Page 19 of Remnants
“You shouldn’t be friends with her,” James whispers in my ear and I feel a cold shiver run through me.
“Sorry?”
“Don’t play dumb, Kaitlin. It’s not cute on you.” James pulls back while assessing me. “I heard about the morning-after pill.” His voice is devoid of any emotion as he stares at his phone.
“I—”
“Don't. Play. Dumb.” He sets his phone down before leaning over me. I hiss in pain as his hand presses onto my broken ribs. “You don’t want to have a baby?”
“N-No, it’s not that I just… I don’t think I’m in the healthiest place to have one right now.” James looks me over before nodding.
“I’d agree. Maybe next month.” Great, so I get to lay back and take it again in four weeks. Nice of him to give me a timeline for my next attack.
I wipe the sweat from my brow as I finish planting a small pot on the front step. My body hurts but I needed to get out of the house. James is following me everywhere and I can’t breathe. I flinch at Sam’s bark and my head snaps up to Nora’s house.
“If that mutt doesn’t knock it off,” James growls from inside the doorway.
“Sam only barks if something is wrong. He’s a service dog. I should go check,” I explain as I stand up.
James grips my shoulder with almost too much force. “I don’t trust that dog.”
“James, Nora is my friend, please.” James shoves off of me and I nearly fall back.
“Fine! Do what you want, Kaitlin, it’s always whateveryouwant. Go hang out with that butch-ass bitch.” He turns to leave and I know I’m supposed to go after him, beg for forgiveness, but I don’t. I don’t because Nora needs help and I’m not going to ignore Sam. Standing up, I brush my hands off on my apron before heading across the street. Sam whines and headbutts my hand once I reach him. “Hey, bud. What’s up?” I follow him inside the house.
“Nora?” I call through the house while walking around slowly.
“Fuck,” I hear her mutter from somewhere in the back. Is she in the bathroom? “I’m fine! Just… go back—” I interrupt her by tapping lightly on the bathroom door.
“I’m already here, can I come in?” I hear her let out a loud sigh of annoyance.
“Yeah. Fine, sure.”
I step in the bathroom and see her crutch has fallen. She is sitting in the tub, wet and naked. Looking around, I spot her towel under her crutch.
“Where is your chair?” I ask while handing her the towel.
“I was using it outside yesterday and left it out there so I could clean the wheels off today. But someone stole it overnight.” My eyebrows shoot up.
“Who the fuck would steal your wheelchair?” I’m disgusted that someone in our neighborhood would do something so despicable.
“Don’t know. I’m sorry Sam called you over. I was about to crawl over and grab the stuff. I’m just hurting today and was trying to muster up the strength.” She chuckles dryly as she wraps a towel around her slim body. I know she hates being vulnerable.
“I don’t mind. I miss you guys. Though I wish I could come over to just hang out or something.” I grab her crutch and hand it to her before checking the floor to make sure it is dry before stepping out of the bathroom, both so she can have the space and so I don’t see her leg. Her leg doesn’t bother me. I haven’t actually seen it close up, but her missing a leg isn’t something that I see as an issue. Still, I want to respect her and if she doesn’t want me to see her leg, I won’t look.
“I would invite you over more often, but I don’t want to get you in trouble with James. Plus, I didn’t want you to think I just wanted another tongue fucking.”
I wince as she walks past me, and I can feel the hurt in her tone. “I’m sorry,” I whisper, following her as she goes into her bedroom.
“Forget about it,” she mutters as she slips a pair of sweatpants on before tossing her towel in the hamper. I watch her bare breasts move as she sits on the edge of her bedwhile grabbing her black tank top. Her dark nipples harden and pucker in the exposed air and I force myself to look away.
“No, I can't forget about it,” I say softly. “I am sorry I hurt you. I was—”
“Junebug, I promise, it’s okay. I understand. I’ve been thinking a lot about everything the last few days and I realized that I was pushing you, and that isn’t something I meant to do. I just—look, I know we’ve only known each other a short time and I know that it sounds dumb, but I feel something when I look at you. So when I saw what had happened, I freaked and I went into protective mode. That was wrong of me, I know he’s your husband, and it’s your life. I am sorry.”
I don’t know what is happening, but before I can stop myself I’m on top of her, my lips pressing against hers. I swipe my tongue along her lips, causing Nora to let out a pant and I steal the opportunity, plunging my tongue into her mouth, devouring her sweet taste.
“Baby…” she whispers against my lips. “We can’t.” I ignore her as I slip my hand up her tank top, but she stops me just before I reach her breast.
