Spirits

Chapter 7

I slowly awoke to Zeus licking my face, and found my vision was fuzzy. What just happened... I must of passed out. As I began to sit up, I felt a cold compress against my forehead, my vision cleared and sitting next to me was Matilda. She was fighting back tears, trying to stay strong, but while also trying to assess my state of mind. It was a shock, and I obviously became overwhelmed. My world had been shaken, everything I knew, changed. Zeus crawled into my lap, almost sensing that my anxiety had spiked and I needed to try to calm down. It wasn't that easy though, as I tried to speak, my voice cracked. I felt my face get hot, and the tears rushed out. My chest felt so tight, and in that moment I laid onto Zeus and let the emotions go. I felt Matilda rub my back, trying to soothe me but it just made everything worse. She was my mother, how I came to be wasn't some romantic fantasy. Matilda was used and left all alone, and to be honest, I was terrified of this man she described. The man she thought she loved, Adrion. I started to take deep breaths, trying to regulate my breathing so I was able to ask the many questions racing through my mind. I started to sit up, Zeus looking into my eyes, paw resting on my leg. I found him to be such a comfort, I didn't realize just how lucky I truly was until this moment. I needed to remember the good things in my life, try to see the positives.

"So Matilda, I mean.. Mom, what did you mean before, about worrying about Adrion finding us?" I stammered, my voice still a bit shaky.

"Lena, you don't have to call me that, only when you are truly ready. Don't force it, I know this is a lot to take in. There's even more I must tell you and it's regarding Adrion." Her eyes bolted to the window, then back to me and she spoke again.

"Do you mind if I lock up? I will explain more but I just had the weirdest feeling that someone was watching us." I looked over toward the window. We were out in the wilderness, a remote place. I wasn't sure why she was so paranoid but I agreed and started to stand up and help her. Zeus followed me as I checked every window, every door. Not only locking them up but closing the blinds as well. I kept flashing back to the night in the bathroom, I didn't want a repeat of that. Coming back into the kitchen, I asked Matilda if she would rather we talk in the living room. To be very honest those chairs at the table weren't very comfortable. I would much rather of been laying in my recliner beside the fire. She agreed, I grabbed myself a refill and brought her a glass of water. It was only polite and I didn't want her to feel unwelcome after pouring her heart out to me. Still, Zeus hadn't quite warmed up to her, he was still on alert. He just seemed on edge, but not like before so that was a plus. We sat down and she began the next part of the story.

"So your mother took you home with her after you were cleared by the hospital. I have to tell you, labor was not easy. We almost lost you during it, but you were a fighter. From what I can tell that fight hasn't left you." She cracked a small smile and chuckled.

"I however had to stay a few days after you were born. The labor had taken a lot out of me and I needed to recuperate. They wanted to make sure I had no infections, and with the amount of blood I lost that my body would be able to fight off anything. Two days passed while I was in the hospital, and a nurse came in saying I had a visitor. I figured it was Lena as our mom lost it when I told her about the pregnancy. Told us we were cut out of her life as this was such a great sin. I told the nurse to let them in, as he walked through the door my blood ran cold. It was Adrion, tall, dark and daunting, his eyes looking around wildly, a smirk appearing on his face. He seemed so proud of himself, so cocky. He acted as if he was untouchable. He then asked me where our baby was, I glared at him and said it's gone. The smirk immediately was wiped from his face and he stomped over to me. He put his arms on each side of the rails on the hospital bed, towering over me as if to show his dominance. I could smell whiskey on his breath, the faint smell of cigarette smoke lingering in his hair. He then asked me again and I said nothing, trying to keep my composure. He didn't deserve to see any reaction from me, or an explanation at this point. He used me and left me, without any word of where he went or where he was going." Matilda held her hand up and took a sip of water. She smiled at me and then continued on.

"His eyes I will never forget, filled with such rage and fire. It was almost like he half expected me to of had you in my arms when he walked in. He then asked me where the baby had gone. I had decided there was only one way I could go with this.

I had to lie, and lie to him is what I did. I knew it was the only thing I could do to keep you safe. I told him the labor was difficult, and that the umbilical cord had strangled you in the process. That once you were out it was too late, there was nothing the doctors could do. After I told him he snapped, started to throw things in the room. Smashed a glass full of gauze on the floor and immediately a nurse ran in. She looked around the room analyzing the situation and told Adrion it was better if he left, for now. That he could come back later but that he needed to leave now as I needed rest. He scowled at her and mumbled something under his breath. Before he left, he looked into my eyes with such rage and pain, my whole body trembled. He said he would be back tomorrow and we would discuss the situation further then. He walked out and the nurse began cleaning up the room. She started to make small talk to make me feel better, and try to calm me down. It worked for a bit, but I had the worst feeling in my stomach. I had so many unanswered questions for him, and I wanted the truth." She started to get choked up and I grabbed her hand.

"Matilda, how about we take a break for today. I'll start making some dinner and we'll get our minds off this for now. Let's just spend time getting to know each other and we can get into the rest of the story tomorrow." I gave her a reassuring smile and saw her eyes light up.

"That sounds wonderful Lena, let me just give the hotel in town a call," I interrupted her,

"You're not staying at a hotel, you can stay here with me. It's no trouble and honestly I would enjoy the company." She stopped and looked into my eyes, I could see her beginning to well up again.

"Thank you Lena, thank you, I'm so glad I've found you. You've been so gracious and I couldn't ask you for anything more." I smiled at her and walked up to give her a hug. As I squeezed her it felt so familiar, like I was safe. I didn't have to worry about anything coming after me tonight, or did I?