Page 60 of Silver Linings
I spend the next thirty minutes recounting everything that happened, filing a police report with Hendrix’s steady presence at my back.
Once done, the cops get back in their vehicle and drive away with the perp handcuffed in the back seat, glaring daggers at me.
“Can I walk you home?” He looks desperate for me to say yes, like the idea of parting with me right now might kill him. But before I can say yes, he follows up with a solemn plea. “Please.”
“Yes.” Nothing else needs to be said.
We walk the ten minutes it takes to get to The Langham in silence, close to one other but never quite touching.
When we approach the front doors, we both peer in and notice Tony sitting at his bench, watching a show on his phone.
“Sunshine, I—” he pauses, looking away from me, something like shame on his face. “I’m so sorry. This shouldn’t have happened. I shouldn’t have left you tonight.” There’s guilt in his eyes, and I don’t understand why it’s there. How could he think he’s responsible for any of this?
“You only did what Iaskedyou to do. You respected my boundaries,” I offer in his defense.
“I should have been there, insisted I stay and help you clean up.” There’s something haunted in his eyes, a panicked quality to his voice. “I just…I should have been there.”
He’s on the edge of a spiral, and I have no idea why. His body is shaking lightly, and he’s scratching at the back of his neck, rubbing his skin raw.
Stepping forward, I grab his hands and bring them down as I step forward and wrap my arms around his waist, finally stealing the hug I need, the one I suspect he needs just as much. Something to buoy us in reality.
I can feel his rapid breathing start to slow as I bury my face in his chest, listening to his heartbeat start to level out before I pull away. We’re staring at each other, my stomach in my throat. The fear from the evening is starting to ebb, but I don’t want him to leave, not yet.
“Will you stay with me tonight? I just…I don’t want to be alone after that.”
His eyes dance back and forth as he looks at me, and then I see him glance behind me to where Tony sits. Tony, his coworker. Because heworkshere, and I’m a tenant, and this is not allowed. A fact I conveniently like to forget.
“I’m so sorry. I shouldn’t have ask?—”
“Yes,” he cuts me off.
“But…” I glance over my shoulder, and he reads my meaning.
“It’ll be fine. Let’s go.”
We step inside, and a smile lights up Tony’s face until he takes the both of us in, dirty and scraped and a little worse for wear.
Hendrix leans towards me and says low enough that only I can hear, “Go on up. I’m going to talk to Tony quickly, and I’ll meet you up there.”
“Okay.” I make my way over to the elevators and step into the car. He watches me and doesn’t look away until the doors close.
Five minutes later, there’s a knock on my door.
I swing it open, and the sight of him standing on the threshold is so reminiscent of the first time, it gives me whiplash.
We stare at each other as he steps into my apartment.
He slowly, tentatively, reaches his hand up to tuck my hair behind my ear, and I lean my head into the touch like an affectionate cat, allowing myself this one comfort after a hellish night. But when he pulls away, I notice the scrapes and blood across his knuckles.
“Does it hurt?” I grab onto his palm.
“It’s fine, Sunshine. Don’t worry about me.”
But I do. I can’tnot.
With my hand still holding his, I lead him into my bathroom, where I keep my first aid kit.
“Sit,” I command, and he obeys, slowly lowering himself down onto the closed top of my toilet seat.
