Chapter 8 The Cave - Mumford and Sons

The Cave - Mumford & Sons

The ride to West Virginia was a quiet one. She passed the time texting people from ‘home’ and making arrangements to get in to see her brother. “Take the Weirton exit.” she finally said once they got out of the city close to the airport. He nodded seeming content in the quiet with the radio playing softly. Finally she put the phone down in her lap turning her head to talk with him.
“Ok so first we’re going to the pharmacy to pick up everything everyone needs. I know the pharmacist and they’re going to have them ready. Then we’re going to the jail. Thankfully it’s the city that has him still so it won’t be to hard to get there. Nessa my best friend is going to meet us. Her husband Jimmy was the arresting officer. We’ve all known one another since high school.” she pushed her hair out of her face it having fallen from her ponytail. “And then we’ll go see my G-Dad and I promise I will make you food because I know how you eat you’ve got to be starving.” she reached down into her bag pulling out the bananas. “One to tide you over?” she asked holding it out to him.
Kris listened tentatively. “Nessa is short for Vanessa? And Jimmy is James? I remember seeing a phone frame with their wedding party picture. You had on a blue dress.” he said with a little smile.
“Yeah we’ve all been friends since high school. I’ve known Nessa since second grade and Jimmy since high school. It was from their wedding last fall.” she explained grabbing the second banana for herself.
He took the banana before handing it back. “Could you open it?” he asked shifting as the road changed to a two lane highway. Sarah handed it back half peeled for him. “Thanks.” he said before the banana disappeared in what seemed like three bites.
It took about an hour from the airport before they reached Weirton. The stop at the pharmacy didn’t take long and they were at the police station in no time. Nessa greeted Sarah with a hug. “Jimmy didn’t want to arrest him but your G-Dad insisted.” Sarah nodded knowingly. “I know it’s not a big deal. I mean we’ve all been here before.” she paused looking to her side at Kris who seemed awkwardly out of place. “Well not all of us. Nessa this is Kris. He’s kinda awesome.” she looked at him with a smile.
“Only kinda?” he asked teasingly a smile spreading across his face as he shook Nessa’s hand. “It is nice to meet you.”
“Oh I know who you are. Sarah only has great things to say about you.” Nessa’s smirk made his smile spread wider. “I’ll have to tell you what she really thinks when she isn’t paying attention.”
Sarah glared at her friend. “You do and you die Nessa. I love you like a sister but doesn’t mean I won’t hesitate to dump your body in the river.” Sarah was joking which only seemed all the more amusing as they stood outside the police station.
“So shall we?” Nessa asked before heading up the steps holding the door for them.
“Hey Jimmy.” Sarah said greeting him with a hug as well. He looked shocked to see Kris was actually standing there.
“Sarah no way. Nessa told me you were bringing him but I thought she was messing with me.” he said looking intently at Kris who was going a bit pink in the cheeks looking intently at his shoes and the floor around him.
“Jimmy he has a name.” Nessa said smacking him in the chest. “Kris my husband Jimmy. He’s an idiot so feel free to ignore him especially if he attempts to talk hockey with you.”
Jimmy shook hands with Kris still in shock before finding his voice. “It’s good to meet you man. You’ve got a great shot. I mean that OT goal vs. the Caps classic.” he said with a wide smile. Kris expressed his thanks trying to find a way to fade into the background as much as possible when it was obvious he was the center of attention.
“Jimmy can I see Russ now? I brought you guys his insulin supplies to give to the nurse here to be passed along when he gets transferred to county.” Sarah explained familiar with the system.
“Oh yeah Sarah. Sure. I’ll warn you he’s pretty pissed but he’s sobered up a good bit. I know he’ll be happy to see you.” Jimmy said as they walked leaving Nessa and Kris behind.
“Oh he’s not going to be happy when he finds out I’m not bailing him out.” she said with a sigh before going in to see her brother.
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“So…” Nessa said with a smile sitting with a nervous Kris. “I’m not going to grill you I promised Sarah said I couldn’t. She also said I could only tell one embarrassing story so choose wisely what age you’d like to know about her from.” she said leaning back in the uncomfortable plastic chair awaiting his answer.
“Oh… really I was going to ask about you and your husband.” she said with a little smile pushing his hair out of his eyes. “You can grill me just not on open fire please.” he said trying to joke which made Nessa smile and allowed him to loosen up a bit.
“Good as Sarah’s best friend and her translator to the inner hidden Sarah I have to say you’re doing good. She likes to keep her family drama private. Really I think Mal is the only one who knows and she didn’t even let the douche bag asshat Doctor come here. You’ve already earned the special honor.” Nessa explained. “Sarah’s a special girl. She had to deal with a lot of shit in her life and thus far you’ve shown you aren’t going to contribute to that. So far I like you. The accent and hair help too.” she said with a smile.
For Kris it was nice to know he was being accepted by her friends. “Sarah is special. I knew it from when I saw her.” he said thinking back on the memory. “She didn’t see me first. I saw her in the halls of the arena. I wanted to know her then. When you talk with her I think she will say we met at weigh in when I helped her off the table. I had seen her three times prior to that. I was afraid to say hello first.” he pushed his hair our of his face again though he wished he could leave it there as a kind of barrier of protection after telling Nessa about liking Sarah. “She was standing on a table. I helped her down. She did never say she was afraid of height but I know she is.”
Nessa nodded confirming his suspicions. “Yeah she is a bit afraid of short heights. She’ll climb a mountain and look down but put her on a chair and she’s a bit panic stricken. It’s one of the many odd things about her.” Nessa said with a chuckle. “She is a special one you are right about that.”
“Oh yes. She is special. She is helping Mal train for a marathon. That is being a dedicated friend. Being friends with you so long is special as well.” he said relaxing into the chair finally.
“Yeah she’s helping because she ran the marathon two years ago. She said she’d never do it again but I know Mal and I bet she convinces her to do it.” Nessa chuckled. “She wanted me to do it with her but I told her she was psycho and that I love chips and dip to much.” Kris laughed as well.
“I know what you mean. If I could skate a marathon maybe but I do not want to run one.” he was in shape but over all he was lazy really only keeping fit so he could continue to play the game he loved effectively. The game kept him fit for the most part only giving him a few months to have to worry about himself.
“Sarah is my best friend, she always has been. When she gets involved with something it’s really hard for her to quit and let go. This is why she’ll run the marathon in the spring with Mal and that’s why she stayed with the Doctor for so long. She has always been taught giving in is not an option and that she has the power to change things. She does have power for change but not like she wants.” Nessa sighed hearing the familiar clank of the heavy metal doors. “They’ll be coming down the hall soon.”
Just as Nessa said Kris could hear two sets of footsteps coming down the hall. He peaked around the corner seeing Sarah brush away a few tears he no doubt wasn’t meant to see.
“You know he doesn’t mean what he says Sarah. Once this is through we’ll all be hanging out on the deck again at the bar grill fired up having a good time.” Jimmy said giving her a half hug one arm around her for a moment. She nodded pausing to clear her face of tears as he continued towards the lobby. “She’ll be out soon.” Jimmy said headed behind the desk giving Nessa a nod that only couples give one another. She got up and headed around the corner to comfort her friend leaving Kris and Jimmy.

“You’re really going to take him to see G-Dad next?” Nessa asked as she hugged a silently sobbing Sarah who just nodded against her friends shoulder. “Are you sure it’s the best idea? You’re tired, he looks tired and I know you G-Dad is pissed about all of this and I know you’re taking him his medication which will also piss him off.” Nessa rubbed her friends back slowly letting her go.
“We have to go. I can’t come to town and not go. And Kris needs food and everything is closed already except McDonalds and I’m not feeding him that.” Sarah readjusted her ponytail putting stray strands back in. Nessa reached out removing some of the mascara that ran from her friends eyes before Sarah took over rubbing it away from her own face. “So how big of a train wreck do I look?”
“Not a total train wreck just a close call.” Nessa half joked giving her friend another hug before they headed for the lobby.
Kris didn’t even let her open her mouth to speak before pulling her into a hug. A sob breaking out against his chest. Just one was all she could let out. She took a deep breath and lifted her head to look at him. He brushed her blond hair out of her face so he could see her eyes.
“Ew, you two are sickeningly cute.” Jimmy said from behind the desk.
Ness shot him a glare but Sarah and Kris just laughed smiles spreading across their faces. “Thanks for that Jimmy.” Sarah said turning to look at him. “It’s not the first time we’ve been told that.” she cleared her throat looking back to Kris. “You ready to go see my G-Dad?” he nodded and Sarah let go of him so they could say goodbyes to her friends.