Second Choice

The Set Up

A six-foot-two tall man slowly lifts his head as he exits the bathroom. His chestnut wavy brown hair droops over his baseball cap. I could tell it had been a while since he had a haircut. A smile forms on his soft lips, and his shoulders relax the moment his weary eyes meet with mine. "Bailey, you made it."

"Dusty? Wh-what's going on?" I ask nervously, looking over at the strange woman I never saw before.

The nurse smiles and nods her head towards Dusty.

He gives the nurse a nod. "I will give you two a few minutes."

 "Thank you," Dusty mumbles and turns back to me.

The nurse holds her clipboard against her chest and exits the room. Dusty walks over and surprises me by hugging me. I stand there, letting him wrap his arms around me and gently squeeze me like old times back in high school." Wow, what has it been? Five hundred years?"

"Hardly," I mumble, trying to push the memories away.

The heart monitor beeps behind us, reminding me I have not had the chance to check on Laura or my sister. I gently push Dusty aside and look towards the door.

 "Well, you look great." He offers and runs his hand through his long hair again. "Here, let me get you a seat or something."

I shake my head no and back away. "Dusty, I don't want to sit down. I have to check on my family. I got a phone call from the hospital and..."

"I know you did," Dusty interrupts and says while looking at the woman in the bed.

"You did? How?" I feel my face become hot. I was on the verge of losing my s**t if Dusty didn't start talking soon.

"Yeah... about that. Look, I know this is all going to sound nuts, but I had to buff the records a bit."

My legs become weak. I was half livid that Dusty lied and half grateful that the thought there was still a chance they were still alive. "Are you saying they are still alive?" I whisper.

"Yes. Please just... listen to me for a minute." He begs.

"Listen to you? I just got a call I was going to have to identify my family was dead, Dusty! Now, I am in a narcotics unit with a strange woman and you of all people!"

"I know how this may look.." His eyes scan over towards the woman.

"Oh, really? Do you now?"

"Yea, Bailey. I know it looks screwed up. I admit it, okay." He looks out the window towards the parking lot.

"Dusty, you know you have pulled some crazy s**t in high school, but this is beyond anything I ever saw. I mean, how in the hell did you get the legal department to agree to... Oh, my God... The nurse..."

"Yeah..." He answers nervously running his hand through his hair.

"It makes sense now. That is why the nurse never stated her name!"

I pace back and forth in the room. "My God, I am such a fool for believing you! What? Did another An ex-girlfriend of yours help you out by making the screwed up call?" I lash out.

Dusty comes up to me, trying to calm me down, "Yes, okay?"

"Why would you do that to me?"

"Because.." he looked back at the woman.

"Dusty Allen Hofman, you better start speaking right now before I f*****g walk out of here!"

 "Please," 

"Why, Dusty!"

"Because I was afraid you would not come."

The heart monitor slows down and just as fast flat lines. "Mom!" Dusty yells out and triggers the nurse's station to come in a hurry. Two nurses run through the door and push me aside, causing me to fumble back against Dusty's solid chest. Dusty tries to push past me, but I hold him back as the familiar nurse gathers the defibrillator and charges it. "Clear," She yells.

The grip from Dusty's fingers tightens around my arm by the second jolt." Come on, Mom." He begs. "Don't do this to me."

I look up, seeing the glassy desperation in his eyes. I knew that pain oh too well." Do you want to wait out in the hallway?"

Dusty didn't hear me at first. His focus lies on his new mom withering beneath the machines. "Dusty," I press my hand on his chest. "Do you want to wait outside while they work on her?"

"No." He shakes his head." I am not moving from this spot."

I took a breath and closed my eyes, trying to fight away the past." Then me neither."

The room fades away back to the past once more.

*******

"Dear? Did you hear anything I said? Mom asked again."

"Of course, I did. Now, shut your trap and sit back. Dammit, woman!" 

Janie looks down and twiddles her fingers while I awake for the first time at my parents. This event was the first time I saw them for who they were. Alcoholics. My mother was a social drinker, and she could hide it well, but when my father drank, it made him aggressive, but that night something inside him flipped.

"Maybe we should call someone to drive us home," I whisper to Mama, but Daddy gripped the wheel; and whipped around and glared at me with pure hatred.

"I said I am fine, and if you don't shut the hell up, I swear right now you will walk!"

"Do as your told," Mama warned.

A single tear slid down Janie's face as her tiny lip trembled. I lay my head back and glared out the window, wishing things were different. Hoping I could make it better for Janie and me. I scoot my hand over and open it. My parents couldn't see us because they start arguing over the rain and the money they spent. Janie curls her tiny fingers inside of mine. "Don't worry, Janie," I whisper. "I am not moving from this spot."

"Me neither." She whispers back before we hear the roaring sound of an eighteen-wheeler coming right at Daddy's window.