Total pages in book: 107
Estimated words: 97337 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 487(@200wpm)___ 389(@250wpm)___ 324(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 97337 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 487(@200wpm)___ 389(@250wpm)___ 324(@300wpm)
This time I lifted her into the truck, trying to avoid looking at her torn blouse so I didn’t lose my shit like I wanted to. I belted her in and couldn’t resist putting a hand behind her head and pulling her in to kiss her forehead. I didn’t make a big deal out of it and she seemed to relax a little by the time I got in on my side.
We didn’t speak on the way to her house but the tension was palpable. I helped her down from the truck and when she fumbled for her keys took them from her hand and opened the door. She looked up at me as if ready to say bye, but I eased her into the room with a hand on her back.
“I’m staying!” She looked so vulnerable when she looked at me and though I tried to read her I can’t say I had any idea what was going through her head at the moment.
The truth is no matter what I’d made up in my mind, for all that we’d spent some time together in the last month and a half, we still didn’t know each other all that well. And after what she’d been through, as much as I wanted to be with her, she might feel differently.
She didn’t say anything though, just turned and walked inside. I locked the door behind me then walked around the house checking that all the windows and doors were locked. She was just sitting on a chair at the kitchen table, huddled into herself when I came back. She’d changed the torn blouse though.
She was obviously still shaken so I thought of something to do to help calm her down. I know when mom gets a little rattled she likes to have a cup of tea and I’d made plenty in my time.
“I’m going to make you some tea.” I put the kettle on and searched through cupboards looking for tea. With the hundred and one teapot sets she had decorating the cabinets there was a good bet she had some.
“Where are your teabags?”
She pointed to a bunny shaped porcelain thing which is where she kept her flavored teas. We both kept our silence while waiting for the water to boil, though I’m sure we were both deep in thought.
No doubt she was still reliving the attack, which thankfully from what she’d told the cops I’d arrived in time to stop from getting out of hand. I wanted to ask her why she hadn’t waited for me, but that would’ve sounded too much like an accusation so I left it alone.
I made her tea and then looked around inside her cupboards again. I was going on instinct here, never having dealt with anything like this before. The only thing I knew was that she shouldn’t be alone right now. And even if she should it didn’t matter because I wanted to be here.
I found what I was looking for and opened the two cans of soup and put them in a pot I found on the stove before scrounging around in the refrigerator for fixings for sandwiches. All the while she said not a word while my mind wouldn’t shut off.
I wanted to ask her more about the guy but didn’t want to push her too far too soon. So again we spent the time in total silence as I made sandwiches and looked over the pot on the stove. This isn’t how I saw our first date playing out, not by a long shot. But as the adrenaline finally tapered off I was relieved that at least I’d gotten to her in time.
I found two bowls and some bread plates for the soup and sandwiches and sat down across from her after placing hers in front of her. She looked down at the food and then back at me like she didn’t know what to do next. “Eat before your soup gets cold.”
I’m not sure if it was the act of feeding her that she was so surprised by, or the fact that I was here at all. “Are you afraid with me being here?” I looked at her as I awaited her answer. She was still wearing her glasses, hiding more like, and her head went down again.
“I’m not, I’m just...”
She played with her spoon and pushed the glasses high on her nose as they slid down. “You’re just what?” She shrugged her shoulders but I knew enough to know that the sooner she talked it out the better it would be for her. If she hid behind her fear it would only make things worst.
“I’m not accustomed to anyone else being here is all.” I nodded my understanding and went back to eating, taking looks at her every few seconds to make sure she was doing more than picking at her food. She was just going through the motions, but at least she was getting some of it past her lips.