What Love Breeds

Chapter 2

They swing into another room the man must unlock. He sets her down in front of a low table, so low that she sits on the ground rather than in a chair. May's vision is clearing up and her body becoming more stable the farther she is from that IV. The man is at a counter on the far side of the room, rearranging things. He picks up what May recognizes as VR goggles and starts preparing them. She notices a lanyard hanging from his neck, now. His keycard is attached, as well as a small plastic box. May has no idea what it does, but isn't sure she wants to know. She tries to ignore the rectangular metal structure and its harnesses in the middle of the room, unsure of how a person would be positioned inside it.

The man is called to her side of the room by a knock at the door. He opens it to another aid in pink scrubs. "Her breakfast, Tommy."

"Thanks, Reid. And don't worry, usually she'll eat in her room. This is just for today."

Reid nods and gives Tommy a smile. "No problem, man. See you around."

Tommy says goodbye and turns to May with a plastic pink cafeteria tray in hand. He takes it to his counter without giving her another word. She watches as Tommy cracks three blue pills into a glass of milk, and shuffles around the remaining food. She clears her throat.

"Your name is Tommy?" she asks, her voice cracking.

Tommy doesn't acknowledge her. He comes back to her table with her breakfast and starts laying it out for her.

"Milk first," he instructs.

May looks at it skeptically. "What'd you put in it?"

Tommy doesn't answer, but lifts the glass to her lips. May hesitates, wondering what all would get her kicked out of the program. She keeps her mouth shut.

Tommy sighs. "We're doing this the hard way, huh?"

He reaches over and plugs May's nose, immediately popping a gasp from her lips, and tilts the drink into her mouth. She swallows her first gulp before backing away. Tommy deftly keeps the rest from spilling, and watches as May swishes the milk from cheek to cheek.

She swallows, rather than spit it on the floor.

"Not so bad?" Tommy asks, sighing. He puts the glass down. It stands beside a plate of eggs and bacon, ham, and hashbrowns. May's stomach rumbles.

Tommy laughs. "If you want the rest, you gotta finish what you started."

May feels the cool milk pass down her throat. It tastes completely normal, though she knows Tommy's added something. She scoots closer to him and the spread before her. May tries to find any other choice, particularly one that involves her still eating, and can't find one. Under Tommy's watchful eye, she gulps back the remaining drink.

He picks up the little box on his lanyard and presses down. A click echos through the room and runs a tingle up May's spine. "Good girl," he praises. May blushes involuntarily, squeezing her thighs together. She doesn't look at him as he pulls plastic silverware from behind his back.

"Now you can eat," Tommy says, passing a fork and knife off to her. May hurries through her breakfast, plowing through with speed and gratitude. It takes her all of twenty minutes while Tommy fiddles with his toys at the back counter. When she's finished, she knows there's something different about her. Something that feels easier, like a part of her has snapped into place. She tries to ignore it, this thing that is definitely Tommy's handiwork.

Tommy picks up her empty tray and sets it outside their door. He looks to May with a challenge in his eyes. "Up," he commands.

May is standing. She doesn't know when it happened, only that it did, and it was because Tommy told her to.