Crashing Waves

22

*Two Weeks Later*

One week before Alan's case and Ellie hadn't left me alone since Hardy had moved into his larger house.

"Right, here's a cuppa." Ellie placed it down on the small coffee table, taking a seat next to me. "How are you feeling?" She asked, knowing that she shouldn't be here. Not until after the court case, at least.

"Better, but bored. Sitting around all the time has made me realise how much we actually do, even if it is the paperwork." Alec hadn't been over since dropping me off from hospital, he didn't even sleep here that night, he'd just helped me into bed and then gone.

"We've actually been pretty quiet. You sorted out your lawyer, and the defence isn't looking that good." Ellie smiled sympathetically. This case was going to be a disaster, and we all knew it. I think that's why Hardy was keeping his distance.

"They're going to bring it all up in court." I sighed, looking into my tea and thinking back to that night at the cottage. It wasn't particularly romantic, but it had meant something to me, I couldn't ignore that.

"The worst thing they can do is suspend you, but Hardy removed himself from the case." Ellie's touch knocked me out of my own world, and as annoying as she could be, she had become a friend, and maybe she was right.
"Right, Lucy said she has to pop out so I must get back to Fred, I'll see you tomorrow?" I nodded, standing up slowly. "Oh no no I'll let myself out!" Ellie insisted.

"Tough, I'm up. Still need to work my legs." I laughed, hugging Ellie goodbye before seeing her head off back to her kids.
I had just walked from the door to the kitchen when I heard a knock, typical.
"One minute!" I shouted, making my way to the door once again. "Ellie I swear sometimes-" my words trailed off when I saw him standing at the door, his gaunt expression staring at me.
"Hardy." I said, not sure what to do. "Oh, er, come in." Taking a careful step back he nodded in thanks and stepped in, allowing me to shut the door.

"I thought it would be best that we didn't see each other before the court case." He thought aloud, making his way to the kitchen to make a cup of tea.

"It would have been nice to know." I admitted, walking in to see his coat slung on the chair. The scent of him wafted through the kitchen, settling some of the unease I had in my stomach. "Why are you here now then?"

"Have you had any trouble with anything so far?" Great, so this was a landlord visit? He was trying to play it off as that, I hope.

"Er, yeah, everything's fine." I answered, leaning against the counter as he found two mugs, placing them down. I hadn't moved anything, knowing that I wouldn't be here long. Luckily Ellie had gone shopping for me and stocked me up on tea and other necessities, insisting that it was what he would want.
Right.

"What about, your-" he pointed towards my waist, raising one eyebrow slightly.

"Sore." I didn't lie, but my answer was curt. I pushed myself off the counter, making my way back in the lounge. "I'm going to sit down." I couldn't believe him. After two weeks, all he could think to bring up was how I was doing in his house.
I suppose I wasn't in hiding like he had done with that Claire person Ellie had told me about, but it also wasn't like I could leave the house.

"Here." Suddenly he was in front of me with a cup of tea, looking at the one Ellie had made me earlier.
Truth was I didn't like my tea weak, and bless Ellie but that was how she made it.

"Thank you." Taking the cup I took a sip, trying not to sigh at how nice it was. As much as I was annoyed at him right now, Hardy made good tea. "So, why are you really here?" I questioned, seeing him freeze slightly. Caught!

"Miller said your washing machine was broken." I looked at him and laughed, immediately regretting that decision. A sharp pain turned my laugh into a small cry of pain, my hands gripping my side instinctively.

"Ow." I chuckled again, looking at Hardy. He had moved to the edge of his seat, almost as if he was ready to jump in and help me. "You really believed that line?" I asked, quickly checking my dressing. No blood, that's good.

"As soon as you answered with that, no." He sighed, taking a mouthful of tea, seemingly a little more relaxed.

"I can't believe she got you with that." Shaking my head I laughed a little more. "Worth the pain."

"I also got asked to bring these over from the hospital." He placed a small container on the coffee table, letting me pick it up and attempt to read the label. "For the pain."

"Oh thank god." I sighed, reading that it was two every eight hours. Opening the packet I shook out two, using my tea to swallow them. "How strong are they?" I asked, seeing Hardy take the bottle from me.

"Well, you won't be moving off the sofa." He said putting his reading glasses on, adjusting the length that he held the bottle at.

"I'm not spending the night on the sofa." I said, looking at the time, it was 6, so give it four hours and they should have worn off. "I'll take some more tomorrow." Sighing, my stomach decided to growl in the silence.
"Want take away?" I asked, digging out of the leaflets underneath the table in a wooden basket.

"I shouldn't." He said, but I was gone passed caring.

"You avoided me for two weeks, the least you can do is buy me food." My face didn't falter as I said those words, much like Hardy expected me too.
"I'm serious." Snatching the menu's off of me, he stood up and walked into the kitchen.

"That's not where the phone is." I pouted, putting my legs up. The background noise of news allowed me to relax, and by Hardy's absence I take it he had either left or gone to the toilet. Watching the picture on the TV my eyelids began to fall, their heaviness getting too much. A little sleep wouldn't hurt right now.
With my eyes closed my ears picked up the TV, along with what I thought was a tap. What was he doing out there?

***

Hardy finished cooking the two meals he had decided to make for them both. The real reason he had come over is to talk about what went on with them, that night. It wasn't going to hold up well in court unless they started dating, which he had come here to ask, even with the evidence that had compiled against Alan.