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Includes a cameo of a character from earlier in the book!
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Violet's POV
I sighed and looked at Seth. He had his head resting lightly on his hands, his concentration hard on the dull white blanket. I grabbed his hand, smoothing out his tight fist.
“I’m sorry I forgot Seth,” I whispered tracing the lines on his palm.
His hand was over mine as he held my hands tightly.
“It’s not your fault” he replied.
That one sentence reminded me of the last time he had said those words.
“You’re not going to make me repeat it, are you?” I joked lightly with a smile.
It worked as he smiled too.
We both fell silent, his thumb absentmindedly stroking my hand. This gentle touch reminded me of all the memories we had together, and I smiled as I reminisced.
Every single moment with Seth came flooding back. To think I had ever forgotten him!
Thinking about the past made the realisation of almost losing it all seem scary.
We hardly talked after that, but the little things Seth did, spoke louder than words. I could tell that he was distressed. He wasn’t very good at hiding it.
He seemed absent, and I worried he was still blaming himself for my being in hospital. He still didn’t seem to be paying attention to me as I got out of bed. I shrugged on my robe and sat beside him on the couch.
I didn’t want to lie in bed anymore like I had done for the past few days. I sat facing him, my legs folded. I rested my elbows on my legs, my head resting on my hands as I stared at him. He stared at the ground, facing forward.
I waited. I don’t know how long I stared at him for, until he finally responded.
He sighed as he turned to face me. His eyes were tired, hurt.
“You look tired” I said aloud.
He lay back on the couch, his eyes to the ceiling.
“How can you be so…cool with all of this?” he asked, his eyes staring hard at the ceiling.
I looked at him for a second, before responding.
“I don’t know…I guess I know I have people who care about me around me,” I replied,
His eyes narrowed in happiness as he stared at the ceiling.
“I wish I was strong like you,” he spoke once. He sounded a little timid.
I laughed, the sound of my laughter making him look at me.
“You’re so funny, Seth” I replied between fits of laughter.
“I’m not joking Violet, you are way stronger than I am,” he said. He sounded serious, so I stopped laughing and listened to what he had to say.
“I mean, you’ve had such a crazy life, crazier than anything I have ever heard of. Your father was a drunken maniac who tried to kill you and you were on the verge of death, and you somehow manage to find the bright side” he explained. “I mean, any normal person would have to be put in a mental hospital after all that, and yet here, you are, laughing and joking like it was any other normal day.”
“Well, what am I supposed to do? Sit around and mope?” I replied with a small smile.
He beamed a smile. “Violet you are a wonder.”
I smiled too, feeling smug. “Now come on,” I said taking his hand, “I’m feeling fine and I’m sure Carlisle will let me check out. Someone needs this room more than I do.”
Seth seemed in a happier mood as we drove to the Clearwater’s residence. We laughed and made jokes along the way, feeling like old times.
When we pulled up at his house, Sue was the first to greet us.
“Oh, Violet!” she said as she pulled me into a big hug.
“Sue,” I said as I breathed in her beautiful homey scent.
“Oh, I’ve missed you so much. How are you feeling?” she asked tucking my hair back. The gentle touch reminded me of my mother.
“I feel fine,” I replied.
“Oh, come inside, you must be cold,” she said as she guided me inside.
It was nice to be back at the Clearwater’s’ residence. Everything was still the same.
“Are you hungry?” Sue asked.
“Um, no, thank you. Maybe, later” I replied politely.
I settled in Leah’s room again, feeling glad that I was home. I caught sight of myself in the mirror hanging on the wall, seeing myself.
Carlisle had removed the cotton bandage that wound around my head, and instead replaced it with stiches, just above my left eyebrow.
I moved closer to the mirror, gently pressing the stitched area. Small pains shot along my forehead, making it crinkle.
Though the stitches reminded me of zombies, I preferred them to the massive bandage.
Sue left for the market later that day, mumbling something about a chocolate cake. It was just me and Seth.
I was standing in the mirror again, feeling my stitches. It felt so icky and weird to be having thread stitched into my flesh. My forehead crinkled as I caressed the perfect stitching.
“If you keep doing that, it might come undone, and we don’t want that,” Seth said hugging me from behind.
I stopped touching it, and looked at Seth through the mirror.
“I can’t stop touching it, it feels so…unflattering,” I replied crinkling my forehead again.
He chuckled. “I think you look tough.”
I shook my head, laughing. “I feel tough. Maybe I can take on Paul.”
He laughed. “And maybe you can join a Biker’s gang and get a tattoo.”
I sniggered, and looked back at my reflection.
“Oh, god. I look like a Frankenstein reject,” I murmured.
Seth suddenly looked down.
“It’s my fault you even have stitches,” he said.
I looked at him in disbelief.
He stared back in the mirror. “I should’ve protected you.”
I swivelled around in his arms.
“Seth, no, don’t think like that!” I said in shock.
“But—”
“No, Seth, enough with this protection crap, I don’t want you to talk about protecting me anymore,” I said.
He looked stunned.
“I’m serious Seth, you’re not my ‘protector,’ in fact, I…I fire you. That’s it, you’re not my protector anymore, you’re fired,” I said nodding my head.
He looked bewildered, but then smiled. “I’m fired?”
I nodded. “Yep.”
He scratched his head in mock disappointment, playing along. “Aw, jeez, I don’t know how I’m gonna tell the Misses.”
I smiled. “But, I have another job for you…”
“Anything, the Misses will not be thrilled if they heard I wasn’t employed,” he continued.
I wrapped my arms around his neck. “To be mine.”
I lightly touched my lips to his, a groan sounding from the doorway.
“Aw, jeez, guys get a room,” Leah said standing at the doorway.
“Hello to you too,” Seth said.
“Leah,” I smiled.
She smiled too. “Glad to see you on your own two feet, Vi.”
I walked to her and hugged her tightly.
“Aw, I missed you too,” I breathed.
Leah chuckled. “Okay, you can let go of me now.”
I let her go, but she hugged me tighter.
“Just wait a little longer,” she said.
I laughed and hugged her back.
“Look, Vi, I’m so sorry—”
“Don’t try that Sis, she’ll lose it,” Seth warned.
Leah looked at him with a confused expression.
“That’s right, no more protection crap,” I explained.
Leah smiled sadly, before saying something, but I stopped her. It looked like she was gonna apologise.
“I’m serious Leah, if you apologise one more time or mention anything about protecting me, you’re gonna need protection for yourself.”
Leah smiled. “I’m glad you’re okay.”
“I am too,” I replied.
Things were okay after that, easier. Seth seemed happier, and a lot less tense.
I sat out on the porch steps, thinking to myself as the warm night breeze swept through the trees.
“Violet?” Seth said as he emerged from the darkness.
He had just come back from his patrol. I forced a smile over my face.
“Hey.”
He walked towards me, his bare chest shining in the moonlight, and sat beside me.
“What are you up to?” he asked kissing me on the forehead and wrapping his arm around my waist.
“Just waiting for you,” I replied.
He smiled. “You didn’t have to do that.”
I shrugged. “It’s a nice night,” I said looking up at the stars.
“Yeah it is,” he agreed gazing up at them too.
“I’ve never seen so many stars before,” I whispered as I gazed up at them, “Living out here, there isn’t a lot of light pollution or noise. It’s nice.”
“Yeah, I feel like we are the only two on the planet,” Seth smiled.
I blushed and he chuckled.
“I still make you nervous even after all this time?” he asked.
I cleared my throat. “No,” I said trying to hide a smile.
He shook his head, grinning. “I would have thought you would be over me by now.”
I laughed. “No, not yet at least.”
We both laughed, and he leaned forward and touched his lips to mine. I breathed in his deep woody scent.
As we parted, we smiled at each other. Before anything else could happen, we were both blinded by lights.
We looked to the source, seeing a car emerge from the trees, rumbling over the gravel towards the house. The driver was pushing the car to its limit as the engine screeched its way to a halt.
Seth stood up and took a few steps forward as the driver emerged from the car. It was a little dark, but I could still make out the visitor.
“You!” Jimmy said stumbling forward and pointing at me. His words slurred a bit and I could tell he was drunk. I hadn’t seen him in a while; he had changed, a lot.
I could make out stubble on his chin, his facial hair seem to be growing on its own accord. His eyes were bloodshot and were raging with anger.
Seth stood in his way, protecting me. “Whoa, hold on there,” he said blocking his path.
“Get out of my way, boy” Jimmy spat as he shoved Seth out of the way.
He came at me, but in seconds, Seth was before me again.
“Don’t you dare touch her,” he warned the deluded Jimmy.
Jimmy scoffed. “Get out of my way; this is between me and her!”
I pushed past Seth. “What are you doing here, Jimmy?”
“You,” he spat glaring at me, “You have ruined my life!”
He threw his hands in the air.
“What are you talking about?” I asked.
“You ruined my entire life!” he said waving his hands, “You ruined my life, my wife’s life and my son’s life!”
“I don’t know what you’re talking about,” I replied completely confused.
He sneered and it recalled a few memories back at the diner.
“Don’t pretend you don’t know,” he said. I still stared at him, not understanding.
“You sent my son to prison!” he roared.
I jumped, and Seth was between us in an instant, immediately detecting danger.
“You know my son, right Violet?” he continued.
I stared at him, and he smiled.
“How about I refresh your memory for you?” he said, “He was the one who had caused that fire at the library. You know that fire that you happened to be in? The fire where you told police it was him!” he roared.
I gasped as the realisation sunk in. I instantly remembered the last time he had screamed at me about this.
“Tim,” I whispered.
Jimmy smiled. “Yes, Tim. That’s my boy.”
I stared idly at him as he took a swig.
Seth stepped forward.
“Look buddy, you’re drunk, you better get home,” Seth said, trying to negotiate.
Jimmy laughed with no amusement. “Home? Why would I want to go home to a filthy apartment! Why would I want to go home to nobody? My wife left me and my son is in prison.” He smiled, finding it humorous. “I have no job because my boss is on the run, I have no family and I have no place to go.”
He began laughing feverishly, before his laughs turned to heavy sobs. He dropped the bottle and it smashed against the pavement, his legs giving way.
He cried in his hands, and I instantly thought about Max. The image of Jimmy broken down made me think about the hundred other nights in the past where I would take the bottle away from Max and help him to his bed.
But it was different now. Max wasn’t here. This was Jimmy. And his life was heading in the wrong direction. Seth walked to him, and knelt down.
“Come on buddy, I’ll call a cab for you,” he said putting a hand on Jimmy’s shoulder.
“Get your hands off of me!” Jimmy suddenly roared as he struck Seth in the face.
I screamed as Seth fell away, blood sprouting from his cheek. I ran to Seth’s side. A deep gash cut into his left cheek. He winced in pain as he touched it.
Jimmy stood to his feet, the shard of glass from the broken bottle spotted with blood in his right hand. He looked down at us.
“I don’t need your pity,” he spat.
I stood up, feeling anger pump through my veins. My eyes darkened. My right hand flew up at its own accord and clobbered him hard in the face.
He staggered back, looking dazed, before falling on his hide. My fury took control of me as I jumped on top of him.
“Don’t ever come here again,” I said through gritted teeth as I socked him again.
He tried pushing me off of him, but he was too dazed and drunk. He had as much strength as an ant. I slugged him again and again, yelling things in his face, until I was suddenly dragged off of him.
Seth held my arms back as Jimmy crawled to his feet. He looked at me, delusional.
His nose was broken and bleeding, as well as his lip.
“You’re just like your father,” he jeered as he wiped his bleeding lip.
I went to go at him again, but Seth had a strong hold on me. Jimmy’s car sped back down the driveway. I gasped for air, feeling my anger burn away.
Seth gently let go of me, and I fell to my knees. I breathed heavily, feeling the adrenaline wear out. I gently grasped at my right hand. It began to ache in pain. I bit my lip as I tried to flex my fingers.
“It might be bruised,” Seth said as he knelt down beside me.
I looked up at him; a long slit spread across his left cheek. It had already begun to heal. I reached up and stroked his cheek.
“Come on, let’s get you inside,” he said as he helped me up.
We didn’t say anything to each other, and it was hard for us to talk about it to Sue.
“My lord you two,” Sue said as she busily wrapped ice cubes in a towel. “The amount of trouble you get in to,” she continued as she wrapped the towel around my bruised hand.
I winced as the cold touched my skin.
Leah was tending to Seth.
“I hope you got him good,” she muttered as she scrutinized Seth’s cheek.
She cleaned his cut, and he pulled away. “Thanks,” he said, and walked to his room.
We all looked after him in silence.
Sue cleared her throat. “You must have punched him through to his skull,” she said as she examined my hand.
I didn’t reply. I was deep in my own thoughts.
You’re just like your father, Jimmy’s words rang in my ears.
That was the one thing I vowed I would never be; especially after what he had done to me. Seth never mentioned Max, knowing my sensitivity towards the subject.
I didn’t know how I felt when I had found out Max had put me in hospital. It was just all too much, that I didn’t feel any emotion.
There was a part of me that wasn’t surprised at all, that knew that it was going to happen sooner or later, and there was another part of me that worried about Max, and where he was, but that part of me conflicted with the side of me that was angry and raging with fury.
All these parts of me and emotions all came at once so I blocked them out.
I didn’t know how I felt about Max anymore, and I promised myself I would never be him.