Chapter Ten
It's been a few days since my fall, and Reece is heading back out of town again. He’s been overly sweet, treating me so well.
I can’t help wondering if this is an act or if this is really my husband.
He’s been helping me bathe, change my clothes, and doing anything I’ve needed help with.
He has been here. He even got me a pill box so he can keep track of my pain meds, since he doesn’t want me taking too much too fast. Opioids are very easy to get addicted to, so he’s only looking out for me because he loves me.
Reece gave me my last pill this morning.
He says they messed up the quantity of the pills somehow, and he’s going to call and deal with it for me when I take my afternoon nap.
He’s so thoughtful, I really don’t understand how they can get away with shortening a prescription, but what do I know?
Reece just left to go to the pharmacy for me as I lay down.
Grabbing my phone off the couch, I see….
A Snapchat notification? My eyes double in size.
From Gavin?! I think I briefly remember running into him last night in the ER parking lot, quite literally.
My sweatshirt still has that faint scent that I miss so much…
sandalwood. But also, there is something else lingering...
grease? I wonder why he was going into the ER.
He was still in what seems to be his work uniform.
I hope he's okay. Regardless of how much he hurt me, I don't hate him.
Walking the short distance from the living room, I make my way to our queen-sized bed.
The mattress dips as I sit, some of the springs groaning with protest. Taking a deep, steady breath, I swipe open my screen and tap on Snapchat.
“Whatever his message says, it doesn’t matter.
I’m married to Reece…” I mumble to myself.
Reece is the first man I let myself feel for since that day Gavin told me he couldn’t be what I needed and he wanted to be alone.
That day has stayed with me. His deep brown eyes, which I had begun to love, slowly drained of their warmth. Becoming distant, vacant, and completely void of emotions besides pain. Walls he has never had with me appearing. Huffing out a laugh, I press the message with his name, and I laugh again.
See. Nothing really. He probably just felt guilty for how we ended things.
He doesn’t actually care about me, nor is he any good for my well-being.
I close the app, place my phone on the nightstand, and then roll onto my side.
Sleeping calms me. Thoughts still running wild of a curly-headed boy who turned into a man.
Six years ago
I sit waiting on my porch steps, a soft whistle of a turbo in the distance tells me Gavin will be here in just a few minutes.
The last few weekends, we have been spending time together in his garage.
I sit on the worn-out couch in the corner.
Either reading a book or enjoying his company while listening to his divorced dad's rock playlist, as he’s tinkering under the hood of his WRX.
Watching him work mindlessly, with no care in the world, is just so calming to me.
I never care what we are doing. As long as we get to hang out a few days a week.
“Are you sure you want to actually go forward in going into the police academy? Working on vehicles really seems to be your dream. Not becoming a cop.”
Peeking at me over his hood, his eyes meet mine. They always seem to sparkle when he looks at me, “I’d love to become a mechanic eventually, but it's not in the cards for me. Mommy Dearest wants me to be a cop like my grandfather,” he says with a shrug.
As I get up, I walk over to him, leaning over the hood.
I wrap my arms around his torso, laying my cheek against his shoulder blade, with him almost bent over, I can easily reach him.
“I think you should do whatever your heart desires and not follow what your mom tells you to do with your life,” I say, squeezing him in a hug.
”You think I should do whatever I desire, huh?” He asks, playfully spinning around on me.
“Gavin! Your hands! They are covered in grease! You're going to get me all dirty!” I squeal.
”Oh, you mean like this?” Before I can respond, he’s dragging his thumb down the middle of my forehead. He looks me straight in my eyes and says, “Simbaaa,” laughter busting out of his chest.
As I go to respond to the grease now streaked down my forehead, his hand sneaks around and settles at the base of my skull, pulling me into him.
His lips cradle mine before I nip at his bottom lip.
As he pulls away, I’m met with the same liquid depth I’m starting to fall in love with.
Eyes so dark, almost turning black. He steps back slightly and slams the hood of the car down, and swiftly picks me up, placing me on my back.
The metal cools against my skin. He groans as his lips come down to my ear and whispers, “If you want to play dirty, all you have to do is ask Любовь,” my breath catching as it always does… .
I wake up gasping. It only takes a moment for me to come back to reality. I’m not with Gavin in his garage. I’m at home in my marital bed alone. All because of that notification, what was supposed to be a peaceful nap… turned into memories I’ve tried so hard to forget.
Getting up, I walk down the hallway to our bathroom.
After I wash my hands, I look in the mirror and see how flushed my cheeks are.
“Juni, calm down, you haven’t seen this man in six years.
All it takes is a little run-in, and you're losing your head? Get yourself together!” I say scolding myself.
I splash some cold water on my cheeks and head to our kitchen.
Turning on the sink, I start filling a glass of tap water.
As I take my first sip, the front door opens.
Reece returning from the pharmacy.. empty-handed?
“Hey, baby! I just woke up, and was just waiting for you to get home…
Do you have to go back again? I see you don't have my corrected prescription,” I asked, puzzled.
Reece seems slightly agitated. “Don’t you think if they did actually do their jobs and properly fill it, I’d have them Juni? What exactly are you assuming?”
“Oh my gosh, Reece, nothing at all! I’m sorry to make you feel that way… I’m just in a lot of pain. I didn’t nap well.”
Still seeming annoyed, he scoffs. “So nice for you to nap, Juniper, while the laundry needs to be done and the house needs to be cleaned,” he scoffs again. His mood change, though slight, takes me aback.
“I’m sorry, baby, you had to deal with that; it is my fault. If I had never fallen, I wouldn’t need the pain meds… although I’m thinking of calling and canceling the prescription… they don't seem to help, and I get jittery afterward.”
“NO, don't be silly, Pretty Girl. You need to take them. It just upsets me seeing you in pain… and that took longer than I was hoping. I need to pack so I can head back out of town for work.” Reece disappears down the small hallway, closing our bedroom door. It seems like my back-to-back injuries are starting to take a toll on Reece; that’s the only thing that makes sense with his constant mood swings and irritation.