Among the Trees

Chapter 26 - My Personal Hell

I couldn't wait to see him. It had been over nine months since I last been able to hug him. We'd both come off his bike that day. The only damage I had endured was three nasty gashes down my left thigh, caused by sliding across the road to a stop. Mitchell however had hit a tree at quite a force before he stopped. He fractured a vertebra at the base of his neck, trapping a nerve. He'd had to have surgery to release the nerve and fix little metal pins into his spine. The doctors had then thought it best to put him into an induced coma to help with the healing process. They had also said he would have to relearn how to walk, so he could be in a wheelchair or on crutches.  I really hoped it was the latter. I'd seen him in a wheelchair before. When he was ten, he broke his leg just above him knee. I was only six at the time but I could seen then that he hated not being able to move about on his own, it'd be even worse now because of all the things he loved to do.

"Lily, I really don't think this is a good idea. We're on the brink of a war with Adam and you want to bring your very human, injured, older brother into the house?"

"I need this Lee. He's been in a hospital bed for eight months, he comes home to find I've done a disappearing act. I owe him this Lee. I came off the bike with him that day, he needs to know I'm alright." I sat in front of the mirror in the bedroom, pulling my hair into a high ponytail. My hair had become tattered and ratted at the ends and needed a good trim. And that wasn't the only thing I'd let go to pot. I had heavy bags under my eyes and my face was taunt from weight loss. None of my clothes fit properly and could barely move properly anyway. It'd been a month since my phone call to my brother and I'd been starving myself for almost two months, since the discovery of my pregnancy.

"Lily, you're not well. You're starving yourself, you're really messed up again and I'm scared. I want to help you Lil, but this, seeing your brother when you're in this state, it makes it more difficult." I could see him in the mirror. I wanted to cry. He was right, I wasn't well. Because of the horrendous amount of weight less, the tiny bump that wasn't supposed to show for another two months was the only curve I had left.

"I can't do what everyone expects me to do. I can't carry this child but nothing I do seems to work." I turned to look at him probably, my bottom lips quivering as I tried to keep the tears from flowing.

"Wolf pups are rather resilient chick. It's not going to work." He stepped forward and kissed my forehead. I let the tears fall as he gently kissed down the bridge of my nose and then down to my lips. The kiss was gentle, and the way his hands were placed so gently on my face suggested he was frightened he might bruise or break me. He kissed me until there was a thud at the door. Someone called up that they'd get it.

I had very little energy and so making it down the stairs was not easy nor painless. To my appeasement, Mitchell was on crutches rather than in a wheelchair.

"Hey, little Lilli-" He stopped short when he saw me. "Lily what happened to you?" It was clear he didn't know how to react. This was so difficult. My brother had seen me in many a complicated situation, but this? This was hell on earth. How was I supposed to explain to my brother why I looked like a pregnant skeleton with skin? He'd never understand. Heck, I didn't quite understand!

"I, uh, I can't tell you. I can barely think about it right now." I let the tears again begin to fall. He moved forwards on his crutches and beckoned me forward. I threw my arms around his waist and he held me best he could.

"Was it Kieran? Because if it was I'll kill him." I snivelled and shook my head into his chest. "Was it this guy? Is he hurting you?" He pulled me away and held me at arms length. I shook my head again, looking down at my feet. "Lily please talk to me."

"I, uh, I don't know what to say." I breathe out a half laugh and snivelled again. "I hadn't know him long and," I paused and swell owed a sob. "And he drugged me. I don't remember a thing, I just know that this thing," I gestured to my stomach. "Isn't Lee's. You can't tell a soul, Mitch, I swear. I can barely deal with this now. If mum and dad or even Denise were to find out I'd die." Mitchell nodded and brought me back into a hug. When we finally let one another go, I clung to Lee's arm for support. Laura stepped out from behind my brother and smiled at both Lee and I. She'd dyed her hair a coppery auburn again and the colour made her eyes stand out even more.

"Lovely to see you both again." She hugged each of us and then stepped back beside Mitchell. "How about I make us all lunch? We can talk properly about this living hell." She continued to smile as she kissed Mitchell's cheek and headed for the kitchen. I was beginning to think this was all one big mistake.