Chapter 29
Sly
Sumner was released from the hospital two days later.
Before I went to pick her up I made sure to prepare her apartment for her return.
I stocked the fridge with things she liked, bought extra drinks, and cleared out anything that looked like clutter.
I stripped the bedding, washed it, and put fresh sheets on the bed.
I wiped down every surface, took out the trash, and left a lamp on for when she arrived.
After the t-shirt accident, I wanted her to come back to a place she could feel safe in.
When I arrived at the hospital I parked near the entrance so she wouldn’t have to walk too far.
I wanted to make this as easy as possible for her.
Inside, I went up to the room and knocked softly before entering.
She was sitting on the edge of the bed, hands folded in her lap, waiting patiently.
She looked tired, but there was an energy to her face that said she wanted to get back to normal as soon as possible.
Her nose was still bandaged, her left eye was still swollen and dark, but the other bruises were already fading.
The moment she saw me her eyes lit up. “Sly,” she said, her smile bright. “I’m ready to go home.”
“I can see that,” I replied with a grin. I stepped forward and stopped in front of her, then reached out to brush a loose strand of hair behind her ear. “How are you feeling, baby?”
“Better,” she told me, her eyes widening. “I’m ready to go home.” She emphasized the words this time, making me laugh.
I leaned in and kissed her gently. I kept my touch careful, aware of where she hurt. “I’ll get you home, baby.”
There was a knock at the door, and I turned to see Phoebe come in. She had a clipboard in her hands, and that same kindhearted expression on her face. She glanced at me, then looked at Sumner. “Hi, Sumner. Before you go, can I have a quick word?”
She nodded and sat up straighter. I stayed by the bed but took a step aside. Phoebe looked at both of us, then set the clipboard down on the bedside table.
“Doctor Moreau is currently in surgery so she asked me to come talk to you. We wanted to check in about follow up care,” she said.
“Medically you’re stable, but with what you went through, it might help to see a psychiatrist or a therapist who has experience with trauma.
Doctor Moreau has left names and numbers in here.
” Phoebe pulled an envelope from the clipboard and handed it to her.
“You don’t have to decide now, but we wanted to make sure you had the option. ”
Sumner glanced at me and then back at Phoebe. I could see the hesitation in her face. “I’ve never done that,” she said softly. “I don’t even know where to start.”
“You don’t have to start today,” Phoebe answered. “Just know the option is there. Therapy can be practical. It’s someone who helps you sort through what happened without judgement.”
I squeezed Sumner’s hand, noticing her doubt. “You don’t have to decide now,” I told her. “We can look at it together.”
Phoebe smiled kindly. “Get home first and rest. You can call if you want me to set up an appointment. Or call the hospital desk and they can help. And if you need a referral for any follow up scans or a specialist, tell us.”
“Thank you,” Sumner said, her voice genuine. She looked down at the envelope, then handed it to me to put it in her hospital bag.
“You did good to get through this. Take it slow. If you need anything, we are here.”
Sumner nodded and thanked her again, and after Phoebe left the room I stood and helped Sumner to her feet. She leaned against me for a moment, and I gave her all the time she needed before we moved. I carried her bag and her jacket and opened the car door for her when we got outside.
“You want a donut?” I asked once I was in the car.
She turned her head, and I saw the surprise on her face. “What?”
“A donut. Do you want one?” I reached back and grabbed the box I got earlier.
She stared at the donuts as I opened the lid, and the confusion on her face was amusing. “You got me donuts?”
“Of course, I got you donuts. You deserve one. Actually, you deserve all six.”
She was still baffled by the simple act of me buying donuts and surprising her with them.
It shouldn’t have been that surprising though, but before me, there was no one who had ever done small things like this for her.
And I didn’t want to toot my own horn here…
but I was pretty damn good at sweet gestures like this.
“I love you.”
I grinned at her. “I love you too. Now, take one.”
“No, Sly, I really mean it.” She turned more toward me and gently pushed the box of donuts down to lean over and kiss my cheek. “I love you. I don’t think you understand just how much.”
“Oh, don’t you worry, baby. I know.”
Her gaze was soft as she tilted her head to the side. “Okay, then…remember it forever, okay?”
“I will. Promise,” I told her, pressing a kiss to her forehead. “Now, pick one.”
I watched her closely as she decided on the one with dark chocolate on top, then she sat back with a pleased smile. But instead of biting into it, she looked at me with a serious expression. “Take one too.”
“They’re yours,” I said, ready to put the box away.
“Take one,” she urged, never taking her eyes off me. “I want to share.”
Fair enough.
I laughed and shook my head. “Who could ever say no to that face?”
Without that bandage, I know she would’ve been scrunching her nose by now. “You’re funny.”
“Hey, I mean it.” I took the strawberry frosted donut, knowing that was her least favorite out of the five that were left. “You’re beautiful. Inside and out.”
“And you’re very convincing.” She finally took a bite of the donut, and I watched as she leaned back in her seat with her eyes closed, delighted by the taste.
“God, you look hot eating a donut.”
She laughed and looked at me again. “Stop, Sly. Eat.”
“Okay, okay.” I grinned at her, then ate the donut in two bites before I wiped my fingers on my pants and started the engine. “Let’s get you home.”
On the drive back I kept my hand on her knee, and when we got to her apartment I unlocked the door and flicked on a few lights. I guided her to the couch and made her sit while I put away the box of donuts and her hospital bag.
“You cleaned my apartment,” I heard her say.
“Uh, yeah.” I came out of her bedroom and looked around the living room before my eyes met hers. “I didn’t want you to worry about anything when you got home.”
“Thank you,” she said, looking up at me with so much appreciation in her eyes. “For doing this. For making it easy.”
“You don’t ever have to thank me for that,” I said. “And I’m not going anywhere.”
“I know.”
“You’re stuck with me.”
“Good.”
I smirked. “Good.”
***
By the end of the week, Sumner was already doing everything I didn’t want her to do. She went to the store on her own while I went to check on April at the mechanics, and when I came back, she was standing in the kitchen, cooking dinner.
I wanted to say something, to tell her that she still needed to rest, but I knew she wouldn’t listen. She was so independent, and I didn’t want to take that away from her. Not when it meant that she was getting better.
“Hi,” she said brightly when I walked into the kitchen.
I walked over to her and pressed a kiss to her temple while rubbing her lower back. “Hey, baby. Smells delicious.”
“Thanks! Try it for me, please.”
She stirred the tomato sauce before lifting the wooden spoon up to my mouth. I blew on it before tasting the sauce, then I nodded.
“Enough salt?” she asked.
“Perfect.”
She smiled, pleased with herself. “How’s April?”
I went over to the cupboards and grabbed glasses and plates to set the table. “Getting better. She needed a tire change and both mirrors were cracked, so they fixed those too.”
“And when can you take her home?”
“Probably next week. I’ll have to take her for a ride then.”
She smiled at me. “Aw, you miss her, huh?”
“Are you kidding?” I deadpanned. “You know how torturous it is to drive your car? I can’t wait to sit on my baby again.”
Sumner pursed her lips. “Hey, my car’s just fine.”
“Yeah, maybe. But it’s a car.”
“And April’s your baby, of course,” she teased.
I chuckled and went to stand behind her, wrapping my arms around her. “She’s my number two. Which makes you my number one. But you can’t tell her because she’ll get jealous.”
“Right.”
We both laughed, and I pressed kisses to her shoulder and neck. “I love you,” I whispered into her ear.
She leaned back against me and tilted her head to the side to kiss my jaw. “I love you too.”
“You’re getting better.”
She went quiet for a moment, then she nodded. “Yeah, I am. But mostly because you’re by my side.”
There would still be bad days, but we’d conquer them together. And even when she healed, I would never stop protecting her.
***
It seemed that just when things were starting to feel like they were settling down, another obstacle appeared.
This time, it was the court. The system had decided that both Sumner and I needed to testify against Joey, even though the idea of stepping back into that environment made both of us tense.
I hated the look on Sumner’s face. The fear in her eyes since we got the letter was hard to watch, and I hated how quiet she’d become over the past two days.
She had only just been released from the hospital, and now she already had to sit in the same room as that monster, telling strangers in detail what he’d done to her.
I tried to give her strength, told her this was the first step toward the ending we’d both been waiting for. She looked steady on the outside, but I could see the pain and exhaustion sitting just beneath the surface.
When the day of the hearing came, I held her hand the whole time and never let go.
I tried not to glare at Joey, but it was hard not to show my anger while he sat there all fucking nonchalant, as if he hadn’t tortured her for years.
Every time Sumner had to speak, I rubbed my thumb across the back of her hand, hoping she could feel how proud I was of her.
The more she talked, the steadier her voice became, and I could see her strength growing with every word.
That’s my girl.
My Supergirl.
The strongest person I’ve ever known.
After the hearing ended, we didn’t say much as we walked out to her car.
The lot was mostly empty. We slid into the car in silence, each of us taking a moment to collect ourselves.
The windows were slightly fogged, and the silence made it feel like we were in our own separate space, even though we were together.
“I can’t believe he pled guilty,” Sumner finally whispered, her voice small and hesitant. She kept her eyes straight ahead, still trying to process everything that had happened inside those walls.
I nodded, letting her have a moment to gather herself. “I can’t believe it either,” I said after a pause. “He just…gave up.”
Sumner let out a quiet breath and picked at the skin around her fingernails. I reached over to stop her, because I knew how annoyed she’d get with herself if she started bleeding again. Skin picking was her way of dealing with anxiety, but this wasn’t worth it. Not one bit.
“It thought it would’ve been harder,” she murmured to herself. “It feels unreal.”
“But it wasn’t, and as surprised as I am, I’m glad he surrendered.
He owed you this much,” I said, keeping my tone calm.
“This was the outcome we wanted, the one that would actually protect you. He gets what he deserves without dragging you through more of that mess than you already had to go through.”
She started to nod, but then she shook her head. “Why do I not feel relieved?”
I turned more toward her and cupped her face with both hands.
“Because you’ve been through so fucking much, Sumner.
You don’t have to let everything make sense right now, and you get all the time you need to understand exactly what you’re feeling.
Most important thing is that he’ll be locked up for the foreseeable future, and he won’t ever hurt you again. ”
Her eyes stared into mine, and the tears that formed told me that there was something more bothering her.
“Talk to me,” I said quietly, resting my forehead against hers. “What’s on your mind, baby?”
She closed her eyes and swallowed. “During all of this,” she said quietly, “since the day we’ve met…I never asked how you’ve been.”
That caught me off guard.
Just when I thought she couldn’t get any more perfect, she said something like that.
“I adore you.” I couldn’t help a chuckle. “You don’t have to worry about me.”
“I do,” she shot back. “You’ve been through a lot too, Sly. You’ve been going to therapy. I just…I never asked if it’s been helping.”
Therapy helped me, until Sumner and I met. After that I stopped going.
I leaned back a little to look at her, keeping one hand on her face, and dropping the other to her thigh. “I haven’t gone to therapy since we met.”
“Why?”
“Because it turned out you did more for me than an appointment ever did.”
Her brows furrowed, and I knew it sounded cocky but it was the truth.
She looked into my eyes again and took a deep, shaky breath. “But how? I’ve caused you a lot of worry.”
“You haven’t. Don’t ever think that.” I caressed the side of her head, tucking a strand of hair behind her ear. “What you’ve done is shown me that I’m capable of loving someone, which I never thought I could. And you know what’s even sweeter than that?” I asked, smirking.
She sniffled. “What?”
“I’m getting that same love in return by a woman that couldn’t be any smarter, stronger, and funnier.”
If she wouldn’t still have that bandage, I knew she’d be scrunching her nose by now. “I’m not funny.”
“Ah, you’re right. I’m the funny one in the relationship.”
That got a laugh out of her, and my heart squeezed in the best way possible.
Her laughter faded into a small smile, and she leaned more into my hand, relaxing under my touch.
“I mean it,” I said quietly. “You make life easier.”
Even if she still didn’t believe me, I could see it sinking in.
“Then I guess we’re both healing each other,” she whispered.
“Yeah.” I smiled and pressed a soft kiss to her lips. “We are.”