“Yeah, that’s fine.”
After I was all unhooked, Elyse was right behind me with the clothes slung over her arm as she followed me into the bathroom. Her nimble fingers were able to untie the cords at the back of my gown and I flinched when it came time to lift my arm from the cotton sleeve.
It was far, far more painful than I expected it to be.
Every time I moved, whether it was putting on my sweatpants, or lifting my arms into the sleeve of the shirt, it pulled on something tender. My right arm was basically useless and my hands were hypersensitive from being shredded. In the course of getting dressed, I almost cried twice. My legs and hips were sore too from where they'd been pressed against the railing. Elyse gasped when she saw the gigantic, dark-colored bruise blossoming around my thighs. We finished up and headed out into the room.
It took a lot longer than I hoped it would to be discharged, but finally, Dad went to find me a wheelchair so we could leave. He hadn't changed from yesterday and still wore his button down shirt and tie. I cursed in my head, immediately feeling guilty for taking him away from his job, but those thoughts were quickly put to rest.
“Okay, you ready to blow this joint?”
“Yes.”
Elyse grinned at my enthusiasm, collecting the vase of forget-me-nots from the table. We had barely made it ten feet out into the hall before a police officer approached us. “Miss Hendricks, I presume? I was hoping to ask you a few questions before you leave.”
My father’s anger flared and he put on his “lawyer face” again. “Absolutely not. My daughter has been through enough, you can reach her tomorrow at our residence after she's had the chance to sleep.”
“I understand wanting to protect your daughter, but time is of the essence. The sooner we complete our investigation—”
“You've already got your answer, now please get out of the way.”
He pursed his lips and sneered, looking as if he was about to say something, but then he stepped aside and let us pass.
We made it halfway down the hall before the flood of media coverage hit us. Journalists were shoving their microphones in my face trying to get a statement. “Miss Hendricks! Are you in pain?”
“What was going through your head when you saw the rope break?”
Elyse tried to shield me with her jacket as we pushed past them to the elevators. Some of them followed us, but I hid behind the jacket and wouldn't give them the satisfaction of getting a decent picture. When the elevator door opened we jumped inside and pressed the button for the lobby.
Thankfully, it was relatively safe sailing after that. Elyse and I waited at the drop off of the parking structure while Dad and Nate ran to get the car — I'd never been so happy for a long car ride in my life.
We drove in silence most of the way.
On the way home, Elyse called to let Kevin know I'd been discharged and to thank him for taking such good care of me. Before she hung up, he had offered to come by and see how the ER docs had treated me.
The gentle hum of the engine quickly lulled me back to sleep and I was only awoken by the shift in terrain when we came to the driveway. I sat up blearily in my seat. Nate helped me climb out of the car and carried my bag up to my room while I hobbled slowly towards the house.
Dad pulled out his phone as I walked over to the kitchen and sat down on the barstool. He was talking to someone on the other line, trying to reassure them I was all right. Eventually he came back with the phone pressed against his ear and winked. “Yeah, hold on I'll hand you over.” Dad offered me the phone with a tentative smile. “It's Nadia,” he explained. “She wants to talk to you.”
I accepted the phone with my ridiculous gauze boxing gloves and brought it to my ear. “Hey, Nadia.”
“Wynn, what happened?” she demanded on the other line. “Are you okay? Your father said there was an accident, but he wouldn't tell me anymore than that.”
It brought me a sense of relief to hear her voice, though it was thick with worry at the moment. I stepped into the other room where I could speak to her in private. “Aidan happened,” I hissed venomously. “He nearly killed some of my friends because I wanted to stop training with him. I just got out of the hospital from having my shoulder dislocated and the skin torn off my hands.”
There was a quaver to her voice when I heard her sigh through the receiver, “Oh darling, I’m so sorry. Was anyone else hurt?”
“No, thank goodness! What am I supposed to do? I thought training with him and learning to control my powers was a good thing, it was even working for a while. But I can't have him threatening the people that I love anytime I don't give him what he wants. What if he comes after Dad, or Nate and Elyse and they get hurt because of me? I don’t know how to protect them!”
“You can't,” she told me calmly. “You can't protect everyone, every minute, of every day. Sometimes he will get to you, but if someone does gets hurt, then it's Aidan's fault, not yours. You can't hold yourself responsible for his actions. Aidan is lashing out because you stood up to him and he knows he can’t control you, that you have to surrender yourself to him. You’re going to drive yourself crazy if you keep worrying about ‘what-ifs’, so stop beating yourself up about it. Now tell me, what happened yesterday — and don't leave anything out.”
Over the next few minutes it all came pouring out of me, I told her everything. She didn't judge me for any of it, even getting carried away with Belphegor, which was by far the most shameful thing I’d ever had to confess to anyone. She didn't gasp in shock when I told her about the wine incident at our church, she just took it all in stride and that’s what I loved about her.
“What does Caleb say about all this?” she asked me quietly, once I had finished bringing her up to speed.
I flinched at the sound of his name, being reminded of that hollow loss and explained, “I don't know, we haven’t spoken in a while. He hasn't come to see me.”
“Why not?”
“We … had a bit of a falling out after my trial. I don’t know if he plans on coming back.”
“Oh…” She trailed off uncomfortably. “Well, I'm very sorry to hear that. I know you were fond of him.”
“Why is everyone so hung up on that? My feelings about him don’t matter, if anything it’s a distraction so it’s probably for the better.”
“It matters if he makes you better,” she responded forcefully. “You’re right that you can’t take your eye off the ball now, but having people around you that bring out a better side of you and make you want to be a better person is a good thing to have around. He made you stronger. Not physically,” she clarified when she heard I was about to protest, “but emotionally and intellectually. Someone that can challenge you like that is someone who can make you the best version of yourself. Is there any chance you could mend things?”
I swallowed hard. “I’m not sure, he’d actually have to speak to me for that to happen.”
“I see. Well, I’m still proud of you, Wynn. You’ve handled yourself well the last few days. I have to get back to the shop now, but thanks for calling me.”
“Thanks, Nadia.”
“Blessed Be.”
I snickered at her odd dismissal and it felt good to alleviate some of the tension I was feeling.
The phone went silent and I turned to see Elyse standing in the doorway. She had a glass of water in one hand and a couple of pills in the other. “Dad said you need to take these. It’s a muscle relaxer for your shoulder and some Ibuprofen to ease the pain and swelling.”
I held out my hands and accepted them while handing Dad’s cellphone back to her. “Thanks, Mom.”
She gave me a timid smile. “Someone’s got to keep an eye on you.”
“Yeah, yeah, I know,” I told her with a sigh. “I was going to take a nap, is that weird? I feel like I’ve been doing a lot of sleeping lately.”
Elyse nodded approvingly and helped me up to my room. Before she shut the door behind her said, “Let me know if you need anyt
hing.”
~ * ~
It was eleven thirty at night when I knocked on Elyse's door. I had tossed and turned for hours, my mind completely overwhelmed with the magnitude of everything that had happened. My chest felt tight and I kept replaying the awful scene in my head. Despite Nadia’s advice not to think about “what-ifs”, I couldn’t help but worry about the next time Aidan showed up.
All the lights were off and I could hear her breathing heavily from her bed. “Elyse?”
Her eyes flashed open and she sat up in bed like she'd been electrocuted. “Wynn!?”
I released a nervous breath and leaned back against the doorframe. “Can I sleep in your room tonight?”
She sighed, falling back against the mattress and rolling over to wipe her eyes. “Yeah, Okay.” She beckoned to me with open arms and I walked over to the bed to could crawl in the sheets beside her. By the time I got there my chest was convulsing with harsh, involuntary spasms as I tried not to fall apart in front of her.
“What happened?” she cooed, rubbing large circles on my back. The minute her sympathetic presence set in, I buried my face into her shoulder and sobbed. The smell of her perfume and the silkiness of the sheets — it was comfort and it was home.
“I don't really know,” I told her in a sob. “I just kinda need my sister.”
She wrapped her arms around me in a hug and kissed me on the forehead. After a minute or two, she pulled me into her lap and rocked me back and forth like a small child. “Can I do anything?”
“I have a headache,” I bawled into her t-shirt. “I’m exhausted, but I can't sleep. I can’t get comfortable with this stupid sling on. And every time I close my eyes I think about what happened.”
She rubbed my back gently a few more times and then helped me off her lap. “It’s probably an anxiety attack after going through so much. It feels awful, but it will pass in a while — just try and take slow, deep breaths. Stay here,” she commanded. “I'm going to get your pain medication.”
I nodded slightly as she stepped off the bed and out into the hallway. The few minutes she was gone felt like an eternity. An irrational fear took over me, I couldn't shake it no matter how hard I tried, like I was trapped in a burning room. The moment she was back there was light in my world again. She offered me the pill and a cup of water, both of which I accepted. When she climbed into bed next to me, she folded her legs into the lotus pose and patted the top of her knees. I placed my head in her lap and she carefully undid the rubber band from the base of my ponytail.
We sat there for several minutes as she ran her fingers through my hair and massaged my scalp. “Are you feeling any better?”
I nodded slightly, and she continued to hold me while I cried into her nightclothes. “Thank you for doing this,” I whispered.
“Anytime,” she replied. “After all, what are sisters for?”
That only made me cry harder, bursting into sobs. She rocked me back and forth humming to me all the while. It took longer than I expected to cry the rest of myself out to her. She did not ask any more questions, and just sat, silently supporting me through my hysteria.
I didn't care what any DNA test said. She was my sister, no amount of biology would change that, and I needed her more than anything else in the world right now. Very soon, the numbness of the painkillers took effect and I drifted away into unconsciousness.
Chapter Seventeen
Stars Align
I awoke to the sound of Cleo scratching at the door. Her soft, incessant whining grew louder the longer I ignored her. Even after I’d buried my face beneath the pillow I could still hear her calling to be let inside. “Ugggh!” I groaned and cracked one eye open. Elyse’s blonde curls splayed across the pillow next to me like a golden crown, a sleepy smile resting on her face.
When I looked down at the pink and white quilt we’d been sleeping under, I couldn’t help but smile at the feminine touch she’d brought into such a tiny space. Needless to say, her room was much different than mine. She used a lot of pastels for one thing, and all the furniture was painted white. On the dresser was her wedding planner and a framed picture of her and Kevin sat next to a crystal vase of silk tea roses. I started to get up and my shoulder sent an agonizing shock across my back, causing me to gasp in pain. “Augh!”
Elyse sat up beside me and leaned over to see if I was okay. “Is it your shoulder again?” she asked me nervously.
“Yeah, but I'm fine. I've got to get used to it sometime.”
“Are you sure?”
I nodded stiffly, threw my legs over the side of the bed, and padded across the woven rug. Very carefully, I turned the handle on her door and Cleo came pouncing in to join us on the bed. Elyse tried to scratch beneath her chin, but she scooted away and waited for me to return.
“Huh, she really doesn't like anyone except you, does she?”
I grinned on my way back to the bed and then pet her head affectionately. “She knows where the love comes from.”
Elyse smiled one of her famous dimpled grins and hoisted herself out of bed. “What are your plans for the day?”
“Um, nothing. It hurts to move, it hurts to breathe, and my hands look like Aunt Lydia’s meatloaf. I am doing nothing except binge on Netflix and sit still for as long as humanly possible.”
She laughed and walked over to the closet to grab a silk, kimono robe hanging from a hook, slipping it over her dainty frame. “I'm going to make an omelet, you want one?”
“Sure, that'd be great.”
As the door fell shut behind her, I picked up Cleo in the crook of my elbow and carried her back towards my room so I could change into some fresh clothes. “Hey there, my little killer. Did you catch some mice for me?” She tilted her head towards me in complete dismissal and started purring. I just sighed and said, “You’re getting weak, cat. One of these days I’m going to have to show you how to hunt.”
Cleo chirped at me excitedly with a flick of her tail, “Preow?”
I smiled and set her down at the foot of my bed. “Exactly.”
A few minutes later, Elyse came and found me, poking her head in through the doorway. “How are you feeling?”
“All right, I guess.”
“Well, I brought you that omelet I promised and some more Ibuprofen. It's right here on your desk whenever you're ready. I’ve got to run over to the restaurant and do some ordering for the chef, but Dad’s right downstairs if you need anything.”
“Thanks, ’Lysee.”
She saw the fresh clothes on my bed and once again helped me change. It was every bit as painful as yesterday. It was a relief to sit down and enjoy the breakfast she made me, although holding a fork with my wrapped hand proved comical. The eggs were light and fluffy, mixed with cheese and bacon exactly the way I liked them — so much better than hospital food. It’s a shame she never went to culinary school because Elyse would have been a natural.
When I had finished eating I picked up the pill between my fingers and swallowed it with some milk. Down the hatch.
I never thought I'd miss going to school, but I wished there was some way to know what they were saying. If what Doctor Rutherford and Dad were saying is true, then what happened in the theater would definitely be a topic of discussion. Officer Neilson came by after lunch and I gave him a statement of what happened, minus the demonic involvement. He seemed appeased by my cooperation and promised to come back if he had any further questions.
Being forced to spend the next day and a half at home recuperating was mind numbingly dull without my friends there, but they tried to call any chance they got and brought me the homework I had missed. Lacey and Ryan were taking shifts checking in on me, but I spent a lot of time in bed reading, and using that time to plan. If we were all pawns in a giant game of chess, then Aidan had just called “check” and the next move was up to me.
I glanced down at the stained bandages on my hands and decided it was time to change their wrapping. Unfortunately, all the supplies were in the kitche
n, so I had to walk downstairs to get them. On the way back to my room I passed Nathan's door and heard him talking to someone on the other side. Who's he talking to? I wondered.
There was the electronic sound of gunfire as I pushed the door open and found him sitting on the bed with Caleb of all people, lounging around like they were buddies. I stood in the doorway for a moment, trying to process what was happening. They each had a controller in their hands and stared at the screen, which showed a brutal war scene and two soldiers holding guns. Oh, geeze. What alternate world have I slipped in to? “Is that Call of Duty?” I asked them disbelievingly, anger creeping into my voice.
“Nope,” Nathan responded instantaneously. “It’s Call of Duty 4, pay attention.”
I shook my head and blinked because, apparently, Caleb and Nate were friends now — the kind of friends who play Xbox while binging on Cheetos and Mountain Dew.
“Right, my mistake,” I told him dryly. “How could I be so stupid? Of course it’s Call of Duty 4, what else would you be playing?”
“Glad we’re in agreement,” he mumbled without taking his eyes off the screen in front of him. “I’m about to kick his butt all the way to Tuscaloosa!”
“In your dreams,” Caleb countered. There was an explosion on the screen and Nathan started cheering which must have meant the fight was over.
I scoffed at the two of them angrily. “Well good, I'm glad you're enjoying each other. Nice to see you, Caleb.”
I waved my bandaged hand at him and stormed back down the hall. I fumed to myself quietly, The first time I see him after our fight and he’s playing Xbox with my brother? What’s the matter with him? I single handedly saved a dozen people from a Demon Lord and he’s more interested in playing video games!
Caleb came walking up behind me. “Can you wait up a second? I was just preoccupying my time until you woke up, we should talk.”
“What do you want, Caleb?”
Dealing with the Devil (The Earthwalker Trilogy Book 1) Page 30