9
I blinked twice and felt an ache in my stomach. I felt so paralyzed and I moved my head a bit and looked to my left to see my father standing beside my bed with a relieved look on his face. I wasn't sure what to say or how he even knew I was here.
"How did you…"
"Don't speak. When the boys came to get you and they couldn't find you they came and got me …we went through hell looking for you." he answered. I felt so weak and light headed.
"Where's Forrest?" I asked and I could tell he was trying to keep a calm face.
"The Bondurant boys will trouble us no more. After you had come out of surgery successful, I might add, they thought they had our permission to come and visit you. Ray and Arliss got into a scrap with the older boys and the four were taken in by the sheriff for causing a disturbance. Your mother went to get the boys. You will not be working there for them any longer." he replied. I inhaled slowly with mild hurt.
"What? No why do I have to stop working I like being there. Forrest saved me though…didn't he?"I replied. Dad frowned.
"Eula you were just shot. None of this would've happened if you hadn't been working there for that Bondurant." he said acidly.
"But it could have happened to anyone." I replied. "I like working there." Dad just looked at me with soft eyes as if my current state had stopped him from arguing.
"We'll talk about it when you get better. Your mom and the boys will be down later. I gotta get back to work. They will be here in a few hours." he replied. I nodded and he kissed my head softly. "Eula I want you to remember that no matter what your skin color… you are a Kincaid and we back down for no one. The only reason I am letting this job conversation drop is because Bondurant told me you killed one of them. You did what your brothers would have done and I am so proud of you. You are truly a Kincaid and let no one ever tell you different."
He said this against my forehead and I felt as if he found a new born respect for me. I watched him get up and leave the room and I looked down thinking of his words. I did kill someone. It was so odd feeling warm blood on my hands, but the anger I felt. It had happened because he was going to hurt Forrest. Kill him and take him from this earth, from me. I sighed and closed my eyes again before a doctor came in to check up on me. He said the bullet went right through me and little damage was done so I would heal in no time. Once he left I was alone and bored, but mostly tired so I slept more. I heard the door open softly and I open my eyes a bit to see mother peaking in and once she saw I was awake she came in and the boys followed.
"Oh my baby." she said with watery eyes. I smiled a bit.
"Mom, I'm fine the doctor said I would be fine." I replied. Ray placed his hand on the head board of the hospital bed and sighed. Both my brother's faces were beat up and bruised with some dry blood on them too. It seems the Bondurants really did do a number on them.
"So what happened exactly?" he asked. I looked up at him.
"You don't know?" I asked with weak eyes.
"No," Arliss answered. "We came to get you…found the bodies and assumed them boys had done something to you so we came back home and told dad. We looked all over the place until we checked the hospital and saw the Bondurant boys were here. The middle one, Forrest, was covered in blood and we thought he had hurt you and tried to make it seem like some accident happened. We did not hesitate to fight first and ask questions later."
"And here are the questions. What happened?" Ray asked looking down at me. Mother remained on the bed stroking my hair. I sighed and looked at her. The memories were a blur but now things were starting to clear up. The men who had grabbed me, thrown me over a table and they had attempted to rape me.
"Some men came in and grabbed me. Forrest tried to help me and was about to be killed. I took a bullet for him and this is what happened, but the two guys are dead. I killed one of them." I explained. Arliss looked stunned for a second then smirked.
"Killed one of them huh? Wow sis I didn't know you had it in ya." he replied. Ray glared at him and then looked at mom.
"Mom, give us a minute?" he asked. Mother looked up at him for a second but nodded and looked at me caressing my cheek then got up and left the room. Ray took her spot on the bed and Arliss went to Ray's spot at the head of the bed. I looked at him with tired eyes and he looked at me.
"Eula, you don't need to work for the Bondurants anymore." he replied lecturing me like dad and I sighed.
"I'm fine, Ray. It's no one's fault." I told.
"Eula, the Bondurant boys have a high level of trouble following them. If they get into trouble and you're around that trouble comes to you too." Arliss said. I shook my head.
"You two were the same in Chicago. Titles followed you all everywhere and you lived by them and hell maybe you'd even die by them. But this town is Chicago for these boys. They are not going to back down from any fist you throw at them…and I know you will not back down from the fists they throw at you…and I will not back down from my decision to continue working." I explained. I wasn't a child anymore and I wanted everyone to see that. Arliss winced and looked at Ray who nodded.
"You know we let you make a choice the first time about working here and it landed you here." he said and got up and left out the room I a heated fit. Arliss sighed and kissed my cheek and left out behind him. I knew they'd be back, but Ray's words stung me a bit. He thought I couldn't take care of myself and I sighed rubbing my stomach a bit. So this is what it felt like to be shot, to feel hot lead rip your skin. When could I leave? When could I work? I lost track of time now and was lost in my thoughts.
"Sir visiting hours are over." I heard a woman call out grabbing my attention.
"So I wanna see her she's my friend!" the voice yelled out. Jack.
"Jack calm down you're going to scare her to death." And now I knew this was Howard's voice. The door opened and in came Jack and then Howard who smiled and took their hats off and as they entered I noticed Forrest wasn't amongst them. I blinked with confusion at his absence.
"Hey Eula." Jack said with a smile. I grinned.
"Hey Jack, how are you doing?" I asked. He laughed.
"Me? I should be asking you that." he replied. I chuckled softly and dryly.
"I am fine." I replied. Howard watched me with a small smile and I looked back at him with a tired smile.
"You look good." he commented. I smiled.
"You're too kind." I replied. Jack sighed.
"Man I wish I could've been there to help Forrest take those fuckers who jumped you." he told. I smiled a bit more but it faded a bit.
"Where is Forrest is he alright?" I asked. Howard nodded.
"Yeah… he's just at home beating himself up." he replied. I had recently found out their bar was their home as well, that's why there was that hall that was blocked off. I winced.
"Beating himself up, over what?" I asked looking between the men. Jack looked down a bit discouraged.
"He feels guilty." he answered. I looked at Howard upon hearing the young Bondurants answer.
"Why?" I asked. Howard sighed.
"Because Forrest has never needed saving or was never in that position to where he needed to be protected and to know another person- no a woman took a bullet for him...it cut him deeper than a rusty knife. He said he will come down here later this evening." he replied. I didn't know Forrest's pride made him feel so high and mighty that being helped made him feal weak. The door opened and a nurse stuck her head in.
"Gentlemen visiting hours are over. Please you must go. We can have no more fights." she replied. I chuckled and looked at Jack and Howard.
"Ya'll fought my brothers?" I asked. Howard stood up and smiled, placing his hat on his head.
"Forrest and I did…Jack here just watched." he replied. Jack frowned.
"I could've taken them." he replied then looked at me. "No offense." I chuckled softly.
"None taken now get out of here before one of my family members catch you." I replied. The boys nodded.
"We'll come visit when you when we can." Howard said and I nodded.
"Alright." I replied and just like that they were out the door and I was alone again thinking of what Mr. Forrest Bondurant was doing.
(Author's Notes)
Alright here we have a little bit of drama! Eula is hurt and Forrest isn't taking it well. I thought a little conflict would get the ball rolling on their relationship a bit…or whatever it is they have. since Eula and Forrest are going to have another alone time scene I'm thinking long and hard on what should happen in it. Hope you guys are enjoying this and I'll be updating soon!
