Chapter 7

I stopped and pulled forward in time before the black sedan hit us.

“That was my Daddy’s car,” Hermione said. “He was driving much too fast. I hope he hasn’t been drinking.”

Again, I back up, and carefully took her to her place, where the sedan had made screech marks on their driveway. Her father hadn’t made it from the car to the front door and was laying on his back, looking passed out.

We met Jodie as she was coming out the front door with who must have been April’s brother, as I asked, “Should I call an ambulance Ms. Bleu?”

After looking down at him, than up at me, she said, “Go ahead, please? He needs some drying out.”

I dialed 911, and gave them the details and the address. We heard it within two minutes, and they took him away, after his wife told them to take him to Mercy Hospital, and someone would be there within the hour.

After they got him and strapped him on a gurney, we went in to have dinner. Jamie was giving me looks all through dinner. Jodie said that we were not going to let a perfectly good dinner go to waste. When Jamie asked me, “Are you my sister’s boyfriend?” all I could say was, “Yes, I am. We have been buddy’s for a long time, but recently we expressed how we really felt for one another.”

“Do you have a younger sister?” he asked?”

“As a matter of fact, I do. Maybe you could meet her in a few days.”

“Cool!”

My phone range, I passed the news on to the Malfoys, after giving them a quick 411 of the situation including staying for dinner. Jodie and April would be heading to the hospital after that.

The spaghetti was indeed one of the best meals I had ever had. She even had oven fried bread from Pyrenees, which made it a perfect meal. Of course, I wouldn’t be telling Mom that; she makes the same meal once or twice a month!

Even after all of that, when they showed up at the ER, he was hooked to an IV, and sleeping, snoring like a grizzly bear.

April called to tell me that, mentioning that Jamie sounded interested in Mary, especially after she had described her to him.

I hoped that Mr. Bleu was going to be OK. I’ve often heard that drunks can take over a week to dry out.

Later that night, I got a call from April, telling us that he should be all right. We told each other, “I love you!” and I fell asleep happy for that good news.

With school out, I went over the next day to the Bleu’s asking if there was anything I could do to help. Jodie and Jamie were back at the hospital, April told me they checked him in to a semi-private room. She took me in her arms lightly crying and saying, “He may be a drunk, but he is my only daddy. He would like you a lot, totally sober. I don’t know if you have ever seen him that way, Redd!”

“Not sure, beautiful girl. You know, last night, during dinner, I got some very dirty looks from Jamie. I think he has a bad crush on you.”

“That’s absurd. He is my step-brother, but we need to have him meet Mary, the sooner, the better. What are we doing today?” she asked, taking my arm.