(no subject)
Jake shifted the ice on his head out by the nurses’ station.
“So is she going to be okay?”
“Well, physically, probably.”
“Physically?”
“She’s a pretty girl, Jake. What do you think they did to her?”
“Oh.” Jake deflated as it registered, looking through the blinds at a sobbing Heather, buried in Beck’s arms. It still struck him as odd that she clung to him so. “But if that’s the case, how can she - ?”
“How can she what?”
“Let him touch her.”
“She loves him. And I think he’s the only person she truly trusts right now.”
“Wow. I knew she had a thing for him, but I didn’t think it was that…” he struggled to find the right word.
It finally dawned on Gail that her son didn’t have the whole picture.
“Jake, it wasn’t a ‘thing’. They were lovers. For months.”
“But - but - he said he liked her, but he said that he didn’t want to put her in any more danger.”
“Which is why they were covert lovers.”
Jake stared at the scene through the window. Beck caught him and glared back before closing the blinds.
“Sucks when it happens to someone he cares about, doesn’t it?” he said, his voice suddenly acid.
The ER went silent. The silence didn’t last however, broken by the sharp sound of Nurse Green slapping her son.
“Johnston Jacob Green Jr.!”
The entire ER cringed as Jake stood in shock.
“I know what Beck did to you. I may never fully forgive him myself for what he did to you - I’m your mother. But - you’ve been through worse. The time you boys spent in New Bern comes to mind. AND, if you make another comment like that, I will never speak to you again.” Jake swallowed audibly.
“Sorry, mom.”
“Good. Now go home, get cleaned up, and rest a bit. You can visit later, when you’re not so crabby. And knock next time.”
“Yes, mother.”
“That’s better.” She said, turning away. “That boy, I swear…”