Islands

6. The Island of Books

   It felt hot and humid. Sitting in the back seat of his truck, Mads drove with his hands gripped on the wheel rather tightly. His eyes in the rear view mirror staring at me. He had to be looking behind me. There was no way he was staring at me.

Once in park, I took off my seat belt and opened the car door. Swinging my legs around and pushing myself to the ground I came against what felt like a brick wall, only brick walls don't hold you by your waist and pick you up. My feet dangled, close to the ground.

"What the fuck are you doing?" He was scary. His eyes staring me down, his lips pressed together in anger.

"Going inside..." I tried to play it off innocently. He let out a groan. He held me close to him, slowly letting me stand. I shifted my weight on him once I felt the pain surge through my leg. He notices the pain in my face.

"See...now let me take you inside." He swung me into his arms. Kicking the car door closed behind him.

Kristi had gotten some clothes for me while Mads sewed up my leg; a pair of shorts, a spaghetti strap oversize top and a strapless bra. I looked as if I wasn't wearing a bra at all. 

I wondered for a moment whether Mads thought I was heavy or not, I mean, he obviously worked out, but he was more than twice my age. Just because he is older, doesn't mean his body his, if you know what I mean...the voice in my head made me crane my neck in annoyance. My neck crane was noticed by Mads as he stopped walking.

"Are you in pain?" I could see the tension in his jaw, his eyes however gave out a worrisome look.

"No, just...tired." with that he nodded. 

"I'll take you to your room and I'll check on you every now and then..." He began to ascend the porch steps. The Inn doors were wide open letting in the sun shine. A woman, older than Mads, gasped at the sight of us. She had grey shoulder length hair. She was heavy set, shorter than me, and had the voice of an angelic grandmother. She wore jeans, a t-shirt and over them was a messy apron.

"Madson! What on earth did you do to this poor girl!" She walked over to us. 

"It wasn't me, Penelope. It was your son." He complained to her. 

"Can't be! Ben has been at the store all day with his father, mind you." She looked at me, trying to find any signs of harm. 

"Not Benjamin, it was Troy." Mads shifted me so he had a better grip. 

"Now I know that's a lie." She said it so innocently that no one could blame her for thinking her son was an angel. 

"It's true, Troy wanted to scare us while we were on Kellner Trail. Alli got scared and slipped down the hill." Kristi interjected, supporting her uncle as she walked into the foyer.

"My boys are such dumb asses," She sounded innocent still, even when she swore. 

"Aunt Penelope! You kiss uncle Vince with that mouth," Kristi said laughingly. 

Penelope just rolled her eyes, jolting them to me suddenly.

"Madson, put her in the library, that way she can eat, rest, and be close to a doctor," She was innocently giving the man an order, if that was possible. Mads groaned.

My ears perched like a dog when I heard the word library. It was like hearing the sound of sleigh bells during Christmas, or the sound of a cold beer opening during a hot summers day.

"She should sleep, I'll put her in her room," Mads explained. 

"She can sleep in the library," Penelope argued. My ears perched again. I couldn't take it anymore, the book obsessed nerd within me sat up in Mads's arms. Pushing at his chest.