Altered Futures

Chapter 17 - Leggings

Monday, January 9 --- 10:56p.m.

"Don't worry about it."

Fortunately, there was a pair of medical scissors inside the kit. She took them out and pinched some of her leggings just below where her right leg started and made a small cut. Putting the end of the scissors inside, she cut her pant leg off completely.

"Why d-did you do t-that?"

"You're more important to me than any pair of pants. Besides, I can always buy more."

I'm important to her?

With the cut off pant leg, Grace wrapped the stretchy material around the gauze pad and tied it off. It seemed to be working so far. Grace put all her materials she had taken out back in the box, like the only half-full water bottle, wet washcloth and medical scissors. Now that everything she took out was back inside the box, she set it in the backseat. Edward leaned his head against the side of the car.

"What's with that Edward?"

"I was tired. P-please don't be m-mad at me."

"I'm not mad. I was going to say you could lay your seat down some more."

"How?"

"Like this," said Grace, reaching over him to lay his seat down more.

"Thank you. This f-feels much better."

"If I move some stuff behind you I can lay it down more."

"N-no, don't worry about i-it. I'll b-be fine."

"Are you sure? It's not a problem for me and I want to make sure you'll be comfortable."

"I-if you're sure y-you don't mind..." he trailed off.

"I don't," Grace said, opening her car door, closing it behind her and walking outside to the back of the car.

Now that she was outside, she walked around to the other side of the car and opened the door behind where Edward was sitting. Taking the ice chest handles in her hands, she picked it up and lifted it out of the door. Even though she was still a bit tired and weak from earlier, she took the ice chest to the other side of the car. She set it down and opened the backseat door. Lifting it up, she put it behind her seat. Grace closed the car door and then closed the other one. After they were both closed, she opened her car door and tiredly plopped onto her seat. A part of her was wondering if she even had enough strength left in her to drive. Leaning over Edward, she pulled the lever to finish laying down the seat.

"You didn't have to do t-that," he mumbled.

"Nonsense. I want you to be comfortable, not in an awkward position. I don't mind."

"T-thank you," he said.

No wonder I fell in love with her all those years ago.

"No problem. I actually brought a blanket with me you can use too," said Grace as she reached behind him and covered him up with the green blanket.

Once it was laid on top of him, Edward snuggled into it. Smiling, Grace buckled him up.

"Why did you c-come for m-me?"

"A friend of mine told me you needed help and it was the least I could do."

"I-I thought y-you had to have h-hated me."

A sharp reminder of her past informed Grace why he thought that and all she could do was regret her choices back in high school. Not wanting to talk about that, she changed the subject.