Miles for Love Series Box Set, page 94
“Ty, I know her. I’d bet money on it.”
Chapter 14
Ripley
All I can hear is the rhythmic beeping of whatever is on the wall. It’s driving me nuts. It’s worse than the damn birds who congregate in the tree at the front of my house, and chirp noisily for hours on end in the summertime, early in the morning, especially on Saturdays when I’m supposed to be sleeping in. I want to reach over and yank the cord out to shut the damn thing up, but for the life of me, I can’t get my goddamn arm to move. Nor any other part of my body, for that matter. Even my eyes won’t open. I know I still have a head, on account of the fact that it’s throbbing like it’s in a vice.
There are soft voices nearby, and I’m trying to decipher them, but the sounds are muffled, like everyone is talking from behind a mask. Someone’s hand is on mine, and I try so hard to move it, but it won’t. Am I paralyzed? I wonder, but then I exhaust myself just thinking about it. What seems like hours later, I hear more voices. My tongue won’t move, so I can’t speak. Is it Paul? Is he here to finish me off? No, it’s not Paul. It’s my brother, Drake.
“Hey, sis.” Drake says. “I’ve got some great news. Paul was denied bail. They had a hearing today. Based on the hospital report and photos that the lawyer submitted, the judge refused bail.”
On my God. It feels like my skin is crawling. Like there are a million ants travelling up and down my entire body. Just the mention of Paul makes me sick. I’ve never hated anyone in my entire life, but I hate him now. The things that he did to me…it’ll take years of psychotherapy to work through it. He wanted to kill me. He almost did. He was reaching for a knife in the kitchen drawer when I finally broke free from him and ran out the door. I knew that Frankie was out with Grant, and I didn’t want to freak her mom out by showing up there. I had no idea how bad I looked. The first place I thought of was Tyler’s house.
All I kept thinking as I was driving there was that Paul would follow me. That’s why my foot never left the gas pedal. I was at Tyler’s in about five minutes. Just long enough to hold on from passing out. My ribs were screaming, my head was throbbing. The pain was coming from every inch of my body, but I wasn’t going to die this way. I wouldn’t give him the satisfaction. My husband is a murderer. Correction. A wife murderer. He’s wanted me dead for so long, killing me slowly with neglect. It’s not until he has a few in him that the real Paul emerges.
The room goes silent. But I can feel a presence there. Actually, it’s two people, because I can feel one on either side of me. “She’s doing well.” I recognize the voice. It’s Frankie. “The swelling’s gone down. They’ve taken her off the sedation. It’s just her that’s got to fight through it now.”
“She’ll do it.” I recognize Tyler’s voice. “If nothing else, so she can ream me out for lying.”
Frankie chuckles. “Please…you’re so gay.”
“No.” he snuffles. “But I had you believing I was.” He says, matter-of-factly, with his tone raised an octave for emphasis.
“Don’t be too proud of that.” She teases.
I’m feeling tired again. A time later, I wake up, and this time, I can open my eyes. As I blink, I realize that the room is empty. I look around, taking in my surroundings, and I have no idea how long I’ve been here. But for whatever reason, I feel safe. Something inside me tells me that I’m okay. Whether it’s some divine intervention, like maybe my friends and family are in the chapel praying for me, I don’t know. But I’m thankful. Thankful to be alive. Thankful to be safe.
My mouth feels like it’s full of cotton and I cough after trying to swallow. Another cough comes and I cry out because my ribs are hurting so bad. A nurse pops her head in. “Hi, Ripley.” She says, using a tone that my mom used to use when I was little, and I just woke up from a really long nap.
I smile, but when I try to talk again, I cough. “You’ve got a little throat irritation there. Let me get you some water.”
The nurse pops her head out the door as she fills a paper cup with water. “Ripley Baker is awake. Do you want to call her family and doctor Reynolds, please?”
She hands me the cup. “Drink slowly, okay? Little sips so you don’t choke?”
I nod and take a small sip. It takes like gold.
“How do you feel?”
“My ribs hurt, and my head hurts.” I answer, raising my hand to my eye.
“I’d keep my hands off that, darling. Your eye is badly bruised.”
After she checks my monitors and I finish my water, the doctor comes in and evaluates me. “You woke up pretty fast after we took the sedation away. That’s a really good sign.”
“Good. When do I get to go home?”
Doctor Reynolds smiles. “Once we get you out of intensive care, it will be a few days. We’ll take it one day at a time for now.”
My mom and dad come in first. “Oh, Ripley.” Mom gushes. Tears start to fill her eyes. “How are you, dear?”
“I’m okay, I think.”
Dad chimes in. “The doctor says you woke up pretty fast. That’s my girl.”
“I’m starving. That’s why I woke up.”
That gets a smile from mom. I must look like hell, based on the way she’s looking at me.
Drake sticks his head in. “Hey, sleepyhead.”
“Hardy har.” I say.
“Are you decent?” he teases. This was a question he asked me constantly when we were both still living with my parents. He always asked before entering my room.
“In a manner of speaking, yes.” I answer. I look for the rest of my siblings. “Where is the rest of the clan?”
“Well, it’s Monday, dear. They’re all at work. They’ll be by after.” Dad says.
“Geez…how long have I been out?”
“Six days, sweetheart.” Drake says, kissing my cheek. “You’ve been through a lot. Your body needed to heal.”
My eyebrows lift. “Six days? But what about…what about work?” I start to panic.
“Don’t worry, Ripley.” Dad says. “Your mother called the school and explained. You’ve been placed on sick leave. They have a substitute sitting in for you.”
“But I’ve only been there a week.” My head rests on the pillow and I’m propped up. “This looks so bad.”
“Your mother’s been in contact with the principal, dear. She was even in to see you.” Dad says.
“Very nice woman.” Mom says.
“Yes, she is.” I agree, feeling tears prick the backs of my eyes.
“Love, don’t cry.” Mom says. “I know you’re worried about your new job, sweetheart, but they completely understand. You’ve been through a lot.”
“You mean…they know?” I say, my voice is so low it’s almost a squeak.
Mom gives me a look that answers my question. “Sweetheart, yes, they know. I had to tell them because I feared for your job.”
I nod. “No, you’re right.”
“And there’s nothing to be ashamed of, Ripley.” Dad says.
Drake’s hand is stroking mine. “Rip, everything is going to be okay.”
We hear voices in the hallway, and then I see Frankie, Grant and Tyler. My emotions take over at the sight of them all, as I break down in tears. Frankie comes over and wraps her arms around me, weeping with me like the best friend she is. “I’m so happy you made it, Rip.” Frankie sobs in my ear. “I don’t know what I’d ever do without you.”
Drake is still holding my hand, while Frankie is next to him. Grant and Tyler stay back while me and Frankie hug. It’s a mess of tears and emotion until the nurse comes back in. “Okay, okay.” She says, good-naturedly. “I know there’s a lot of love in this room, but it’s way too much love. Only two people at a time, okay? The patient needs her rest.”
Everyone is about to leave, when I say. “Tyler?”
He looks up at me, his expression is soft. “Yeah,”
“Can I talk to you for a minute?”
“Sure.” He says. “But just for a minute, Rip. You need to rest.”
I’m feeling so tired I can barely think, but I want to get this out before I fall asleep again.
“Thank you.” I say as he takes a step towards me.
“For what?” he asks softly.
“For taking charge, and doing it with dignity.”
“I can’t take credit, sweetie. That was Daniel.”
“No, Daniel was great, but…thanks for not turning all macho on me. Threatening to go after Paul.”
“Honey, there’s no need for me to go after him. The long arm of the law is after him now.” His hand is around mine, and his thumb is stroking the back of my hand, being careful around the intravenous tube.
“I’m sorry for what happened at the lake. I behaved badly.”
“It’s forgotten, Rip.”
“Can we…start over?” I ask, feeling my eyes get heavy.
“Man, you have way more important things to be worried about, kid.” He kisses my cheek. “Sleep, sweetie.” I don’t even hear him leave. I’m out before his hand leaves mine.
***
“That’s the last load.” Tyler says. Grant is outside, helping Paul’s brother load his things onto the back of his pickup truck. Daniel is over, too, and his wife Kayla.
“Was he okay?” I ask Tyler, fearful. Craig never did a thing to me. Paul’s family is crushed by this. I couldn’t let him see me like this. Although it’s been three weeks since the incident, my face is still bruised, and I can’t walk properly because of my ribs. Daniel says it could take a couple of months to regain all my mobility and energy back. The headaches are still pretty intense.
“He was fine.” Tyler says. “Good guy.”
“He is.” I agree.
Kayla places her hand on mine. “Do you want a drink? I was going to make some tea.”
Kayla and Daniel have been over here almost every night, checking on me, since I’ve been home from the hospital. Frankie brought me home and has stayed with me for the past week. I’ve met Christopher, too, and his wife, Ashley, who has kindly offered to see me for psychotherapy. My therapist knows my history, so I’ve decided to stay with her for now. But it was kind of Ashley to offer.
“Do you think you can make it on your own tonight, Rip?” Frankie asks. “My man here has asked if he can whisk me away for a night on the town.” She says before Grant comes back in.
“Sure, I’ll be fine.” I wave. After two weeks in hospital, and a week sharing a bed with Frankie, I’m looking forward to having my own bed to myself.
“I can stay with you if you want.” Tyler offers. “I’ve slept on a floor before. I’m a military man, remember?” he winks.
“You don’t have to do that, but thanks.” I say. “I need to learn to be on my own at some point.”
Kayla rises. “Well, if you don’t need anything else, Ripley, we should head out. Ashley is babysitting for us, and I’m sure she’s exhausted.”
“Okay, thanks for hanging out, guys.” I say.
“Take a sitz bath before bed again.” Daniel advises. “It’ll help with your ribs.”
“I will.”
Grant walks back in. “Well?” he says to Frankie. “Are we all clear?”
“Yes, Grant.” Frankie chuckles. “Let’s go.”
“You two have fun.” I say.
After everyone except Tyler leaves, I look at him. “You haven’t been to the shop in a while. Aren’t you afraid the natives might get restless?”
“You’re not getting rid of me that easily.” Tyler says.
“Like I said. I need to get used to being on my own some time.”
He pauses for thought. Then he tips his head upward. “Why?”
“Because I’m a grown up. Because I have to learn to deal with things on my own.”
“Yeah. You can do all that and still have a buddy stay with you, you know. Why do you think I have Grant living with me?”
“Are you afraid to live alone?”
“No, I’m not afraid. I just prefer not to.”
“What are you going to do if Frankie and Grant get serious?”
“I’ll deal with it.” he shrugs.
“Something tells me that my guest room is about to be permanently inhabited.” I chuckle.
“Would that be so bad?”
Are we joking around here? “Yes. What do you think the neighbors will say when I tell them that my gay boyfriend is living with me?”
He has the grace to laugh. “You’re lucky you have busted ribs, kid.”
“I’m not afraid of you.”
“Well, that’s a start.” His lips quirk up into a smile. “Are you hungry?”
I shake my head no. “No, but I’m exhausted.”
“I bet you are.” He says. “How about I run you a bath and get you tucked into bed?”
“Tyler, you don’t need to do that.” I smile. “I’m not an invalid.”
“No, but you’re still pretty busted up.” He says honestly.
“Do I look that bad?”
There’s that quirky smile again. “Have you looked in a mirror lately?”
I know that my eye is still closed partially, and there’s still a lot of bruising on my face, which could take several weeks to heal still. Don’t get me started on my belly and ribs. They’re still black and blue and I have a huge scar from where they had to go in and repair the internal bleeding. Despite the truth in all that, Tyler’s quirky little smile sets my face alight. “I could still take a round out of you, mister.”
“Oh, I don’t doubt that at all.” He chuckles. “But I’ve got nowhere else to go except home, and it’s pretty lonely there, since your friend stole my brother.”
“Is that what this is really about? Are you missing Grant?”
“A little.” He admits. “Tell you what, we’ll keep each other company.” He winks.
“Okay, that sounds fair.”
“Let me go get that bath started. Remember, doctor’s orders.” He warns warmly.
“Okay.”
After a warm bath, I slowly sit down on my bed, grabbing my paperback off the nightstand. I hear Tyler’s knock at the door. “Hey.”
“Hey. I thought you’d gone home.”
“You think I would leave without telling you first?” he says, and he seems almost wounded.
“I’m sorry.”
“It’s okay. You want some company?” he asks.
“Sure. Do you like to read?”
“Not fiction, usually. I read manuals and textbooks, things like that.”
“Oh, sorry, I don’t have anything like that here.”
“That’s okay. I can read online. It’s the way I roll anyway.” He pauses. “Unless you’d rather be alone. I don’t want you to feel like I’m staying no matter what. You do have a say.”
“No, it’s okay. I appreciate the company.”
“Good. Because I figured after your ordered bath that you might just kick me out.” He chuckles.
“I wouldn’t kick you out.” I say, playfully patting the bed. “Come sit. Keep me company. If I’m not too scary looking, that is.”
When he just grins warmly but doesn’t say anything, I know that I must still look hideous. I haven’t so much as looked in a mirror yet. I’ll break down and I think I’ve cried enough.
“Am I that bad?” I laugh, trying for light.
He crawls in beside me. Which should be weird, but it’s not. Somehow, when you wake up to a man’s head leaning on your hand as he’s sound asleep from keeping watch on you, said man grows on you.
“No, you’re not that bad.” He says like it’s ridiculous that I even said it.
“You’re a bad liar.”
“No, I’m not, actually. And you can attest.” He says, matter-of-factly.
“Okay, you win.”
He settles in beside me, scrolling through his phone. We’re silent for a while, and I start to feel my eyes get heavy. He’s so quiet I simply lower my book and drift off. Hours later, I bolt up in bed, not knowing where I am.
“Wha…what’s the matter, Ripley?” Tyler says. His voice is a cross between a whisper and a hiss. I’m guessing that he was sleeping, based on how gravelly his voice sounds.
“N…nothing.” I wince from my head and ribs. The pain shoots through both like a lightning strike.
Tyler sits up straight. “You okay?”
From the pain, the dream, the unsettled feeling and everything that’s happened, I can’t help the tears. My chin begins to quiver. “No.” I gasp.
He inches closer to me. “No,” he wraps his arms around me and kisses the top of my head. “But you will be.”
He rubs my back gently. “Do you want me to get you some Advil? It’s worn off by now.”
How many men keep track of stuff like that? How much he must care for me. My heart swells. “No. Thanks, but I don’t want to be taking that forever. It’ll pass. Just…keep doing what you’re doing.” Something in his touch is comforting, healing.
“I can do that.” God, even his voice is soothing. “Just relax. Close those eyes and get some sleep.”
He whispers, stroking my back. Slowly, I feel my ribs unclench and my headache drift away. Before I know it, it’s morning, and Tyler has left a little note on my nightstand. It reads ‘had to go into work for a while, but I’ll be back by lunchtime. Breakfast is in the microwave. I can’t take credit for that. Your mom was by before I left. Tyler.’
How lucky am I? Not only do I have the best friends in the world, but my family is right up there, too. After I shower and dress, I go downstairs to the pancakes my mom made, and all I have to do is warm them. This morning I have my first therapist appointment since the incident. It seems like everyone is giving me the healthy space that I need to get through this on my own, and I’m glad. It’s about time I got back into things. I’m going to see Daniel this afternoon, too, and he’s going to let me know when I can return to work.
As I drive to see the therapist that I’ve been seeing for the past year, I start to think about what I’m going to say to her, when she asks what happened. And I decide not to rehearse a thing. Not this time. After putting on a brave face for so long, I realize that I don’t have to do that anymore. Pulling up to the office, I do the unthinkable…I look at myself in the rearview mirror. Although still swollen, I can open my eye up completely now, which is a marked improvement. I’m afraid of what I looked like before I could do that. My eyelid is yellow; the final stages of bruising, and aside from a couple of yellow and greenish bruises, I don’t look half bad.
