seem to be struggling. He walked quickly, and I saw the
outside room was actually a living room. I saw a brown sofa, matching loveseat, and a small
television sitting on a wooden TV stand. I didn't get to inspect any further because now I was in
Copyright © 2011 April Bostic
T H E H O W L I N G H E A R T
A p r i l B o s t i c P a g e | 43
their kitchen. It was small with pastel yellow walls and an eggshell tile floor, but able to
accommodate a table and four chairs.
Riley stopped next to an open door opposite the kitchen. He put me on my feet gently.
When I looked at him, he wasn't out of breath. He must be really strong .
"This is the loo...err...I mean, the bathroom." His gaze darted toward the room.
I held the blanket wrapped around me and peeked inside the bathroom. One sink, toilet,
and shower tub.
I looked at him over my shoulder. "Thanks."
He looked worried. "Are you going to be okay in there? Do you need any help?"
I actually felt more comfortable having another female help me. "Is your sister here?"
He scratched his head. "Uh no, she's at work. I'm the only one here. I told her I'd look
after you."
I cast my gaze down shyly, my voice low. "Okay, I think I can manage by myself."
I turned to go inside the bathroom, but felt his gentle touch on my bare skin. His hand
rested on my shoulder blade and I froze at the contact.
"Paige," he said softly. It was the first time I had heard him say my name. "Let me know if you need help. I don't want you to hurt yourself." I turned my head to look at him. "I promise I won't look."
I smiled again because he was such a gentleman. "Thanks, but I think I'll be all right."
I went into the bathroom and closed the door behind me. As I expected, I struggled to use
the toilet but refused to ask Riley for help. I was too embarrassed and hated feeling helpless.
When I finished my business, I gripped the sink in front of me to stand up. I happened to
glance in the mirror and the person I saw looking back at me was not Paige Donovan. The
woman in the mirror had two swollen eyes, red scratches on her face, and a white bandage with a
blood spot near her hairline. Her brown hair was matted and tangled. There was a scab in the
middle of her bottom lip, and she had purple bruises on her neck and collarbone. The woman
staring back at me looked hideous. Tears leaked from her puffy eyes, and she sobbed once and
covered her mouth. Her hand trembled and she cried harder until her shoulders shook.
All I could think about was Riley seeing me like this. I blamed my own vanity, but I
didn't want to face him now that I was aware of my appearance. I didn't want to look at my
Copyright © 2011 April Bostic
T H E H O W L I N G H E A R T
A p r i l B o s t i c P a g e | 44
reflection either, so I slammed my palm against the mirror. I wanted to make the ugly woman
disappear.
Riley must've heard me. His muffled voice traveled through the door. "Is everything all
right?"
I took a deep breath to compose myself, but my voice shuddered. "Yes, I'm fine."
I ripped some toilet tissue off the roll to dry my eyes and face. Then I wrapped the
blanket around my body and opened the door. I couldn't look Riley in the eye, but felt him try to
lift me into his arms again. I shrugged away from him.
"No, I can walk."
He immediately moved away from me. I took slow steps while he followed behind
patiently.
Once I made it back to the bedroom, he stood by while I tried to lie in bed. My whole
body hurt and it didn't help that the bed was low to the floor. Riley noticed my difficulty, so I
swallowed my pride and allowed him to help me. Once I was lying down, I groaned again and
closed my eyes. This was the first time I'd been in a car accident and I prayed it would be my
last.
"I can get you some pain medicine."
I opened one eye to peek at him. "You mean the hot stinky kind that made me fall
asleep?"
He laughed. "Yeah, that's the one. You have to admit though...it really does
outside room was actually a living room. I saw a brown sofa, matching loveseat, and a small
television sitting on a wooden TV stand. I didn't get to inspect any further because now I was in
Copyright © 2011 April Bostic
T H E H O W L I N G H E A R T
A p r i l B o s t i c P a g e | 43
their kitchen. It was small with pastel yellow walls and an eggshell tile floor, but able to
accommodate a table and four chairs.
Riley stopped next to an open door opposite the kitchen. He put me on my feet gently.
When I looked at him, he wasn't out of breath. He must be really strong .
"This is the loo...err...I mean, the bathroom." His gaze darted toward the room.
I held the blanket wrapped around me and peeked inside the bathroom. One sink, toilet,
and shower tub.
I looked at him over my shoulder. "Thanks."
He looked worried. "Are you going to be okay in there? Do you need any help?"
I actually felt more comfortable having another female help me. "Is your sister here?"
He scratched his head. "Uh no, she's at work. I'm the only one here. I told her I'd look
after you."
I cast my gaze down shyly, my voice low. "Okay, I think I can manage by myself."
I turned to go inside the bathroom, but felt his gentle touch on my bare skin. His hand
rested on my shoulder blade and I froze at the contact.
"Paige," he said softly. It was the first time I had heard him say my name. "Let me know if you need help. I don't want you to hurt yourself." I turned my head to look at him. "I promise I won't look."
I smiled again because he was such a gentleman. "Thanks, but I think I'll be all right."
I went into the bathroom and closed the door behind me. As I expected, I struggled to use
the toilet but refused to ask Riley for help. I was too embarrassed and hated feeling helpless.
When I finished my business, I gripped the sink in front of me to stand up. I happened to
glance in the mirror and the person I saw looking back at me was not Paige Donovan. The
woman in the mirror had two swollen eyes, red scratches on her face, and a white bandage with a
blood spot near her hairline. Her brown hair was matted and tangled. There was a scab in the
middle of her bottom lip, and she had purple bruises on her neck and collarbone. The woman
staring back at me looked hideous. Tears leaked from her puffy eyes, and she sobbed once and
covered her mouth. Her hand trembled and she cried harder until her shoulders shook.
All I could think about was Riley seeing me like this. I blamed my own vanity, but I
didn't want to face him now that I was aware of my appearance. I didn't want to look at my
Copyright © 2011 April Bostic
T H E H O W L I N G H E A R T
A p r i l B o s t i c P a g e | 44
reflection either, so I slammed my palm against the mirror. I wanted to make the ugly woman
disappear.
Riley must've heard me. His muffled voice traveled through the door. "Is everything all
right?"
I took a deep breath to compose myself, but my voice shuddered. "Yes, I'm fine."
I ripped some toilet tissue off the roll to dry my eyes and face. Then I wrapped the
blanket around my body and opened the door. I couldn't look Riley in the eye, but felt him try to
lift me into his arms again. I shrugged away from him.
"No, I can walk."
He immediately moved away from me. I took slow steps while he followed behind
patiently.
Once I made it back to the bedroom, he stood by while I tried to lie in bed. My whole
body hurt and it didn't help that the bed was low to the floor. Riley noticed my difficulty, so I
swallowed my pride and allowed him to help me. Once I was lying down, I groaned again and
closed my eyes. This was the first time I'd been in a car accident and I prayed it would be my
last.
"I can get you some pain medicine."
I opened one eye to peek at him. "You mean the hot stinky kind that made me fall
asleep?"
He laughed. "Yeah, that's the one. You have to admit though...it really does
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