His Anchor -Jedidiah Sawyer. (Leatherface)

♡ Chapter Thirteen ♡

* Edited *

“Finally, I thought you two love birds were never gonna come down. How’d you sleep?” Verna asks us as soon as we enter the dining room.

Jed opens his mouth but I cut him off firmly. “Sorry, I was just putting some ointment on Jed’s stitches and changing into something more appropriate. Thank you for the dress by the way.” I smile as I gesture to the knee length red summer dress Verna had supplied me with earlier. She nods and glances to Jed with furrowed brows, clearly concerned about how quiet he is being.

“Oh, he is on a talking ban. Nurse’s orders.” I explain with a smile. “His stitches are inflamed and he was in pain with them this morning; talking will only make it worse. So, he needs to remain mute till they’re a little more healed. Also, we slept well. Thank you.” I ramble slightly with an awkward smile.

Verna chuckles to herself as she dishes up some eggs and bacon - or at least it resembles bacon. “A firm woman, I like it. Need another strong woman around this house, I'm impressed.”

Drayton scoffs at her words whilst chowing down his food faster than you can say apple pie. I frown and glance to Jed who is sat next to me, though he is glaring at his brother. I tilt my head slightly and follow his gaze.

Drayton is staring at me, eyeing me hungrily with suggestive eyes. His gaze alone makes me uncomfortable as he scans my body as though it is his and his alone. He makes me want to gag.

I block his gaze from my mind and instead take Jed’s hand under the table, he turns his head to look at me and smiles reassuringly. He seemed to pick up on my concern in this moment.

 I don’t want him becoming jealous or feeling angry towards his brother. I don’t want to be a reason for conflict around here, it’s the last thing I would need especially so soon since joining their small family.

“Eat up, it's good for you.” Verna says as she places a plate of food on the table in front of Jed and I.

I nervously eye the bacon whilst muttering a quiet “thank you” to Verna. Jed notices but doesn’t draw attention to it, instead he takes a bite of his own in a bid to encourage me to follow suit. I frown and try to fight back the thoughts consuming my mind that are preventing me from taking a bite. I can’t do it, that could be Lizzie for all I know. Oh my god, Lizzie.

Jed sighs softly and meets my worried gaze, he is silently pleading with me to at least try. I silently nod to him and pick up a forkful of bacon, I stare at it for a moment as I try to trick myself into believing it really is bacon, even though up close it doesn’t look like bacon at all.

With a deep breath and all the strength within me I lean forward and take a small bite. I slowly chew it and find myself enjoying it, to be honest it tastes no different to bacon, maybe just a slight more of a chewiness to it but other than that it is delicious. That thought alone haunts me a little and fills me with momentary disgust.

I feel Jed nudge me slightly making me turn my head to look at him, he smiles reassuringly, seeming proud of me before lifting his finger to point to his eye, then his heart and then to me. I smile wide and mouth “I love you” and suddenly all is okay again. I am fine as long as I have him by my side. We are okay, he has got me.

▪︎♡▪︎♡▪︎♡▪︎♡▪︎♡▪︎

Breakfast goes by in a blur with the occasional chatter between Verna and I. She is still cautious of my intentions but seems to be trying, just as I am. She wastes no time in putting her sons to work after they finish up their bacon and eggs. She sends Drayton to clean and fix up the barn after the incident with Hartman whilst sending Jed and Nubbins to feed the animals.