Promise Me

“I’ll have Rhett or Gramps stay with you while I get him.”

“Thank you,” she said to me.

**

So I’m not dead.

Doesn’t sound like I’m going to die.

But I fucked up.

I can feel my Mom’s touch on my forehead. Her fingers feel cool as they brush through my hair. She used to do this when I was a boy and sick. Then Ciaran comes to the side of the bed. He replaces her as he leans over me and kisses my forehead. Damn, I must be dying. When was the last time my twin kissed me? I can’t even remember. I’m not sure that he ever has.

Then he whispers in my ear so that only I can hear him. “When you get out of here mother fucker, I’m kicking your ass.” I hear the emotion in his voice even though his words are harsh. “I love you Ronan.”

I love you too, Ciaran. I’ll be sure to tell him that when I’m awake.

Then there is Fionn. I have a lifetime to make up to Fionn for how I have hurt this brother of mine. Fionn, is a six foot six giant with a heart of gold. He has dyslexia and instead of being supportive of him like Ciaran was I was a dick. I tore him down. I think this is one of those things that Gram was trying to tell me that I could make better in my life. My relationship with my brother has been improving but we have a long way to go.

“Ronan, I love you man. I hope you can hear me.” Fionn whispered to me. His deep voice touched something in me and I swore a tear rolled from beneath my closed lashes. I wanted to reach out to him and touch his hand. I wanted to reassure him because if anyone needed it, Fionn would need reassuring but my body wouldn’t respond. Later Fionn, when I’m awake I will tell you how much I love you too.

Gramps kissed my cheek then. I would know him anywhere. I am sure that I have disappointed him so many times. Belittled him, not intentionally because he was a farmer. His reaction was the icing on the cake. When he said nothing to me at all, I knew that this was just another letdown in the book of Adam and Ronan Moore.

Someone I hadn’t expected. I knew by her soft, appealing voice. Her small hands as they touched my bare arm. Her lips on my cheek. She was perfection. My sweet and beautiful, Skylar O’Halloran.

“Promise me you’ll get better.” I could hear sadness in her voice. I never wanted to make this girl cry. I would do anything to not be the cause of her tears. Then she was gone. Her warmth and her lovelines

s left me and I felt only emptiness.

There was nothing but my mother’s tears. I could hear them as she sobbed. “How did we not know?” I heard her ask somebody.

“Stevie, he’s a good boy. Wait until you know all the facts.”

Ah Rhett. Of course, she would be by my mom’s side. Later, my Aunt Codi, Aunt Lexi, Scarlett, Bronagh and Delany would hold her hand and let her know they were there for her. She had a great circle of friends who would support her while I recovered.

Recovery.

What was I going to do?

I had to make a change. The grandparents had told me to get my shit together.

But what did I need to do? I could decide that later. Right now? I needed to focus on living. Making it through the next twenty-four hours. There was plenty of time to make decisions about changing my life. No more drugs would be a good start.

**

“Dad, Mom needs you,” I told him.

He looked up at me with eyes that were tormented. “I don’t know if I can do this.” I raised my eyebrow. There was no choice. Mom needed him. Tegan looked at Dad. Then he clapped him on the back.

“You can and you will,” he told him. “Get your ass up and go with Liam. Ronan and Stevie need you. We’re here for you when you come out. Now get going.”

Dad rose. He looked like a dead man walking his last mile. He watched me scan my badge. Harley met my eyes over the desk as we approached. When we walked into the room where Ronan lay on the bed I thought my father would collapse onto the floor. I gripped his shoulder hard and he glanced at me giving me a nod of appreciation.

Rhett turned to me, “Sweetie, why don’t you let me out.”

She took my hand as I walked with her down the hall leaving my parents alone with Ronan.

Chapter 3