Page 52 of There's No Us Without You
The grin he directs my way has me melting into my seat. I’d love nothing more than to feed this man all the time. I smile back at him, trying to convey just how much his kindness means to me while I fight the urge to drop to my knees and beg him to forgive me for something he knows nothing about.
THIRTEEN
Emerson
A loud banging—likethe headboard of a bed slamming against a wall repeatedly—has me rolling over and scrubbing my hands over my face. I frown as I blink back the darkness.
Pretty sure Will hasn’t snuck one of his playthings inside and is now taking out all his frustrations on them.
It’s also not unusual for some of our neighbours to get a little rowdy and wind up doing dumb shit—like crash a car into a pool or something. Will and I had to tend to one of them about a year ago when he got his head stuck under his pool fence. I have no idea how he managed to do that. All I know is it took us half an hour to cut through the aluminium fencing with a handsaw. Power tools were a no-go, considering it was three in the damn morning.
So . . . either one of those idiots is fucking stuck again, or I’m dreaming.
When I don’t hear anything else, I close my eyes and shove my pillow back under my head until the banging starts up again, this time accompanied by the heartbreaking cries of Eden.
My stomach twists.
Fuck.
It’s the second time this week she’s broken down in her sleep. Probably doesn’t help I have a big mouth and shoved my foot in it by bringing up her dead dad and grandmother at dinner earlier tonight.
Let’s just say it wasn’t my finest of hours, and I will do better next time. Will often tells me I talk too much shit, and in this instance, I would have to agree with him.
So, I guess it’s the least I can do to go check on her after I broke her damn heart by reminding her of what she’s lost.
I throw my legs over the edge of the bed and plant my bare feet onto the soft carpet. On a deep breath, I push myself up, and brace for the pain that comes when standing after a long period of lying down. Even with most of my weight on my right leg, my left knee buckles, almost sending me to the ground.
“Fucking great.” I grab hold of the bedpost and use it to steady myself.
My knee just needs a moment to warm up, so I lift my leg, bending at the joint to get the blood pumping through it again.After a couple minutes of stretching, I’m good to go, so I creep down the hallway and stop in front of Eden’s bedroom.
I knock out of courtesy, but when there’s no answer, I slowly open the door and peek around it first. What I find has my heart breaking worse than the first time I witnessed her sleep-induced breakdown.
Eden is on her side, her knees pulled up to her chest as she hugs herself. Another gut-wrenching sob—close to a howl this time—has me rushing to the side of her bed.
A lump forms in my throat at the sight of this beautiful woman falling apart in her sleep. I have no idea how to fix her, but I’ll try my hardest not to be another thing she has to endure.
“Hey,” I say quietly, giving her shoulder a slight shake. “Eden?”
Nothing.
I switch on the lamp on the bedside table and fall onto my good knee. The soft orange glow gives me a glimpse of just how broken Eden is, her usual blemish-free cheeks now splotchy and soaked with tears.
Bracing myself for another fist to the face like last time, I shake her again. “Eden? Baby, wake up for me.”
Please wake up.
Finally, she stirs, her eyes flying open. She blinks rapidly. “Em?” A frown pulls down her eyebrows as she swipes at the tears flowing down her pink cheeks.
“Hey,” I say, brushing her tear-drenched hair out of her face. “You okay?”
“Oh god.” Eden pushes herself into a sitting position against the headboard. “I woke you again, didn’t I?”
“Yeah, you did.” I climb onto the bed next to her, making sure to keep a little distance between us. “Want to talk about what’s going on?”
She shrugs, pulling her full lips to the side as she chews on the inside of her cheek. After a long moment, she sighs. “I thought they were getting better,” she says with a tight smile. “The night terrors—I haven’t had one since the other night, but they aren’t new. I’ve had them before. Usually, when they start, they last for a couple of months. The first one I ever had was right after my dad died when I was seventeen. Then again when my nanna died a couple of years ago. Eventually, they just stop until the next thing sets them off again.”
“Jesus, I’m so sorry.” I take her sweaty hand in mine and bring it to my lips to kiss her knuckles. “I’m sorry if I set you off tonight.”
