Page 13 of Fractured Hope
He did as I’d instructed, taking my Coke to wash down his pills while looking at me and daring me to protest. I just smirked at him and raised an eyebrow, but really, I was glad to see him relaxing around me. He shifted to get comfortable and very quickly fell asleep for the rest of the drive.
When we arrived back in town, it was almost six o’clock and the sun had nearly set. I wasn’t sure where he was staying, and he looked peaceful, so rather than second-guessing myself I headed back to my place. He was so groggy that he barely acknowledged me as I carried him inside and laid him on my couch in the living room. After bringing in his backpack, kneewalker, and crutches, I placed them by the couch and went into the kitchen to fill a glass of water, then set it on the coffee table.
It was still early, and I didn’t want him to wake up in a strange place and freak out, so I sat on one of the recliners and turned on the TV to something mindless while I waited for him to come back to the land of the living.
The next thing I knew, I jerked awake to a loud crash and water soaking into the leg of my overalls. Sitting up quickly, I glanced around my nearly dark living room, the only light coming from the TV. Bodhi was awkwardly kneeling on the area rug while trying to pick up pieces of the broken glass with the hand that was in a cast. Many of the pieces were caught in the shag rug and scattered on the wooden floor. I would need to get the vacuum out, but first I needed to help Bodhi.
“Hey now, let me do that.” I jumped into action and carefully took the broken pieces away from Bodhi, then set them on the coffee table.
He was muttering “sorry, sorry, sorry” repeatedly. He didn’t even seem to notice me as he kept trying to reach for the glass shards.
“Hey!” I said loudly enough to get his attention.
His head shot up to look at me as he froze, and I saw his eyes were wet with tears.
After coming around the coffee table to his other side, I reached out to help him, but he flinched away from me, shuffling back toward the broken glass.
“Bodhi, it’s me, Atticus.” Holding my hands up, palms out, I spoke softly and calmly. “You’re safe. I’m not going to hurt you.”
He paused in his movements. “Atticus,” he whispered.
“Yes, it’s me. Is it okay if I help you onto the couch?” I moved forward slowly at his nod and carefully lifted him onto the couch. I crouched in front of him and placed my hands on his knees to help ground him while catching his gaze. “You’re okay.”
He’d started rocking back and forth, so I rose and sat next to him on the couch. I cautiously placed my arm around his shoulders. He stopped rocking but was still crying. I didn’t really know what had happened, so I tried my best to reassure him and let him get it out of his system. Once he’d calmed down, he pulled back from me and wiped his nose on the sleeve of his hoodie.
“Are you okay? What happened?” I asked hesitantly.
He just shook his head, pulling at the edge of his sleeve.
“You can talk to me.”
“I just had a bad dream, and when I woke I didn’t know where I was.” He took a snuffling breath. “Sorry about your glass.”
“Don’t worry. It’s just a glass.”
“I’m okay now,” he said but didn’t move or stop fiddling with his sleeve.
“Well to answer your unasked question, you’re at my house. I didn’t know where you were staying, and you were knocked out, either from the day’s events or the pain pills or both. I wanted to let you rest and just brought you here. I’m sorry I didn’t ask first.” I added that last bit, hoping I hadn’t overstepped.
He sucked in a deep breath.
“Do you want me to take you to your place now? It’s late, but I’m happy to take you where you want to go or—” I hesitated for a moment. “—you could just stay here. The couch is comfy. I do have a guest room if you’d prefer. It’s no trouble, really.” I stopped talking and waited to see what he would say.
“Can you help me to the bathroom?”
I barked out a laugh. “Of course.” I helped him stand and placed his arm over my shoulders as we hopped toward the bathroom. I stopped by the door and paused. “Are you sure you’ll be all right?” I switched on the light and looked from Bodhi to the bathroom and back.
He just smiled. “Yes.” He hopped into the bathroom and closed the door.
I rushed back to the living room to clean up the broken glass so I could return to help Bodhi as soon as he was done.
7
BODHI
Bracingmy good arm on the white bathroom counter, I took a few deep breaths and shook off the nightmare. The pain pills had done a number on me. They’d made me loopy in the past, but having a nightmare was a new side effect. I really didn’t like it.
Awkwardly, I hopped over the black-and-white tiled floor to the toilet and fumbled to pull down my sweats, so thankful the hospital had let me change. They would’ve had to cut my jeans off otherwise, and then I’d be down another item of clothing. As it was, I wouldn’t be able to wear them anyway for six weeks. There was no way those skinny legs would fit over this new walking boot. Groaning, I sat. It was safer than risking another embarrassing moment in front of Atticus with my pants around my ankles. Once I’d finished, redressed, adjusted, and washed—well, my one hand—I was exhausted again and frustrated at my lack of ability to do things for myself.
