Gator Read Free

you.”
    “Gator….  I’m…”
    The paramedic was in Naughty’s face.  “I need to know what you took.  I need to know how to treat this and I can’t unless I know what you took.  You have to tell me right now.  Pills or did you do something else.  It matters.”
    Naughty shook her head.  “I didn’t take anything.”
    The paramedic frowned and took in the picture Naughty made lying on the stretcher covered in body glitter and stage makeup. 
    “Look, I’m not judging, but if you want to live, I suggest you tell me.  I can’t force it, but if you wait much longer you risk losing the baby, unless,” she shrugged, “that’s what you want.”  She tilted her head and frowned down at Naughty.
    Gator was going to kill the woman.  His hand shot out and gripped the female paramedic’s throat until she gasped.
    “I don’ know what da fuck your problem is, but you’d better get it handled before I break you goddamned neck.  She wants this baby.  We both do, now you figure this shit out and get that huge fucking chip off your shoulder or you’ll be the one needing a hospital.”
    He let go and she gasped for breath.  “I’ll press charges!”
    “You do dat and you’ll learn real fast who my friends are.  Say one fucking word and I’ll ruin your whole life.”  He grinned a smile that was nowhere near nice.  “If I allow you to keep living it.”
    Gator pulled his beads from under his shirt and started twisting them around his finger.  He knew he looked creepy with the beads and tattoos, but that was the point.
    The woman let out a long breath and crossed herself.  She carefully sat beside Naughty and questioned her again.
    Gator tuned her out as he stroked Naughty’s beautiful hair.  They would be at the hospital soon and someone would take care of this.  They had to.
    Life couldn’t be that cruel.
     
     

 
     
     
    3
     
     
    Naughty opened her eyes to a dimly lit hospital room.  She tried to figure out if she was whole by the way that she felt, but she couldn’t.  The pain was gone at least and that was good, but she found her hand creeping up to cover her tummy.  It was still flat so she couldn’t tell if her little child still rested there.  She held back a sob that would do her no good.  She needed facts, not to let her imagination run wild.
    “Hello?”  She whispered and Viki’s face appeared above her. 
    She loved Viki.  She was kind and understood how crappy life could be and she was still sweet and kind.  She didn’t judge Naughty for the choices she’d made in life, she understood because hers had sucked too.  Viki’s life had changed when she’d become Jack’s old lady and found her happy ending.  Not everybody got one of those, but Naughty was happy Viki did.
    “Hey there Mighty Mouse.”  Naughty said.  Viki hated the moniker, but it had sort of stuck since she’d been a club mouse not too long ago, but she had grown strong enough to shoulder her past.
    Naughty envied her that and admired her for it.
    “Well, just for that I won’t give you this nice clean water.”  Viki grinned and held the straw away for a second before pressing it to Naughty’s lips.
    “You can’t be mean Viki.  It’s not in your nature.”  Naughty let herself relax against the pillows.  “Ever seen a mouse turn on the cat?”
    “Oh I have my moments don’t you think I don’t.”  Viki quipped.
    Naughty smiled.  “Squeak squeak...So tell me…”
    Viki tilted her head and smiled.  “Tell you what Tiff?  That you look like microwaved shit?  Done.”
    “Shit.  You have grown a mean streak.  Stop hanging out with Lawless.”  She took another sip of water.  “Total bad influence.”
    Viki let out a laugh.  “That is the God’s honest truth right there.”
    “What happened?”  Naughty finally asked.
    “I’m not really all that sure sweetie.  Jack just told me to sit with you until Gator got back.”  Viki shook her head.  “He is crazy over