Riley
"So what's going on then? Josh gives me a sheepish smile as he orders another round of drinks. "I'll take a soda" he nods as he alters the order and I once again sit my ass down on the bar stool. "Your mom Is going to see Julia." I go to stand up but he places his hand on my shoulder and pushes me back down. "Before you go and start a war just listen." I nod my head as I take a sip of my drink. Hell, I should have had a whiskey after all. "Fine. I'm listening."
"Ok, so after you spoke to your mom and told her what happened she decided to go and speak to Julia. She's not going to try and pressure her to change her mind about you like you're a child don't worry. She's just going to see if Julia will accept any help from her. Your mom knows that she means a lot to you so she said that she was going to try and help her. I know it's not the same but at least if your mom can get her to accept some help you can know that she's ok and you never know maybe in time, she'll give you that chance."
I'm not pleased with my mom but I can't deny that I appreciate what she is trying to do for me but there's just something about the way that Julia acted when I was there that just has me on edge and convinced me that she's hiding from someone. Before I can say anything my cell starts ringing. "It's my mom."
"Hey, mom. I was just about to call you. Joshua has told me yo-"
"Riley, riley listen to me. I need you to come to the alleyway!" She sounds panicked and it instantly has me on edge. Wait, did she just say the alleyway? "What's going on Mom?" I'm out of my seat and heading for the door with Josh right behind me when she says words that make my heart jump. "It's Julia... just get here quick!"
"I'm on my way." I quickly end the call as I head for my car. Yes, I'm pretty positive that I'm out of the legal limit for driving but right now I don't give a shit. Josh gets in the passenger side and I pull out into the traffic as we both get belted up. "Riley, what's going on?"
I curse as we reach a rough patch of traffic. Where the hell has all this come from? We're in the middle of a snowstorm why ain't these people at home? "I don't know. My mom just said that I had to get to the alleyway, something to do with juia but I don't know what."
"I'm sure everything is fine." I beep my horn frantically trying to get through the traffic as Josh tries to calm me down but it's not going to work. "I could hear the panic in my mom's voice, Josh. Somethings wrong!"
it takes longer than I want to get through the traffic but finally, we make it to downtown and thank fuck the place is dead so I can get to the alleyway a lot quicker than normal. As I park my car across the road several abulamces come tearing done the street flashing their lights and slowly making their way up the alleyway. "No, no, no!" I'm out of the car before Josh can even unbuckle his belt and I'm halfway up the alleyway before he catches up to me.
We make it to the end of the alleyway in just seconds and that's when my heart drops and I feel the blood drain from my body. There on the floor is Julia while her little girl is curled up next to her as a paramedic starts checking over Julia.
"Riley. Oh, thank God you are here." My mom comes running up to me and embraces me in a hug while I stand in shock as my surroundings come into view. There are several people laying on the floor being seen to by paramedics and it's a sober sight. What the hell has happened here? "What's going on, Mom?" she gives me a sad look but I can only look at her for a few seconds before my eyes once again find Julia. "I don't know, son. I don't know."
Before I realize what I'm even doing I find myself down on my hutches next to Julia and her little girl. Julia is so pale but her lips are blue and she doesn't even look like she's breathing. "Is she alive?" The paramedic who is seeing to her nods but I can see the worry in his eyes. "Her pulse is weak but it's there. I need some room to work on her. " He nods his head down towards the girl, the girl that is huddled against her mom and I understand what he needs.
"Hey, sweetheart. my name is Riley and I'm a friend of our moms." I'm not sure what I am to her mom but right now she is surrounded by strangers while her mom fights for he life and she must be terrified. "You know my mommy?" Oh lord her voice is just the cutest. "I do. Would you come sit over there with me while the paramedic helps your mom?" I point just a short way away fully aware that she's not going to want to be out of her mom's sight.
She nods and stands up as tears roll down her eyes. "It's going to be ok, sweet girl." I know I shouldn't say that considering everything that's going on but the Julia that I briefly know won't leave her daughter without a fight also I have to have full confidence that she will be okay because I can't imagine things going any differently.
We walk over to straighten out two fallen chairs and then sit down while both still looking at Julia. I need to distract her from what's going on so I turn my chair so that I'm sitting in front of her facing her and somewhat blocking her view and once again I find myself struck with that same familiar feeling of knowing this little girl but still, I don't know why. "What's your name sweetheart?"
"Nina. Nina Smith Willow." Nina... "What was your name again?" she gives me a strange look which I get but I need to double-check this. "It's Nina Smith Willow. Why?" I shake my head as her name sinks in. "I thought you said a different name that's all sweetheart." She shrugs her shoulders while my mind reals. I feel like all the air has been sucked out of my lungs.
"What's wrong son?" I don't know when my mom turned up but clearly, she has seen something that she doesn't like as she looks sick with worry. "I'm ok Mom... I... Jesus Christ!" I get up from my seat and start pacing. "Riley, whats going on?" I turn to see that Josh is now also next to me. I look at both my best friend and mom as I slowly feel like I've gone crazy. "The little girl, Julia's daughter. Her name is Nina... Nina Smith Willow."
"Holy fuck!" Josh shouts, a little too loudly. "That's a naughty word. Momma doesn't like naughty words." The innocence of the little girl... Nina makes me smile but it only lasts a few seconds as I'm still trying to gather my thoughts.
"So Julia has my mother's name and her daughter has... Oh, my word." Even my mother is struggling with this and she's always the calm one in almost any situation. I nod unable to find any words right now. How didn't I click on about her having the same name as my Gran... Fuck, this is too much!
"Ok, she is ready to be taken to the ER." We all turn when we hear the paramedic speak and I'm straight by his side with little Nina right behind me. "How is she doing?" he doesn't look as worried as earlier but still, I know that doesn't mean anything. "Not great right now but we're going to get her to the ER right away so that she can be seen by a doctor. Her pulse has improved slightly so that is good."
I nod as I follow them to the ambulance while Nina follows close behind us. Once they have her inside and all ready to go I step inside and then help Nina in after me. The paramedic that's staying in the back with Juia looks at me and I know what he's about to say but it's not happening. "I'm going with her. She's my friend and this is her little girl. Someone needs to look after her while her moms ill and that will be me."
He doesn't seem too impressed but he just nods. Good because I ain't going anyway. I get Nina settled and soon we are quickly moving across the city while my eyes constantly go between Julia and Nina. I still don't understand any of this. It just doesn't make sense. and I'm still struggling to even say the name Nina but until Julia is awake and I can ask her some questions I'm going to do what I said and look after her even if it is fucking with my mind.