"When You want her back..."


Chapter Seventeen



Standing in the elevators alone April awaited for the doors to open to her sister’s floor. She felt quite odd without Bret there to cheer her on. Only last minute she decided maybe he should wait in the car. They weren’t having any luck with parking and she decided she wanted to talk to her sister in private. After all she needed to tell her about Hana. She needed to explain things… She needed to get it all straightened out.

The doors finally opened and she jumped out. She trotted past all the rooms and located her sister’s room. She entered the room and stood in front of her sister. Her sister was clothed in regular clothes and had a plastic bag sitting next to her. Her complexion was white and she was way skinny. Her sister was sitting up on her bed. Feet dangling above the ground eyes focused on the door. April grimaced at the look her sister bared,

“Lena, are you ok?” she asked walking in and stepping closer.

“Yes, just fine. I’m just waiting for them to come get me. It’s five O’clock.” She said pointing to the clock on the wall.

“I know. This is why I came early. I need to talk to you about Hana. I need to talk to you about everything.”

Her sister smiled her first smile and said “Oh boy, do we even have time for this?”

April shook her head and said “Take this serious Lena.”

“Ok, ok” Lena said moving over then patting a hand to the area next to her. April took a seat next to her sister and took a hold of her sister’s hand.
“I have Hana.” April said to her. Nodding her head as she debated best ways to put it. “Well actually I don’t. Her foster father has her. But, good news is…” April paused. “Her foster father is my boyfriend.”

Lena’s eyes widened and she gasped. “What?? That’s like… Well that’s like dating the enemy!”

“No, no, Bret is definitely not the enemy. He’s a really great guy. I want to be with him. I’m going to be with him and together we will take care of Hana. I’m telling you he loves that girl more then anything.”

“How long have you known him?” Lena asked arms crossed over her chest.

“About two to three weeks… “April avoided eye contact with her sister staring down at her lap where her hand laid.

“Three? That would have to mean you knew him when I came to you!” Lena jumped up from her spot on the bed and stood in front of her sister. “You dated him while I was there needing my daughter!”

April shook her head violently disagreeing with her sisters words. “I only knew him threw the internet and I didn’t know that HE was the one with Hana. I just thought it was a coincidence! Don’t be mad. I mean… It’s not like it matters now.”

Lena raised her hand and held her forehead in it. She massaged her temple and took deep breaths. April wasn’t sure what she was going through but she thought it best to leave her alone until she was done with it.

Finally Lena dropped her hand. “Just promise me one thing.”

“Promise you what?”

“Take care of that little girl for me.” Lena bit down on her lip then said “I realized I messed up big time but I don’t want it to affect her. I don’t want my bad judgment to affect her.”

April nodded her head and at that moment a scuffle at the door attracted their attention, April turned only to see three cops and two men in suits. Detectives, she assumed.

“Lena Sanders?” Asked the detective.

“Yes. And I know why you are here and I think you should know that I’m fine with it. Just cuff me and take me away. Tell me that anything I say can or will be used against me in the court of law and just get it over with”

The detective motioned for the cops to cuff Lena and they did. Lena bowed her head and focused on the floor.

April held in tears. She watched them cuff her sister and tell her she was being charged for drugs. She sat there and watched them label her sister as a criminal. Something she never wanted to see. Finally the tears trickled down her cheeks as they left with her sister.

It was painful to watch it all... It was even more painful to realize there was nothing she could do about it. Finally they were gone and out of the room with her. All that was left was April, Lena’s plastic bag and one detective.

“Well?” April said turning toward the bed and grabbing her sister’s bag. She then wiped her tears away and turned back toward the detective. Facing him and facing the truth. Her sister was just arrested.

“I know this is hard for you ma’am” The detective said voice clear and smooth. Obviously he had been threw this plenty of time and had perfected the emotion he should display.

“Yes, well of course.” She told him.

“I want you to know. I am sorry it happened like this. This is going to be a long and painful process. You’ll probably take a while for her to stand on trial and then her sentencing. During this time she will be held in a women’s state jail facility.” The detective sighed as he witnessed another tear roll down April’s cheek.

April then wondered how he could do his job. Fascinated as to how he could even bare to witness it on a daily basis. She wondered if the money was worth the tears and the argument. Her sister had left without fighting but she wondered about those who did fight. She questioned how he was able to deal with those who hung onto things for there dear life hoping that if they held on long enough they wouldn’t have to face the police and be arrested. Then she realized. For him it wasn’t about the money and it wasn’t about the distressed family member. It was about justice. Just as every movie had put it. Being on the side of the law meant you were making a difference. Maybe, just maybe, this would make a difference for her sister too.

“How long do you think she will have to serve?” April asked wiping away at her cheek.

“Six to twelve months. It really usually depends on how good of a lawyer you have.” At that he shrugged and held his hand out. “Once again, I’m sorry.”

April shook his hand and he turned away and walked out of the room. The minute the detective left she found herself jumping onto the bed taking a seat and breathing slowly. The experience had been overwhelming.

At that moment the nurse came in. April assumed by blankets she held that she was probably there to change the bedding on the bed and sterilize it for the nest patient. Looking at April the woman shook her head and walked to her. She then hugged her.

Accepting the hug she hugged the nurse back, gladly appreciating the support.

*****************************************

Turning in his seat Bret acknowledged the fact that he hated waiting. He wasn’t sure how April had convinced him to sit and wait in the car while she was up stairs. Glancing around his surroundings he summed up what was going on.

Traffic was slow in front of the hospital but all parking spots were taken. So far he hadn’t seem any EMT cars roll up and escort a victim in for last half hour so he figured it was a slow night. Deciding he couldn’t take it anymore he shut the car off and opened the driver’s side door. Jumping out, he stretched out his arms and let out a yawn.

Looking up at the large hospital he wondered what April was going through. He wondered if she needed him right now but simply insisted that he would in fact wait just as she had asked him to. Leaning against the car he inhaled some fresh spring air. IT was 6 30 and the sun was starting to settle. The day had been a long one and he was sure glad that in the end everything would be as he wanted it to be. He had his daughter back and still remained with April. He didn’t lose his best friend and he was pretty sure everything would be fine with Lena.

Suddenly Bret felt a violent pull on his jacket and heard a voice say “Mr! Mr! Help me Mr!”

Leaving his thoughts behind him he quickly looked at the boy in front of him. He was a foot shorter then Bret and fairly skinny. He had brown eyes and brown hair with a very tan complexion. He looked Hispanic but there was only so much Bret could tell of the boy just from looking at him. “What? Wait, what’s going on?”

“It’s my father! He’s on the floor! You got to help me!”

Bret nodded his head at the clearly fearful teen. “Where?”

“Follow me!” The boy yelled before running off. Bret followed him pacing himself as he wondered what the boy could possibly be talking about.

Bret followed the still nameless boy into an area a block away from the hospital. He then followed the boy as they made a right turn around the corner and came face to face with a man laying on the ground.

Both the boy and Bret rushed to the man’s side. “He was on the phone.” They boy said “He was on the phone with some one at work and then he had chest pains and he fainted or something I’m not sure. What’s wrong with him?”

Bret stared at the unconscious man and said “Well I am no genius but it looks to me as though he had a heart attack.”

“Oh, no, Oh man, I knew he worked to hard! You know,” he said “Dad doesn’t even like what he does? Now look at him! The job he never liked has come to kill him!” Just then the kid began bawling. Tears flowed down his cheek and sobs came from his mouth.

Realizing this wasn’t going to help out the man he said “Hey kid, how old is you?”

The boy sniffled and said “14”

“Well then,” Bret said “Help me carry him to the hospital.”

The boy nodded as Bret maneuvered one of his shoulders under the unconscious man’s armpit. . Together they half dragged half carried the man to the hospital and into the hospital emergency exit entrance. “Help! This man has had a heart attack!”