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Sitting next to Lexi, I peer at my cell noticing it’s already almost two. It’s been over three hours; she should’ve been out of surgery by now.Did something go wrong?I hope not. She’s suffered enough.
Closing my eyes, I see him laughing in my face, the image so clear from the day we broke into his place. I picture myself alone with him, just us, no one to stop me this time. I crouch down smelling his fear as he cowers away. Gripping his shirt, I lift him up, slamming him against the wall. I tighten my other hand into a fist and pound it against his jaw, smashing his teeth in. But in my vision, I don’t stop. My fists crack his nose as he bleeds. And as he laughs, coughing up blood, I throw him on the ground then press my shoe into his nose, hearing it crack some more under the pressure.
My barbaric pulse beats at the vivid imagery. That’s what I should’ve done. I should’ve gone back and beat him, squashed him like a bug before he ever had the chance to hurt her again. Instead, she’s here suffering because I couldn’t defend another woman who depended on me to keep her safe.
I pinch the bridge of my nose, attempting to ease the pressure building in my head.What the hell is taking so long?I’m about to curse out loud but stop myself at the sight of a child sitting across from me, just staring. He looks to be no more than six, and when he catches me looking back, he grins, lifting his hand to show me a yellow hot wheel. I remember loving them as a kid. Man, I had so many I lost count.
I force a smile as he races the car in the air. One of the women next to him must be his mother. I assume it’s the younger one since the other woman looks to be his grandmother’s age. The two of them cry as they console each other, but the boy is in his own world.Enjoy it kid. It doesn’t last long.
“Lexi! How is she?” My thoughts are interrupted by a slim woman who I assume is Lilah’s mom. They look so much alike except she has dark brown eyes and her brown hair is filled with streaks of blonde highlights.
She sits next to Lexi who updates her on everything, but as she hears all the graphic details, she completely shatters. Placing her head into her hands, she sobs. I walk over to the fountain grabbing a cup of water, and make my way over to her.
“Hi, I’m Damian, Lilah’s neighbor. I live across the hall from her.” I don’t know what she knows but I don’t think telling her I’m in love with her daughter is appropriate right now. She glances up, wiping her face.
“This is for you.” I hand her the cup and she takes it.
“Thank you. I’m sorry, I didn’t realize you were here for Lilah. She’s never mentioned you, but then again it seems like she hasn’t told me a lot.” She blots at her eyes with the soaked tissue in her hands.
“That’s okay. We just met recently.” I pause, needing to find the right words. “I found out about what he’s been doing and tried to get him to leave her alone.” I rub at the stabbing pricks within my chest and look straight into her tear-filled eyes. “I’m sorry I didn’t try harder.”
Pulling her brows together, she shakes her head. “Oh no, don’t do that. Don’t blame yourself.” She reaches for my hand, grasping it in her cold one. “If anything, this is my fault. I’m her mother and—” her voice cracks. “I had no idea she was with someone who was capable of doing something so vicious.”
I glance at Lexi attempting to covertly wipe away her own tears.
“You can’t blame yourself either ma’am. You had no way of knowing,” here she is dealing with her own suffering but instead she’s comforting me.
She reminds me a little of my mother who constantly looked out for others no matter what she was going through. She loved to volunteer, always taking me with her. One of my favorite things to do with my mom was to go to the local animal shelter every week. She’d show me how to bottle-feed the kittens while they eagerly sucked out every ounce. I’ll never forget sitting down, letting them climb up my shirt. Their tiny paws reaching up my neck as their tongues licked me all over. My mother always smiled, watching my laughter fill the room. Those were some of my happiest memories of her, the ones not filled with bruises or screams. If I’m ever lucky enough to have children of my own, I hope to make them as happy as I was on those days.
Lilah’s mother sighs, letting go of my hand. Walking back, I sit and rub at my heavy-lidded eyes.
“Do you think everything is okay?” Lexi asks quietly. “It’s taking a long time.” I can see the worry on her face. It’s obvious she truly cares about Lilah.
“I don’t know but they better tell us soon or I’m going to find out myself.” Just as I’m about to stand up to get an update, Dr. Martinez comes out. Her tight smile doesn’t tell me shit. Approaching us, she sits next to Lilah’s mother.
“How’s my baby, Doctor?”
“Your daughter did great. We fixed her nose without any complications. Like I told them earlier,” she looks to me and Lexi, “I just want to monitor for a possible concussion and do further testing. If everything goes well, she can go home with you, Mr.—”
“Prescott.” Lilah’s mom turns to me with a widened expression. She probably thinks it’s strange for a neighbor her daughter barely knows to stay and take care of her. I guess she’ll learn about my feelings for Lilah sooner rather than later because my woman isn’t leaving my side.
Rising to her feet, the doctor rubs her hands against her scrubs. “Once the anesthesia wears off and she’s moved up to the recovery room, you all will be able to see her.”
After she leaves, I walk over to Lilah’s mother and sit beside her. “I’m sorry if I overstepped by suggesting I stay with her, but I figured it’s easier if she was close to her things and —”
“No, no, it’s fine. I’m glad my daughter has someone who clearly cares for her. She needs that.” She releases a sigh. “I’m going to stay a couple of days though. I can’t leave her right now.”
“You don’t need my permission ma’am. I just want to make sure she’s safe. I promise to give you as much alone time with her as you need. But I can’t promise I won’t check in on her, a lot.” The corner of my mouth curls into a smile. “So, you’ll have to do your best to tolerate me.”
She chuckles through her tear-filled eyes. “Oh no, you can stay. But if you expect me to tolerate you then you better never call me ma’am again,” the sides of her eyes crinkle. “Please call me Karen.”
“I can do that.”
“Good. Now tell me, how long have you been in love with my daughter?”
Damn.
