"You are in a good mood. Did something nice happen?" Oli asked the second Nel walked through the door.
His face was serious. Sitting on the stairs, he rose slowly to meet her.
"No," Nel shook her head with what she beloved to be a warm smile.
"Where's your pet?" Oli asked, walking toward her in long, intimidating strides.
"Sent him home," Nel said cautiously, trying not to change her expression, keeping her cool. "I don't need him here," she said innocently her body stiff.
"I'm here kid, no problem," Sammi said, walking in from the next room.
"Sammi," Oli said drily "We're talking." He stared her down maliciously.
After a second of shock Sammi's face hardened and, nodding understandingly, she walked out again.
Nel's body tensed instinctively, but her face was a calculated mask; she dared not look away from Oli.
"They are waiting for you upstairs, in your room," Oli said. "Go. Now."
Nel blinked twice, confused. "Who, "she began, Oli punched her hard and suddenly in the gut winding her.
Bending over in pain she coughed loudly. Oli took a fistful of her hair in a cruel and unnecessary gesture, pulling her up and growling in her ear, his voice deep and slow. "Now."
"Ok-" Nel coughed, staggering forward, she hurried up the stairs trying to steady herself to catch her breath.
"Have fun," Oli called after her without a hint of humor.
Nel's heart was pounding. She walked down the silent corridor, the normally busy house empty, trying to stand straight, stopping herself from vomiting on the carpet.
The wide-open door to her bedroom welcomed her. Milo sat on the bed his legs crossed, straight postured waiting in compliance.
"Hello," she said in a weakened voice, trying to sound cordial.
Milo stood smiling politely, his movements slightly stiff. She walked toward him.
He hugged her, and Nel was taken aback. Still, she reciprocated, her arms behind his neck affectionately she breathed slowly at editing herself.
"I'm sorry," he whispered into her ear.
As he pressed his lips against hers coldly, Nel's body felt numb. Both their eyes open, their gazes met, she knew what had to happen.
The door shut behind them, the throb in her stomach made her feel sick in a melancholic way like it was someone else's body that tensed and tightened.
They both undressed methodically, Nel dropping her clothes on the floor, Milo folding them neatly on a nearby chair. A pair of black cufflinks rested on a vanity.
When they got in bed Milo lay on top of her not bothering to get under the fresh sheets. It would be over soon enough. She stared at the ceiling, the pain in her torso becoming a tight, blessed, distracting knot. She did not close her eyes, detached, watching Milo move up and down over her. She felt more like a spectator than a participant in the act as the bed frame shook. It felt like her life so far.
The consummation was over quickly enough.
Milo dressed in silence, without showering, before leaving the room he knelt beside Nel, who looked up catatonic. He inched closer. She thought he would kiss her cheek but instead, he whispered into her ear "The bear. " tapping his cheek twice pulled away from her with his polite smile, he exited the room, closing the door softly behind him.
Nel stayed in bed until the urge to pee got the best of her.
She bathed putting on her pajamas.
On the vanity next to the bathroom door sat a simple white teddy bear. Her father had tossed it to her the morning of the wedding. A gift out of character, but for him any gift was out of character.
She cradled it in her arms, tracing its shape with her fingers, and felt the hardness of a box inside it. A foreign object that should have been soft filling.
Holding it close to her face, nose against the nose, she saw the reflection of a lens in the eyes.
To anyone watching she was nothing more than a sad girl cuddling her stuffed animal. Putting on a show for the camera, she placed it once more on the vanity, the illusion of freedom shattered.
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Sammi knocked on the door and after no response she entered.
"You good?" Sammi called out. "I have dinner, eat with me," she invited, presenting the tray.
Nel nodded and they sat together on the bed with sandwiches between them.
"Oli and Milo left town this afternoon," Sammi told her conversationally and Nel nodded, chewing slowly. "Ready to go back to school?" Sammi continued, casually filling in the silence, again Nel nodded, looking past her. "Tomorrow we can go get that new uniform you wanted, a couple of em," and Sammi smiled complicitly. "You are almost a senior after all, gotta look sharp and all that."
"Ok," Nel answered, her gaze drifted to the plush toy on the vanity.
"Sure, you're ok kid?" Sammi placed her hand tenderly on Nel's cheek.
"Fine," Nel answered giving her a small smile that broke Sammi's heart.
"Get some rest," Sammi said, taking the empty tray out with her, "I will tell Shun you are riding with me tomorrow. He can have the day off or something."
Sammi closed the door behind her, Nel was once again "alone."
It wasn't long before her phone vibrated viciously on her nightstand. Shun's name flashing on the call ID.
Nel picked it up and stared at it, wanting to answer. It went to voice mail again and again. The fourth time it stopped ringing.
Nel sighed deeply. Tomorrow she would try again.
YOU ARE READING
Shield
RomanceMilo will not wake up, Oli is missing. Nel's life both ends and begins after taking her brother's lover as her husband. Does she have what is needed to go to war? or will she and her family be slaughtered? Past and present haunt eachother.
