"How is she?" I heard Matt whisper.
"Tired and sore as all hell. What are you doing here man?" Brian asked quietly.
I've been home from the hospital for two days. Brian has set up a bedroom in his living room so I don't have to climb the stairs. I tired telling him it wasn't necessary, but he told me to not talk. Doctors orders.
My eyes opened from the bed Brian brought down to the living room. He hasn't left my side except to shower, and then he's barely in the bathroom. That has to be a record for him, since he spends more time on his own hair than I do.
"Just seeing how she was. I brought these for her. Just tell her I stopped by." Matt sighed.
"Yeah. Sure." Brian said.
"This is my fault, you know that? Had I not acted like a dick, she wouldn't be hurt." Matt told Brian.
"We don't know that. It could of happened regardless. I will say this, you need to leave her alone. So help me fucking God, if you talk to her like that again, I won't stop beating your ass." Brian hissed.
"I know. I want to apologize to her. And you." Matt said.
"Wait until she is better, ok?" Brian sighed.
"Ok. Anyways, I'll see you." Matt said.
I watched Brian tiptoe into the room. He set down a vase of yellow roses. I rolled my eyes. Yes, I'm still pissed at Matt after all of this. Brian turned and jumped when he saw me staring at him. I grinned.
"Hey. Sorry. Matt stopped by." He mumbled.
I shrugged at him. Brian nodded a little and shifted on his feet awkwardly. I blinked at him. He doesn't want to tell me something.
"Um, not sure how to tell you this, but your mom can't come by today to help you with a shower. Lacy, Gena, and Janelle are all tied up with stuff too." He cringed.
My eyes went wide. Oh god. I need a shower desperately too. I can't wait another day. I just can't do it. Brian's face went red. I wrote on a piece of paper for him to see. He leaned over and read it.
"Uh. Yeah. I mean. Yeah. I can, um, help." He said nervously.
I snickered at him. Brian flipped me off and laughed. He carefully helped me up and down the hall to the bathroom. He started the shower, while I looked at my bruised eye and the cut on my cheek. God, I hurt so much. I feel deja vu all over again. I look terrible. My shoulder is bruised badly from being stabbed. My neck is one giant bruise from being choked. My eyes are red from broken blood vessels. Several scratches and scrapes went up the side of my neck. I'm a disaster.
"Ok. So, how are we doing this?" He asked, his face still red.
I rolled my eyes, signaling for him to take his shirt off. He laughed a little and nodded. I unbuttoned my shirt, feeling butterflies in my stomach. I'm just as nervous as him.
I glanced at Brian who is now in just his boxers. He rubbed the back of his neck nervously, and walked over to me. I sighed and leaned my head on his bare chest. When his arms wrapped around me, I didn't want to move.
Tears went down my face out of nowhere. I haven't cried since I woke up in the hospital.
"Shhh." Brian said quietly, hugging me against him.
"Jimmy said it wasn't time for me." I whispered in a sob.
Brian's body stiffened. Very carefully he leaned back to look at me worried.
"Did you say Jimmy?" He asked while I nodded.
"You'll never believe me." I whispered.
"I think I will. Wait right here." He said, leaving the bathroom.
He appeared moments later with a notepad and pen. He handed it to me, and I started writing. I told him about the day at the cemetery, both when I was alone and they were with. I told him about what I saw before Johnny brought me back to life. Brian carefully read the note, glancing at me occasionally.
When he was done, he let out a deep breath, staring at the ceiling. I looked at the floor. Yep. He thinks I'm insane. I heard Brian suddenly laugh. I looked up at him and he smiled wide at me.
"Four years. I've waited for four years for that bastard to give me some sort of sign that he was around." He smiled tearfully.
"God, this is so like him." He smiled, wiping his eyes.
"He scared me the first time." I whispered, watching Brian laugh harder.
"That sounds like him." He smiled.
"But Jimmy was right. It wasn't time Tatum." He said seriously.
"It was so peaceful and quiet there. I didn't hurt and I wasn't scared like I am now." I sobbed.
"You don't have to be scared anymore. It's over. I promise it is. And if you think you are leaving my sight for longer than five minutes, you're wrong." He said, hugging me again.
It took me a while to calm down. I looked up at Brian who wiped my tears away. He grinned at me.
"I have an idea to make this shower less awkward for you. And yes, mainly for you. I'm more than thrilled to help out. Just saying." He smiled, leaving the bathroom again.
When he returned, I let out a hoarse laugh. He had on board shorts and my bikini in his hands. He smiled widely at me. I can't lift my one arm at all for at least six weeks. This has made everything difficult.
I wrote on the piece of paper of the fact that he still had to help me with my clothes. Brian smiled, wiggling his eyebrows at me.
"Yep. More than happy to help." He smiled.
I glared at him.
"Tay, come on. I'm messing with you. I do know how to be a gentleman." He grinned.
I opened my mouth to speak and he covered it with his hand, smiling.
"No talking. Although, I'm positive you had an amazing comeback." He grinned at me.
I smiled and nodded. Carefully Brian slid my shirt down my arms. He quickly covered all of my stitches and then slid my shorts down my legs, leaving me in my bra and underwear. Brian's eyes are anywhere but on my own. I giggled quietly and poked his chest. He smiled at me like a Cheshire cat.
"Tatum, this is going to be the longest shower of my life. Goddamn." He muttered.
I nodded a little and looked at the floor. Brian's fingers gently lifted my chin up to look at him. I stared into his dark brown eyes. He grinned a little, reaching around to undo my bra. I let it fall away, hearing him groan.
"This is not the time to let my perverted thoughts cloud my mind." He growled, focusing on getting my bikini top on me.
My face is crimson red as I stand here. Once my top was secure, Brian grabbed a towel and wrapped it around my waist. His hands slowly slid up my legs to my thighs. I sucked in a breath quietly as he kept his eyes on mine. He gently tugged my underwear off, then slid on my bikini bottoms. He stood up, pulling the towel away from me.
"See? I'm not always a pervert." He grinned.
I giggled quietly, letting him help me into the shower.
I sighed as the water hit my back. Brian very gently shampooed my hair then rinsed it, doing the same with the conditioner. He used a loofah over my back very gently. As odd as this whole situation is, I'm glad it is him in the shower with me.
I felt his hands gently grip my hips. My heart pounded hard inside of my chest. I felt his lips next to my ear.
"Turn around, ok?" He said quietly.
I slowly turned around to face him. Tears welled up in my eyes as I stared at him. He shook his head at me.
"Hey, why the tears?" He asked.
"I don't know?" I sobbed out.
"I know we have a lot to talk about. I know this. But it can wait until you have a voice. I mean, if you wanna talk, you'll have to write it down. I don't want you to hold this inside." He said.
I smiled and nodded at him. He grinned and picked up the loofah again. He smiled wickedly at me.
"Damn. I gotta wash the front of ya now." He smiled.
I let out a laugh that hurt my throat. Brian tsked me and grinned.
"Promise me you're not gonna leave, Tay." He said seriously.
"Go where?" I choked out.
"Away from me. Away from California." He said.
I shook my head and he relaxed. Brian let a deep breath and carefully hugged me.
"Thank you." He sighed.
"Now, I'm gonna enjoy the hell out of this." He smiled.
I giggled at him. Glad he's not treating me differently. I was worried he might, but he hasn't.
After my shower and getting changed again, we laid in the bed to watch movies. I fell asleep and woke up a while later to Johnny trying to creep out of the room I am in. I used my good arm to throw the remote at him.
"Jesus fucking christ! Stop scaring me!" He shrieked, jumping.
I snickered at him as Brian came out of the kitchen. He frowned when he saw Johnny.
"You woke her up!?" Brian snarled.
I shook my head at him. Johnny sighed and sat beside me. He shook his head and I laid my head on his shoulder.
"You are not being left unattended for a long time." Johnny told me.
I started writing on the notepad out of his view. I turned it around and watched as he read it. Johnny busted up laughing.
"Thanks for the CPR. Glad they let you out of your carseat." Brian laughed hard as he read it.
"You're welcome, asshole. Don't do that shit to me again." Johnny grinned as I hugged him.