What's With This Girl?, chapter 19
[Back at Tre's hotel (Tre's POV)]
"Ramona please open the door," I yelled.
"I'm not talking to you dad!" Ramona yelled.
"Ramona please! Let me just explain."
"There's nothing to explain dad! You don't love Kira anymore. It's as simple as that."
"But you're wrong sweetie."
"If you loved her you wouldn't have hurt her like that."
I didn't know how to explain myself. I didn't want to tell her Kira was having my baby. I wish it were easier to tell her what happened between Kira and me.
"Ramona, baby, just tell me what I can do to show you I still love her."
"I want you to apologize to her. I want you to go to her house and tell her you're sorry."
"Okay I'll do it."
I walked over to the kitchen counter, grabbed my keys and left the hotel.
"Are you coming with me Ramona?"
"Yeah. I'll come with you."
[Back at Kira's house (Kira's POV)]
"Brian... " I said. "Why did you lock the door?"
"I just want to talk without getting interrupted."
"We have nothing to talk about Brian, so just leave my room."
"I think we do have something to talk about." He said. "I still want to know how you plan on keeping my mouth shut."
"Whatever you have planned in that head of yours you can just forget it." I said.
"I don't have any ideas at all."
"So what do you want from me?"
"I don't want anything... well I do want one thing."
"Well whatever it is you won't get it from me."
"Kira, I don't want to have to force you, but if you give me no choice I will do it."
"Don't you even try to put your hands on me." I said.
Brian started to walk towards me.
"Brian don't come near me any closer." I said.
"Now look Kira, you either do this or I'm telling everyone in your goddamn family about you being pregnant. We already know they'll believe my word over yours."
I looked down at my feet. I didn't want to do this. I really didn't want to do this. But I didn't want my family to find out about my baby. How do I get myself out of this?
"That's what I thought." Brian said. "Now just sit down on the bed."
I didn't move. I didn't even hear what Brian said. I was still lost in my own thoughts.
"I said sit down!" He yelled and pushed me onto the bed.
"Now do as I say and I won't have to use this." Brian pulled out a pocketknife and held it to my stomach.
"Try to do something stupid and I'll kill you and this baby."
I couldn't say anything. I couldn't do anything. It was like I was stuck in that same spot.
"Now that's better." Brian said. "Just stay still and keep your mouth shut and it'll all be over."
"I'm not going to let you have your way with me and expect me to keep quiet." I said.
"You will if you want me to. Now shut up and spread your legs or I'll do it myself, and trust me, you don't want me to do that."
"Fuck You Brian!" I yelled.
Brian took his knife and gashed my right thigh.
"You son of a bitch!" I screamed.
"I told you to keep your goddamn mouth shut."
I was trying so hard to keep my mind off of the pain. I closed my eyes as tight as I could and tried not to think about what was about to happen to me. Then I heard the door creak.
"Daddy?" I heard a little voice say. "Daddy, I heard yelling."
"Kayla, get out!" Brian yelled. "I thought I locked that fucking door."
"But daddy is something wrong?" Kayla asked.
"No now get out!"
"Kayla sweetie, just leave." I said.
"But Kira if daddy's hurting you... "
"Kayla just leave please."
"But Kira I can't." Kayla said.
"Kayla if you don't leave right now you'll be in big trouble." Brian said.
"I'm sorry daddy, but you're hurting Kira."
"Kayla you are really pissing me off."
"But daddy."
"Kayla RUN!!" I yelled.
Brian stabbed me in my side and threw me off the bed and went after Kayla.
"Didn't I say leave the room?" Brian said.
"I'm sorry daddy."
"Too late to apologize. I told you what happens when you disobey me."
Brian grabbed Kayla by the arm and dragged her over to the bed.
"Please daddy let go of me! I promise I'll be good. Just please don't do this again. Please dad!" Kayla screamed.
"Just shut up Kayla." Brian yelled and pushed her onto the bed.
"Brian leave her alone!" I yelled.
Brian came over to me and punched me in the face. I fell to the floor and pretended to be unconscious so he wouldn't hit me again. I had my eyes shut the whole time. I couldn't watch this. I felt like vomiting just by the thought of what was happening to Kayla. She's only seven years old. I was trying so hard to stand up, but I couldn't get up. There was so much blood. I swear I felt like I was dying. Finally I opened my eyes and saw what was happening. That sick bastard. He was raping his own daughter. The pain I was in was nothing compared to the pain Kayla was in. Just when I thought things couldn't get any worse, the unthinkable happened. Brian collapsed next to Kayla in the bed. Standing over him, holding a baseball bat, was Dylan. You could tell Brian had beaten Dylan pretty badly.
"Get up Kayla." Dylan said.
Kayla got off the bed and ran over to me.
"Dylan" Brian said. "What the hell is wrong with you?"
"What's wrong with me? You're the one with the problems you sick freak!" Dylan yelled swinging the bat at Brian. "How could you do that? How could you do that to your own family!" He swung the bat at Brian again.
"Dylan stop it please!" Kayla said.
"You always said you wanted me to be like you. Is this what you meant! You want me to be a rapist! You want me to abuse my wife, beat up my son, and rape my own daughter!" Dylan swung the bat at Brian one more time. "You're the reason mom killed herself! You drove her to her death! It was your fault!" Dylan jumped off the bed and started crying.
"Dylan stop." I said. "I know what Brian did was wrong but don't do this."
"No! No more Kira! I'm sick of living in fear!"
Dylan wiped his eyes and jumped back on the bed. He lifted the bat over his head.
"It's time for this to finally come to an end."
Dylan took all the force he had in his little body, let out a loud scream and brought down the bat.
[Tre's POV]
I drove my car as fast as I could to Kira's house. I don't know why, but I had this gut feeling that something was wrong.
"Dad drive faster." Ramona said.
"Honey I'm already driving over the speed limit. You don't want me to go to jail do you? Besides we're almost at Kira's house."
I drove up to Kira's driveway and Ramona and me jumped out of the car.
"Dad you have to park the car!" Ramona yelled watching the car roll out of the driveway.
"SHIT!" I yelled. I ran after the car, parked it, and walked up to Kira's door. I knocked on the door but I got no answer. I knocked again, still didn't get an answer. Then I heard a loud scream.
"What was that?" Ramona said.
I started to get really fucking scared. I knew something was wrong. What was going on up there? The first thing I thought of was that asshole Brian. He was hurting Kira. What if he raped her again? Just the thought of what Brian might be doing to Kira really pissed me off.
"Ramona stand back from the door"
I used all my force and broke the door down.
"Kira!" I screamed, running up the stairs.
"Ramona, you stay down here and call the police."
"Okay daddy." She said.
"Kira please answer me!" I yelled.
When I came to Kira's room I saw Kira crouched down on the floor covered in blood.
"Oh my God! Kira!" I yelled and ran over to her. "Kira baby, oh God what happened?"
"Tre... ..oh God... . There's so much blood... ."
"Kira I know but the ambulance is coming soon. Just hang on for a little while longer."
"My baby... .. what if something happens to my baby?"
"The baby's going to be fine."
"Tre, I'm sorry. I don't want to lose my baby. I want to have this baby. I'm so sorry I said all those things to you."
"It's okay Kira, it's okay. Everything's going to be fine I promise."
"Where's Dylan?"
"Who?"
"Dylan. My little brother, where is he?"
"I'm right here Kira." I heard someone say. I looked over and there was a little boy sitting on the bed, which he covered with a bunch of pillows and blankets.
"I went to go call the police." Dylan said. "They should be on their way. You must be Tre."
"Yeah I'm Tre." I said "You're Brian's son?" I asked.
He just nodded his head "Yes".
"Where is he?"
Dylan just started crying again.
"I can't tell you." He said.
Then I heard another little voice coming from under the bed. I crouched down to see who it was. I saw a little girl crying under the bed
"Hey." I said. "What's your name sweetheart?"
"Kayla." She said.
"Why are you under the bed?" I asked her.
"I'm scared."
"It's okay. You don't have to be scared. Everything's going to be okay. Now come from under the bed."
She slowly crawled from under the bed. She had blood dripping from her legs.
"Sweetie what happened to you?" I asked her.
"He did it to her." Dylan said.
"What did he do to her?"
"He raped her Tre." Kira said.
"Where is he Kira?"
"Don't tell him Kira!" Dylan said. "Please I'm begging you don't tell him what I did."
"Dylan, I know you're trying to protect your dad, but you have to tell me where he is."
"I just can't do it Tre. I'll get in trouble."
"He won't hurt you I give you my word." I said.
"I know he won't hurt me. I made sure of that."
"What do you mean?" I asked.
"Look under all the pillows and blankets on the bed."
I moved all the stuff on the bed out of the way. He meant it when he said he made sure Brian will never hurt him again. Under all the stuff was Brian's body.
"Tre, what's going to happen to me?" Dylan asked me.
"I don't know Dylan; you're too young to go to jail." I said.
"But they'll do something to me. They won't let me get away with this."
"Um... are you sure he's dead?" I heard Kira say.
"Look at him Kira! Who could've survived that?"
"Did you even check his pulse?" She asked.
"No I didn't bother."
"Well it won't hurt to try." I said. "Just check it."
I took Brian wrist and checked his pulse.
"Holy shit! He's alive." I said.
"What?" Kira said.
"Are you sure he's alive?" Dylan said.
"Look his heart's even still beating. You hit him pretty bad Dylan, but not hard enough." I said.
"But... I wanted him dead. I wanted him dead so he wouldn't hurt us anymore."
"Dylan, I promise he will never hurt you again. I'll make sure of it." I said.
"Tre... ." I heard Kira say. "When is the ambulance coming? I feel really lightheaded... ."
I ran over to Kira and held her hand.
"Oh god Kira. Just hang on a little bit longer, baby, you'll be okay."
"Oh God Tre, my baby. I'm going to lose it."
"No you're not. You and the baby will be fine I swear." I said.
"Daddy!" I heard Ramona yell. "The cops are here. I can hear the sirens."
"Ramona honey don't come in the room." I said.
"But why... oh my God! Kira!" Ramona yelled and ran over to Kira.
"Daddy what happened?" Ramona asked me.
"I'm not so sure, I'll explain later, but right now I got to keep her awake."
"Kira! Stay Awake! Please!" Ramona yelled.
"Kira honey, you'll be fine. They're almost here."
Finally the goddamn ambulance came. I drove behind the ambulance car to the hospital. It was hours before I got to see Kira again. Finally a doctor came to see her.
"Doctor how is she?" I asked.
"There were pretty bad cuts but we were able to clean the cuts and stitch them up. She lost a lot of blood though."
"How about the baby? Is the baby okay?"
"The baby's fine, didn't suffer any damage."
"What about Kayla and Dylan?"
"They both have a lot of bruising, especially Kayla."
"And Brian?" I asked, even though I didn't care very much.
"He's got a couple of fractured ribs, it was a lot of bleeding from his head. He'll have to be here for a while but he'll make it. Umm... .Mr. Wright... "
"Call me Tre." I said.
"Well... Tre, I don't want to go over my boundaries but uh... how did al this happen?"
"Doctor, you wouldn't believe me if I told you. Can I go see Kira?"
"Sure go ahead."
"Come on Ramona. We're going to see Kira?"
Ramona ran down the hall as fast as she could to get to Kira's room.
"Kira!" She yelled and ran over to the bed.
"Ramona! Hey! How are you sweetie?"
"I should be asking you that. Are you okay?"
"I'm fine; you really shouldn't worry so much. You'll end up having a heart attack at 20." She said.
"Hey Kira." I said.
"Tre, you look like you've seen a ghost. You're so pale." She said laughing.
"Well when you had a day like mine you'd be this pale too."
"Hey Ramona do me a big favor, run down the hall and keep my brother and sister some company. I need to talk to your dad in private."
"Okay Kira." Ramona ran out of the room and down the hall.
"So Tre, how are you?" she asked.
"Honestly, I was worried shitless. Now, knowing you're okay, I'm fine."
"I'm okay, I guess. The doctor said nothing happened to the baby."
"I know he told me."
"Did you see Dylan and Kayla? How are they?"
"They're both fine."
There was a really awkward silence between me and Kira. I had so much to say but couldn't get any of it out.
"Um... Kira? Can I ask you something?"
"... okay." She said.
"Did you really mean it when you said you want to have the baby?"
"Tre, this is definitely the hardest decision I have ever had to make, but yes, I do want to have the baby."
"But it doesn't mean that you... ."
"I'm sorry Tre. There will always be a part of me that will love you but I still want to marry Dannie."
"I understand Kira. Look... .I got to go. It's getting really late and I got to go to the police station tomorrow with Dylan. I'll drop them off at the house."
"Wait... I don't want Dylan to go back there. Could he and Kayla stay with you? Just for the night."
"Sure Kira. You're right. It's probably best if they stayed with me tonight."
"Thank you Tre."
"Anytime K.B."
"I told you don't call me that." She said laughing.
I went over to her bed, gave her a big hug and a kiss on her forehead.
"I'll see you tomorrow, okay? Get some sleep." I said.
"Okay, dad."
"Shut up." I said laughing.
I left the room, went down the hall and got Ramona, Dylan, and Kayla, and took them all back to my hotel room. After I put Dylan and Kayla to bed I went back into Ramona's room and tried to explain to her everything that happened today.
"So is Brian going to jail?" she asked me.
"As soon as he gets out of the hospital yeah he is." I said.
"Good so now he won't be able to hurt Kira and her family anymore. Hey Dad?"
"Yeah, sweetie?"
"Kira's pregnant? You're going to be a dad again?"
"Yeah, she's having a baby."
"So, does this mean you two can get married now?"
"Ramona, baby, Kira's going to marry Dannie."
"But you and her are having a baby."
"Ramona, what happened between me and Kira, wasn't supposed to happen. She didn't mean to get pregnant. And it really doesn't matter if me and her are having a baby. She's still going to marry Dannie."
"But you love her dad, and she loves you."
"I know, but she loves Dannie more."
"So what's going to happen to the baby? Will we ever be able to see him... or her?"
"Of course we will, but it has to be our secret. No one can know about this okay?"
"Okay daddy. You know I can keep a secret."
"Okay now go to sleep."
I kissed Ramona on the forehead, and left the room. After a night like this I need a joint. I always said I would go straightedge but I really needed this one. I ran over next door to Billie's room.
"Hey Billie!" I yelled.
"Dammit Tre what is it?" Billie said opening the door. "It is one o'clock in the morning."
"Sorry, man, but uh... you got a joint?"
"You're knocking on my door at one in the morning... for a joint?"
"Well... yeah." I said.
"Damn, you must really need it. Hold on a second." Billie went in his room and got me two joints.
"Wait... I thought you said you were going straightedge?"
"After you had a night like mine, you would need one too. Thanks man."
"Anytime Tre, just not at one in the morning."
I went back to my room and smoked one of the joints. I hid the other one in my suitcase so Ramona wouldn't find it. I went back into Ramona's room to see if she was still sleep. I sat on the side of the bed and stared at her for a while, wondering what I would do if what happened to Kayla ever happened to Ramona. I couldn't imagine ever doing anything like that to my own child. Staring at Ramona, I noticed she had something on her arm. It kind of made me laugh when I realized what it was. It reminded me of the night I gave it to her. It reminded me that no matter what I will always love Kira, even if she didn't love me.
I took Kira's charm bracelet off of Ramona's arm and put it on mine.
"I think you can sleep one night without it, Ramona." I said.
"Ramona please open the door," I yelled.
"I'm not talking to you dad!" Ramona yelled.
"Ramona please! Let me just explain."
"There's nothing to explain dad! You don't love Kira anymore. It's as simple as that."
"But you're wrong sweetie."
"If you loved her you wouldn't have hurt her like that."
I didn't know how to explain myself. I didn't want to tell her Kira was having my baby. I wish it were easier to tell her what happened between Kira and me.
"Ramona, baby, just tell me what I can do to show you I still love her."
"I want you to apologize to her. I want you to go to her house and tell her you're sorry."
"Okay I'll do it."
I walked over to the kitchen counter, grabbed my keys and left the hotel.
"Are you coming with me Ramona?"
"Yeah. I'll come with you."
[Back at Kira's house (Kira's POV)]
"Brian... " I said. "Why did you lock the door?"
"I just want to talk without getting interrupted."
"We have nothing to talk about Brian, so just leave my room."
"I think we do have something to talk about." He said. "I still want to know how you plan on keeping my mouth shut."
"Whatever you have planned in that head of yours you can just forget it." I said.
"I don't have any ideas at all."
"So what do you want from me?"
"I don't want anything... well I do want one thing."
"Well whatever it is you won't get it from me."
"Kira, I don't want to have to force you, but if you give me no choice I will do it."
"Don't you even try to put your hands on me." I said.
Brian started to walk towards me.
"Brian don't come near me any closer." I said.
"Now look Kira, you either do this or I'm telling everyone in your goddamn family about you being pregnant. We already know they'll believe my word over yours."
I looked down at my feet. I didn't want to do this. I really didn't want to do this. But I didn't want my family to find out about my baby. How do I get myself out of this?
"That's what I thought." Brian said. "Now just sit down on the bed."
I didn't move. I didn't even hear what Brian said. I was still lost in my own thoughts.
"I said sit down!" He yelled and pushed me onto the bed.
"Now do as I say and I won't have to use this." Brian pulled out a pocketknife and held it to my stomach.
"Try to do something stupid and I'll kill you and this baby."
I couldn't say anything. I couldn't do anything. It was like I was stuck in that same spot.
"Now that's better." Brian said. "Just stay still and keep your mouth shut and it'll all be over."
"I'm not going to let you have your way with me and expect me to keep quiet." I said.
"You will if you want me to. Now shut up and spread your legs or I'll do it myself, and trust me, you don't want me to do that."
"Fuck You Brian!" I yelled.
Brian took his knife and gashed my right thigh.
"You son of a bitch!" I screamed.
"I told you to keep your goddamn mouth shut."
I was trying so hard to keep my mind off of the pain. I closed my eyes as tight as I could and tried not to think about what was about to happen to me. Then I heard the door creak.
"Daddy?" I heard a little voice say. "Daddy, I heard yelling."
"Kayla, get out!" Brian yelled. "I thought I locked that fucking door."
"But daddy is something wrong?" Kayla asked.
"No now get out!"
"Kayla sweetie, just leave." I said.
"But Kira if daddy's hurting you... "
"Kayla just leave please."
"But Kira I can't." Kayla said.
"Kayla if you don't leave right now you'll be in big trouble." Brian said.
"I'm sorry daddy, but you're hurting Kira."
"Kayla you are really pissing me off."
"But daddy."
"Kayla RUN!!" I yelled.
Brian stabbed me in my side and threw me off the bed and went after Kayla.
"Didn't I say leave the room?" Brian said.
"I'm sorry daddy."
"Too late to apologize. I told you what happens when you disobey me."
Brian grabbed Kayla by the arm and dragged her over to the bed.
"Please daddy let go of me! I promise I'll be good. Just please don't do this again. Please dad!" Kayla screamed.
"Just shut up Kayla." Brian yelled and pushed her onto the bed.
"Brian leave her alone!" I yelled.
Brian came over to me and punched me in the face. I fell to the floor and pretended to be unconscious so he wouldn't hit me again. I had my eyes shut the whole time. I couldn't watch this. I felt like vomiting just by the thought of what was happening to Kayla. She's only seven years old. I was trying so hard to stand up, but I couldn't get up. There was so much blood. I swear I felt like I was dying. Finally I opened my eyes and saw what was happening. That sick bastard. He was raping his own daughter. The pain I was in was nothing compared to the pain Kayla was in. Just when I thought things couldn't get any worse, the unthinkable happened. Brian collapsed next to Kayla in the bed. Standing over him, holding a baseball bat, was Dylan. You could tell Brian had beaten Dylan pretty badly.
"Get up Kayla." Dylan said.
Kayla got off the bed and ran over to me.
"Dylan" Brian said. "What the hell is wrong with you?"
"What's wrong with me? You're the one with the problems you sick freak!" Dylan yelled swinging the bat at Brian. "How could you do that? How could you do that to your own family!" He swung the bat at Brian again.
"Dylan stop it please!" Kayla said.
"You always said you wanted me to be like you. Is this what you meant! You want me to be a rapist! You want me to abuse my wife, beat up my son, and rape my own daughter!" Dylan swung the bat at Brian one more time. "You're the reason mom killed herself! You drove her to her death! It was your fault!" Dylan jumped off the bed and started crying.
"Dylan stop." I said. "I know what Brian did was wrong but don't do this."
"No! No more Kira! I'm sick of living in fear!"
Dylan wiped his eyes and jumped back on the bed. He lifted the bat over his head.
"It's time for this to finally come to an end."
Dylan took all the force he had in his little body, let out a loud scream and brought down the bat.
[Tre's POV]
I drove my car as fast as I could to Kira's house. I don't know why, but I had this gut feeling that something was wrong.
"Dad drive faster." Ramona said.
"Honey I'm already driving over the speed limit. You don't want me to go to jail do you? Besides we're almost at Kira's house."
I drove up to Kira's driveway and Ramona and me jumped out of the car.
"Dad you have to park the car!" Ramona yelled watching the car roll out of the driveway.
"SHIT!" I yelled. I ran after the car, parked it, and walked up to Kira's door. I knocked on the door but I got no answer. I knocked again, still didn't get an answer. Then I heard a loud scream.
"What was that?" Ramona said.
I started to get really fucking scared. I knew something was wrong. What was going on up there? The first thing I thought of was that asshole Brian. He was hurting Kira. What if he raped her again? Just the thought of what Brian might be doing to Kira really pissed me off.
"Ramona stand back from the door"
I used all my force and broke the door down.
"Kira!" I screamed, running up the stairs.
"Ramona, you stay down here and call the police."
"Okay daddy." She said.
"Kira please answer me!" I yelled.
When I came to Kira's room I saw Kira crouched down on the floor covered in blood.
"Oh my God! Kira!" I yelled and ran over to her. "Kira baby, oh God what happened?"
"Tre... ..oh God... . There's so much blood... ."
"Kira I know but the ambulance is coming soon. Just hang on for a little while longer."
"My baby... .. what if something happens to my baby?"
"The baby's going to be fine."
"Tre, I'm sorry. I don't want to lose my baby. I want to have this baby. I'm so sorry I said all those things to you."
"It's okay Kira, it's okay. Everything's going to be fine I promise."
"Where's Dylan?"
"Who?"
"Dylan. My little brother, where is he?"
"I'm right here Kira." I heard someone say. I looked over and there was a little boy sitting on the bed, which he covered with a bunch of pillows and blankets.
"I went to go call the police." Dylan said. "They should be on their way. You must be Tre."
"Yeah I'm Tre." I said "You're Brian's son?" I asked.
He just nodded his head "Yes".
"Where is he?"
Dylan just started crying again.
"I can't tell you." He said.
Then I heard another little voice coming from under the bed. I crouched down to see who it was. I saw a little girl crying under the bed
"Hey." I said. "What's your name sweetheart?"
"Kayla." She said.
"Why are you under the bed?" I asked her.
"I'm scared."
"It's okay. You don't have to be scared. Everything's going to be okay. Now come from under the bed."
She slowly crawled from under the bed. She had blood dripping from her legs.
"Sweetie what happened to you?" I asked her.
"He did it to her." Dylan said.
"What did he do to her?"
"He raped her Tre." Kira said.
"Where is he Kira?"
"Don't tell him Kira!" Dylan said. "Please I'm begging you don't tell him what I did."
"Dylan, I know you're trying to protect your dad, but you have to tell me where he is."
"I just can't do it Tre. I'll get in trouble."
"He won't hurt you I give you my word." I said.
"I know he won't hurt me. I made sure of that."
"What do you mean?" I asked.
"Look under all the pillows and blankets on the bed."
I moved all the stuff on the bed out of the way. He meant it when he said he made sure Brian will never hurt him again. Under all the stuff was Brian's body.
"Tre, what's going to happen to me?" Dylan asked me.
"I don't know Dylan; you're too young to go to jail." I said.
"But they'll do something to me. They won't let me get away with this."
"Um... are you sure he's dead?" I heard Kira say.
"Look at him Kira! Who could've survived that?"
"Did you even check his pulse?" She asked.
"No I didn't bother."
"Well it won't hurt to try." I said. "Just check it."
I took Brian wrist and checked his pulse.
"Holy shit! He's alive." I said.
"What?" Kira said.
"Are you sure he's alive?" Dylan said.
"Look his heart's even still beating. You hit him pretty bad Dylan, but not hard enough." I said.
"But... I wanted him dead. I wanted him dead so he wouldn't hurt us anymore."
"Dylan, I promise he will never hurt you again. I'll make sure of it." I said.
"Tre... ." I heard Kira say. "When is the ambulance coming? I feel really lightheaded... ."
I ran over to Kira and held her hand.
"Oh god Kira. Just hang on a little bit longer, baby, you'll be okay."
"Oh God Tre, my baby. I'm going to lose it."
"No you're not. You and the baby will be fine I swear." I said.
"Daddy!" I heard Ramona yell. "The cops are here. I can hear the sirens."
"Ramona honey don't come in the room." I said.
"But why... oh my God! Kira!" Ramona yelled and ran over to Kira.
"Daddy what happened?" Ramona asked me.
"I'm not so sure, I'll explain later, but right now I got to keep her awake."
"Kira! Stay Awake! Please!" Ramona yelled.
"Kira honey, you'll be fine. They're almost here."
Finally the goddamn ambulance came. I drove behind the ambulance car to the hospital. It was hours before I got to see Kira again. Finally a doctor came to see her.
"Doctor how is she?" I asked.
"There were pretty bad cuts but we were able to clean the cuts and stitch them up. She lost a lot of blood though."
"How about the baby? Is the baby okay?"
"The baby's fine, didn't suffer any damage."
"What about Kayla and Dylan?"
"They both have a lot of bruising, especially Kayla."
"And Brian?" I asked, even though I didn't care very much.
"He's got a couple of fractured ribs, it was a lot of bleeding from his head. He'll have to be here for a while but he'll make it. Umm... .Mr. Wright... "
"Call me Tre." I said.
"Well... Tre, I don't want to go over my boundaries but uh... how did al this happen?"
"Doctor, you wouldn't believe me if I told you. Can I go see Kira?"
"Sure go ahead."
"Come on Ramona. We're going to see Kira?"
Ramona ran down the hall as fast as she could to get to Kira's room.
"Kira!" She yelled and ran over to the bed.
"Ramona! Hey! How are you sweetie?"
"I should be asking you that. Are you okay?"
"I'm fine; you really shouldn't worry so much. You'll end up having a heart attack at 20." She said.
"Hey Kira." I said.
"Tre, you look like you've seen a ghost. You're so pale." She said laughing.
"Well when you had a day like mine you'd be this pale too."
"Hey Ramona do me a big favor, run down the hall and keep my brother and sister some company. I need to talk to your dad in private."
"Okay Kira." Ramona ran out of the room and down the hall.
"So Tre, how are you?" she asked.
"Honestly, I was worried shitless. Now, knowing you're okay, I'm fine."
"I'm okay, I guess. The doctor said nothing happened to the baby."
"I know he told me."
"Did you see Dylan and Kayla? How are they?"
"They're both fine."
There was a really awkward silence between me and Kira. I had so much to say but couldn't get any of it out.
"Um... Kira? Can I ask you something?"
"... okay." She said.
"Did you really mean it when you said you want to have the baby?"
"Tre, this is definitely the hardest decision I have ever had to make, but yes, I do want to have the baby."
"But it doesn't mean that you... ."
"I'm sorry Tre. There will always be a part of me that will love you but I still want to marry Dannie."
"I understand Kira. Look... .I got to go. It's getting really late and I got to go to the police station tomorrow with Dylan. I'll drop them off at the house."
"Wait... I don't want Dylan to go back there. Could he and Kayla stay with you? Just for the night."
"Sure Kira. You're right. It's probably best if they stayed with me tonight."
"Thank you Tre."
"Anytime K.B."
"I told you don't call me that." She said laughing.
I went over to her bed, gave her a big hug and a kiss on her forehead.
"I'll see you tomorrow, okay? Get some sleep." I said.
"Okay, dad."
"Shut up." I said laughing.
I left the room, went down the hall and got Ramona, Dylan, and Kayla, and took them all back to my hotel room. After I put Dylan and Kayla to bed I went back into Ramona's room and tried to explain to her everything that happened today.
"So is Brian going to jail?" she asked me.
"As soon as he gets out of the hospital yeah he is." I said.
"Good so now he won't be able to hurt Kira and her family anymore. Hey Dad?"
"Yeah, sweetie?"
"Kira's pregnant? You're going to be a dad again?"
"Yeah, she's having a baby."
"So, does this mean you two can get married now?"
"Ramona, baby, Kira's going to marry Dannie."
"But you and her are having a baby."
"Ramona, what happened between me and Kira, wasn't supposed to happen. She didn't mean to get pregnant. And it really doesn't matter if me and her are having a baby. She's still going to marry Dannie."
"But you love her dad, and she loves you."
"I know, but she loves Dannie more."
"So what's going to happen to the baby? Will we ever be able to see him... or her?"
"Of course we will, but it has to be our secret. No one can know about this okay?"
"Okay daddy. You know I can keep a secret."
"Okay now go to sleep."
I kissed Ramona on the forehead, and left the room. After a night like this I need a joint. I always said I would go straightedge but I really needed this one. I ran over next door to Billie's room.
"Hey Billie!" I yelled.
"Dammit Tre what is it?" Billie said opening the door. "It is one o'clock in the morning."
"Sorry, man, but uh... you got a joint?"
"You're knocking on my door at one in the morning... for a joint?"
"Well... yeah." I said.
"Damn, you must really need it. Hold on a second." Billie went in his room and got me two joints.
"Wait... I thought you said you were going straightedge?"
"After you had a night like mine, you would need one too. Thanks man."
"Anytime Tre, just not at one in the morning."
I went back to my room and smoked one of the joints. I hid the other one in my suitcase so Ramona wouldn't find it. I went back into Ramona's room to see if she was still sleep. I sat on the side of the bed and stared at her for a while, wondering what I would do if what happened to Kayla ever happened to Ramona. I couldn't imagine ever doing anything like that to my own child. Staring at Ramona, I noticed she had something on her arm. It kind of made me laugh when I realized what it was. It reminded me of the night I gave it to her. It reminded me that no matter what I will always love Kira, even if she didn't love me.
I took Kira's charm bracelet off of Ramona's arm and put it on mine.
"I think you can sleep one night without it, Ramona." I said.
