Untamed

81 (Bonus chapter)

"When next will she wake up?" Shelby asked stroking Heather's palm. "I didn't get there fast enough the first time, I still think this is a nightmare disguised as a dream."

"The doctor assured us that she still has great brain activity and they're the ones surprised she woke up so soon. I'm a romantic so I'll say she's fighting for you." Danica was standing at the foot of Heather's bed, touching and rearranging the blankets.

"It would be best for all of us if she woke up, I'd be getting my lover back but you'd be getting your daughter."

Danica blinked tears away, this was the last hurdle she needed to pass and if she broke down now there would be no going back. "You really are an amazing woman Shelby, I thank you for letting my daughter back into your life, whenever she was with you that was her happiest."

"Not to sound callous but I married the block head and if I was still in love with her, I'd have been accused of far worse things than murder." Renee was sitting by the side, laptop on her legs typing away.

"Of course she was happy with you, I just said she was happier with Shelby."

Shelby giggled, kissing Heather's hand. "Besides I wouldn't be the one you'd think of killing, it'd be Heather."

Renee smiled. "Atta girl, I guess I taught you a few tricks after all."

"I won't be needing all the ones about murder, I'd mistakenly kill myself before I hurt another human being." Shelby touched the bandage on her face, the darkness had become a friend of sorts, something she didn't need to fear; somehow she'd accepted her fate and life didn't seem so bleak anymore. "Will she like to see me like this?"

"I think she'd be happy to see you as you are even if a picture would suffice." Renee sighed. "Heather is fiercely loyal and believe me - us - when we say that you're the one person she's going to want to see first. In a sense this romantic, she can be your eyes and you can be her legs but I'm not a romantic do I'll tell you the next few months are going to be tough on you."

"I know that-"

"Do you?" Renee shut her laptop, "The moment Heather wakes up and sees what she's done to your eyes, she'll withdraw from you and focus all that anger to recovering but we know physical therapy doesn't work with anger and the more she pushes, the more she fails and the more she fails the more angry she becomes."

"What happened to my eyes weren't her fault." Shelby argued. "She didn't try to get herself shot, she was trying to protect me."

"The only protecting she did was take a bullet from a psycho, if she'd reached out to anyone before this fiasco, no one would have been shot, you wouldn't be blind and we wouldn't be having this conversation."

"I don't think this is the best time to have this conversation." Shelby agreed with that part.

"No it's not but it's better now than never. You will loathe her when she becomes someone she's not and you'll loathe yourself for not being able to do something as simple as walk away."

"I promised to stand by her, it's a promise I intend to keep."

"I assure you it's a foolish one." Renee's voice was low and calm, not her usual annoying tone. "This situation breaks the strongest of relationships, I'm simply trying to prepare you for the journey ahead."

"As what? My ever growing fears?"

"Sometimes it's okay to project your fears unto someone who only wants the best for you. I didn't say you and Heather would not make it through, I said it would be hard and it's okay to stand with yourself because most times the people we love are blind to our own pain when they're hurting as well."