Aria

15- Aria (EDITED )

I wanted to kill Gunner for giving Walter alcohol. Howbeit, after seeing the look in Walter's eyes as he held his empty glass to me, the face of I've been on this earth long enough, so there should be no reason why I can't enjoy a drink without someone—meaning me— stop him from enjoying the days he has left. As much as I'd like to do everything to keep him on this soil longer, I know there's nothing I can do to make that happen. And after witnessing Walter act like a little kid who was caught doing something he wasn't supposed to and getting rid of the evidence by consuming his glass of alcohol in one swallow, I felt guilty.

The thing is, I'm not trying to be a bitch by telling him he can't enjoy what he likes and misses; I'm just doing my job as a nurse by watching his sugar intake because of his diabetes, hoping to keep him from going into a diabetic coma in my home. And I feel that if something terrible happened on my watch, I don't think I could live with myself for knowing why it happened.

So, because Walter is nearing ninety years old, I should look at things differently. Since Walter has lived his life to the fullest and has been good to Gunner, Wyatt, and me, he doesn't deserve me telling him he can't have this, he can't have that. Walter deserves to be happy, and if he wants to have a drink, I should accept his request of wishing to have an adult beverage and not allow him to sneak around, slamming alcoholic drinks like he's a teenager.

I looked from Gunner to Walter, reached for Walter's glass, stepped closer, and looked at Gunner, holding out my hand, wanting him to hand me his glass.

He slid the empty glass closer to him, holding it firmer on his lap, and looking at me with fear written in his eyes, his Adam's apple bobbing up and down, fearing what I'll say or do. I extended my hand further to him. "Your glass, please?"

Gunner's eyes shot from me to Walter and then to mine, studying me.

"Give the woman your damn glass, ya chicken shit," Walter ordered.

As I watched Gunner intensely study me, I tilted my head to the side and asked nicely, "Where's that bottle of bourbon Justin gave you? I know he gave you one, and I know you're hiding it. So where is it?" Gunner's eyes widened, and his brows twitched into confusion, so I smiled and enlightened him by admitting, "I saw Justin give you the bottle in my hospital room. So I know you still have it, and I know you've hidden it, but don't worry. I'm not dumping it into the sink or anything. I'm just going to pour you, boys, another drink, and then I'm going to bed."

"You're what?" Gunner asked, the words barely escaping his lips.

"Either you come with and show me where the bottle is, or tell me where it is. That way, I can pour you two another drink," I said, broadening my smile to assure Gunner that I'm allowing him and Walter to continue doing what they were doing before catching them red-handed.

Looking confused with my sudden change of heart, Gunner raised his hand to his ear, stuck his finger inside the opening, and in a fast motion, he itched it. "Did I hear you, right? You're going to allow Walter to have a drink with me and that you're willing to pour us another drink?"

"I am," I nodded, smiling.

His eyebrows slowly raised, then he looked at Walter. "What is she up to? She just came in here barking at us, looking like she would stab us with the daggers displayed in her eyes. And now she's being nice and wants to pour us both drinks? What are you up to, Aria?" Gunner asked, slowly turning to face me.

"Aria's secretly planning our deaths. I'll bet she's going to slip something into our drinks. That's why she wants to go to bed afterward. She doesn't want to get caught." he paused, then grinned when I looked at him. "I'm okay with that. It's probably my time, anyway." He looked at Aria, pointing. "You make sure you tell that little boy how much I loved him and that I'll be watching and protecting him until his time has expired."