Charming: Part I - 4. Chapter Four

Lucky opened his eyes and saw a white-paneled ceiling and wondered where he was. He knew he was lying on a bed, an uncomfortable one and a sheet pulled up to his chest with his bare foot sticking out from the end. He looked around judging by the flashing and beeping equipment at his right side, he was in a hospital. And turning his head to the left, he saw Cindi sleeping on a chair next to him.

Lucky attempted to sit up, but he was somewhat restrained by the tubes and wiring that was attached from the monitoring equipment to his body. And his body also protested him from sitting up, making him like he was just hit by a car.

Then the memory of what happened came crashing back into Lucky’s head. He hesitantly pulled the sheet away from his body, scared that he was going to find mangled limbs. But miraculously he looked completely fine, his legs still intact along with the rest of his body that was clothed with only a thin hospital gown.

Though his body still hurt, Lucky was grateful that nothing externally was wrong with him, surprising since most people did not get struck by a car at full speed with just a sore body. He remembered the massive force he felt from the front of the car striking his hip and his shoulder smashing the windshield before everything turned black. He also remembered Zev who he hoped was okay, pushed far enough that the car did not touch him.

Lucky thought it was funny that he was concerned about that police officer since he did arrest Lucky after almost drowning to death. At least give him some time to recover before throwing him into a holding cell. And then Lucky went out of his way to save the man from being overwhelmed by those wolf-men creatures, only to have his own sword pressed against his neck by the same man. Talk about ungrateful.

So why did Lucky push Zev away from the oncoming car’s direction instead of being concerned for his wellbeing first? Now here he was on a hospital bed, connected to hospital equipment and for what? The man was probably waiting outside of his room, making sure he does not escape from the hospital.

Lucky covered his face with his hands and sighed heavily, and this awakened Cindi from her sleep. Raising her head up from the back of the wall, she looked at Lucky and smiled.

“Lucky. You’re awake,” Cindi said, placing a gentle on his arm.

“Yeah, and you too,” Lucky responded, trying again to sit up on his bed despite the pain.

“Are you feeling okay? I mean, I know you got struck by a car, but the doctors said you didn’t suffer any serious injuries, Thank God, and that you’ll be able to leave by the end of today,” Cindi said.

“Yeah, I’m okay. Nothing looks broken on the outside, and I assume my charming looks are still intact, right?”

Cindi chuckled. “Don’t worry. You still look as charming as ever… Cheri’s is at the cafeteria right now, so I can text her to get you some food too.”

“No, I’m fine… What happened to Zev?” Lucky asked, very curious.

“You mean that police officer. Oh, God, where do I begin?” Cindi said, bowing her head and allowing her light blond head to fall on her face.

“Start from right after I got struck by that car,” Lucky suggested.

“Well, after you were hit, that car started to back away, maybe to run you over again, but Zev stopped the car by ripping the driver’s door off from its hinges. He then grabbed the driver who was one of the men who ran away, threw him out of the car and…well, to put it bluntly, beaten the fucking shit out of him. He looked like he got struck by a car himself after Zev was done with him, and that was when the other police officers arrived… Zev was the one carried you to the ambulance and he rode with you to the hospital.”

“Really?” Lucky said, surprised by the action.

“Yeah, he even stopped Cheri and I from being the one to ride in the ambulance with you, saying it was vital or something for him to ride with you instead. And when we arrived at the hospital, we were told you were okay and that Zev had left. I don’t know where he went, but apparently he did something that was able to save your live… You should’ve seen yourself after that car hit you, Lucky. You were all bloodied and your legs were both bent in an unnatural position. Cheri and I feared the worst, but here you are now, looking unscathed.”

Lucky pondered on what Cindi had just said to him and that was when Cheri came back with a tray of food that she immediately gave to Cindi, so she could give him a very tight hug. She told him how relieved she was that he was okay right before scolding him for putting himself in such danger. He did not argue since he knew that Cheri was disciplining him because she cared deeply about him, along with Cindi who both felt more like real sisters to him, treating him like a little brother who they must protect. They were a definite support when things went south with his father and after losing his oldest brother to that one princess he was still seeking to this day.

Losing his brother was why Lucky risked his life at that flooded stadium, trying to obtain an item that was the main ingredient to recreating the object fairy tale legend: The Magic Mirror. Yes, the very mirror used to seek the fairest of women in all the land. Recreating that mirror would help him avenge his brother’s death and finally kill that woman who poisoned almost everything in Lucky’s life like that apple she once ate.

However, Lucky needed to continue resting and then after he could ask Cheri to find information, so he could recreate the mirror with Cindi’s help as well since she could build a plan, using her skills as an undercover agent to get him what he needed.

Only then would Lucky finally rest in peace.

***

Lucky groaned as he shifted in his bed, feeling warm that contrasted with the cooler temperature that hospitals usually had. The day turned to night and he was told that he had to stay until the next morning until the doctors were sure that he was completely stable before releasing him. Cindi and Cheri had already left, and he decided to sleep, so that when he woke up, he would be ready to leave. Though that would be hard due the temperature change.

Still feeling uncomfortable, Lucky opened his eyes and was about to get up when he saw a figure standing over him. He jumped in his bed, fearing the worst. But when a warm finger was placed on his lips, he felt his body relax suddenly and the fear that shot through his body quickly subsided. He then watched as the figure walked to the door, closed it and turned on the lights on the ceiling. His eyes widened when he saw Zev in the room and he started to panic again.

“What the—?”

“Be quiet,” Zev shushed Lucky as he walked to a chair next to his bed and sat down. “Don’t worry. I’m not here to arrest you again.”

Lucky relaxed again, but then said, “Then…why are you here?”

Zev sighed. “I just wanted to make sure you were okay…after what happened last night.” Then with his fisted clenched on his lap and he said, “What the hell were thinking?”

Taken aback, Lucky said, “What are you saying?”

Standing up and placing his hands on the bedrail, Zev said, “Why did you push me out of the way instead of looking out for yourself? I can have survived being hit by a car. You can’t!”

“I’m sorry!” Lucky said, shrinking into his bed. “I just did what I thought was right.”

“Well, that bravery almost got you killed,” Zev scolded, turning his back to Lucky.

“Why do you even care?”

“I don’t,” Zev asserted.

“Then…Then why did you save my life?” Lucky asked, curious.

Turning around quickly, Zev said, “What are you talking about?”

Sighing, Lucky sat up on his bed and said, “Cindi said you were the one who rode with me in the ambulance, saying that it was ‘vital’ or something like that. I guess it worked since I was a mangled mess after that car hit me and now here I am without a scratch on me. Care to explain?”

Scrubbing his forehead with his hand, Zev said, “It’s…It’s a long story.”

“Well, I won’t be released from the hospital until morning, so I have time,” Lucky said, clasping his hands on his lap and waited for Zev to tell his story.

Zev shook his head and said, “Why don’t you explain things to me, Prince Charming? What were you doing at that flooded stadium with that witch?”

“It’s…personal,” Lucky admitted.

“Well, it had to be serious for someone like you to go against the rulebook and deal with a witch rather than slaying them like in plenty of those fairy tales,” Zev noted as he sat back down. “Start from the beginning.”

Scratching the back of his neck, Lucky wondered if he should tell Zev his motivation for risking his life when he heard the door opening and saw tall figure entering the room. His heart dropped when he saw his father, the king who had a stoic expression on his face as he looked at Lucky with dead eyes.

“Lucian…”

Zev turned his around in his chair to see Lucky’s father and turned back with a raised a eyebrow, most likely connecting the dots, that Lucky was not just any Prince Charming, but the son of King Charming.

Walking to Lucky’s bed with his hands behind his back, his father then turned his face to Zev and said, “Who’s this?”

“Uh…”

“I’m Officer Zev, Sir,” he said, standing up and extending his hand out to Lucky’s father. But when he did not move to shake it, Zev dropped his hand to his side and said, “I’m just here to get your son’s statement is all.”

“Well, Zev, do you mind if I can talk to my son alone, so I can get a statement of my own,” Lucky’s father said, his eyes boring into Lucky like a pair of drills.

Looking back and forth from Lucky and his father, Zev then said, “Of course… Take your time.”

Lucky watched as Zev walked out of the room, glancing back with a look of concern before closing the door from behind him. Lucky silently wished that Zev would stay since he did not want to be left alone with a man who caused the temperature to decrease by just his mere presence.

Lucky’s father was wearing what appeared to be a mix of a business suit and the clothing that royalty wore. They were of various shades of gray, the colors cold like the aura that his father admitted as stood by Lucky’s bed like a statue.

Lucky, looking anywhere but his father’s eyes, said, “Hi, Father. How are you—?”

“Don’t try to deflect what I’m about to say, Lucian,” his father said coldly as he walked to the window and looked through the darkness that was the night sky. “Care to explain why you are here in this hospital, my son?”

Lucky swallowed and with hands clenched said, “I was just…at Cheri’s place and—”

“You mean that whore your brother married?” Lucky’s father hissed.

“She’s not a whore, Father,” Lucky argued.

“And let me guess. You were also with that Cindi woman as well, weren’t you?” Lucky’s father asked, more of a statement than a question.

“Yes…Yes, I was,” Lucky mumbled.

Scoffing, Lucky’s father said, “No wonder you’re in the hospital. What did those two ladies get you involved with this time?”

Lucky furrowed his eyebrows and said, “Nothing, Father.”

The man then turned around and walked to Lucky’s bed where he stood above him, authoritatively and said, “Don’t lie to me, Lucian. What happened that made you have to be sent into the hospital?”

Looking down, Lucky said, “I was just…”

“Answer me!”

Lucky was startled by the boom of his father’s voice that must have been heard throughout the entire hospital. However, he did not say anything else, afraid of what would come out of his father’s mouth next if he knew the truth.

Lucky’s father then sighed heavily before walking to the other side of the room. “I hope you understand where I’m coming from, Lucian. Discovering I have several missed phone calls from you and later being told that you were in the hospital in an unknown condition would make any father fear the worst. And now you won’t even tell me what happened, making me believe you’ll end up just your twin brothers…as a disappointment… I expect you home as soon as you’re released from the hospital. I already pushed back the meeting you have with your princess-to-be. So, any more delays will not sit well with me, Lucian. Do you understand?”

Lucky slowly nodded and with a growing tightness in his throat said, “Yes, Father.”

“Good. Now I have to continue my work that my visit to this hospital has delayed significantly.” Stopping by the door and not looking back, Lucky’s father said, “Remember your eldest brother, Lucian and know that I can’t lose you either.”

The door closed and with the room empty once again, Lucky allowed himself to finally release the emotions that he kept bottled inside him as soon as he father appeared. There was no way he was going to let his father witness the tears that were cascading down his face and the embarrassing noises that tumbled out his mouth as he continued to retch his feelings out. How could the man who was once so warm and loving when Lucky was a child turn into a cold, hateful man who was just in the room a moment ago. And how dare he use his dead brother, one of the few people he cared about, just to make a point.

The door opened again and Lucky turned his back to the door as he lied back down, not wanting anybody, especially his father to see what mess he had had become. However, when he felt a warm hand on his shoulder, he turned to see Zev standing by him with a sad expression on his face.

Sitting up, Lucky said, “What are you—?”

“I’m sorry, Lucky,” Zev said, lowering the bedrail and sitting on the bed without removing his touch. “I…I just wanted to say that I understand where you’re coming from.”

Lucky raised his eyebrows to what Zev just said, but by the look of sympathy on that rough, yet handsome face, he started to fall apart again as he pressed his face onto Zev’s chest. And as he felt Zev pat his head gently, he cried for the brother that he loved and lost, as well as his father. This soothed him until he eventually calmed down and allowed himself to be enraptured in a sleep that he wished that he would never wake up from.