The Chronicles Of Luke Bryan and I (Part One) This Too Shall Pass

Loss and Doctors

I sat on the firm hospital bed, my long legs hanging over the side, my toes just barely reach the floor. My hand was being stitched, blood seeping through the open wound. My head was pounding, the stitches covered the area of my left eye which was black and blue. God it killed. The pain meds from three hours ago were wearing off, and honestly, it didn't help that I couldn't get any more without a parents signed consent for treatment. I was going on eighteen, and my mom was gone. The thought of my mom running into my head made the memory of this morning haunt me.

The man, he was tall, he had dark hair and dark brown eyes. He had dark skin and he wore a white robe, the kind our Reverend wore. He held the knife to my throat, and was screaming at my mom. "Bitch where the fuck is it? I want it now! Give it to me now or the girl dies!"

"Please, no! Let her be! Don't bring her into this... Please!"

"Oh Tammy, you made this happen." He beat me in front of my mom, cutting my right hand in the struggle. I kept crying, my mom was screaming, sobbing, fighting her restraints. He stood up. "I'm getting tired of the noise Tammy!" He shot her three times.

"NO! MOM!"

"Abbie-Marie, Abbie-Marie, it's Dr. Frankos." I snapped back to reality. "Abbie-Marie, are you feeling okay, I asked you a question."

"Oh, um, I'm fine Dr. Frankos, what was the question?"

"Is the bandage on your hand too tight?"

"No Dr. Frankos, it's fine, but when can I get more medicine, I'm in a lot of pain..."

He sighed, the kind of sigh that comes with bad news, or telling someone no. "I'm sorry Abbie-Marie, but I can't give you anything stronger than ibuprophin without the consent of a parent."

"But doctor, my mom is gone. She was all I had."

The hospital is working on contacting your father, Mr..."

"No, no no no no no... You are not contacting that man. I want nothing to do with him!" I looked out by the desk and saw him. Luke Bryan. "Are you fucking kidding me!"

"Abbie-Marie, language please."

"English!"

"Okay, I see that you are upset..."

"Abbie-Marie?" Luke looked over at me, teary eyed. He couldn't stand seeing me like this. "My name is..."

"I know who you are. And you can just go ahead and sign the papers for me to get pain meds and leave."

"I better give you two some time alone..."

"No, Frankos I swear if you leave me alone with him... And you're gone. Fuck!"

"Abbie-Marie, please watch your..."

"What, my mouth... Say it. You won't, because you know you have no right to. You weren't there when I learned to use the toilet."

"Abbie-Marie I'm sorry..."

"No, you missed seventeen years of listening so just shut up and listen! You missed my first steps, my first baby tooth falling out, learning to ride a bike. I couldn't go to a single father daughter dance, why you ask... Maybe it was because I didn't have a dad!" I was sobbing now, tears burning the cut below my eye. He hugged me. He knew there was a chance he could get punched, but he took the risk. He loved me, and hated to see me like this. "You weren't there..."

"Abbie-Marie, if I had known about you, that your mom was pregnant, I would have stayed. I would have tried to convince her not to leave me, hell I would have begged. I swear I didn't know."

"You should have begged anyways!" I cried as I clung to him.

"I know, and I'm sorry. All that matters is that I'm here now. Let's make new memories. Where you have a dad, a farm house, two awesome little brothers who are probably making you maccaroni pictures right now, hopefully not on the walls..." I laughed as he gently wiped away my tears.

He stayed with me the next two days. I had to stay a couple days because I had internal bleeding in my stomach, and they might have to opperate. Little did I know, I would be having visitors today. A knock sounded on the door, and as I looked up I saw Chris Young with Luke's two boys.

I looked to Luke, forcing a smile through the pain in my stomach. Chris was the first one to say something. "I'm Chris, your dad's friend."

"Nice to meet you. I really like your music. My favorite one of your songs is center of my world."

"Luke, she's a keeper." The two men smiled.

"I'm Thomas, but everyone calls me Bo..." He smiled and held out his hand.

I held out my hand to hold his, but when he saw the bandage he frowned. "It's okay Bo, it doesn't hurt." He took my hand and shook very carefully, not wanting to hurt me. "You must be Tate, and anyone with that name gets a hug." Tate walked over and gently hugged me, smile on his tiny face.

"Miss Bryan, you can leave."

"What, but I thought..."

"The latest CT scan shows no blood in the stomach."

"You have blood in your belly! Dad is she gonna die?!"

"No Tate, I'm okay. The boo boo is all gone."

Tate sniffled. "So you're not gonna die?"

"No, not for a long time. You're stuck with me..." Tate smiled.

Luke took the boys home while Chris took me to my old house to grab some things.