Page 78 of B-ry
“She’s on her way,” he said and I took in a staggered breath. “Do you… want me to go?”
There was something in his voice that made me cry even harder. So hard that my body shook and I had trouble taking in a breath.
It killed me to speak the words. To say what I really needed right now.
“Yes,” I gasped out.
I heard his sad, resigned sigh. I heard it through the closed door. I heard it over my sobbing.
“Is she okay?” Cami asked a few moments later.
I could tell she was trying to be quiet but I still heard her.
“I don’t know.”
“Is she in there?”
“Yeah,” Bryan said and I felt his stare even though I couldn’t see him. “Call me if she needs anything.”
Then he was gone. Even if I hadn’t heard his boots crossing the floor, I could feel it. A strange emptiness hung in the air and for some reason, it made the tears fall faster.
Cami opened the bathroom door hesitantly. She took one look at me and rushed to my side, throwing her arms around me and hugging me tightly. I didn’t care that my body ached, I was going to hold onto her as long as she would let me.
Once I pulled myself together enough to stand up, I got into the shower. She stayed there, talking to me about little things. I appreciated her trying to act as if things were normal even though they were far from it. I didn’t know what I would have done if she tried to ask me questions. She made sure to leave anything about Bryan out. As well as what had happened to me.
I knew it was only a matter of time before she sat me down and made me talk about it all. But she understood that now was not that time.
While I got out and dried off, she found me something to wear. It was almost strange to see her walking in with a pile of clothes that I was familiar with. Familiar because they were mine.
It reminded me once again, everything that Bryan had done for me. Not that I was ignoring the fact that Cami hadn’t helped but I knew that she didn’t know how everything was set up in my apartment like he did.
“Thank you,” I said to her as I reached for the pile of clothes. “For everything. For this.”
My eyes roamed around the room so she would know what I was talking about.
Then my gaze caught on the tiny box sitting perfectly on top of the dresser. There were those stupid tears again. I closed my eyes and I could see the pearl necklace nestled right inside. I didn’t need to go over there and flip the top up to know that it was in there.
I opened my eyes and tried my best to shake the emotions away.
“I have to be honest,” she said and gave me a small smile. “This was mostly B-ry. I was having a really hard time… I felt helpless. I sort of… had a breakdown moment in here and he was the one that found me. I unpacked everything, but it was really him that set it all up.”
I nodded because I had already figured that out.
“He’s a really good guy,” she said softly.
I bit my lip because I already knew that too.
“He really, uh, cares about you.”
“I know that now,” I said barely above a whisper.
And I was grateful that was all she said on the matter.
After I was dressed, I got back on the bed again. It was so plush and I swore I would never take it for granted again. My head hit the pillow and I let out a soft sigh as I stretched my legs out.
I was asleep before I even realized it.
When I woke again I knew he was there. I didn’t open my eyes but I could feel him. I always felt him. And it wasn’t just the heat radiating off his body and seeping into my back. There was just something that was like a beacon calling out to me every time he was near.
