WORDS OF PERSUASION

CHANGES

N I C O L E     P O V 

Sitting with my brother in the lounge of our new home doing my exercises that I am meant to do to keep my legs moving. Two months have flown by already since I left the hospital. Matty is due back on base for an assignment, so he is being deployed again. My legs are working, but I needed crutches to move around, which is hard. 

Stand to reach for my crutches just so I could walk into the kitchen, Matty shaking his head. "Nicole, I will get whatever you need". Shake my head, determined to make my way to the kitchen myself with no help. Slowly take each step with pain, hoping I do not fall like I have done a few times already. Reach the kitchen, do a victory dance in my head knowing I can do this. 

Get a drink plus something to eat. Matty stands in the doorway. "You know that I am leaving in a couple of days?". He tilts his head slightly, resting on the door frame with his arms folded.

"I will be fine". Tell him what he wanted to hear, but not too sure myself. Take a sip of my drink, then a mouthful of food, moaning while I eat with pleasure. Matty steps back into the lounge. Look down at my cup wish my brother was not going thoughts in my mind of how I am going to cope on my own. 

Finish my drink plus my sandwich I place my dirty dishes in the sink turn to walk back into the lounge but lose my balance. Matty runs in scoops me up to place me on the sofa. "Matty I will be fine I promise you". Shakes his head, he heads to his room to sort his bits out that he had to take with him. 

Laid on the sofa bored out of my mind not able to do a lot with the way my body is feeling. Lean my head back on the pillow close my eyes for a few minutes. There is a knock at the door Matty gets the door before I could even stand. Hear a female voice I sit on the edge of the sofa to wait for whoever it is to show themselves. Not waiting long Shell steps into the lounge.

"Nicole, how are you feeling today?". She stands in front of me looking down at my crutches.

"Getting better from the last time you saw me". She smiles takes a seat. Shell, had been around a few times since I had come out of the hospital just to see if I had been all right. To be honest she is here because of Gage is feeling guilty with what he did to me. 

Why the hell he could not come himself is beyond me. Look at my hands Matty gets her a coffee. She looks up at my brother takes her cup then places it on the small coffee table. "Thank you for coming". Being polite is the least I could do after she helped me with what went on.

"I am pleased you are feeling better and on the mend". Her voice is hesitant like she wanted to tell me something else. Not prying or asking what is on her mind for fear that Gage would take me to punish me again. She drinks her coffee then leaves not saying anything else. All in all, it was a strange visit from her.

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Nighttime came, get into bed is a struggle at times but I do get there in the end. Laid on my back staring into the darkness. "He ruined my life. Why the hell did he not just take my life and have done with it?". Whispering to myself about Gage fighting with myself with what he had done. "Asshole". Slowly roll over on my side feel a heat on my face. My body feels fear with someone's hand over my mouth then the lamp switches on. 

Gage is now staring at me with his finger on his lip telling me to be quiet. Takes his hand slowly from my mouth I slap him which he looks at me in a surprising way. "Get out". I whisper to him while he rubs his cheek. I could not get out of bed quick enough to move from him so I am stuck with him staring at me.

"Nicole, please just listen to me". He is now pleading with me. Shake my head place my hands over my ears so I could not hear him but he grabs my hands to pull them away. "Please I want you to listen to what I have to say". Take a deep breath, close my eyes for a few seconds he takes his hands from mine lays down beside me looking deep in my eyes. "All I want is you to listen to what I need to tell you". Laid on my side face to face with him, scared outta my mind what he would do to me. "I am sorry". Well, I heard him apologise when I was in the hospital so that is not new. "I was wrong to send you with the girls. I know I have hurt you but all I ask is that you forgive me for treating you so badly like I did". He looks at me waiting for me to say something.