Stuck Between Brothers

Chapter 3: 10 years old cont'd

Waking up, I see bright lights. Blinking back the sleep, I try to sit up.

"Ow ow ow ow." I cry out. My entire body is filled with pain. I try to take in my surrounding while fighting the tears.

I notice that I am in a hospital room. No one else is around. I'm just here alone. How did I get here? I dont understand. I doubt mom would ever actually take me in to the hospital. My door opens and I see my Uncle Donnie.

"U-Uncle Donnie?" I croak.

"Oh princess!" He runs to me. He has tears running down his face and he is isntatnly covering me in kisses. Pulling me to his chest. Uncle Donnie is my dads brother. He is a police officer, he also doesnt have a wife or kids. Hes the best uncle a girl could have.

"Ho-how did I get here?" I ask.

"Oh baby girl. Why didn't you tell anyone how bad it was there?" He responds. I gulp. He knows. My uncle, a cop, knows that my mom has been abusing me. Tears spring from my eyes and I start to sob.

"I-i-I fell Uncle Donnie. I fell out of my window this morning. Nothing is bad. I'm just clumsy." I choke out the best lie I could.

"No baby. No. We saw the house. We saw your room. We were there because Lucas went to your room last night to check on you and found you bleeding and bruised. Baby girl, she will never touch you again."

"NO!" I yell. they cant take me from her. They can't take me from my dads house. Just then my door opens again. Josh and Lucas make their way in. Their faces are puffy and red.

"Lucas how could you?!" I yell at him. His eyes open in shock as he stares at me. "How could you?" I whisper.

"JuJu. I-I went to check on you when you didn't come over last night. I couldnt leave you alone like that. Please JuJu, please don't be mad at me." He pleaded with me through tears.

"Now I'll lose everything. I'll lose my dads house, my town, I'M GOING TO LOSE YOU BOTH." I yell at him through tears. "They're going to send me away and I won't be able to see you anymore." My entire body feels like its on fire. I can't breathe. I start gasping for air and Uncle Donnie hits the nurse button and runs to yell out the door. A dr and three nurses rush in.

"Shes having a panic attack." The dr says to the nurse. They inject something in my IV and put something around my nose and mouth.

"Slow deep breaths Jude." Says the dr. My eyes start to flutter as I slip into darkness.

I'm not sure how much time has passed but I wake up again. The room is a lot dimmer, the sun has set. I look around and see Uncle Donnie sitting next to me. His feet kicked up on the foot of my bed, his head back and snoring. I snicler at the sight. I look more around the room and see two sleeping bodies on the couch. Josh and Lucas. Theyre still here.

"Hey princess" I hear my uncle say. I look at him. I have no more tears to cry. I feel numb.

"Whats going to happen to me?" I ask.

Uncle Donnie sits up and takes my hand. Tears build in his eyes but don't fall.

"You're mom has been arrested and charged. Thanks to that young man over there, the police were able to see the state of your house, your belongings and your room. When we got to your house, a man answered the door, and we immediately went inside. Your mom came out yelling, she hit another officer. As they were dragging her out of the house, Lucas saw her and he yelled at her for hurting you. She admitted to hurting you. You wont ever have to see her again, princess. You wont have to go to court or anything." He says trying to reassure me.

"No Uncle Donnie. Where am I going to go? Whats going to happen to dads house?" I stare at him.

"I'm youre next of kin. What do you say about moving in with me?" He looks serious. Uncle Donnie has always treated me well, But he lives in a different town. I wouldn't be with my boys anymore. I start to hyperventilate.

"Hey, Hey, Hey. Calm down princess. Im working something out with the bank, but I think we will be able to keep the house. Nothing has to change except for the parent." He says rubbing his hand against my cheek. At this point I look over and see a sleepy Lucas sitting up staring at me.

"JuJu?" He whispers. Hope fills his eyes as he looks at me. I burst into tears and reach for him.

"I'm so sorry for getting mad LuLu. I didnt want to be taken from you. I love you so much" I cry into him as he crawls into bed with me. My whole body screams at the sudden contact but I dont care.

"It's ok JuJu. Its ok." He whispers to me while rubbing my back. I feel the bed dip down on my other side and peek over to see Josh.

"Hey Judey Girl." He whipers. I let go of Lucas and crash my body into Josh. I sob into his shirt as he twirls my hair around his fingers.

"I didn't know what to do. I wanted to come to your house but I didnt want to be sent away. To leave my dads house behind. To leave my boys.

"That will never happen." I hear from the doorway. I look up and see Mrs.Bettie and Mr Andrews in the doorway. Their eyes immediately well up with tears and they run to the bed and pull me in to a hug.

"We would never let you be sent away. You hear me? If it came down to it, we wouldve adopted you." Said Mr. Andrews. He kissed the top of my head and stepped back.

"Jude?" Mrs. Bettie looks at me. "I love you like youre my own daughter. You will ALWAYS be welcome in our home." She says through tears. She kisses my cheek and steps away too. I lay back and snuggle in to Josh and Lucas. Smelling the familiar clean linen scent. Feeling relaxed, I was able to fall asleep quickly. Feeling safe. Feeling loved. Feeling wanted.