of my keys.”
“She refused to let me take her to the hospital, so I
wouldn’t let her go home.” Keith interposes, as he returns from putting Austin
down for a nap.
“Thank you. Thank you.” Melissa shakes her head at me. “At
least someone has some sense here.”
I want to storm out, but seeing as I’m still pretty banged
up, there’s nothing much I can do except make a snarly face at the two of them.
“You can’t keep me locked up here forever.” I pout like a child.
Melissa finally calms enough to sit down next to me, and
after a quick look to her husband, we are the only two left in the room.
She softly places her hand on my knee. “Care Bear… tell me
what happened.”
So I do. I tell her about Johnny and his stupid fuzzy
peaches and his unwillingness to shower without me sitting right outside,
holding his towel. I tell her about the hot chocolate mix and the decaffeinated
tea. And then I tell her how he manipulated me into spending the night with
him.
“Did you sleep with Johnny Braylock?”
“No! No! Absolutely not. Which is why I left.”
“At two in the morning?” She purses her lips.
“I know. Believe me, I know.”
And so I continue on, telling her about the group of guys
and their catcalls, and my sarcastic response to them, and how I refused to
give up my bag, and then how I woke up this morning in Johnny’s living room.
Before I know it, I’m crying. I don’t know why. I thought I
was holding it together quite nicely. But now: I feel empty, scared, and
worthless. I can’t make these feelings go away.
“What are you doing?” I look up at her through tear-filled
eyes as she fishes through her bag.
“I’m calling the production team to let them know, I have to
take the rest of the day off.”
“No, please. Meliss, don’t do that.” I shake my hands at
her. “Look,I feel better. I just want to lie
down in my own bed, close my eyes, and sleep all day. Can I please do that?”
Melissa sets her phone back in her bag, and gives me a
cursory smile. “Of course, Care Bear. If that’s what you want.”
“It is.” I quietly squeak out.
“Keith!” She calls into the next room.
“What’s up?” He peeks his head in from out of the kitchen.
“I’m taking Caroline home. Keep your phone on you, just in
case she needs you.”
“I can do that.” He pityingly smiles at me as he adjusts his
glasses.
“Thanks, Keith.” I sigh.
“Of course, Care-anything you need.”
The drive back to my apartment is pretty quiet, as
suspected. Melissa makes sure to go over every one of my bumps and bruises so
that she could confirm that I, in fact, do not need her to take me to the
emergency room. She begs me to call both her and Keith if I need anything, even
a cup of wonton soup from their favorite Chinese Restaurant.
She helps me inside: luckily, I live on the first floor,
because I don’t really see climbing steps to be in my near future. She then
adorably tucks me into bed, setting a large glass of water and a few snacks on
my nightstand.
“Book or television?” She coos as she stands above me.
“Television. Find me a crime show marathon.” I sink into my
pillows as she fumbles with the remote.
“ SVU, CSI, or NCIS ?”
“So many acronyms.” I moan.
“ Criminal Minds ?”
“Yes! That one.”
I thank her and promise yet again that I don’t need anything
else. When she finally leaves, I settle into bed and let my mind focus on the
story I’m watching rather than the one that keeps replaying itself in my head.
But it’s not easy. I can still hear their voices, I can
still see their faces, and I can still feel their touches. The only thing I am
seemingly able to think about is the fact that I didn’t do anything about it.
I let them hurt me.
And now I’m scared.
But I’m also very, very tired.
The sound of a fist banging on my door jolts me from my
sleep and I’m instantly thrown
“She refused to let me take her to the hospital, so I
wouldn’t let her go home.” Keith interposes, as he returns from putting Austin
down for a nap.
“Thank you. Thank you.” Melissa shakes her head at me. “At
least someone has some sense here.”
I want to storm out, but seeing as I’m still pretty banged
up, there’s nothing much I can do except make a snarly face at the two of them.
“You can’t keep me locked up here forever.” I pout like a child.
Melissa finally calms enough to sit down next to me, and
after a quick look to her husband, we are the only two left in the room.
She softly places her hand on my knee. “Care Bear… tell me
what happened.”
So I do. I tell her about Johnny and his stupid fuzzy
peaches and his unwillingness to shower without me sitting right outside,
holding his towel. I tell her about the hot chocolate mix and the decaffeinated
tea. And then I tell her how he manipulated me into spending the night with
him.
“Did you sleep with Johnny Braylock?”
“No! No! Absolutely not. Which is why I left.”
“At two in the morning?” She purses her lips.
“I know. Believe me, I know.”
And so I continue on, telling her about the group of guys
and their catcalls, and my sarcastic response to them, and how I refused to
give up my bag, and then how I woke up this morning in Johnny’s living room.
Before I know it, I’m crying. I don’t know why. I thought I
was holding it together quite nicely. But now: I feel empty, scared, and
worthless. I can’t make these feelings go away.
“What are you doing?” I look up at her through tear-filled
eyes as she fishes through her bag.
“I’m calling the production team to let them know, I have to
take the rest of the day off.”
“No, please. Meliss, don’t do that.” I shake my hands at
her. “Look,I feel better. I just want to lie
down in my own bed, close my eyes, and sleep all day. Can I please do that?”
Melissa sets her phone back in her bag, and gives me a
cursory smile. “Of course, Care Bear. If that’s what you want.”
“It is.” I quietly squeak out.
“Keith!” She calls into the next room.
“What’s up?” He peeks his head in from out of the kitchen.
“I’m taking Caroline home. Keep your phone on you, just in
case she needs you.”
“I can do that.” He pityingly smiles at me as he adjusts his
glasses.
“Thanks, Keith.” I sigh.
“Of course, Care-anything you need.”
The drive back to my apartment is pretty quiet, as
suspected. Melissa makes sure to go over every one of my bumps and bruises so
that she could confirm that I, in fact, do not need her to take me to the
emergency room. She begs me to call both her and Keith if I need anything, even
a cup of wonton soup from their favorite Chinese Restaurant.
She helps me inside: luckily, I live on the first floor,
because I don’t really see climbing steps to be in my near future. She then
adorably tucks me into bed, setting a large glass of water and a few snacks on
my nightstand.
“Book or television?” She coos as she stands above me.
“Television. Find me a crime show marathon.” I sink into my
pillows as she fumbles with the remote.
“ SVU, CSI, or NCIS ?”
“So many acronyms.” I moan.
“ Criminal Minds ?”
“Yes! That one.”
I thank her and promise yet again that I don’t need anything
else. When she finally leaves, I settle into bed and let my mind focus on the
story I’m watching rather than the one that keeps replaying itself in my head.
But it’s not easy. I can still hear their voices, I can
still see their faces, and I can still feel their touches. The only thing I am
seemingly able to think about is the fact that I didn’t do anything about it.
I let them hurt me.
And now I’m scared.
But I’m also very, very tired.
The sound of a fist banging on my door jolts me from my
sleep and I’m instantly thrown
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