Chapter 23

The hot water felt amazing as it cascaded down my body.

I hadn’t expected to make a stop before getting dropped off at Mr. Mike’s house, but this had been a pleasant surprise, and it ensured I’d be presentable when we arrived.

I ran my hands back over my damp hair, flinching slightly when the water made its way down my tummy and slid between my legs.

I had to find some way to stop the fucking ache, sooner rather than later, but for now, I was content in being able to finally scrub myself clean.

I reached for the small bar of soap, then began to peel back the wrapper. I held it up to my nose and smiled faintly when the faint scent of yellow roses began to fill the air.

It reminded me of the small bouquets that grew on the side of Mama and Papa’s house. The ones I would take Elijah out to sit in on the merciful nights that Papa forgot where my room was.

Drinking made him vile, but it was his actions that made him evil.

As I began to lather the soap in my hands, I heard a faint knock at the bathroom door. My ears perked up as I listened, then I chuckled quietly when I heard the door open.

I began to rub the bar of soap along my skin, hoping that he only needed to use the bathroom, then would leave.

“Can I ask you something?”

But he’s never been one for rules, I thought wryly.

“I’ll be done soon, then we can talk about anything you want,” I called out.

I heard him sigh loudly, followed by the slap of his hands hitting his thighs. A single moment passed before the door to the bathroom opened, then closed again.

He was upset, but his demons were silent… or close to.

At least I knew that no matter what happened, I’d be safe for now.

___

I sat on the edge of the bed, drying my hair with the towel. Graham had insisted on getting us a twin-bed room, but Elijah held his ground, arguing that one bed was fine and that we’d be just fine, thank you very much.

“What’s up, Elijah?” I asked as I leaned my head forward. I began to loop the towel around my hair, and when I straightened back up, I could almost swear I saw the corners of his lips twitch.

Which meant he was as angry as he had ever been. Not if he were able to find humor in my current state.

“Why did you move away from me in the camper?” he asked as he crossed his arms over his chest.

“Because of how they were watching us. You didn’t see it, but I did. I didn’t want you to get upset about that, so I chose the lesser of two evils,” I explained with a shrug.

He looked away from me. I could see his jaw moving tightly; he was trying to find a way to continue the conversation without the rage I knew he was still feeling in his heart.

“Aunt Maisie,” he began patiently, his eyes still on the black screen of the television directly across from him. “I don’t give a fuck what anyone thinks about us. Let them have their bullshit assumptions. It’s not like anyone would ever say anything against us to us. What I do care about is you feeling like you have to move away from me to make things okay. We spent enough time apart. I don’t want to go through that anymore.”

Heartfelt and heartbroken.

That would be the only way I could describe his rambling.

I moved closer to him on the bed, my back to the television he was still staring at, then leaned forward and nudged him gently.

When he finally turned his eyes toward me, they softened, and his jaw slowly stopped moving.

“Was I yelling? I’m sorry,” he mumbled as he ran his hands over his face.

“You weren’t, Elijah,” I assured him as I gave his forearm a squeeze. “I know you don’t care what people think about us, and neither do I, but we need them to get to Mr. Mike’s, so I was trying to make them comfortable is all.”

He nodded as he dropped his hands into his lap, then began the task of removing his prosthetic leg. Elijah stole another glance at me, his ears turning red as he pulled it off. “I really am sorry about your teeth.”

I shook my head and forced a smile onto my face for his sake. “Like I said, I needed new ones. No harm no foul.”

He blew out his breath before he settled himself again. Glancing at me out of the corner of his eye, he quickly reached over and gave my towel a tug.

“Do you grant wishes with that thing on your head?” he teased.

This time, my smile was genuine.

“Maybe. It depends on what you want.”

Elijah leaned forward and gave me a gentle kiss on the lips, then nuzzled my forehead with his before he pulled away from me.

“I’ve got a girl who loves me; I don’t need anything else.”

It was so matter-of-fact that I would have laughed if I hadn’t felt the sincerity in his words.

“Actually, can I ask you something else?”

I nodded.

“Last night … that was, well it was wild. Is that what it’s always like?” he asked with a chuckle.

I shook my head as my cheeks turned red. I didn’t know how to tell him that it was how his father had liked to be handled. I also didn’t know how to tell him that I only hurt myself as much as I had because I was afraid that he would leave me.

Especially now I know just how unfounded my fears had been.

“I’m not complaining,” he said quickly, holding up his hands.

“Good,” I replied as I got to my feet and started to walk toward the small sink and vanity just outside of the bathroom door.

I pulled the towel off my head and began to run my fingers through my semi-dry hair, combing it as best as I could with what I had.

A yawn escaped me as Elijah turned on the television, and I did my best to muffle it by closing my mouth.

I didn’t want him to assume that he had to go to sleep just because I desperately needed it.

No matter how much I knew he did too.

I crouched down, wincing at the dry, stinging pain as I placed the towel under the vanity.

Turning off the light, I used my hand to stifle another yawn as I climbed onto the bed and settled next to Elijah.

He slipped an arm around me and held me close as he searched for something to watch.

And once he did, I closed my eyes.

I knew that when he finally managed to fall asleep, I’d be able to slip out of the room and go down to the front desk.

Maybe they’ll have some band-aids I can use.

Either way, as long as I could manage not to catch an infection, I’d live long enough to see Mama and Papa again.

I’d finally have the boy give me my hug.

Everything would work out in the end.