Loud Silence

Chapter Twenty-One

This fluorescent light again. At this point, I am quite convinced that there will be fluorescent lights in hell, and it will be beaming in your eyes the moment you open them. The familiar sound of the heart monitor is beeping to a rhythm. Slowly, recollections of that gruesome episode comes back to me, hurtling my body to an upright position.

"Taylor! Violet!" I yell out to the room.

A familiar scent greets me in a cradle, a chest that I instantly recognize against my cheek.

"Taylor," I cry softly.

"Jasmine, I'm here. And I'll never leave again. No matter how much you push me away. No matter what you say or do. I'll never leave you again." The sound of his voice is so therapeutic that it sends alleviation through me.

"I don't want you to ever leave," I tell him, affirming that losing him was another pain I've learned was intolerable to me.

"Wait, let me text Violet." He does so with one hand, the other arm still wrapped around me.

Something I am absolutely sure of is this: a hand is not just a hand, and a chest is not just a chest.

Tim's hands revolted me, made me felt disgusted when it was in contact with my body, his chest heartless and cold, like stone. Taylor's hands pacifies my soul, calming the most delirious nerves, his chest warm and welcoming, assuring a harbor of safety.

Tim. The memories of his attempt on me sends a flush of shame to my spirit, but not as shameful as the thought of wanting to kill myself if he had actually succeeded.

I start to sob silently, suddenly feeling beastly. "Taylor, you saw everything. I am so...embarrassed," I say, making a nauseous sound.

"Listen to me. You are not a reflection of his sickening actions. You are pure and deserving of so much more." He pulls me in once again, rubbing my back, while stroking my cheek.

How could I ever have doubted his feelings for me? A man who saw nothing but the worst of me, yet only translated the best of me. But what happened to Tim? And what about Daisy? My eyes grow wide, stricken with uneasiness.

Taylor hands me a cup of water, sitting on the bed beside me. I have never seen him this scruffy, even more so than when I had seen him the last time I woke in the hospital. He looks exhausted. Oh no, how long have I been out this time?

"Taylor what day is it?" I ask worriedly.

He smiles back at me, and I've never been more delighted to see his dimple, the grimace now gone. "Don't worry, you were out for only two days. Luckily, the wound didn't run deep and you just needed a few stitches."

I suddenly notice the pain on my right waist, moving my hand there and finding myself bandaged up. Taylor's scowl is back, so I try my best to dismiss the injury. "Can you tell me what happened?"

He lets out a sigh and pulls a chair next to me, situating himself in it. "Well, starting at the beginning, I was at the airport, waiting for my delayed flight to Atlanta."

I remember rushing to catch him at his condo, when in reality he would have been gone.

"Out of nowhere, Violet ran up to me and demanded to know why I was at the airport." He strokes his jaw, avoiding my gaze.

"After I explained to her, she slapped me." She did what? My little sister had certainly gotten quite physical with her behavior lately. I'm going to need to address this temper of hers.

I touch his face as if the blow somehow resonated until now. He mirrors my gesture, caressing my face from the temple down to my jaw. Trying not to flinch, the soreness is now becoming apparent.