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"I'm fine, just a little lightheaded."
"You're not fine," I tell her. "We need to get you something to eat." I then direct my attention to Grey. "Call Doc, and let him know what's going on and to bring appropriate medication."
"On it." Grey pulls out his phone.
"Blake." Ember calls my name, descending the stairs, and her eyes fall on the young girl in my arms.
"I'll explain in a minute," I say, noticing the questions brewing in her beautiful eyes. "Do we have any orange juice or soda?"
"Yeah."
"Grab some and bring it to me." I carry Bellamy over to one of the sofas and sit her down. Ember is back within seconds, holding a glass of orange juice and a can of soda. I take the juice and hand it to Bellamy, who steadily drinks until it's gone.
"Way to make a first impression," Bellamy mumbles, then raises her head to look at me. "I shouldn't be here." Then her eyes cut to Ember, who is standing beside me. "Hi."
Introductions are in order, even though Bellamy is still a complete stranger herself, though she claims to be my sister. "Ember, this is Bellamy." I pause for a beat. "My sister."
Ember looks at me, searching my eyes and knowing the storm already brewing in my head. She looks at Bellamy and smiles, then sits on the sofa beside her. "It's nice to meet you."
"Sorry about all the fuss." Bellamy smiles at Ember. "Thanks for the juice. I'm already starting to feel a little better."
Just then, Doc charges through the door with momma bear Lisa at his side. "So, I hear we let our sugar get too low." Doc drags a chair from the nearby table and sits before Bellamy. He digs into his bag and pulls out a glucose monitor. "Let's check your level and get the rest of your vitals. Then you can tell me which medicine you are currently on and the dosage." His kind eyes instantly put Bellamy at ease, and she holds out her finger for Doc to prick and get a blood sample.
For fifteen minutes or so, Doc cares for Bellamy. "She needs to rest," he tells me, after packing his things.
"Ember," I call, catching her attention, and she locks eyes with me. "Get Bellamy settled in my room for the night."
Ember turns to Bellamy. "Come on. I'll take you upstairs."
"I don't have anything to sleep in besides what I have on. All I had was in my bag," Bellamy says, sounding exhausted.
"That's okay. I'm sure I have something you can borrow."
Bellamy stands. "Blake."
"Yeah?"
"You may not be too excited at my existence, but finding out I have a brother is the best thing to ever happen to me."
Her words hit me harder than I expect them to. The truth is, I don't know how I feel at the moment, and I've had zero time to process anything since her arrival. For now, I'm left with more questions than I have answers. "The girls will make sure you're comfortable. We can talk tomorrow."
With no more to be said for the night, Ember and Raine take Bellamy upstairs.
"You alright?" Doc asks.
I let out a heavy sigh and run my fingers through my hair. A lot has happened in the past few hours, and I feel stuck on an endless rollercoaster ride.
"I'm sure you'll get the answers you're lookin' for come tomorrow. For now, try and get some shut-eye." Doc clamps his hand on my shoulder. "So that you know, Jake is already aware of the situation."
I nod. Good. One less thing for me to deal with tonight. "Thanks."
"If you need anything, don't hesitate callin' me back here," Doc says, then spots his woman across the room. "Come on, Lisa, baby. Let's go home."
A few hours later, the clubhouse is locked, and everyone has settled for the night. My back aches as I lie stretched out on a cot in the basement. I haven't slept in here for quite some time. Not since I was prospecting, anyway. The corners of the room are dark, with only a small amount of dim light coming from a bare bulb hanging from the ceiling with a pull string. Across the room sits a washing machine and dryer. Above them is a shelf holding a large bottle of laundry soap and fabric softener. I breathe in deeply. It still smells the same, a bit musty, mixed with the scent of clean laundry.
I close my eyes, willing my body to relax long enough to fall asleep, but I can't turn off the rampant thoughts keeping me awake. The cot squeaks as I get to my feet. There's only one person who has the power to silence the noise.
10
