Page 32 of Love in Pieces

“Don’t apologize. I’m just glad you’re okay and have a big strong man there to protect you.” I hear her laugh on the other end, so I laugh with her, relief washing over me.

I place my phone back on the table after we say our goodbyes and I love yous. Dallas wanders back over, takes his seat across from me, and nibbles on the last piece on his plate. “Everything okay?”

“Yeah. That was my friend Meredith. I hadn’t updated her at all about what went down this weekend, so needless to say, she was pretty worried. But she’s good now.”

“Good. I’m glad you’ve got a friend to talk to about all this.”

***

The clock on the stovelets me know it’s almost time for dinner as we arrive back at Dallas’s apartment. He kicks off his shoes and heads straight to his room to change. I plop down on the couch trying my hardest to avoid scrolling through social media. That’s the last thing I need right now. I just need to fly under the radar for a while. Looking around the quiet apartment, the water from the shower a welcoming monotonous static, I am surprised at how relatively clean this place is especially since two guys live here. I wonder who the clean freak is. When Dallas returns, he has a plain black tee on and a pair of sweats. Realizing I haven’t showered since Friday, I glance toward the open bathroom door.

“Can I take a shower?” I ask.

“Of course. Let me grab you a towel,” he says, moving toward the hall closet. As I carry my things in, Dallas hangs a towel on the rack next to the shower. “How hot do you want it? I’ll help you with the faucet. It’s a little tricky in these older buildings.”

“Oh, um, hot, but not scorching, I guess.”

He leans over the edge of the tub, bracing an arm on the wall. I notice the tattoo peeking out from under his sleeve again. He pushes off the wall, turns around, and catches me staring. He smiles but doesn’t say anything. “If it’s too hot, just turn it to the right a little. I’ll be in the kitchen making some food if you need anything. Are you craving anything? Otherwise, I was just going to make a pizza.” He stands halfway out the door peering over his shoulder.

“Pizza sounds great. Thanks. I won’t be long. Just need to decompress a bit.”

“No worries. Water’s included in rent, so take all the time you need.” He smiles before shutting the door.

As I strip out of my clothes, the fabric of my shirt rubs against my cheek. A fresh reminder of Friday night. I wince as I force the fabric past it and pull it off my head. Steam has already started collecting in the room, making the mirror fog up. I wipe a circle onto the mirror. Bracing my hands on the sink, I force myself to look at the damage on my face.

The bruise is bright. The blues and purples showing through my foundation blend like a watercolor painting. My eyes look, and feel, permanently puffy. I look down to see the fading bruises on my wrist. I’m so sick of crying, but it’s the only thing that keeps me from doing something stupid. I wish I could scream the pain away. I squeeze my eyes shut and force my legs to pull me into the shower.

The temperature is perfect. It soaks my hair, running down the length of my back and splashing on the bottom of the tub. I let the water run down my face and coat every inch of my body. The longer I stand there, the more the memories of the weekend flood my mind. I turn the water hotter, attempting to feel something through this numbness.

I cannot keep doing this anymore. Not with Sam. Not to myself. I need to get out. I need to be done. I feel my cheeks get hot and the knot in my throat forms as reality sets in on what I know I have to do. However, the fear of this decision creates a pit in my stomach. Is it even possible? The tears come as the fear builds, but I can’t feel myself crying. The salty tears mix with the hot fresh water. The steam engulfs me as I slump to the floor letting every emotion out at once. The water pours over me like a waterfall, and I secretly hope it will sweep me away.

?CHAPTER 12

Dallas

The oven beeps to letme know it’s preheated. There’s a muffled cry down the hall as I pull the pizza out of the freezer. I pause, making sure I’m hearing correctly. Another sobbing moan and I can tell it’s coming from the bathroom. Abby. She’s been through absolute hell in just two days.

---