It was only a few hours since we first entered the hospital, a team of doctors surrounding me asking questions about what happened. “So how did this happen Mr. Price?” The lead doctor asked in a serious tone.

“Well I had to babysit my mom again since my dad is busy with his work, she tripped and went face first into the countertop. I tried to catch her but fell along with her and fell on her drinking glass.” I tell the doctors standing over me as I lay in the hospital bed.

“Does your mom drink often?’” Another doctor asked concerned.

“If only you knew the half of it, just clean this fucking gash on my face and stitch me up or I will do it myself.” I say with an annoyed tone in my voice.

“Where’s my son at!” A man yelled, his voice echoing down the hall.

“Fuck me, this will be interesting y’all will want to see this,” I say to the team of doctors who looked at each other with concern.

“There you are boy, what the fuck happened this time. Don’t skip details!” My dad yelled.

“Yes sir, mom fell I tried to catch her, I went down with her and smashed my face into her drinking glass. Got myself cut up, called over a friend to help and quickly patched myself up with the kit you keep in the kitchen then drove here with mom passed out in the back. Anything else you want to know sir,” I reply quick and precise to my father before laying back down in the bed.

“Ok I know how your mom gets when she drinks. Good to know you’re ok soldier, looks like those weekends with my unit helped you considering you did a fine job at patching yourself up, I’m proud of you boy.” My father said sternly and compassionately.

Sunset looked over at me and then my dad then back at me before she spoke up, “so this is why you’re so calm, you’ve done military training with your dad?!?!”

“Yea, I’ve been put through the boot how many times sir?” I ask my dad who has now taken a seat on the edge of the bed looking me over.

“This summer would be 8 times unless you don’t think you’ll need another go, I might stick you with the medics since you still need a bit more training in that field,” he said to me while examining my on the fly patch up.

“So you’ve been doing this since you were 10 years old?” Sunset said to me astounded that a parent would do something like that to a child.

“It’s not that bad, my dad challenges me to be the best I can be. His philosophy is ‘know your limits then push past them by any means necessary’.” I say to Sunset while my dad repeats the family philosophy with me.

“Mom is in the other room across from this one, they pumped her stomach and put her on a charcoal solution with an IV, I haven’t gotten any updates on her condition yet sir.” I tell my dad who just nods and looks at the doctors who are just standing around waiting for a chance to interject.

“Copy that, I’m going to see your mother and adjust the plan of attack accordingly, if you need anything from me or the guard you know what number to call my boy,” my father said as he made towards the door.

“Your dad is very cold and emotionless,” Sunset said as she held my hand gently rubbing her thumb over the back of mine as I lay in the hospital bed.

“Okay Mr. Pierce time to get you stitched up,” one doctor said as he came into the room wheeling in a cart with everything that was needed to clean out and close the wound on my face, “Miss I’m going to have to ask you to leave while we treat your boyfriend.”

“She’s not my girlfriend,” I say to the doctor as he prepares to get started.

Sunset sat there still holding my hand gently knowing it was calming me down, “I’ll go check on your mom.” Sunset said as she let go of my hand while getting up from the chair next to me.

“Tell me how she’s doing please,” I ask as I watch her walk towards the door.

“I’ll let you know.” Sunset replied barely any emotion in her voice as she stopped in the door way and looked back at me.

“Let’s get crackin’ Doc, I’d like to go home before dinner time and I haven’t had any thing to eat today,” I say as I felt the bed rise upwards so that I was sitting upright.

***

In the hall Sunset broke down and started hyperventilating as she leaned her back against the wall, tears streaming down her cheeks openly sobbing unable to control the flood of emotions and the heavy feeling of helplessness washing over her. This wasn’t how she wanted to spend the weekend let alone even witness, not even as a passerby on the street. “How can he be so strong, no pony should have to go through that in their life ever.” She whispers under her breath questioning everything about what she’s learned about her classmate.

Footsteps echoed past as doctors rushed by with patients on gurneys barking out orders trying to save lives with what little time they had.

“He’s gonna be okay kiddo,” a gruff voice said to her.

“How do you know that, the physical injuries sure I can see that but what about the mental scars and everything that comes with this?” Sunset choked out through sobs.

“His mother wasn’t always like this ya know, he was about 7 when she changed. My job can be demanding and with that we are constantly moving around a lot, it’s not ideal especially when you have a kid and a wife who’s a drunk,” Nathaniel senior said, stoic as always.

“What happened if you don’t mind my asking?” Sunset said in a shaky voice.

“Well it started when he was 7 my wife had a horrible miscarriage where she needed to be hospitalized, after she recovered and came home the depression set in and that’s when she started to become obsessive and overprotective,” senior said.

“I’ve noticed how he’s reserved and just sticks to himself most of the time but we only have two classes together, phys ed and speech.” Sunset explained, “he’s incredibly smart and his way with words is just…” Sunset trailed off as she thought of what to say, “Mr Pierce?”

“Yes Sunset?” He replied in a calm tone.

“Alec was saying how you move around a lot for your job, he really likes it here from what I can tell. When I was helping him before he rushed over in my car, he wants to stay here and wants you to stay here.” Sunset said a small tremble in her voice.

“He’s told me,” he replies not knowing what to say, “well I better be getting back to the base, gods know what those recruits are doing, please look after him he’s a good kid just a little fucked up.”

"But he won't even give me the time of day in class, he's critical of everything especially when in speech class and he doesn't sit with anyone in the lunch room; he just sits in the back minding his own business," Sunset stammers out getting a little flustered.

"I can say this about my son miss. Shimmer, he's observant, sometimes overly so to the point where he comes off as scary. But if he trusted you enough to come over and help him when things got fucked up I can say with absolute confidence and certainty that you are apart of only 3 people that my son trusts with his life. Sure he can be extremely abrasive at times but observe and come to your own conclusions about Alec, with that I must be going." Senior said as he swiftly walked away down the hall.

"So do you wanna get out of here and go home, I'll cook lunch for ya," I say to Sunset.

"Ahhh, what the fuck how long wer—", Sunset screams out jumping in fright as I place a hand on her shoulder.

"Maybe a couple minutes at most, let's get out of here. Mom is gonna stay here for a while maybe a few weeks." I reply as I start to walk down the hall following the plaquards directions on the wall to get out of the hospital.

"Lumch would be nice, if you can cook." Sunset quipped with a small smile touching her lips.

Author's Note

Short chapter this time, sorry for the delay busy with adulting