I was afraid but also oddly relieved.
Perhaps the relief came from no more attempts to attack me, though I still believed someone was out to get me. I just wished I knew why.
Eddie walked in, and the worst of my fears slipped into the background. They never went away, but Eddie was powerful enough to make me forget them for at least a little while.
He’d been here to visit me every single day since I woke up. For three weeks now, I saw him at least once a day, sometimes twice. He pretty much came and went as he pleased, the nursing staff finally accepting the fact he was going to be here.
My head shrinker (aka Dr. Kline) often warned me about getting too close or too attached to him. It annoyed me. I felt she was trying to take away the only thing I really felt was real in my life. I needed him.
And yeah, I guess I saw Dr. Kline’s point. But didn’t everyone need someone? Being alone wasn’t easy, especially when you were alone and scared.
‘Course, I wasn’t as alone as I was three weeks ago. Not really. Things had been changing.
Wasn’t that the saying? The more things changed, the more they stayed the same. My same was my mind. Its blank pages never filled in.
“You ready?” Eddie asked, bestowing upon me a grin that literally lit up my insides. His dimples always made my stomach flutter, and the way his eyes always looked at me as if he’d known me forever gave me some sort of peace.
“They said it was okay?” I asked.
“Who would say no to this face?” He scoffed, pointing at himself.
I laughed and slid off the bed toward him and the door.
“Grab your jacket. It’s chilly out there.”
I backtracked to grab the Loch Gen hoodie Eddie gave me weeks ago and tugged it on. It was too big, which was why I liked it. That and the fact he’d given it to me off his own back. Plus, it had the Loch Ness Monster on it. Who wouldn’t want to wear that?
“You look good today,” Eddie said, looking me over but ultimately settling on my eyes. “Healthy.”
“That’s the goal,” I said, proud he’d noticed. It had been a long three weeks, but even I saw the difference when I looked in the mirror.
We walked past the nurses’ station, down the hall, and stepped into the elevator. About a week ago, Eddie found me gazing out the window of my room, and he somehow knew I wanted to be outside. To feel the sun on my cheeks, the breeze in my hair. It was fall now, and the leaves were all turning these beautiful colors. It seemed the more I looked out my window, the more caged up I felt.
That day he got permission for us to walk outside in the garden. I hadn’t even known there was one, but it was gorgeous.
When the elevator slid open, I bounded off with exuberance I’d only just started to feel recently. Sun filtered through the large glass sliding doors ahead, and I practically ran to get outside.
Eddie laughed, following closely behind.
A few minutes later, we stepped into the thick green grass on the side of the property that was bordered by tall, well-manicured shrubs. The entire garden was shaped like a rectangle, but there were different sections with flower gardens, bushes, and even trees inside. There was also a round stone fountain in the center.
Eddie and I fell into step beside each other, walking our normal route around the garden. Lifting my face toward the blue autumn sky, I breathed in deep and smiled. The air was crisp, the temperature definitely chilly. But I enjoyed it; it made me feel alive.
“Good day today?” Eddie asked.
I could feel his gaze. He looked at me a lot. His stare had a way of making a girl feel as if she were the most desired thing in the room.
“It was fine,” I murmured, gazing at some of the leaves twirling in the wind just above the sidewalk. “Just like every other day.”
“Any visitors?”
“Not today. But Maggie came yesterday.” Several people who lived at Lake Loch came to visit from time to time. I could sense their curiosity, their fascination. But they were kind, and I could understand the interest.
Maggie Foster came more than anyone else (except Eddie). Sometimes we’d play cards or talk about what was going on in the world. She brought me magazines and books. She also pulled the town together and gifted me all the clothes I had to my name. Most of it was simple, like jeans and T-shirts and a pair of sneakers, but I was so grateful.
When she first came with it all, I cried. She cried, too.
Everyone here seemed so sympathetic about what happened to me. So horrified. They also seemed… reserved in a way.
I saw some of the looks I got when no one thought I did. I noticed how sometimes people would whisper when I walked by. I didn’t understand it, but honestly, I didn’t think much about it. I had enough to worry about as it was.
“I brought you something.” Eddie beamed.
“Better not be a banana.” I teased as he reached into the kangaroo pocket on the gray hoodie he wore.
Laughing, Eddie produced a red apple, then another. I took the one he offered, noting how perfectly shaped it was.
“From the local orchard. Fall around here always means good apples.”
“Thank you,” I said and rubbed it on my shirt.
Eddie took a huge bite out of his and smacked his lips as he chewed. “So I was thinking maybe I could sweet talk your doctor into letting me spring you for a while sometime. I could show you around town.”
“Really!” I said, pulling back from the apple. “That would be amazing.”
I glanced up at him, thinking to return his smile, only he wasn’t looking at me. He was looking down at the apple as he devoured it.
A funny feeling wormed around inside me. I glanced around, suddenly very nervous. I felt like someone was watching me, as if I were the center of someone’s attention.
“Am?” Eddie questioned, touching my elbow lightly.
I jumped and jerked back.
“Whoa,” he said, holding up his hand in surrender. “I didn’t mean to scare you.”
“I’m sorry. I…” I glanced around again. All I saw was plants and shrubs. There was no one here. I am losing what little I have left of my mind.
“What’s wrong?” His voice changed, grew deeper, and his body seemed to grow even taller.
“Nothing,” I said, brushing off the feeling. “I just thought I saw something out of the corner of my eye.” I lied.
Eddie’s eyes narrowed.
To distract him, I hooked my arm through his and started strolling toward the fountain. “So tell me about the Loch Ness.”
It took a moment to register what I said because he seemed a little lost in focus the minute I entwined our arms. I admit the momentary hum of electricity between us had been distracting.
“What?” he said, amused.
“There has to be a legend here, right? I mean why else the Loch Ness on the back of the shirts? And the lake is called Lochlain… which everyone just calls Loch.”
“You want to know about the Loch Ness Monster.” He cackled.
I shrugged. “It’s a mystery of the lake. Just like me.”