A Little Piece Of Heaven
Clouds and a Hammock
Chapter Eighteen:
The doc was right about the fractured wrist. The relocation hurt like a fucking bitch, though. I have three cracked ribs. And I feel high as a kite right now. I don’t know how, but Jace managed to get Eric to agree to me staying at his place for a few days. He said something about giving me space to recuperate. He is supposed to stop by in a couple of days to say goodbye before he heads back to Japan. He gave his word that there wouldn’t be another surprise visit, this time.
I laid on the hammock on the Atwood’s porch and just swayed and watched the clouds. I have no idea how I had been out there or what time it was. But the clouds were so damn pretty. They looked just like cotton candy and I wanted to touch them.
-.-
I jerked awake when I heard someone say my name. It took me a couple of minutes to focus, but I saw Gwen’s face. She was frowning.
“How ya feelin’, Baby?” She asked me, touching my forehead. Her frown deepened. “You still haven’t broken your fever. I can give you more meds in a couple of hours, but not before. I’ll get you an ice pack and something cold to drink, hopefully that’ll help a little bit.”
“I feel light as a feather.” I told her, smiling. It didn’t even hurt to smile now, but I can feel blood dribbling down my chin. “Oops.” I giggled at the blood.
“I’ll get you a damp washcloth.” She told me. I nodded. She was back before I realized she had left. I was mesmerized by the clouds, again. “How long has he been doing this?” She asked me, pressing the cloth to my mouth. I shrugged.
“A few years, but it just got this bad a while ago.” I told her. She nodded.
“Why didn’t you say anything?” She asked me.
“I didn’t want him to hurt you, too.” I told her.
“You don’t have to worry about me, sweetie. That’s my job. I want to make sure you’re okay. Who’s going to protect you?” She asked.
“I just have to make it until I’m eighteen.” I mumbled.
“What if he kills you before then?”
“I don’t know. I guess I’ll live with the clouds and see my Mom again. At least I won’t have to live with him, anymore.”
“You don’t have to live with him now. You can stay here. You already have your claim on our guest room. You know that you’re always welcome.”
“He’ll never let me go, not unless he has no choice in the matter.”
“Baby, that’s too much weight for one girl.” She whispered.
“I’m not a little girl.” I reminded her. I was starting to come out of my daze. The pain meds are finally starting to wear off. I grimaced. I know I have a while until I can take anything, again. I’ll just suck it up and deal with the pain in the mean time.
“I know.” She looked sad. “I’m going to make some dinner. Is there anything you want?” She asked me.
“Macaroni sounds good.” I told her. She nodded.
“Mac and cheese coming up.” She told me.
-.-
“Gel, wake up.” Jace was rubbing my cheek. I opened my eyes and forced myself to focus on him. He smiled. I started to sit up and swung my legs over the side of the hammock. I looked at the ground and pondered how much it would hurt if I fell. He looked at me like he was reading my mind and he picked me up. He carried me to the table. “That better?” He asked. I nodded. “Matt’s been asking about you.
He’s really worried. You’re going to have to tell him something. I think it’d be easier if you told him the truth. Well, some version of the truth, at least.”
“Okay, I’ll call him after dinner.” I told him.
“He wants to see you.” He told me. I bit my lip.
“He can after Eric leaves. He’s the reason all of this happened. He doesn’t want me to see Matt. He got possessive. I really can’t take another beat-down, right now.” I told him.
“Yeah, alright. Eric said he was heading out tomorrow or the day after.” He told me.
“Good. I might just stay here while he’s gone. I’ll go back and get clothes, but I hate staying at the house.” I admitted.
“We’d feel better if you stayed here.” Gwen smiled. I nodded.
“Cool. I’m starving is there anymore?” I asked.
-.-
Jace didn’t let me out of his sight. I’ve been sleeping in his room with him. He’s paranoid that way, but it’s refreshing. I like the company. I have knots in my stomach about talking to Matt. I texted him and told him I could talk to him face to face after Eric left town. He didn’t push it, but I know the actual conversation won’t go over that well.
I’ll worry about tomorrow’s problems tomorrow. Tonight, I’ll sleep and try not to relive the past.
The doc was right about the fractured wrist. The relocation hurt like a fucking bitch, though. I have three cracked ribs. And I feel high as a kite right now. I don’t know how, but Jace managed to get Eric to agree to me staying at his place for a few days. He said something about giving me space to recuperate. He is supposed to stop by in a couple of days to say goodbye before he heads back to Japan. He gave his word that there wouldn’t be another surprise visit, this time.
I laid on the hammock on the Atwood’s porch and just swayed and watched the clouds. I have no idea how I had been out there or what time it was. But the clouds were so damn pretty. They looked just like cotton candy and I wanted to touch them.
-.-
I jerked awake when I heard someone say my name. It took me a couple of minutes to focus, but I saw Gwen’s face. She was frowning.
“How ya feelin’, Baby?” She asked me, touching my forehead. Her frown deepened. “You still haven’t broken your fever. I can give you more meds in a couple of hours, but not before. I’ll get you an ice pack and something cold to drink, hopefully that’ll help a little bit.”
“I feel light as a feather.” I told her, smiling. It didn’t even hurt to smile now, but I can feel blood dribbling down my chin. “Oops.” I giggled at the blood.
“I’ll get you a damp washcloth.” She told me. I nodded. She was back before I realized she had left. I was mesmerized by the clouds, again. “How long has he been doing this?” She asked me, pressing the cloth to my mouth. I shrugged.
“A few years, but it just got this bad a while ago.” I told her. She nodded.
“Why didn’t you say anything?” She asked me.
“I didn’t want him to hurt you, too.” I told her.
“You don’t have to worry about me, sweetie. That’s my job. I want to make sure you’re okay. Who’s going to protect you?” She asked.
“I just have to make it until I’m eighteen.” I mumbled.
“What if he kills you before then?”
“I don’t know. I guess I’ll live with the clouds and see my Mom again. At least I won’t have to live with him, anymore.”
“You don’t have to live with him now. You can stay here. You already have your claim on our guest room. You know that you’re always welcome.”
“He’ll never let me go, not unless he has no choice in the matter.”
“Baby, that’s too much weight for one girl.” She whispered.
“I’m not a little girl.” I reminded her. I was starting to come out of my daze. The pain meds are finally starting to wear off. I grimaced. I know I have a while until I can take anything, again. I’ll just suck it up and deal with the pain in the mean time.
“I know.” She looked sad. “I’m going to make some dinner. Is there anything you want?” She asked me.
“Macaroni sounds good.” I told her. She nodded.
“Mac and cheese coming up.” She told me.
-.-
“Gel, wake up.” Jace was rubbing my cheek. I opened my eyes and forced myself to focus on him. He smiled. I started to sit up and swung my legs over the side of the hammock. I looked at the ground and pondered how much it would hurt if I fell. He looked at me like he was reading my mind and he picked me up. He carried me to the table. “That better?” He asked. I nodded. “Matt’s been asking about you.
He’s really worried. You’re going to have to tell him something. I think it’d be easier if you told him the truth. Well, some version of the truth, at least.”
“Okay, I’ll call him after dinner.” I told him.
“He wants to see you.” He told me. I bit my lip.
“He can after Eric leaves. He’s the reason all of this happened. He doesn’t want me to see Matt. He got possessive. I really can’t take another beat-down, right now.” I told him.
“Yeah, alright. Eric said he was heading out tomorrow or the day after.” He told me.
“Good. I might just stay here while he’s gone. I’ll go back and get clothes, but I hate staying at the house.” I admitted.
“We’d feel better if you stayed here.” Gwen smiled. I nodded.
“Cool. I’m starving is there anymore?” I asked.
-.-
Jace didn’t let me out of his sight. I’ve been sleeping in his room with him. He’s paranoid that way, but it’s refreshing. I like the company. I have knots in my stomach about talking to Matt. I texted him and told him I could talk to him face to face after Eric left town. He didn’t push it, but I know the actual conversation won’t go over that well.
I’ll worry about tomorrow’s problems tomorrow. Tonight, I’ll sleep and try not to relive the past.
This is an amazing story. Some chapters were hard to read but I was hooked. Thank you for sharing it.
2/16/18