Page 17 of Bishop

"Come on, let's get him turned over so we can redress these wounds."

Bishop screams in agony as the three of us slowly roll him back over to his front.

"Shit, this isn't good," April mutters as we get another look at his back. The wounds are red at the edges, and several of them look like they're starting to become infected.

"We have to clean these more often." Quickly, the medical professional in me jumps to the forefront of my mind. Not because I want to hurry up and finish what we're doing, but I know if I continue to look at Bishop as a friend instead of just a patient, I'm going to lose my mind. I hate to see him in this much pain. Liam really did a number on him.

"How are we supposed to do that? We don't have any more supplies." April shakes her head while she's looking at me.

"We can use strips of cloth dipped into our drinking water."

"Then what would we drink?" April pipes up again.

"Listen, this man doesn't have to be in here helping us. I'm sure he could've fought his way to either death or out by now if he didn't have to be in here worrying about us." Willa championed Bishop, and it made me feel good that someone other than myself acknowledged how much of a part he really played in our survival. "We're going to do whatever he needs. Besides, it's not like we're going to be using up all the water, just enough to clean his back."

I nod my head in agreement before turning to look at April. She lets out a sigh before she finally agrees to what both Willa and I are saying.

"Don't waste... waste anything on me." Bishop tries to move, but I see his muscles tremble with every movement.

"Stop it, Bishop. This is happening whether you want it to or not. We need you." I lean down and whisper in his ear. He grunts, defeated, before he nods his head softly. From then on, April, Willa, and I use up most of our drinking water to clean the wounds on his back and reapply the little bit of pain relief salve I have left. I know things are getting better for Bishop when he starts talking to us.

"Willa, have you thought of a name yet? Or do you want it to be a surprise?"

Like most expectant mothers, the mention of Willa's unborn child causes a huge smile to spread across her cracked lips.

"No, I don't think I'll leave it for a surprise. I've had enough surprises to last a lifetime in this place."

I giggle at that, even though it's morbid as hell.

"I'm thinking something like Skylar. That's my only wish—that I'll be able to see the sky again. Even if I don't, at least I'll have him or her here as a small piece of it." Willa shrugs, and I feel the tears pricking the back of my eyelids. This child deserves to be able to see the sky, deserves to be able to run and play, and just be happy.

"We're going to get you and that baby there. Don't worry about it." Bishop turns to look at Willa, the sincerity clear on his dark features.

"I believe you, Bishop. Out of everyone in this place, I believe you the most." Willa touches his shoulder, the one place on his body that doesn't have any bandages.

"Bishop, was your mother very religious or something?" April speaks up from where she's sitting on the side of him.

"No, not at all. Bishop isn't my birth name; it was given to me by my club. I grew up in a very spiritual home, and when I finally got into the MC life, I was the one the guys came to talk to about any moral dilemmas or just for advice that they felt needed a nonjudgmental ear. Not to mention I made sure they said grace before meals and after a run. Things happen for a reason, and when they do, there is always someone to give thanks to."

"Hmm, I'd have never pictured you for a priest." Willa chuckled.

"Me neither, but it seems like everyone else did. I've never worked in a church or anything like that, but I've been known to preside over a wedding or two. I have a way with words."

"A way with words..." Willa looked from me back to Bishop. "No wonder you and Gabi are so good for each other. Just your words are enough to get us by." Bishop darts his eyes up to me. It's the first time anyone has mistaken us for being together. I'm not mad at it in the least. There are far worse things I could be doing than being mistaken as Bishop's woman.

"What about you? How was your upbringing?" Bishop asks Willa, and she sits back to tell us how she was raised. The four of us sit in a small circle, speaking quietly so as not to wake Uma.

It's the closest I've been to normal in a long while. If I closed my eyes and my nose, I could pretend we were all in a park somewhere just exchanging stories—not locked up in this torture chamber just waiting for the next blow to hit.

April, Willa, Bishop and I laugh and chat like we're all at a coffee house in the city. It feels great just to let up a little. Great just to have a little semblance of peace.

When I look around the room, I'm happy for the first time in ages. Not only do I have Bishop by my side but the girls, in the short time that I've known them have become something like a little family for me. The sisters I never had and the little village I always needed.

Of course, I should've known that no good things in this place last. I should've known the worst was steam rolling in my direction.

"I swear when I was younger I was such a tomboy. I thought I was going to be the first NFL player to have boobs." April laughs and nearly falls backward.

"You're joking. That was my dream too!" Willa smacked her leg as we all continued feeling the joy rushing through us.