Chapter 6:
"John, quick hand me my cell phone." He did. I didn't hang up Jessi's phone because it was my only connection to Jeff. I quickly dialed Matt's number. "Here, keep talking to Jeff. He's been shot. Whatever ya do, Don't loose connection." He took his phone from my hand just as Matt answered.
"Hello."
"Matt, Jeff has been shot. I'm still in Rhode Island. I'm gonna get there as quickly as I can, but ya need to call 911 NOW!"
"Ok, I'll call ya back as soon as we get to the hospital."
"Call me on the cell cus I'll be on a plane."
"Ok bye." He hung up. I took the other phone back from John.
"Jeff baby, please say something," I screamed.
"I...Love...You...Jen..." I could bearly hear him. I could tell he was in pain.
"I love you too Jeff. Hang in there. The EMTs are on their way." I heard the EMTs and Matt run in. Matt picked up the phone.
"Jen, we're going to County. He looks pretty bad. There's quite a bit of blood. I'll call ya cell as soon as we know more."
"Ok. Tell Jeff I love him. " We hung up. I changed my clothes and started to head out. "John, I have to go. Tell Jessica I'll call ya'll when I know more. Bye and thanks for letting me crash. Bye." I left.
Two and a half hours later, I reached the hospital ER waiting room. I didn't see Matt or Amy anywhere so I went up to the desk. "Hello, I'm looking for Jeffrey Hardy. He was brought in here about two hours ago with a gunshot wound. Can ya please tell me where I can find him?" "I'm sorry mam, he's seriously injured so only immediate family allowed."
"Lady, Jeff is my husband, I need to find him NOW!" I lied because I realized if I didn't say he was my husband I wouldn't get to see him.
"I'm sorry mam, I didn't realize. Christine, please take Mrs. Hardy up to the OR waiting room." I liked the sounds of Mrs. Hardy. Christine brought me upstairs. As soon as I saw Matt and Amy I ran into their arms. We were all bawling our eyes out.
"Matt, give it to me straight... How bad is he doing?"
"Jen, the bullet hit right around where the shoulder meets the torso. There was a lot of blood. The doctors said they were operating to remove the bullet. They haven't said anything else. Jen, the cops want to know if ya might have any idea who did this," Matt said through tears.
"Jerry..." I choked out.
"As in your dad?" Amy inquired.
I nodded. "He wanted to kill me. I wasn't around so he shot Jeff." A cop who had been sitting near by began questioning me about Jerry. I described Jerry's background, personality, and physical description. The officer then left to go try to capture Jerry.
After a while, a nurse came out of the operating room. "Mrs. Hardy?" She asked looking at me. I just nodded. Matt and Amy either didn't notice or didn't have enough energy to correct her. "I'm sure ya brother in-law filled ya in that Jeff came in to us in critical condition. He still is in critical condition. We managed to extract the bullet which luckly missed anything major. We need to keep him for observations for a few days, and he will be limited as far as what he is able to do for a few weeks."
"Can we go see him?" I managed to ask.
"As soon as he gets into the ICU. Doctor Glencoe is just closing up the wound. It should only be about 15 or 20 minutes. Feel free to go get a cup of coffee. Ya look like ya could use it." She walked out.
"Jen, did she call ya Mrs. Hardy?" Amy inquired.
"Yeah I had to say he was my husband so I could come up here. I hope that doesn't offend either of ya. Wait I just realized ya dad isn't here. Where is he?"
"Oh crud, I forgot to call dad," Matt said hitting his hand to his head.
"Go call him now," Amy said. Matt left to go call his father. "Jen are ya back to stay or are ya gonna run when Jeff is better?"
"Amy, I love Jeff more than life itself. The two of us had a small fight. I feel really responsible for him being here right now. If I was home, it woulda been me who got shot, not Jeff. It very well should have been me."
"I'm sorry I got defensive. Jeff is like a brother to me and i worry whenever he gets close to a girl. I've seen him hurt before. I just want to make sure he doesn't get hurt again."
"I understand. I love him and don't want him hurt again either."
"Ya guys can come in now," A nurse said.
"Go ahead Jen. I'm gonna wait here for Matt and Gilbert."
"Ok." I followed the nurse to Jeff's bedside.
"He is still highly medicated. He may not be able to wake up enough to know ya here. He deffinately can't talk to ya because we had to put a tube down his throat to help him breathe."
"Ok, thank ya." She got me a chair and left. I put the chair next to his bed, sat down, and took his hand in mine. " I love you Jeff, please be ok," I said through tears that were once again streaming down my face. I just sat leaning against the bed. I must have dosed off because the next thing I knew, Amy put her hand on my shoulder.
"Jen?" She said gently.
"Uh...Oh... What time is it?"
"It's about 6:30. Why don't ya go home and get some rest?" Matt tried.
"No, I need to be here when he gets up," I protested.
"Jennifer, ya like a daughter to me so I'm going to give this to ya straight. Ya are not going to be of any used to Jeff if ya are over tired. So ya are going to go with Matthew and Amy and get some rest. I'll stay here with Jeff. Do I make myself clear?" Gilbert Hardy demanded.
"Perfectly. And thank ya Mr. Hardy," I said standing up.
"Dad, if ya want, I can stay here and ya can go home and bring Amy and Jen. I really don't mind staying," Matt offered.
"No. Ya'll need ya rest. And Matt, make sure Jen goes to ya place because I'm not sure if they've caught Jerry yet!" Jerry replied.
Matt and Amy drove me by Jeff and my house so I could get clothes. There was a message on the machine from Jerry. This is what it said. "Jenny this is your father. I came by looking to talk to you today. Since you weren't there, I talked to Jeff. I guess I'll have to try Jessica's or even your mother's house. Hopefully I'll find ya there. Just remember, I'll be looking for you." That's all it said. I called the cops. I tried to hurry because Matt and Amy were waiting in the car for me.
"Police station, how may I help ya?" The receptionist asked.
"I need ya to put me through to detective McGraw."
"Please hold." I packed while she was patching me through.
"Detective McGraw. How may I help ya?"
"Detective, this is Jennifer Hardy. Ya need to come here to my house now. Jerry left a very threatening message on the machine."
"Relax. We picked him up shortly after he left that message. We just need ya to come in to confirm for us that we have the right person."
"Can I come in later?"
"We can only hold him for so long. We neeed ya to come in as soon as possible."
"Ok, I'll be in in a few minutes." I stopped packing and ran out to Matt's car. "Hey, they caught him. I have to go down and ID him. Ya guys don't have to stick around, I can use Jeff's car."
"No that's ok. Go get ya purse and come on. I'm kinda curious about this guy," Matt responded. I ran into the house and reemerged a minute later. 15 minutes later, we arrived at the police station. We immediately found detective McGraw.
"Jen, great ya here. Come right this way. He's asking to talk to ya. Ya friends will have to wait here." He brought me into a room with lots of round tables. Jerry was sitting at one of them. I slowly walked over and stat down.
"Jen, you look really great," Jerry said.
"Dad why'd ya want to talk to me? Ya just almost killed my boyfriend and now ya want me to chit chat with ya. Are ya nuts?"
"I want to tell you the truth about why I've beat you over the years. You see, your mother and I had been trying to have a kid for so long but we were unsuccessful. Finally your mother got pregnate and i was as happy as could be. Then I found out your mother had an affair and that's why she was pregnate. Then it hit me, I'm the one who couldn't procreate. That angered me. Whenever I looked at you, I got angered by that realization. That's why I hit you."
"Is that lame story supposed to make ya abusing me ok?" I was fighting back tears.
"It's not a story. Its the truth. You can even ask your mother."
"And why are ya just telling me this now?"
"I don't know. Jen I want you to realize I'm really sorry."
"That's bull. If ya were sorry ya wouldn't have kept doing it and ya wouldn't have kept lying to me." I couldn't hold back the tears anymore so I ran off. By the time I reached Matt and Amy I was bawling.
"John, quick hand me my cell phone." He did. I didn't hang up Jessi's phone because it was my only connection to Jeff. I quickly dialed Matt's number. "Here, keep talking to Jeff. He's been shot. Whatever ya do, Don't loose connection." He took his phone from my hand just as Matt answered.
"Hello."
"Matt, Jeff has been shot. I'm still in Rhode Island. I'm gonna get there as quickly as I can, but ya need to call 911 NOW!"
"Ok, I'll call ya back as soon as we get to the hospital."
"Call me on the cell cus I'll be on a plane."
"Ok bye." He hung up. I took the other phone back from John.
"Jeff baby, please say something," I screamed.
"I...Love...You...Jen..." I could bearly hear him. I could tell he was in pain.
"I love you too Jeff. Hang in there. The EMTs are on their way." I heard the EMTs and Matt run in. Matt picked up the phone.
"Jen, we're going to County. He looks pretty bad. There's quite a bit of blood. I'll call ya cell as soon as we know more."
"Ok. Tell Jeff I love him. " We hung up. I changed my clothes and started to head out. "John, I have to go. Tell Jessica I'll call ya'll when I know more. Bye and thanks for letting me crash. Bye." I left.
Two and a half hours later, I reached the hospital ER waiting room. I didn't see Matt or Amy anywhere so I went up to the desk. "Hello, I'm looking for Jeffrey Hardy. He was brought in here about two hours ago with a gunshot wound. Can ya please tell me where I can find him?" "I'm sorry mam, he's seriously injured so only immediate family allowed."
"Lady, Jeff is my husband, I need to find him NOW!" I lied because I realized if I didn't say he was my husband I wouldn't get to see him.
"I'm sorry mam, I didn't realize. Christine, please take Mrs. Hardy up to the OR waiting room." I liked the sounds of Mrs. Hardy. Christine brought me upstairs. As soon as I saw Matt and Amy I ran into their arms. We were all bawling our eyes out.
"Matt, give it to me straight... How bad is he doing?"
"Jen, the bullet hit right around where the shoulder meets the torso. There was a lot of blood. The doctors said they were operating to remove the bullet. They haven't said anything else. Jen, the cops want to know if ya might have any idea who did this," Matt said through tears.
"Jerry..." I choked out.
"As in your dad?" Amy inquired.
I nodded. "He wanted to kill me. I wasn't around so he shot Jeff." A cop who had been sitting near by began questioning me about Jerry. I described Jerry's background, personality, and physical description. The officer then left to go try to capture Jerry.
After a while, a nurse came out of the operating room. "Mrs. Hardy?" She asked looking at me. I just nodded. Matt and Amy either didn't notice or didn't have enough energy to correct her. "I'm sure ya brother in-law filled ya in that Jeff came in to us in critical condition. He still is in critical condition. We managed to extract the bullet which luckly missed anything major. We need to keep him for observations for a few days, and he will be limited as far as what he is able to do for a few weeks."
"Can we go see him?" I managed to ask.
"As soon as he gets into the ICU. Doctor Glencoe is just closing up the wound. It should only be about 15 or 20 minutes. Feel free to go get a cup of coffee. Ya look like ya could use it." She walked out.
"Jen, did she call ya Mrs. Hardy?" Amy inquired.
"Yeah I had to say he was my husband so I could come up here. I hope that doesn't offend either of ya. Wait I just realized ya dad isn't here. Where is he?"
"Oh crud, I forgot to call dad," Matt said hitting his hand to his head.
"Go call him now," Amy said. Matt left to go call his father. "Jen are ya back to stay or are ya gonna run when Jeff is better?"
"Amy, I love Jeff more than life itself. The two of us had a small fight. I feel really responsible for him being here right now. If I was home, it woulda been me who got shot, not Jeff. It very well should have been me."
"I'm sorry I got defensive. Jeff is like a brother to me and i worry whenever he gets close to a girl. I've seen him hurt before. I just want to make sure he doesn't get hurt again."
"I understand. I love him and don't want him hurt again either."
"Ya guys can come in now," A nurse said.
"Go ahead Jen. I'm gonna wait here for Matt and Gilbert."
"Ok." I followed the nurse to Jeff's bedside.
"He is still highly medicated. He may not be able to wake up enough to know ya here. He deffinately can't talk to ya because we had to put a tube down his throat to help him breathe."
"Ok, thank ya." She got me a chair and left. I put the chair next to his bed, sat down, and took his hand in mine. " I love you Jeff, please be ok," I said through tears that were once again streaming down my face. I just sat leaning against the bed. I must have dosed off because the next thing I knew, Amy put her hand on my shoulder.
"Jen?" She said gently.
"Uh...Oh... What time is it?"
"It's about 6:30. Why don't ya go home and get some rest?" Matt tried.
"No, I need to be here when he gets up," I protested.
"Jennifer, ya like a daughter to me so I'm going to give this to ya straight. Ya are not going to be of any used to Jeff if ya are over tired. So ya are going to go with Matthew and Amy and get some rest. I'll stay here with Jeff. Do I make myself clear?" Gilbert Hardy demanded.
"Perfectly. And thank ya Mr. Hardy," I said standing up.
"Dad, if ya want, I can stay here and ya can go home and bring Amy and Jen. I really don't mind staying," Matt offered.
"No. Ya'll need ya rest. And Matt, make sure Jen goes to ya place because I'm not sure if they've caught Jerry yet!" Jerry replied.
Matt and Amy drove me by Jeff and my house so I could get clothes. There was a message on the machine from Jerry. This is what it said. "Jenny this is your father. I came by looking to talk to you today. Since you weren't there, I talked to Jeff. I guess I'll have to try Jessica's or even your mother's house. Hopefully I'll find ya there. Just remember, I'll be looking for you." That's all it said. I called the cops. I tried to hurry because Matt and Amy were waiting in the car for me.
"Police station, how may I help ya?" The receptionist asked.
"I need ya to put me through to detective McGraw."
"Please hold." I packed while she was patching me through.
"Detective McGraw. How may I help ya?"
"Detective, this is Jennifer Hardy. Ya need to come here to my house now. Jerry left a very threatening message on the machine."
"Relax. We picked him up shortly after he left that message. We just need ya to come in to confirm for us that we have the right person."
"Can I come in later?"
"We can only hold him for so long. We neeed ya to come in as soon as possible."
"Ok, I'll be in in a few minutes." I stopped packing and ran out to Matt's car. "Hey, they caught him. I have to go down and ID him. Ya guys don't have to stick around, I can use Jeff's car."
"No that's ok. Go get ya purse and come on. I'm kinda curious about this guy," Matt responded. I ran into the house and reemerged a minute later. 15 minutes later, we arrived at the police station. We immediately found detective McGraw.
"Jen, great ya here. Come right this way. He's asking to talk to ya. Ya friends will have to wait here." He brought me into a room with lots of round tables. Jerry was sitting at one of them. I slowly walked over and stat down.
"Jen, you look really great," Jerry said.
"Dad why'd ya want to talk to me? Ya just almost killed my boyfriend and now ya want me to chit chat with ya. Are ya nuts?"
"I want to tell you the truth about why I've beat you over the years. You see, your mother and I had been trying to have a kid for so long but we were unsuccessful. Finally your mother got pregnate and i was as happy as could be. Then I found out your mother had an affair and that's why she was pregnate. Then it hit me, I'm the one who couldn't procreate. That angered me. Whenever I looked at you, I got angered by that realization. That's why I hit you."
"Is that lame story supposed to make ya abusing me ok?" I was fighting back tears.
"It's not a story. Its the truth. You can even ask your mother."
"And why are ya just telling me this now?"
"I don't know. Jen I want you to realize I'm really sorry."
"That's bull. If ya were sorry ya wouldn't have kept doing it and ya wouldn't have kept lying to me." I couldn't hold back the tears anymore so I ran off. By the time I reached Matt and Amy I was bawling.