at the idea of both of us ? What if she doesn’t want to ever see us again? And Elizabeth… what a doll. If things do go right and she does want a relationship, will she allo w them to be a part of her life? h is thoughts were cut short by a scream that pierced the air.
“Alaina! It’s okay, sweetheart. I am here. What’s wrong? Do you hurt?” Brody did a once over of her body, checking for any visible injuries.
“Brody? Wh-what are you doing here?” Confusion laced her groggy words.
“We brought Elizabeth up to see you. She is down at the vending machines with Leland. Mrs. Sanders gave us the okay as long as we had her back in an hour. She mentioned a shotgun and the fact that her late husband was a Marine.” He chuckled.
“She is protective. I hope she didn’t threaten you two.”
“No, it was brought up in conversation and we just took it as common knowledge that she would use it on whoever needed it.”
Alaina smiled. Her face brightened, even through the drug-induced haze. “Thank you so much for everything… I don’t know what I would have done if you weren’t there. And Lizzy…” The fear set in hard lines around her eyes and mouth. “Why…why were you guys following me?” She didn’t appear to be mad or upset, but he decided to tread lightly on the subject.
“We could see how tired you were. From what we gathered through the dinner conversation, it didn’t look like you had slept in a long time. With you behind a wheel and Elizabeth with you, we wanted to make sure you made it all right. We were going to meet you at the bar later and surprise you, but the night took a bad turn.” He could hear the anger in his own voice and made a mental note to ease up.
“Well, thank you so much. You saved our lives. You two…are so different.” Her eyes fluttered sleepily.
“You need to rest, honey. We will see that Lizzy gets back safe and sound and amped on chocolate and caffeine if Leland has his way…” He offered her a smile.
“She hasn’t had this many treats in I don’t know how long. She deserves it, and I am so thankful for you two. You both are like our guardian angels.” Elizabeth and Leland stepped through the door, diverting the conversation.
“Mommy!” Elizabeth ran over to the bed and hopped up on the side, flinging her arms around Alaina.
“Hey, baby girl. Are you okay?”
“Yep! Mrs. Sanders gave me a hot bath, and then Leland took me for candy and pop. He let me get three things out of the machine, Mom! It was awesome. I brought you your favorite…a dark chocolate MilkyWay.” She pulled the smashed candy bar out of her pocket and handed it to Alaina.
“Aww, well thank you, baby. I will put it here and eat it later, okay? You need to get home to bed though. You don’t want Mrs. Sanders beating up Leland and Brody do you?”
Elizabeth giggled. “No, ma’am. I love you. Are you coming home tomorrow?”
“I should be home by noon. Then we will figure out what we are going to do next, okay?”
“Okay, Momma. I love you. Sleep tight and don’t let the bed bugs bite!”
“I love you too, baby. Say your prayers okay?”
“Yes, ma’am. Leland, are you and Brody gonna bring mom home tomorrow? We don’t have a car now.”
“Elizabeth, don’t go bothering them now. I will make a few phone calls.”
“Don’t even think about it. Of course we will bring mommy home tomorrow. You can come with us, and we can stop for lunch on the way home, okay?” Leland piped in. Elizabeth nodded and grinned.
Leland stepped over and brushed a kiss against Alaina’s brow. “Get some rest. You aren’t going to have to worry about anything anymore, okay? Just relax. Everything will be better tomorrow.”
Her eyes blinked rapidly, first on Leland then Brody. Her face showed a small little glimpse of the hope that sparked inside. “Thank you both so much, for everything.” Her eyes welled up with tears and Leland took the cue to get Elizabeth home.
“Don’t you
“Alaina! It’s okay, sweetheart. I am here. What’s wrong? Do you hurt?” Brody did a once over of her body, checking for any visible injuries.
“Brody? Wh-what are you doing here?” Confusion laced her groggy words.
“We brought Elizabeth up to see you. She is down at the vending machines with Leland. Mrs. Sanders gave us the okay as long as we had her back in an hour. She mentioned a shotgun and the fact that her late husband was a Marine.” He chuckled.
“She is protective. I hope she didn’t threaten you two.”
“No, it was brought up in conversation and we just took it as common knowledge that she would use it on whoever needed it.”
Alaina smiled. Her face brightened, even through the drug-induced haze. “Thank you so much for everything… I don’t know what I would have done if you weren’t there. And Lizzy…” The fear set in hard lines around her eyes and mouth. “Why…why were you guys following me?” She didn’t appear to be mad or upset, but he decided to tread lightly on the subject.
“We could see how tired you were. From what we gathered through the dinner conversation, it didn’t look like you had slept in a long time. With you behind a wheel and Elizabeth with you, we wanted to make sure you made it all right. We were going to meet you at the bar later and surprise you, but the night took a bad turn.” He could hear the anger in his own voice and made a mental note to ease up.
“Well, thank you so much. You saved our lives. You two…are so different.” Her eyes fluttered sleepily.
“You need to rest, honey. We will see that Lizzy gets back safe and sound and amped on chocolate and caffeine if Leland has his way…” He offered her a smile.
“She hasn’t had this many treats in I don’t know how long. She deserves it, and I am so thankful for you two. You both are like our guardian angels.” Elizabeth and Leland stepped through the door, diverting the conversation.
“Mommy!” Elizabeth ran over to the bed and hopped up on the side, flinging her arms around Alaina.
“Hey, baby girl. Are you okay?”
“Yep! Mrs. Sanders gave me a hot bath, and then Leland took me for candy and pop. He let me get three things out of the machine, Mom! It was awesome. I brought you your favorite…a dark chocolate MilkyWay.” She pulled the smashed candy bar out of her pocket and handed it to Alaina.
“Aww, well thank you, baby. I will put it here and eat it later, okay? You need to get home to bed though. You don’t want Mrs. Sanders beating up Leland and Brody do you?”
Elizabeth giggled. “No, ma’am. I love you. Are you coming home tomorrow?”
“I should be home by noon. Then we will figure out what we are going to do next, okay?”
“Okay, Momma. I love you. Sleep tight and don’t let the bed bugs bite!”
“I love you too, baby. Say your prayers okay?”
“Yes, ma’am. Leland, are you and Brody gonna bring mom home tomorrow? We don’t have a car now.”
“Elizabeth, don’t go bothering them now. I will make a few phone calls.”
“Don’t even think about it. Of course we will bring mommy home tomorrow. You can come with us, and we can stop for lunch on the way home, okay?” Leland piped in. Elizabeth nodded and grinned.
Leland stepped over and brushed a kiss against Alaina’s brow. “Get some rest. You aren’t going to have to worry about anything anymore, okay? Just relax. Everything will be better tomorrow.”
Her eyes blinked rapidly, first on Leland then Brody. Her face showed a small little glimpse of the hope that sparked inside. “Thank you both so much, for everything.” Her eyes welled up with tears and Leland took the cue to get Elizabeth home.
“Don’t you
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