No Regrets

Chapter Sixty-Six - Right Words to Say

DOMINICK'S POV

   Rain makes a soft melody as the drops gently hit the windows of the living room. I sit on the floor with my back resting against the sofa. "Explain again how this is relaxing?" I ask as I move a small blue marble-textured token on a circular board.

   Tyde, who is seated across from me on the floor, moves a gray token on the board. "It distracts the mind from your stresses." She explains. She brushes strands of hair behind her ear as she reaches for a orange piece.

"Not doing a very good job." I comment. I move a yellow token on the board. "I don't even understand the whole point of the game. What's the goal?"

  Tyde moves another token across the board. "It's a puzzle, if you place the right coins in the right areas, the board unlocks." She answers.

  I raise my eyebrow, "And this relieves the mind from stress?" I don't hide the doubt in my voice.

  Tyde shrugs her shoulders, "Might not work on small minds." She jokes. She meets my eyes and gives me a joking smile before laughing.

  I roll my eye but can't help chuckle a bit. I push the board closer toward her, "Well, my small-mind has had its fill of this for now." I tilt my head back and stare up at the ceiling. I close my eyes.

"Didn't sleep much last night?" Tyde asks.

"Barely slept for an hour. My mind can't turn itself off." I say after yawning again.

"If you're tired, lay down and take a nap." She says. I open my eyes and take my phone out from my pocket. I raise it up to look at the screen, nothing except the clock and my wallpaper.

"Aria said she would call this afternoon. Dr. Torres met with them this morning." I say as I set my phone down on the couch cushion.

   The clank of the wooden tokens being moved around stops, I lower my head to face Tyde. Her fingers hover over a yellow token. I can't read her expression or her eyes, all I can tell is that she is in thought. I lean over and take her hand into mine. The action feels natural now. The side of Tyde's lip curls up a bit and she meets my eyes. "Hey." She says in a soft voice.

  My lip curls up to match her gentle smile. "Hey." I echo her tone. "What's going through that mind of yours?" I ask.

"A great many things, an ocean of things." She says putting her other hand on top of mine. "Just remembering a really horrible day."

  I squeeze her hand gently, "Do you want to talk about it?" I ask.

   She shakes her head, "I really don't." she says. She takes a deep breathes. "You have enough on your mind anyway." She turns away from me a bit. I use the fingers on my other hand and gently turn her face back to where it faces me. "Don't worry about me. You always have a pair of listening ears when I'm around." I say to her.

  She smiles a bit more, she takes my hands into hers. She looks down at them as she bounces them a tiny bit. A small laugh escapes from her lips. Her eyes look back up into mine. "I thought about what you asked, about taking the stand during the hearing." She says.

   Last week, I asked Linkon and her if they would be willing to take the stand. I assured them that if they did not want to, it was okay; and I mean it. "There is no pressure, honestly." I say to her.

   She nods her head a bit, "I know." She takes a deep breath and her eyes look away from me. She bites her lip a bit and takes a deep breath. "I want to and will take the stand, but..." she looks up at the ceiling, "... but, things may come out.. things about me.. you may not be too willing to hold my hand or be a pair of listening ears for me afterwards. You may even be close to hating me."