Chapter 7


"All clear," Dr. McKenzie said waving the folder in the air and smiling. "Clean bill of health and cancer free."

"Thank God," Bette breathed draping her arm around Tina's shoulders.

Tina beamed and stood up. "Thanks Dr. McKenzie, it's good to know I'm healthy."

"You are, now have a good day and I'll see you both soon for your physicals," Dr. McKenzie said.

"Bye," Tina said.

"Bye Dr. McKenzie and thank you," Bette said.

Hand in hand the couple walked out of the doctor's office. "I'm glad that's over," Tina said.

"I knew everything would be okay," Bette said.

"We finished early," Tina said as they walked to the car, "you can go back to the gallery if you want."

"No, no," Bette said, "let's just go home."

"Okay baby," Tina said.


A few minutes later when they arrived at the house all smiles, they found Angie looking rather distraught on the porch.

They immediately jumped into mother-mode. "Angelica, are you okay sweetie?" Tina said.

Angelica shook her head and started crying. Bette immediately hugged her daughter close and rubbed her arms. "Honey what's wrong?"

"C-can we go inside to talk?" Angelica whimpered.

"Of course baby," Tina said walking to the door, "I'm making coffee okay."

"Everything okay with you ma?"

"Cancer-free babe," Tina responded opening the door. The moment she opened the door she saw a flurry of movement as AJ and another boy crawled off each other and off the couch.

"Oh man," the boy said looking distressed.

Tina snorted trying to stop her laughter and Bette huffed angrily next to her. "AJ what the Hell!"

"Sorry, mom," AJ said, "um this is my friend Jeremy."

"Oh the famous Jeremy," Tina commented.

"Get out!" Bette snapped.

Jeremy immediately grabbed his things.

"Mom!" AJ cried.

"Bette," Tina chided.

Bette sighed. "Okay, I'm sorry Jeremy, just AJ knows the rules of boys and girls on couches and bedrooms."

"I'm s-sorry Mrs. Kennard-Porter," Jeremy said, "it won't happen again."

"No it's my fault," AJ said, "I apologize."

"Um I'll uh see you later AJ," Jeremy stammered.

"Wait," Bette said, "Jeremy I'm sorry, I didn't meant to yell, please come over tomorrow night for dinner."

"O-okay," Jeremy said.

"See ya," AJ said as Jeremy scampered out of the room.

"I'll uh make coffee," Tina said walking into the kitchen.

"Angelica," AJ said noticing his sister's red eyes and puffy nose, "are you okay?"

Angelica nodded silently.

"AJ can you go pick up Ellie from the dentist office," Bette said, "Alice took her."

"Oh, Cam went to go get her," AJ said.

"Then go upstairs please," Bette said.

"We need to talk to your sister," Tina said walking in with a tray with three cups of coffee.

"Okay," AJ said walking up the stairs.

"Sit down babe," Bette said taking Angie's hand, "tell us what's going on."

Tina sat down on the other side of Angelica and said, "we're here for you."

"Uh," Angelica said before more tears slid down her cheeks, "Derek is gone."

"He left you?" Bette asked.

"Yes," Angelica sobbed.

"Oh sweetie," Tina said hugging Angelica close, "it's his loss okay. There are plenty of other guys out there who will love you and treat you right."

"I know, he's an asshole, but that's not the problem," Angelica said her voice shaking with tears.

"Then what is babe?" Bette said taking Angie's hand.

Angelica looked from parent to parent then softly said, "I'm pregnant."

....

"Come on man," Cameron said impatiently standing in the alleyway right beside the dentist office.

Mercer shot him an impatient look, "Devon will be here any minute."

"I have to pick up my sister," Cameron said, "I don't wanna do this."

"Shut it Cam you promised," Mercer said pulling a bag of white powder from his jacket.

"Whoa! Dude! What the Hell are you doing with that!" Cameron cried.

"I'm selling it duh!" Mercer said.

"I'm fucking out of here," Cameron said turning to leave.

"Where do you think you're going!" Cam jumped back when the giant Devon stepped in front of him.

"N-nowhere, just uh, gotta go," Cameron stammered, "Mercer has what you want."

"You don't leave fucker," Devon snapped shoving Cam backwards.

"Hey, hey just keep it cool," Mercer said stepping in between them and lifting up the bag, "give me the money and we split got it?"

Devon smirked. "Who said I'm gonna pay?"

For the first time in Cameron's life he saw Mercer's face full of fear. Devon reached into his pocket and Mercer lunged. He shoved Devon against the wall and yelled out, "Cam run!"

Cameron jumped out of the alleyway and broke into a run as he heard Devon yelling, "fuckers!"

Cameron looked over his shoulder when he heard a loud boom and saw Mercer fall to the floor. He felt a wave of panic when he saw Devon running out towards him.

"Cam?"

Cameron turned his head forward in sheer panic when he heard the familiar voice. Standing in front of the dentist office was Alice holding Ellie's hand.

"Auntie Alice! Ellie! Go inside now!" Cameron screamed.

Alice looked confused and scared but when she saw Devon running up behind Cam holding a gun. "Oh my God! Cam run! Ellie get inside!"

A shot rang out loudly and Alice threw herself to the floor. Cameron felt the bullet whiz past him and his eyes widened in horror.

"Ellie!" He screamed as his nine-year old sister fell to the floor gripping her bleeding stomach.

Alice caught the young girl as she fell and started sobbing. Trembling she grabbed her cellphone and immediately called 911.

"You fucker!" Cameron screamed turning around in rage and punching Devon right in the face. Devon staggered back and repositioned himself with the gun.

"Freeze! Drop the weapon!" A black female officer said running in front of Cam holding a gun.

"Fuck you!" Devon yelled cocking his gun.

A loud boom rang out and Devon fell to the floor. Cameron didn't wait around to see what happened next he ran to Alice and Ellie's side taking the little girl's limp hand.

"Them ambulance is coming," Alice breathed, "who the Hell was that Cam?"

"H-he was Mercer's friend, I swear I had nothing to do with him," Cameron sobbed, "please let her be okay."

"I-I don't know," Alice sobbed.

The cop was beside them suddenly checking the little girl's pulse then pressing her hand firmly against the wound in her stomach. "She's alive but she's losing a lot of blood."

"Officer, will she be okay?" Alice said.

She looked at Alice and Cameron seriously then said, "I don't know, but we have to get her to the hospital now."

 TBC