AllFreeNovel
Share Us
Watching her hug and comfort Prue soothes my territorial need to shield her from the world and everyone in it.
Even though Prue’s not crying or giving off signs of distress, her boss doesn’t budge from her side. She implores Prue to take a paid leave and travel somewhere to forget the whole thing.
I’m privy to this part of their conversation because after locking Prue’s apartment and watching the detectives leave, I hear Prue saying, “No, really, I don’t need a day off.”
“Yes, you do.”
Her brown eyes dart to mine. The bestiality from before has long faded away.
She looks tired. Young. Painfully young.
The need to cast a protective shield around her and hug her until her pain goes away takes over. I don’t go a step near her, though. I lean against the wall, hands in my pockets.
I respect her space until after we finish our earlier conversation.
“Theo, I—”
“He’s right, Prue. You’re taking two weeks off.” Michelle’s blue eyes narrow despite the softness in her tone. “End of discussion.”
“What about the clinic?” Prue’s nose scrunches.
Prue completely disregards the trauma she’s experienced, caring about other people instead. I wonder if the huge heart in her chest could truly forgive me, too.
“Don’t worry about it.” Michelle’s teeth flash in a smile. “I’ll take two weeks off too. Mr. Waldron has been begging me to go on vacation forever.”
“You sure?”
“Positive.” She hugs Prue one last time. “I have to get going now. See you next in two weeks?”
Prue exhales, the exhaustion starting to claim her body. “Yes. I’ll be back to work then.”
“Perfect.” Prue’s boss turns to me. “Take care of her, McSpicy. I don’t want to hear she did anything other than be catered to at a fancy hotel suite.”
“Will do.” I offer her the courteous smile I save for my patients. Polite, small, reassuring.
“Great.”
Michelle closes the door to my apartment.
And it’s just the two of us again, Prue and me.
She walks over to one of my leather couches overlooking the city. I join her, intertwining our fingers together in silence.
Sun blasts into our eyes on this late summer morning. I don’t look at it long enough to be blinded by it.
In my universe, there’s only Prue, and I’m looking at her profile like one would appreciate a Monet painting or Michelangelo’s sculptures.
She, on the other hand, has her gaze fixated on where our hands link in her lap.
“I’m still mad at you, Theo,” she whispers eventually.
“As you should be.” I squeeze her tight. “And I’m sorry.”
Her sigh cuts through the loaded silence in the living room moments later.
“I need a few days to think this through.” Her voice breaks in a sob. “By myself.”
Something disintegrates inside my chest. I think it’s my heart.
