T H R E E ~ R E A L I T Y

J A C K S O N

~ ~ ~

"Jackie, where is my father?"

I looked at Dr. Francis in panic. How was I supposed to tell this traumatized little girl that her father had burnt to death in a fire that had also burned down her apartment and almost everything in it?

I looked at her eyes. I looked at the way they seemed to twinkle. It was so bright, so innocent and I knew I couldn't have told her the truth just yet.

"He's not here Nerida." I didn't lie, technically, I just didn't elaborate on the truth. I can't bear to see her go back into that traumatic state.

"Oh, well okay. He probably disappeared again. He'll come back in a few weeks," Nerida said dismissively, going back to rubbing my thumb with her tiny fingers.

"Nerida, how often does your dad leave you? Is there someone who stays with you while he's away," Dr. Francis pushed and I glared at him from across the bed.

"Okay, I think that's enough questions for now. Nerida needs her rest," I placed my hand on her head and guided her to lay back down on the pillow.

"But I am not tired Jackie," she complained before turning to Dr. Francis. "And to answer your question, my daddy leaves all the time. I'm always by myself. He would go and when he comes back he brings me all different kinds of stuff. He always brings a lot of groceries and he'd bring more paint for me-"

"Okay Nerida, that's enough chatter for now," I cut her off, not wanting to hear anymore. I didn't understand what was going on here and I felt as though manipulating her into talking wasn't the right approach.

"I think Jackson is right Nerida. Here's what, I'm going to send in a really nice nurse, who's going to take care of the bruise on your hand, okay? Then, she's going to give you some medication that'll help you sleep. Is that alright with you?" Nerida nodded and Dr. Francis turned to leave but not before sending me a look that said it all.

What the actual hell was going on here?

The room was silent after he left and Nerida and I just sat there, staring at each other.

"Jackie," Nerida started and I hummed in response.

Her face was so captivating to me. From the soft dusting of freckles across her tiny nose to her rosy, chubby cheeks. Her eyelashes were so long they brushed against her cheek every time she blinked and don't even get me started on the hazel irises they protected.

Her curly, reddish-brown hair was messily braided in two and it only added to this sickeningly innocent aura that was sending me crazy. This caramel-skinned angel was making me feel things that a twenty eight year old man should never feel for a seventeen year old girl. Especially one who was currently going through one of the most traumatic experiences a person could ever go through.

The nurse came in right on cue and stopped my mind from wandering down a very dangerous path.

Nerida gripped my hand tighter as the nurse approached us and introduced herself. I didn't respond, I just kept my eyes on Nerida and whispered words of reassurance.

With every whimper, I felt my chest clench as the nurse worked quickly and skillfully to mend the damage to her hand.

I was so grateful that Nerida wasn't burnt in the fire. I just know she wouldn't have been able to bear that kind of pain.

The nurse injected the pain medication into her new IV line and I watched as her eyes grew droopy.

"Promise you'll be here when I wake up Jackie?" Nerida slurred as her pretty eyes struggled to stay open.

"I promise Nerida. I am never leaving you."

~ ~ ~

"Alright Doc, spit it out," I demanded as I walked into his office unannounced.

"Now look here Mr.Colt, you know full and well that I can't disclose any information about Ms. Spade to you. She is a minor, part of an ongoing criminal investigation and to top it all off, you're not related to her."

I stayed silent and walked further into his office, mentally counting down the seconds until he cracked.

"Okay fine," he huffed and took his glasses off, rubbing his forehead frustratedly. "Can't believe I'm risking my job for some obsessed six and a half foot lumberjack," he grumbled under his breath.

"If you think for one second that anything that is said in this room-"

"Oh cut the crap," I interrupted, trying to hide my desperation to find out more about Nerida.

"Fine, because you so insist. Let's start from the fire. According to our tests, Nerida has an extremely weak respiratory system. From the moment she started inhaling smoke, she passed out within minutes."

I kept my eyes trained on my sweatpants as I processed this new piece of information.

"What did the cops say?"

"Well, we ran some DNA tests on her and in case you were still wondering, the dead man was indeed her father." He paused and passed me a file. I browsed through it as he continued talking.

"George Spade, thirty-nine years old, lived in New York for his entire life. He was married a really long time ago. State records say that her name was Freya Mulligan. She migrated from Ireland and as soon as she got here she met George. They were married five months later. Seven months later, Freya died giving birth to their baby girl. The baby, Nerida, and George have been off the radar ever since."

"There is no record of Nerida attending kindergarten, elementary, middle or high school," I paused my reading and looked up at him.

She never went to school.

"Most likely George has kept Nerida locked in that apartment for her entire life and from what we just heard, she may have been there all by herself for the majority of the time."

I sighed, letting the facade fall for a little. If all of this is true, Nerida has been through way more than I could've imagined. This is the worst case of neglect I've ever seen and I needed to help her, but I wasn't sure how.

"So what happens now?" I asked. My eyebrows scrunched together at the obvious discomfort on his face. "What is it?"

"As soon as she is discharged, they're just going to chuck her into a foster home," he muttered.

"What?" I deadpanned, giving him a chance to say something smarter than that bullshit. "That's the stupidest thing I've ever heard in my life. She's seventeen years old."

"Exactly, she's still a minor. So, I'm saying this off the record but, those bastards are just going to dump her there."

"But she's going to be eighteen years old in two weeks. What do they think is going to happen to her then?"

"Mr. Colt, I don't know if this is news to you but they do not care," he paused briefly, looking as though there was something he wanted to say but couldn't bring himself to it.

"This is probably the most unethical thing I've ever said but my plan was to keep her hospitalized until she turned eighteen. I would have covered all her hospital bills and then when she turned eighteen... I don't know what I would've done but I would've done everything to help her."

"You're speaking in past tense," I pointed out, taken aback by how much he seemed to care about Nerida.

"I was going through with my plan but then... you came along. Well, technically you never left," he mumbled the end to himself and then snorted a laugh. This guy was a mess.

"So what do I have to do to keep Nerida safe and out of the system?"

"Well, first of all, you need to become a foster parent. More specifically, her foster parent. You take her in for the next two weeks and when she turns eighteen... well, I don't think I need to narrate your inner ambitions." The cocky smirk on his face angered me, especially since I wanted to eliminate those thoughts from my head.

I wanted to help Nerida. She was too innocent for this world and I wanted to protect her in every way possible. Besides, I was ten years older than Nerida. It would be completely wrong of me to feel anything but a brotherly sense of protection towards her.

"Watch it Francis," I warned, not appreciating his insinuations.

He leaned back in his chair and raised his hand defensively, an all-knowing smile on his face.

"Whatever you say Mr. Colt."

~ ~ ~

"I haven't heard from you in forever Jackson. What have you gotten yourself into this time?" Michael's cheeky voice filled the line and I resisted the urge to roll my eyes at his cocksure behaviour.

Michael Callahan was my family lawyer. The last time I contacted him was a few weeks after my high school graduation when I withdrew my entire inheritance and got on a flight to New York.

I never thought I'd see the day I contacted someone from my past but Nerida Spade was making me do the unimaginable.

"How fast can you get up here Michael? I need your help with something important."

"Woah, I haven't heard from you in ten years and I can't even get a hello? And to answer your question, I can be there by tonight."

"Well, I've never been one for pleasantries now have I?" He remained silent and I actually found myself feeling... bad.

What was happening to me?

I looked back at Nerida, lying on her hospital bed so gracefully and guilt ate at me. I was a horrid person.

"Look, I'm sorry. I just... really need your help. When you get here I'll explain everything." My tone shocked even me so I can't imagine what it did to him.

"Uh.... yeah. I'll take the company jet and be there in the morning."

Before I could reply, I heard soft whimpers from behind me and turned to see Nerida shuffling in bed.

"I'll see you soon Michael. Have a safe flight." I hung up the phone without waiting for a reply and rushed over to Nerida's side. I promised her that I would be here when she woke up and I will live up to it.

Her eyes fluttered open and immediately a little giggle left her lips.

"Jackie, you stayed!" She cheered and tried shifting upwards. I carefully guided her upright into a sitting position, then took my seat next to the bed.

I gave her some water and watched as she happily gulped down the entire glass.

"Did you do anything fun while I was napping Jackie?" She asked as I placed the glass on the side table again.

"Well, I had a chat with your doctor about some important things. Also, I had a phone call with my lawyer-"

"Ooh, I know what a lawyer is! They are the people that stand up and talk in a court right?"

I'd forgotten for a second that Nerida has never been to school and I had no idea what her level of education was. The thought alone filled me with so much empathy that I couldn't stop myself from reaching out and cradling her cheek.

"That's right babygirl. Where did you learn that?"

"I learned it from TV," she replied.

"You watched a lot of TV, huh pumpkin?"

"Are you kidding me? I love TV! I watch it all the time," she went on ranting, telling me all of her favourite shows and the characters in them.

I listened attentively, loving how animated she got when she spoke passionately. Her smile was brighter than ever and her eyes glowed even more, something I didn't even think possible.

All I could think about was how no one was ever going to hurt her again.

~ ~ ~

how we doing fellas

i have no idea what to write so, stay safe, stay home, stay healthy

✨d o r i s✨