Chapter 7

Jonah

       All of us were really loving Meadowcliff so we decided to extend our stay just one more day. Well, mainly because it was my and Linnea's one year anniversary, and we would rather spend it here than being back on the road.

       Though, I didn't know if we were even going to do anything together because she seemed to be quite mad at me. Ever since we woke up today, she hadn't said a single word to me, no matter what I said to her.

       I was sitting on the bed in the motel room, strumming along to my guitar as Linnea was putting on make up. I really didn't want her to be mad at me all day, so I stopped strumming and asked, "Are you ever going to talk to me?"

       "That depends on you," Linnea said.

       "For?"

       Linnea stopped applying make up so she could turn to face me. "Getting along with Reed," Linnea said. "And don't give me the excuse that you two tried, because he's still trying and you're not. Not to mention your attitude towards him is rubbing off on Ezra and Madison."

       "I just don't see what the big deal is," I said. "You can't expect me to get along with every single person in my life."

       "I don't," Linnea said. "There were people you didn't get along with at school, and you know why? Because they were jerks. Reed isn't a jerk. He's really sweet, and you're not giving him a chance.

       "Look, I just don't think Reed and I really get along," I said. "Nothing will ever make us get along, so you should really stop trying to change my mind."

       Linnea turned away from me and continued applying her make up. "Well, if you want to play that way, then fine. If you don't want to get along with him, or actually try, then I don't want to spend any time with you."

       "What... what exactly do you mean by that?" I asked.

       "Exactly what I said," Linnea said. "Because right now, you are not acting like the boy I fell in love with."

       I didn't even reply as I placed my guitar back in its case before getting off the bed, putting on my shoes, and leaving the motel room, slamming the door shut behind me.

       I just didn't get why it was such a big deal to Linnea for me and Reed to get along. There wasn't a single person in the world who got along with everyone, and Reed was just one of those people I didn't get along with.

       I didn't even know why I couldn't get along with him. 

       I walked around the town for a bit, not knowing where I wanted to go. I just needed some fresh air and walking around definitely did me some good.

       As I was walking by an alleyway, I saw something from the corner of my eye so I looked over.

       Only to see someone laying there unconscious.

       I hurried over to them to make sure they were okay, but my heart completely dropped when I saw who it was.

       Reed.

       He looked completely beaten up.

       "Reed?" I said, trying to wake him up. "Reed, come on, you've got to wake up."

       Reed was showing no sign of waking up, so I reached into my back pocket and pulled out my cell phone to call for an ambulance. While I was waiting for them to show up, Reed woke up and tried getting up, but he immediately winced and grabbed his side.

       "Don't get up," I said. "The ambulance is on their way. Just wait for them."

       Reed nodded, still in a lot of pain. I wanted to ask him what happened, but now was not the time to ask. He was in too much pain.

       When the paramedics showed up, the carefully got Reed onto the stretcher before taking him to the ambulance. I went back to the motel, getting into the minivan before looking up the location of the closest hospital on my phone. After getting directions, I pulled out of the parking lot and made my way there.

       As soon as I got to the hospital, I went to the receptionist and asked about Reed.

       "He should be ready for visitation soon," she said. "What's your relation to him?"

       "I'm his older brother," I said.

       "Alright, I'll send a doctor over when they're done," she said.

       I thanked her before heading over to the waiting away and sitting on one of the seats. I know I didn't have to wait too long for a doctor to show up, but it did feel like hours.

       When the doctor walked over, I stood up from my seat. "You're Reed's brother?" she asked and I nodded.

       "How is he?" I asked.

       "He's okay, for the most part," she said. "His ribs are bruised are bruised, so he's going to have to take things easy for the next two weeks. I've already discussed his treatment with him, but I do have one question. I've looked at his medical record, and I do have to know if he has been taking his medication."

       I furrowed my eyebrows. "Medication? For what?"

       "For his disorder," she said.

       "Reed has a disorder?" I asked.

       "You don't know?" she asked.

       I shook my head. "No. He's my foster brother, and my parents just began fostering him, so I guessed it never came up between us. But I don't think he has been taking his medication. Reed and I are on a road trip, and my parents would have told me if he was."

       The doctor was holding a file and opened it up, pulling out a piece of paper. "I have to know, is this his current emergency contact?" 

       I looked at the emergency contact. "No, not anymore. It should be my parents."

       She asked for the information, and I gave it to her as she wrote it down. "Thank you," she said. "I'll give them a call about his medication. In the meantime, Reed can take visitors, and since he won't have to be monitored in the hospital, he'll be discharged in about an hour."

       "Okay, thank you," I said. 

       After she told me Reed's room number, I made my way there. As soon as I walked in, Reed looked over. "Hey..." he said quietly.

       I sat down in the chair beside his hospital bed. "Reed, what happened? Who did that to you?"

       Reed shrugged. "It was just a random altercation."

       "Really?" I asked. "I know I haven't been exactly nice to you, but you do know you can tell me the truth, right?"

       Reed sighed and rested his head back against the hospital bed. "I'm in a lot of trouble," he said. "My dad... He had a gambling problem and owes someone a lot of money. Like, a lot. And apparently, the guy isn't going to let it go. Normally, he would have went to my mom since she's my dad's spouse but she's gone too. So I have to owe him money."

       "What?" I asked. "That's not fair. You're only fifteen. How does he expect you to pay him?"

       "Try telling him that," Reed said. "He won't listen, and he's not going to leave me alone until he gets the money."

       "Isn't there something else you can do?" I asked. "Any other alternative?"

       "There... there is something."

       "What is it?"

       Reed didn't reply as he closed his eyes tightly.

       "Reed?"

       "I can't do it. The other alternative. I'd rather owe him the money then get into that."

       Reed seemed really uncomfortable, so I didn't ask him what it was.

       I did ask him something else, however.

       "Why didn't you tell my family about your disorder?" I asked. 

       Reed sighed. "How'd you find out about it?"

       "The doctor asked me if you've been taking your medication for your disorder," I said. "What is it?"

       "Nothing."

       "Obviously it's not nothing if you have to take medication for it, which you're clearly not doing. Why not?"

       "My family couldn't afford it."

       "Yeah, but my parents can," I said. "They're fostering you so they have to take care of you. You should have told them. You should have told me. I'm supposed to take care of you on the road trip, and I'm clearly failing."

       "It wasn't your fault, Jonah," Reed said.

       "Yes, it was," I said. "I'm sorry, for the way I've been treating you. I promised my parents I'd keep your safe and if I treated you better, you probably wouldn't have been out in the town on your own."

       "No, I probably would have," Reed said. "So what made you apologize? Because you've made it clear how much you hate me."

       "I don't hate you," I said. "And it was seeing you unconscious on the ground. If it really was someone I hated, my heart wouldn't have dropped like it did. I may not be used to it yet, but you're my brother."

       Maybe that was why I didn't want to get along with Reed. I had been an only child for so long, and he just suddenly came into my life. It would have been different if it was a baby that joined the family, and not a teenager.

       I shouldn't have taken it out on him, and it took him being beaten up for me to realize that.

       "I'm not used it having a sibling either, but at least I've been trying," Reed said.

       "I know," I said. "And that's why I'm sorry."

       "It's okay," Reed said. "I did sort of get where you were coming from."

       "I know you probably don't want me asking this, but what disorder do you have?" I asked.

       Reed sighed. "I have two, actually. But I couldn't be on medication for both. Just the more serious one."

       "Which is...?"

       "Look, I don't want to talk about it, alright?" Reed asked, sounding a bit fed up.

       "Alright, I was just curious," I said. "And I thought I should know since I'm supposed to be keeping you safe for the road trip."

       "Well, you don't have to worry about me being in danger with my disorder, so just drop it."

       "I am dropping it," I said. "Sorry I asked."

       I stayed with Reed until the doctor came back and said he was able to leave, but first she went over his treatment again. He had to rest for the next two weeks, but he did have to avoid laying down or staying still for a long period of times.

       So I think it would be best if we stayed in Meadowcliff a bit longer. I knew the others wouldn't have any objection to it. They loved it here, and it was the one stop on the road trip we were all excited for. We even debated just coming here for the summer, and it would save money for gas so we could do a lot more here.

       The doctor also gave Reed medication for his disorder, saying our parents had paid for it by transferring money over. After discussing when he should take it and the side effects, he was free to leave.

       I led him to the minivan, and he carefully got in, wincing a bit. "You think it would be easier if we stayed in Meadowcliff while you heal?" I asked.

       "You'd seriously be willing to do that?" Reed asked. "Because yeah, that will help."

       "Of course I'd be willing to do it," I said. "I love it there, and so do the others so it's not like it will be a sacrifice."

       I pulled out of the parking lot and once we got back to the motel, I noticed that I left my cell phone in the phone holder for when I was using it as a GPS.

       I took it off and put it in my pocket before getting out of the minivan.

       Where Madison was, and she did not look happy.

       "Nice to see you're finally back," she said. "We've all been trying to call you since you took off because you completely skipped out on lunch with Linnea that you two had planned. So nice going hurting her."

       "Okay, first off, she shouldn't be upset since she said she didn't want to spend time with me," I said as I walked around the minivan to the passenger's side to help Reed get out. "And second, I was doing something more important."

       "More important than having lunch with your girlfriend on your first year anniversary?" Madison asked, following me to the other side.

       "Like I said, yes, I was doing something more important." I opened the passenger door and helped Reed get out since it was a huge struggle for him.

       "Whoa, what happened?" Madison asked.

       "He got jumped," I said, leading him to his motel room. "I was at the hospital with him. By the way, you'd be fine staying in Meadowcliff for two more weeks while he heals, right?"

       "Yeah, of course," Madison said. "And I know Ezra wouldn't mind staying. There's a lot here he still wants to do."

       "Great," I said as Reed unlocked his motel room and walked inside. "Reed, just tell me if you need anything, okay?"

       Reed nodded. "Okay, thanks."

       After the door closed, I looked at Madison. "Is Linnea in our motel room?"

       "Yeah, I think so," Madison said.

       I unlocked the door and walked in and sure enough, Linnea was there. As I closed the door, she looked over and glared at me. "Wow, you actually decided to show up," she said. 

       "Okay, you can't be mad at me for missing the lunch date when you're the one who said you didn't want to spend time with me," I said.

       "Well, yeah, but then you decided to take off for over an hour, and you weren't answering your phone," she said.

       I pulled my phone out of my pocket, seeing all the calls and texts I missed. "I have an explanation."

       "I don't want to hear it."

       "Well, you're going to hear it because I'm telling you anyway," I said. "I had to go to the hospital with my brother."

       "What?"

       "Reed was jumped, so I had to go to the hospital with him."

       "Is he okay? Why was he jumped?"

       "That's a long story I probably shouldn't tell because it's not mine," I said. "And he is okay for the most part. His ribs are bruised and he has to take it easy for the next two weeks, so it's fine if we stay in Meadowcliff until then, right?"

       "Yeah, of course," Linnea said. "And I'm sorry for getting mad at you."

       "Don't be," I said. "You were right. I was being a complete jerk to Reed, and it took seeing hum unconscious on the ground for me to realize it."

       "Did you also realize that you just called him your brother a few seconds ago?"

       "I know. It wasn't the first time. He is my brother, and it doesn't matter that he's being fostered."

       Linnea smiled. "Well, I'm glad you're finally seeing him as your brother."

_____________

Aww brotherly love. <3

And yay for my other baby no longer being a butt.

Lol this took way too long for me to type. Yay for distractions, and yay for it being longer than I thought it would be.