5. Chapter 5
Glenda
I slept like shit. My ribs and gut were sore. And to my absolute horror, I had to get Leigh to help me go back to the bathroom after eating for the first time in days. He acted like it was no big deal, and I shouldn’t care what the fuck he thought, but it was mortifying.
When Linny popped into the room in the morning, I was relieved. “Thank God you’re here.”
Leigh still came in to bring me some oatmeal and coffee.
“How can you drink it like that?” Linny asked as she stood by the bed.
“That’s the way I’ve always had it. It’s good,” I said as I looked down at my black coffee before taking a sip. “Plus, it’s still piping hot.”
Linny visibly shook. She had to have her sweetened creamer.
“I feel bad having you sit here all day. There’s not even a TV.”
Leigh walked out of the room and Linny’s eyes went wide. “He’s intense.”
“He’s something,” I said as I stirred the oatmeal. I took a bite and asked, “Did you make this?”
“Nope. Why, is it bad?”
Looking past her to make sure he wasn’t there still, I answered, “It’s pretty good.”
Linny giggled but held up a bag. “I brought you some stuff. I got you bathroom stuff, clothes, some panties and bras, but not sure how you’ll do with the bra right now.”
“I need to shower for real. I feel gross.”
“Well, eat and I’ll help you shower, or I can draw you a bath.”
After swallowing my bite of oatmeal, I said, “I think shower for now. I’m so gross I don’t want to sit in my own filth. A bath later may be good though.”
Bruce had been by my bedside all night. He only left to go outside for a few, and promptly returned once he was back inside. But once he saw Linny, he seemed unsettled.
“I think he’s waiting on Sofie,” Linny said. She leaned to pat his head. “She’ll be here later to play, Brucie.”
“He’s a good boy.”
Leigh came back in, holding a TV. “He’s a damn traitor is what he is.” He put the TV on the dresser, plugged it in, then did a few other things as I watched.
He turned it on then handed me a remote. “All the streaming services are on there. And there’s some local channels streaming if you like the news or whatever.”
I was still processing that when Linny said, “Oh! I almost forgot. Here.” She pulled my phone from the bag. “There was a cord in the car, but no charging block.”
“I got an extra,” Leigh said before he flew out of the room.
Linny grinned. Leigh was back in quickly and handed the block to Linny.
“Thanks,” I said.
“You good?” he asked.
“I got her,” Linny said as she plugged in the phone.
He tipped his head, then headed back out.
Linny grabbed the remote and sat down. Bruce walked over and laid down by her feet. She aimed the remote and started scrolling around. “So… he’s attentive.”
“I guess.”
Linny craned her neck to look out the door then asked, “Okay. What gives? I know he’s broody, but so is Bama.”
“It’s his fault Reggie is dead.”
Linny gasped.
“Yeah. So…”
“Did he… ya know?”
Sighing, I scooped up some oatmeal. “I don’t know the details, but it was his fault.”
“Sorry.”
I waved the spoon as I swallowed my bite. “You didn’t know.”
“But the others don’t care?” she asked.
“It’s complicated. Club brothers and all.”
“Oh. Well. I’m sorry. I get why you’re uncomfortable. He just seems so… I dunno. All about you.”
“Maybe he feels guilty and he’s overcompensating.”
“Maybe. But he seemed genuinely upset all week.”
“Well, good. We both are uncomfortable then.”
Linny nodded and then turned her focus on the TV until I was done eating.
“Okay, let’s get you in the shower.”
“Yes. Please.”
It was a struggle for Linny to help me from bed and take a few steps. “Honey, I’m sorry but I need his help.”
She called for Leigh and he came running.
“Can you help us get to the bathroom? She wants to shower,” Linny asked.
He stomped over, taking me from her grasp. His lips were a straight line and his jaw ticked. Asshole.
Once in the bathroom, Linny ran the shower, flipped the toilet seat down, and helped me sit.
“I think I can get it from here,” Linny said.
I was already winded and my legs were still wobbly. “Maybe I should just do a bath?”
“Can you not stand?” Linny asked.
Holding onto the counter, I shook my head. “I don’t know.”
Leigh pulled his shirt off then unbuttoned his pants. He was even more ripped than I remembered, and had more tattoos than I’d remembered, too.
Linny put her hand up and looked the other way. “Um, what are you doing? Bama will literally kill you if you show me your dick.”
“It’s underwear. You can’t see anything, relax.” He worked his jeans off and was already barefoot. “I’ll hold her, you help her wash.”
“What the fuck?” I asked. “I am not getting naked with you in the shower.”
“Not like I haven’t seen it before. But those are my clothes. You can leave them on. We’ll work it out. Just come on.”
“Shut up.”
He leaned down and picked me up, stepping into the shower. He lowered my feet and held me up.
“Um, water is getting all over the floor,” Linny said.
“I don’t give a fuck about the floor. Just grab the washcloth and her shit,” Leigh said.
“Okay,” Linny said as she pulled the bandana off. She then grabbed the shower head and wet my hair.
The hot water felt great trickling down over my achy muscles. But I couldn’t relax with Leigh half naked behind me, and having the clothes stick to me was awkward.
But Leigh held me steady as Linny washed my hair then got my back, stomach, and arms.
“Pull the pants off,” I said. I needed to get the bottom half. “Just get my legs and feet. I’ll do the other stuff.”
Linny pulled the soaking pants off and tossed them to the back of the tub. She got my legs, then carefully got my feet as Leigh kept me steady.
“Hand me that rag,” I told her. She turned away, and I got my breasts, then the other bits I didn’t expect her to touch. It was kind of annoying that Leigh was behind me, but I needed to wash my ass, so I didn’t have a lot of options.
I tossed the rag down, then grabbed the face wash Linny brought from my room and gave my face a good wash.
I leaned into the water to rinse my face, then Linny reached in to hand me the shower head. I rinsed the places she didn’t and then handed it back to her.
“You ready to get out?” Leigh asked.
Nodding, I wiped the water from my face.
“Put a towel down on the floor so she doesn’t slip,” he said.
Linny pulled a towel from the cabinet and put it on the floor to soak up the water. There wasn’t a rug in the bathroom, but it was a guest room and I assumed he didn’t get many guests. Plus, he wasn’t a very frilly man.
Linny then held up another towel and Leigh helped me from the tub. He grabbed the towel from her and wrapped it around me, under my arms. “I’ll hold her, you help her pull this shirt off while she’s covered.”
Linny worked to get the wet t-shirt off while Leigh held me in place, trying to keep the towel around me.
“Jesus. That was a workout,” Linny said.
“Yeah, it was. I need a nap.”
They both helped while I brushed my teeth, put on deodorant, and then Linny helped dress me without showing him all my goodies.
He helped walk me back to bed, then left once I was settled.
“That was a fucking ordeal,” I said as Linny brushed my damp hair.
“That it was. But do you feel any better?”
“Loads. I was so gross. But now I’m tired as fuck.”
She kept brushing. “Sam said we had to keep you moving. Have a rest, then later we will try for a little walk down the hall. Bama is bringing Sofie over after school, so maybe we can sit out back while she plays with Bruce. She’s obsessed with him.”
“Is she doing okay?” I asked.
Linny started adding French braids on either side of my head. “She’s doing well. Ollie’s funeral was a little sad for her. But she’s so resilient. And she’ll need loads of therapy when she’s older, but for now, she’s good. She’s so happy you’re okay.”
“I missed his funeral.”
She kept braiding. “You were out. It was nice though. But it’s been hard. The clubhouse has been pretty sullen. But for now, Bama feels it’s best for us to stay there.”
“Since it was at your house.” I reached up slowly, finally gripping her hand. “I’m so sorry.”
“Hey, we both went through some shit. But we’re still here. We can’t stop living, ya know? We’ll go back home eventually.”
“I wish I was at the clubhouse,” I said, finally letting go of her hand.
She finished the other braid, then sat. “As soon as Sam clears you, we’ll bust you out of here. Promise.”
I closed my eyes, hoping to get a little rest while I could.