A Little Bit Married

Arson

I sat across from Gray, watching him get treated by a professional doctor. He was only barely keeping his face and shoulder to be treated, but I could see the way his eyes just kept darting towards his phone. I could see the anxiety in his eyes, the way he kept biting down on his lips.

He and his son were both victims in this extremely shitty situation, and while Gray was not wrong to not want anything to do with a child he was forced to have, the child was equally innocent.

I felt sorry for both of them, but the last thing I would do is try to pressure Gray into accepting him, checking on him, or playing a fatherly role. Until he gave in himself, until he decides to forget about how the child was conceived, I will just wait extremely patiently.

The doctor soon finished and excused himself, and a man carrying a few files walked in, greeting Gray.

"These are the ones pending your approval, sir."

Gray nodded, and I watched as he immediately buried himself in work, his eyes sometimes looking up to me, but he vehemently refused to give in and check on Aunt Althea.

Speaking of Aunt Althea, I was still unable to understand the sequence of those photos, or why the person taking them didn't bother to help Gray's parent out of the car, and just stood by, taking photos.

Why Aunt Althea had photos like that and no one seemed to have asked me questions that have hern burning at the back of my mind ever since I found them.

I slowly stood up and walked over to Gray's table, my eyes taking him in. He looked slightly on edge, and I hoped asking him about his parents wouldn't be the last push that would tip him over the steep cliff of his own unmanaged emotions.

"Gray?"

He looked up, then gave a small, tired smile.

"I am sorry for..."

"Do you need my help?"

He shook his head. "I will be fine. Do you want something?"

I swallowed, then moved a bit closer. "I just..."

His phone suddenly started to ring, and he gave an exasperated sigh. He stretched his hand to it, pressed the power button, and then turned it o the screen. He turned back to me, his eyes meeting mine.

"Yes?"

I swallowed. "Maybe you should call back. You don't know what is important."

He hesitated for a moment before he rolled his eyes and turned away, grabbing the phone. I could see the slight annoyance in his eyes as he grabbed the phone, then brought it to his ear.

"This is Gray."

His eyes were emotionless, but as whoever was in the end spoke, his eyes became even colder, and his other hand dropped the pen he was still holding. The crease in his brows smoothed out, but it wasn't that of relief, rather that of submission.

He looked like someone who had lost complete control, and there was no changing what has happened.

He slowly turned to me, dropping the phone back on the table, but his hand missed the edge, and the phone came clattering to the ground.

"Gray," I said, leaning closer, my chest heaving. "Did something happen?"

He sucked in a sharp breath, then stood up, grabbing his jacket. He leaned and grabbed his phone too, raking his fingers through his hair, his chest slightly heaving.

"Let's go to the hospital."

My lips parted, but he grabbed my hand and slowly led me outside, and by the look in his eyes, I knew better than to ask questions.

We got downstairs, and the driver immediately ran towards the car to open it up.

"I will drive," Gray said, stretching his hand out for the keys.

The driver looked a little conflicted, but he handed the key to Gray and opened the door for him. Gray turned around instead and opened the door for me, and I immediately got in, my eyes fixed on him in order to try and gauge his emotions.

He was stoic. Completely emotionless. It sent a different kind of chills down my spine.

He went around to the open door and came in, and I hadn't realized just how close the seats were till his energy was dominating half of the car and mine was flickering, trying hard to stay alight.

His door closed, and he turned on the ignition, then backed out of the parking lot. We were soon on the road, and I turned to him again.

He was just the same and wasn't saying a word. His phone was silent, too, and it just made me more nervous.

"Are you okay?" I finally mustered the courage to ask.

He nodded, and that was it.

The ride was eerily silent, and I could feel my anxiety rising with each bit of distance that we covered. I didn't even know what to prepare for, what to do. I didn't even know how to brace myself for any impact. I was just there, hoping for the very best.

We finally got to the hospital, and a nervous lump rose in my throat. The car came to a slow stop, and he got out of the car.

I watched him walk around, rolling up the sleeves of his slightly bloodied shirt, his face carrying scars still. He opened the door for me and stretched his hand to me.

I immediately took it, and he helped me out of the car, then let his fingers intertwine with me, his fingers filling the spaces between mine.

Gray led me into the hospital, and he stopped at the reception for inquiries. He got the room they were in, and his hand tightened around mine as we walked towards the room.

The sight of the cops around the door of the room immediately made my heart jump. I had seen the car outside, but I had assumed they were there for something else. But seeing them right where we were going...

The one who seemed to be leading them turned to us as we got to the door, and he stretched his hand out to Gray.

"I am Detective Niles."

Gray nodded, taking his hand. "What can I help you with?"

"We will need your statement. Someone doed from arson, and you are the closest relative. We will give you a briefing of the things we know this far."

I brought my hand to my mouth, my eyes wide. Someone died? Arson? How could that be? Why would anyone even do something like that?

Gray nodded and turned to the room. "I want to know how he is doing."

"According to the doctors, it was pretty bad. He is still unconscious."

I turned to Gray, my heart sinking. "A... Aunt Althea?"

He swallowed. "She died."

I gasped, moving backwards, my hands covering my mouth again, my chest heaving hard. Aunt Althea died?