Grand Love by JC Hawke
30
Nina
“After all thesemonths you’re finally going home,” Scarlet says, lifting an empty box and placing it on the kitchen counter. “How does it feel?”
I smile over at her as I bite down on my lip. “Exciting.”
It’s Saturday, and today I’m moving back to the penthouse. I didn’t get a lot of time to think on the decision, but with everything that Mason did for me yesterday, and the fact that I won’t ever love like I love him, I know without a shadow of a doubt that this is the right move.
“I knew you’d get here. I just didn’t think it would be yet. I’m so happy for you guys.”
“Thank you, Scar. And thank you for helping me today. Hopefully the girls will show their faces this afternoon.” I chuckle, thinking back to the night before.
“Hmm, Megan was blind drunk! I don’t expect to see her at all.”
“True.” I smile, sealing the full box with tape and placing it on the floor. “How’s everything going at the hospital? Are you still enjoying it?”
“Yeah, it’s great actually. I have big plans for the future which I never considered possible when I started.”
“Like what?” I ask with a frown.
“Well, I’ve been thinking, and I think I’m going to go into paediatrics.”
“With kids? That’s amazing, Scar!”
“I need to choose a speciality, and I love children. I do worry it will be tough sometimes, but I think I could handle it.”
“You could! I know so, you’re stronger than you think.”
She shrugs excitedly. “We shall see! What about you, do you think you’ll start up less—”
The rapping of knuckles against the door cuts Scarlet off. “Just a sec!” I call, placing down the curtains I’d been folding and walking to the door. I pull it open and am caught off guard when I see Joey standing on the other side.
“Joey, hi.”
“Hey, how are you?” He gives me a smile then walks in past me. I stand at the door for a moment watching him as he disappears into my lounge. “I brought you these.” He places a box on the coffee table and then picks it up again. “Do you want them? I presumed you did. You don’t have to.”
I chance a glance at Scarlet who looks just as perplexed as I do. “Is it…”
“Your photos,” he finishes for me. “Scarlet told me you were back with Mason.”
I nod. “Yeah. Yeah, I am.”
“Did you catch that session yesterday, Joey?” Scarlet asks casually from the kitchen. I turn and look at her and she gives me a small shrug, but I know she is seeing what I am. He seems off.
“No.” He scratches at his arm, then rubs at his neck. “I didn’t sleep then I slept through it.”
“Ahh. I see.” Scarlet side-eyes me then comes farther into the lounge. “How are you feeling?”
“Fine. Why?” He tips his chin at her, his gaze narrowed, then he looks over at me.
“I’m just asking, Joey. I haven’t been over in a couple days, that’s all.”
He flicks his eyes between us, then picks up the box of photos. “What was that?” he snaps.
My eyes widen, and I look at Scarlet. “What was what?”
“What did you say?” he asks me, placing down the box again.
“I didn’t say anything, Joey.”
He frowns, and I can see that he believes me. His eyes drift to Scarlet again and soften.
“Thank you for bringing these over, Joey. I really appreciate it.”
“Of course.” He nods. “You haven’t been over.”
“No, I’m taking some time. I came and told you that already.”
He stares through me, his eyes assessing and full of questions. “Joey, are you okay?” I ask, taking a tentative step towards him.
“You asked me that already.” He continues to stare at me, even when I avert my gaze to Scarlet, I feel his eyes on me. Never have I been so awkward and uncomfortable with someone I know. A friend at that.
“Sorry, Joey, I think—”
The door clicking shut has me pivoting on the spot. I’m momentarily relieved for the interruption, and I expect to see Mason, or one of the girls, walking through my front door. What I don’t expect is my mother.
“Well, haven’t you done well for yourself.” My mother’s voice is like ice in my veins, shooting right through me and sending every hair on my body standing on end.
“Mum?” It’s been years since I’ve seen her, and from the lines around her eyes and slick roots that pass her cheekbones I can tell she hasn’t been looking after herself. “You got my letter?”
Hope blooms in my chest at the thought of her coming all the way to my apartment. I knew it would work. The picture, the letter.
“I got your letter, but there wasn’t my money,” she slurs.
Feeling embarrassed, I flick my eyes to Scarlet. I know she wouldn’t judge me; she went through equally tough times with her dad, but it doesn’t make this moment any easier. “What do you mean your money, Mum? You haven’t asked for money in months.”
“Because you cut me off!” she yells, gripping her bag with trembling fingers. “Is this him?!” she sneers at Joey, taking a step farther into the lounge.
I blink three times, shaking my head and wondering how my day can go so backwards so fast. I contemplate asking Joey to leave but I’m just as worried about him as I am about my drunk mum. “By him, I presume you mean Mason. And no, this is Joey—my friend. And Scarlet, Mason’s sister.”
“Don’t get smart with me!” She pulls her bag off her shoulder and grips the straps with a white-knuckle grip. Her wild eyes snap from Joey to Scarlet, then back to me. “Where is he?”
“Are you serious right now?!” I rage. “How dare you come into my home and speak to me like this!”
Before I can think, before I can process what is happening, my mother pulls a gun from her bag. She points it at Scarlet. I feel the blood leave my body, the panic taking its place and demanding more from me than I know what to do with.
“Mum?” I question, my voice deathly quiet as I try to stop my body from trembling. I chance a glance at Scarlet and close my eyes when I see a tear slip free. “Mum, please calm down. I will get you money, okay?”
She snaps her head around to look at me, tears brimming her own eyes. “I want my money, all of it. What he promised.”
I don’t know what she’s talking about and it makes my throat grow tight, because I don’t know if I’ve ever seen her like this. She’s on something, that much I’m sure of, but what? And why is she doing this? When did things get this bad? “Okay, I will get all of it.” I swallow thickly, willing my words to not fail me. “What did he promise?”
“A new life. A fresh start. A lot of money, and then he took it all away.”
“Mason?” I frown. “Mason promised you that?”
“Yes!” she hisses. “I went to rehab; I did the time and then when I came for my money he told me no.”
“You went to rehab?”
“Yes!” She shakes her arm as she shouts and I step forward, making her freeze up, her finger flinching on the trigger.
“I’m going to go and get my phone, okay, and then I will call Mason. Mum, please put the gun down.”
“GET ME THE MONEY!” I watch as her entire face reddens, her eyes watering from anger or maybe sadness. I don’t know because I don’t know the woman standing in front of me.
My tears slip free, and I roll my lips as I look back at Scarlet. I’m so sorry, I mouth.
She nods her head, and I know that she doesn’t blame me. But I also know that she is just as petrified as I am.
“Joey. Go to my bag at the kitchen island and get my phone, okay?” I nod at my mum, trying to reassure her. “I’m going to call Mason and get him to send me your money, Mum.”
When I don’t hear any movement behind me, I turn to face him. Joey is standing with a vacant expression on his face. He doesn’t blink, his eyes zeroed in on Scarlet and nothing else. “Joey.”
He doesn’t flinch. “Joe!” I demand, needing him to help me. “Go to the kitchen and get my phone so that I can call Mason!” The grit in my voice brings his gaze to me. I nod my head. “Please.” I widen my eyes at him, hoping he understands that I won’t leave Scarlet and my mum alone.
He brings his hands to his face and pinches his cheeks, and I notice scratches lining his arms. “Okay,” he tells me, and I breathe out a sigh of relief and he walks around the sofa and out towards the kitchen.
I turn back to my mum, and she frowns in disgust at me. I shake my head and watch her, feeling none of the things I thought I would after so many years. “Mum, please put the gun down. I will get the money. You’re scaring us all.”
“He should have just done as I asked.”
“He was going to give you money to go to rehab?” I ask again, looking at Scarlet and hoping talking to her is the best tactic to keep her occupied.
“You knew!” she spits. “He said it was for YOU! So that I could be there for you! Poor, poor, Nina. Always needing to be babied. You couldn’t ever go a day fending for yourself. Now look! What are you going to do now?”
I don’t want to make her angry, but the need to put her straight, it niggles.
“You couldn’t do it yourself could you, you had to weed out a hotshot billionaire to fund your dreams. Then you got yourself knocked up. Stupid girl.”
“You don’t know me,” I tell her.
“Oh, but I do. You think you’re any different from me?” I watch out of the corner of my eye as Joey walks back into the room. The blade of a kitchen knife is poised in his grip and his focus is solely on my mum.
Her focus is solely on me.
Scarlet’s on the gun.
And me, I don’t know what to do. But I know I have to do something.
“Mum, please put that away,” I beg.
“I want my money!” she seethes, getting angrier by the second.
“Nina,” Scarlet whispers, her voice panicked.
I cut my eyes to Joey, watching as he takes three steps before my mother turns. I grab her arm and try to aim the gun at the ground, but she holds it strong. I hear Scarlet shouting out to Joey. I see Joey coming at us. I see the knife drop to the ground and then I drop too.
My mother puts a stop to the chaos.
She puts a stop to everything.
“NO!!! God, please, no!!!” Scarlet cries, falling to her knees at my side.
Pain shoots through my side, rendering me unable to speak and unable to breathe.
Scarlet is right there when I find focus, rolling my body so I’m on my back. She pushes down on my stomach and I heave in a half breath. “Scar,” I cry.
She doesn’t say a word, her eyes closed as she mumbles something incoherent to herself.
“Scarlet,” I beg, my chest heaving as I fight to pull air into my lungs. Flicking my eyes over my head, I see Joey on his knees and pulling at his hair. My mother stands motionless just a few feet away, her eyes fixed on the ground. “Mum,” I rasp, the taste of blood coating my tongue.
Her neck twists, venom lacing her words as she spits out, “You always did mess everything up.” She throws the gun in her hand at the drywall with so much force the bullets scatter to the ground.
Scarlet doesn’t flinch.
Joey starts to rock.
My mother leaves.
She leaves me as I gasp for breath.
She leaves me in my last breath.
* * *
Mase
“Mason, wake up!”Lance’s panicked voice pulls me from sleep.
I snap open my eyes and sit up in the bed. “What?”
He grasps my arm and heaves me out of bed. “We have to go! Now!”
* * *
The world shootspast us as Lance drives us to Nina’s apartment. No one is answering their phones, and I’m about to lose all my remaining sanity with the lack of information I’m getting from Lance.
“What did the message say!” I repeat.
“It was vague, Mase. But I know something isn’t right. Scarlet’s been going to see Joey because Nina wasn’t. She didn’t answer when I called.”
“What did the message say?!” I yell.
“It wasn’t from Scarlet, it was Joey. It didn’t make sense, but he said he had a gun.”
“Why the fuck is Joey texting you from Scarlet’s phone.” I pull at my hair. “Why aren’t they answering their fucking phones!” My fist crashes into the dash in frustration.
“Call Vinny,” Lance tells me.
* * *
We ditchthe car at the entrance and run through the apartment building until we reach the fourth floor. The door is cracked open and instantly I hear a distressed cry.
My body sways on the spot. Lance pushes past me and runs into the apartment.
“What the fuck!”
I follow him in, my world halting to a grounding stop the moment I see Nina’s lifeless body on the ground, and Scarlet hunched over, giving her chest compressions.
“No.” I shake my head, stepping towards her.
This can’t be happening.
“What the fuck did you do!” Lance questions incredulously, picking up a gun from the ground. “WHAT THE FUCK HAVE YOU DONE!” he roars.
My blurred eyes fly to Joey who is standing off to the side of the kitchen island grasping a knife in his bloodied hands. “I. I. I. They,” he wails, not making any sense as he trembles on the spot.
I turn my back on him, blocking him out.
I fall to my knees at Nina’s side, hitting the ground with a thud. “Scar,” I say, not recognising my own voice as it breaks. “Scarlet,” I repeat, frowning up at her when she doesn’t acknowledge me.
I shake my head. “Tell me she’s going to be okay.”
“Scar!” I snap, clenching my jaw tight when she only squeezes her eyes tight and continues to push on Nina’s chest.
How is this happening?
I take Nina’s face in my hand, my chin quivering as I try to understand. “Angel, you can’t leave me. You promised me forever.” I drop my lips to her forehead, her body jolting beneath me. Tears line my face, dripping from my chin and onto her pale face. I gently swipe them away. “Don’t be afraid, baby. You aren’t alone, I’m here. I won’t ever leave you.”
Please don’t leave me.
I look up, spotting a paramedic entering behind Lance, and I stand to rush them. “Help me, please!”
“We can take it from here,” they tell Scarlet, but she doesn’t move. Her lips are moving but nothing is coming out. She’s completely checked out.
I move on autopilot and pull her away, even though my head tells me to let her carry on. She stands off to the side, looking down at where Nina bleeds.
I place my hands on the back of my head, praying to the gods that she will be okay. She has to be okay. She promised me.
“Sc-car-let.”
“Stay fucking still!” Lance shouts at Joey from behind me.
“Put the gun down!” I hear the paramedic shout, forming a shield around Nina and getting low to the ground.
I turn to see Joey barrelling towards Scarlet with the knife still clenched to his chest. “Nina! Oh god, N-nina. I-I’m so sorry!” Joey shrieks.
I turn as Lance’s voice shakes with warning. “Stop!”
“Sc-ar-l-let. I-I didn’t mean to, I—”
My body jolts as the gun fires. I blink slowly, my heart thudding faster than any rhythm that’s healthy as Joey’s body crumbles to the ground with a sickening thump.
