The Vanishing Girls Of Willow Creek (Willow Creek, #1)

Chapter Fifteen

I don't care about whose DNA has recombined with whose. When everything goes to hell, the people who stand by you without flinching, they are your family. - Jim Butcher 

Tick. Tock. Tick. Tock.

The clock, the only other noise evident to my ears rang, besides the incessant tapping of my foot.

My leg bouncing, I watched Jon sleep.

Not in a creepy, stalker way. Nevermind.

But somehow it never failed to amaze me how peaceful he looked while sleeping.

It's the only time I ever see him so relaxed.

Sure, he's relaxed around me, but he almost always has a silent worried look on his face. Because of his parents, no doubt.

Speaking of which, where are they?

I called them more than an hour ago. They should've been here by now. Their son is in the hospital for crying out loud.

I looked up, hearing rushing footsteps, half expecting half hoping to see Jon's parents, mumbling half-hearted apologies for taking so long.

You could only imagine the look on my face when I saw my mom appear in the doorway, her black pants still covered in flour.

"Mom?" I asked. "What are you doing here?"

She proceeded to explain that one of our neighbours came into the bakery and told her about seeing an ambulance in front of our house.

"I thought something happened to you. When I went home you weren't there. No one was at Jonathan's either. I couldn't help but think the worst." She walked forward, clutching my free hand. "What happened?"

I opened my mouth to respond, though admittedly unsure what I was going to say.

Luckily, or unluckily, depending on how you look at it, a groan captured both of our attention.

We both turned to Jon who was beginning to stir.

"Jon. Hey, Jon. It's Harley. How you feeling?"

His eyes slowly fluttered open, revealing his beautiful green eyes.

"What happened?"

"We were just going to ask the same thing," a firm voice sounded from the doorway.

Looking over, I noticed Jon's parents had finally decided to show up.

"Look who's finally here," I mumbled to myself.

Apparently not quietly enough as his mother, Melina, asked, "What was that young lady?"

"Nothing," I relented, refusing to indulge in their pettiness. Plus, Jon didn't need the headache on top of the one he was already likely dealing with.

"Where are the doctors around here? Is no one working?" Graham, Jon's dad exclaimed, looking out into the hallway.

"His nurse just gave him pain meds and the doctor has already been in, which you'd know if you'd been here," I told him, feeling Jon squeeze my hand, in a silent attempt to tell me to let it go.

He instantly turned to face my mom. "Look, Avril, I don't know what kind of child you and Harry raised, but I'd think you'd teach her some manners."

My mom stood straighter, if that was possible, looking up and meeting his eyes, that forever reflected the constant neutral expression on his face.

"We raised an amazing independent young woman. That's who we raised. Besides, she's not wrong. Where have you two been? Your son has been in the hospital for more than two hours and you're only now getting here? What was more important than your son?" She paused, tapping her chin. "Hmm. Let me guess. Work."