I knelt in front of her and gently lifted her face, lightly stroking over her tear-stained skin, wiping away the remains of her painful sobbing. Her eyes remained closed, and the only sound coming from her was the shaky, stuttering breaths that came after such an emotional outburst. I stood and grabbed two fresh shirts from the top of the dresser, making sure one of them was especially soft. “Arms up, Rabbit,” I said quietly.
Her eyes opened and my heart clenched at the pain that still lingered but was pleased to see her shaky arms rise. I quickly pulled the damp shirt over her head and pulled the soft shirt back down over her torso. Then I did the same to my own shirt. Leaning down, I smiled gently at her. “It’s not pink, Rabbit, but it’s my second favourite color on you.”
She looked down at her fingers plucking at the soft material on her arm. “Grey?” she whispered, her voice raspy from crying.
I shook my head. “No, me. Any shirt of mine that you’re wearing instantly becomes my favorite color on you,” I grinned and stroked her cheek.
And, there it was. I was rewarded with her shy smile for my corniness. Although tremulous, it was still a smile. I returned it with one of my own before leaning down and placing several tiny kisses on her lips, barely touching them as I whispered ‘love you’ between each one. It was she that pulled me closer and held me near as she answered back. “So much, Joshua.”
I pulled her tightly against me.
“Always, Rabbit. Always.”
I wanted her to eat, and I needed her close. I scooped her up and carried her to the kitchen and sat her on the countertop. “What are you doing?” she asked, obviously puzzled.
“I promised I’d cook dinner, so that’s what I’m going to do.” I leaned forward and kissed her forehead. “And, then you’re going to eat. Understand?”
She looked over at the clock. “Isn’t it a bit late for dinner?”
I smiled. “We don’t have to follow any rules here, Rabbit. If we want to eat steak at,” I squinted over her shoulder looking at the clock, “9:45 p.m., then we can.” I winked at her.
“Can I help, at least?”
“Can you whip up one of your pies in half an hour?” I grinned.
She shook her head. “I will tomorrow. Any kind you like.”
I pretended to think. “Hmmm … hard choice, apple or blueberry … apple or blueberry ... or maybe … one of each?” I looked at her, wide-eyed and grinning, hoping to keep her distracted and smiling.
“Done.”
“Then you have the night off.” I handed her a glass of wine, and turned on the indoor grill to heat up. I kept talking, telling her some amusing stories of Bear and his antics while she was gone. I desperately wanted to give her a little normalcy after her breakdown. There was so much we still had left to talk about, more painful memories she had left to share, but for tonight it was enough. I relented and let her stir-fry some vegetables to have with the steak and soon we were sitting down to eat. I purposely put only a small piece of steak on her plate but was pleased to see her eat it, although it happened very slowly. She barely touched her wine. Baby steps, I reminded myself. I had to let her get comfortable again.
After dinner, we sat on the sofa, hands clasped. I drew in a deep breath. “So Cecilia and Trevor are going to be here tomorrow. Probably just before lunch.”
“Okay.”
“They’re bringing someone else with them,” I added, unsure if she was ready for this.
She looked at me. “Oh? Frank?”
I nodded. “Yeah, Frank will be with them as well. But also an associate of Trevor’s.”
“An associate?”
“His name is Adam Green. He’s a lawyer and a friend of Trevor’s.” I paused. “He practices family law, Rabbit. And, he specializes in cases that involve abuse.”
I watched her intently for a reaction. At first, there was nothing and then her eyes flew to mine in panic. Her hand gripped mine tightly and I felt the instant trembling in her body.
I set down my wine glass and pulled her onto my lap. “Hey, hush. Stop, Rabbit. It’s okay. He’s just coming as a favor. To talk. Just to talk about your options. Please, baby, stay calm.” I ran my hands over her back before encasing her in my arms, frightened that the trembles had turned into shudders.
“What’s going to happen next, Joshua? What if he comes after me?” She drew back, her eyes wide and frightened. “What if he comes after you?” She sounded almost hysterical.
I gripped her shoulders. “Listen to me, Rabbit. No one is going to touch you. And no one, least of all Brian James, is coming after me. He’s a fucking bully. But he’s lost all his power, Rabbit. Can’t you see that?”
She shook her head, still lost in her panic.
I tempered my voice. “Rabbit. He kept you isolated and alone. He abused you. But he didn’t count on how incredibly strong and smart you were.”
She looked at me puzzled. “Smart?”
“You kept evidence of the abuse, Rabbit. You got away. We have proof against him. And, we have the photos I took. He is all about image and what he sees as his rightful place in society. He won’t want the photos to be seen.”
I could feel her relaxing. The shudders had stopped, although she was still shaking.
“I’m sure he realizes your memory must have returned, Rabbit. He may not know how you got away but he knows why.”