"

"Well I don't own her, now do I?" Jack said.

"You sure you missed me?" Tasha joked.

We spent the next couple hours talking about what happened with both of us while she was gone. Jack felt bad about Tasha's gross looking meatloaf lunch so he went to chick fil a and got us all lunch while I sat with her. Now I knew that everything would be okay.