"What the fuck?!"
We both turn and see Sarina walking in with Jack, my arms still wrapped around Dass, consoling her.
Dass pushes away from me and quickly says, "No it's not what you think."
Sarina looks pissed and I realize that she has the wrong idea.
"Sarina, I'm sorry I didn't call or answer. We've had a hectic evening." I start to make my way to her but she backs up and turns to leave.
"Sarina!"
I call after her but Jack grabs her by the arm and starts to explain but she's not listening, as she shrugs her arm out of his grip and starts to leave. I drop my stuff in a hurry but I'm too quick for her to get far.
"Sarina! Stop and listen to me!" I grab her and spin her to me.
"Brian let me go!" she shouts.
"Not until you listen! I've had a hell of a fucking evening, the cops just left, Aman is in an ambulance on his way to the hospital and I had to try and stop Big Daddy from beating a man to death earlier! Everyone's emotions are a little high right now and I don't need you getting the wrong idea because I gave someone a hug when they are visibly shaken!"
She yanks herself from my arms and pushes me, "Don't fucking grab me like that!"
"Did you hear a single word I just said?!" I run my hand through my hair exasperated and tired after the day I've had.
"I'm not fucking deaf! You still don't need to fucking grab me like that!" She shouts furious, rubbing her shaking arms, trying to cover up the trembling in her body.
I kick myself mentally, take a deep breath and try to reign in my emotions.
"You're right, I am sorry for that, but please listen to me. Don't run away thinking something based on just what you think you saw and assumptions."
"Then tell me later at home. My brother and Alyssa are outside waiting. I'm sending them to enjoy their evening." She turns back around and I go pick up my stuff and leave the building.
I find her talking to Alyssa and her brother who sits in Alyssa's car. As I approach the car I can see David say something to Alyssa who gets out of the car and takes Sarina by the arm and walks away after giving me a nod to talk to David.
Fuck me, I really don't need this tonight...
"Hey Doc." David says calmly as I approach his side of the car.
"Hey David. I'm sorry about tonight. Some shit went down tonight in the club and I had to call the police and..."
David finishes my sentence, "It's been a rough night."
"Yeah" I scoff, "it has. I don't know what Sarina is thinking yet, but she is totally misunderstanding the situation she saw a few minutes ago."
David nods, "Can you tell me what happened?"
I make a light grunting noise of affirmation and replay the evening to him up to the point I walked out not long ago. He listens to every word and sighs when I finish.
"I didn't mean to grab her so forcefully, but she runs away every time instead of just listening." I run my hand over my face, feeling exhausted.
"Does this Dass do anything that would make my sister think she's into you?" David asks, quietly.
"No, not that I've ever noticed. She's a lesbian, David, she's not into guys. Which she knows that. Even if she was into guys, I'd never cheat on her. I don't even see other women the way I see her. No one holds a candle to her but apparently nothing a say, or do is making her believe me." I lean against the car, now emotionally and physically run down.
David gives me a hard look, "Has there been anything you've done that someone could misconstrue your interactions with Dass?"
Taken aback in confusion, I try to think about it, "Nooo, not that I'm aware of. I've been here at the club a bit lately and she's been working because Simon and Scott are sick with the flu."
"So you've been helping out you friend by running this place, for how much longer will you need to do this?" David asks, leaning his head back against the head rest.
"A little over a week is left, like ten days. Why?"
"Do you spend a lot of time here with out Sarina when your friend is here?" His eyes watch me carefully, but I shrug it off.
"No, I haven't been here without her since we've gotten together."
"Never?"
David's brow is quirked up at my response and I give it a bit more thought. Something dings in my head. The night that I found out that her ex Marc entered her home and kissed her.
"Oh I'm sorry, I forgot the night of the bachelor party but she ended up being here anyways and one other time. I had found something out and needed to get my thoughts straight and came here for a drink. Other than those two times, no, I've always come here with her." I answer him honestly.
David nods, blowing out a breath. "So the other time you came for a drink. Was Dass working?"
"Yes, she was working with Simon, I believe. I talked to her while she was on her break and she convinced me to go back and hear the whole story from her before making any rash decisions." I shake my head, "Why?"
David shakes his head, "This her, you needed to hear the whole story from, was that Sarina?"
I nod, "Yes. I overheard her telling Lirael about Marc kissing her after we had started seeing each other. I was pretty livid because I heard her say she wasn't sure on telling me. Then the next day she told me that he practically accosted her. Why?"
"Just putting things together in my head." He takes a deep breath and coughs lightly, clearing his throat, "You two should talk after she has a chance to calm down. When she gets upset, she runs, you're right. She needs to remember to take a moment to calm herself enough to at least listen, but after finding out about our childhood..." He gives me a pointed look, "You know she runs because she was always forced to stay and listen to our parents who continued to hurt her with their words."
Nodding, I feel a light breeze that helps cool my skin with the humidity in the air and the shrill cry of the cicadas. "I understand that, but I'm not perfect all the time either. I just know, that I love your sister and I'm not trying to do anything that would hurt her. I've not done anything to her to not deserve her trust."
David sighs, "Yeah, that's on her for dating a bunch of cheating losers in the past. Tell you what, we can drive her back to your place. I'll talk to her and give you a chance to get home and at least climb in a shower. You have blood on your shirt by the way. Go ahead and go home. We'll be there soon enough."
"I have to at least let her know I'm heading to the apartment." I look around the parking lot, spotting the girls over by a streetlight a little bit away.
"Go ahead, doc. Don't let the little spitfire take out her anger at her ex's out on you. She's my sister, I love her, I want things to work out between you two, but you don't deserve her wraith for something you didn't do either." David weakly pats my arm and I take a good look at him.
He looks exhausted.
"David? Are you feeling okay enough to even be out? You're not looking too good right now." I ask him, raising my hand and waving the girls over while I take a closer look at him, noticing his pale color and the tired look in his eyes that has been missing the past few weeks.
"I'm tired doc. Tonight's drama has me feeling tired." He says weakly, his eyes closing and popping back open.
"ALYSSA!" I shout, noticing that they are taking their sweet time to get back, as I notice David's having trouble keeping his eyes open.
"David, hey David, man. Open your eyes for me, come on." I try to rouse him and he barely opens his eyes before closing them again.
The next second, Alyssa is coming up beside me, "What happened?"
"Nothing, we were talking and I notice he was starting to not look so good, that's why I waved you over. Next moment, he's closing his eyes and not responding."
She moves me out of the way and opens the car door, checking his pulse and opens his eyes.
"GET IN!" She shouts, "Hospital! KEYS are in the ignition!" She reclines his seat and I hop in the drivers seat as Sarina and her climb in the backseat.
"What's the matter? What's happening?" Sarina asks trying to keep herself under control.
Alyssa quickly says, "His pulse is weak and respiration is down." She places an ear to his chest and listens to his breathing, "I hear some fluid in there but nothing that should be causing him problems. Call the hospital, Sarina. Put it on speaker for me."
The hospital receptionists answers the phone and Alyssa gets to work telling them that we were coming, what to expect and we needed a gurney waiting. When we get to the hospital, I stop in front of the ER entrance and the nurses with the gurney are quick to help Alyssa get David out of the car and on the stretcher. Alyssa walks back with the nurses explaining the situation, Sarina close on their heels, but is held back by hospital security.
"I'm sorry, ma'am. Only one person back there at a time and we also need you to move the vehicle."
I quickly let him know, I'll take care of it and handle it. When I get back to the waiting room area, the security guard is talking to someone over their walkie, while Sarina paces in front of the door. Her face was blank, devoid of any emotions as she paced but I could tell she was trying to prepare herself for the worst.
I walk over to her and gently touch her shoulder, snapping her from her train of thoughts. I don't say anything, I just open up my arms for her and she falls into them, clutching me tightly as if she let go, she would crumble to bits. The second I wrapped my arms around her, her body began to tremble as she quietly cries in my arms.