“Why did you come, Ted?” I sob hard. “You shouldn’t have come. You could have got yourself killed.”
“Oh my God, I would die for you a million times over. Are you okay?”
“I’m okay,” I answer honestly. “They just scared me, that’s all.”
I’m just thankful that we are alive. If the cops hadn't turned up just when they did, then God knows where we could be. It was very clear that they weren’t going to let me walk out of the situation alive.
“Did you call the cops?” I whispered as the yelling and shots continue.
“I didn’t. I don’t know how they ended up here…”
I nod, wondering what the hell is going on.
“I love you,” I whisper against him, wanting to say it now, just in case we don’t get another chance. I lean back to stare into his eyes. “I love you so much, and I always have.”
He sucks in a deep breath, and nods slowly. “I know, Chloe, I love you too. Our timing has never quite worked out, but I have always been in love with you. Always.”
He grabs my cheeks and pulls me in for a kiss. This kiss speaks volumes. I don’t know what it’s saying, or where it’s going to lead us, but after all that we have been through, I’m happy to enjoy this moment.
I wrap my arms tightly around him, and I never want to let go.
***
“Jack got killed?” I ask the police officer in shock. I shouldn’t feel bad for him because he was one of them, but he treated me well. I really think that he thought they were going to let me go. It’s sad, he could have pulled away from this given half the chance and really made something of himself.
“He was shot by Christopher Larkin, the leader of the gang,” the officer tells me sadly. “I think that he was trying to run away from the shoot out and he saw it as a betrayal, I guess, and he shot him. It’s a real shame.”
My stomach churns, and I feel like I’m going to throw up.
“And this Christopher guy?” I half whisper. “What happened to him? Was he killed?”
“He is in police custody, you don’t need to worry about him.”
I know that he might be trying to reassure me, but it isn’t working. I honestly feel worse. How does the one guy who caused all of this, killings and kidnappings, get to stay alive when no one else does? It’s not right.
“Will he go to jail?” I whisper again, dreading the answer. “Is he going to get locked up?”
“Oh, you don’t need to worry. We are going to make sure that he is never out on the streets again.”
I hope that’s true. I haven’t ever been involved with the legal system before, so I don’t know how it works, but I’m definitely going to be called to a witness stand unless he pleads guilty. But I can’t worry about that right now. One thing at a time. Right now, I need to go to the hospital and get checked out.
I catch Ted’s eye where he is standing talking to another police officer and he gives me a lop-sided smile. I can’t give him the same happy look back though, I’m afraid. Scared that I’m going to lose everything here, that I’m going to have to say goodbye to him again. He’s been in and out of my life for six years. He was involved in illegal things too with his uncles’ group. What makes me think that they won’t take him to jail too? Fuck.
Ted mouths something to me, but my eyes are blurry and I’m struggling to see. I wipe the tears away but by the time I can see again, the sirens of the ambulance distract me. It’s time for me to be checked over by the ambulance. I don’t really want to go to the hospital because I know that I’m fine, but I have to.
“I will see you at the hospital,” Ted calls as he sees the ambulance pulling up near me.
I stare at him for a while, trying to commit every inch of him to my memory again, before I allow the paramedics to take me in to the back of the ambulance. As we drive away, I continue to look at Ted until he’s out of sight. That’s when it hits me. I was kidnapped at gun point and locked in a room, the sort of thing that doesn’t happen in real life, and somehow I survived it.
While we drive, I don’t forget that I promised myself in that room that I would call my mom once I got the chance, if I ever got the chance. I want to mend our relationship, after all life is too short.
Starting today, I am going to make a better effort to keep in touch with my mom. Tell people that I care about them in the moment, and get out of the house more.