They Can't Protect Me From Loving You

Brian followed Eloise silently up to the spare room. She sat down cross-legged on the bed as he froze in the doorway.

“Baby, what’s going on?” he said quietly.

“I can’t put people in danger anymore Brian, and staying in Huntington will be doing that.” Eloise said quietly, fighting to hold back tears.

“But I don’t understand what’s brought all this on?” Brian said, still stood by the door. Eloise was silent, contemplating whether she should tell him the whole truth.

“Baby, we were happy weren’t we?” Brian pleaded with a strained voice. Eloise looked up at him and noticed he too was fighting back tears. She nodded silently, still unable to find her voice.

“Then why baby? I love you; I won’t let anyone hurt you. We were safe. Come back to Huntington with me please.” He pleaded, crossing the room and sitting down in front of her on the bed. He took hold of her hands and she tried to pull them away.

“Brian, please, don’t make this harder than what it is.” She pleaded.

“Then give me the real reason why you’re here, why you’ve run away from me?” he said loudly without yelling.

“To keep you and my family safe.” She began.

“Bollocks!” he yelled “You are safe with me.”

“Not anymore, not if I go back to Huntington.” Eloise said pulling her hands away from Brian’s.

“But what changed? You were happy last night, we were happy. Something must have happened for you to have this sudden change of heart.” He replied, again taking her hands in his. Eloise stared at their hands, unable to look up at his face. She knew that it would be full of pain, and she felt guilty enough as it was. She had to stay strong, and she knew that if she looked up into his brown eyes she’d fall apart worse than she was already.

“Baby, please, you can’t leave me hanging here. If you’re going to break my heart then you’ve got to tell me why.” Eloise struggled not to look up at him; she could hear the tears in his voice. The words struck a cord with her. He was right; she did owe him an explanation.

“Steven.” She muttered quietly.

“Steven? Who’s Steven?” he asked, confusion filling his words.

“Michelle’s boyfriend.” She began.

“Michelle’s….what’s he got to do with anything?”

“He’s Steven Owens.” She said chancing a look up at his face. As she’d feared, it was stained with tears, riddled with confusion.

“Owens? As in…?”

“A cousin apparently. So you see I am still in danger. If he finds out who I am-“

“How’s he going to find out?”

“Michelle! She-“ she stopped abruptly.

“Michelle? That’s what all this is about isn’t it? She’s said something hasn’t she?”

“Brian no, it’s not…she’s got nothing to –“

“Don’t lie to me Eloise, she has hasn’t she? What did she say?” the words were hard, yet his voice remained soft, caring, worried. His hand left hers, gently placing a finger under her chin to raise her head for their eyes to meet.

“I’m right aren’t I?” he said quietly.

“She told me that she’d let him know who I was if I stayed in Huntington, with you.” she said quietly.

“She said what?” Brian said slowly and quietly. Eloise swallowed hard before she continued.

“She told me that if I didn’t leave you, she would tell Steven who I was and once his family found out they would come after me again, only worse than last time.” She said quietly.

“She threatened you?” he asked, his fists clenching in her hands.

“She wants you back Brian, and she’s going to do whatever she can to get what she wants.”

“She’s not going to get me though – it’s you I love, I lost you once, I’m not going to loose you again.” he pleaded as tears fell down his cheeks, his hands reaching up to cup her face.

“Brian, I’ve made my mind up, I’m not coming back.” She choked out through tears.

“No, you can’t.” Brian whispered pulling her face closer to his and kissing her. She kissed him back briefly before pushing him away.

“Brian, please don’t, I’ve made up my mind.” she said getting up off the bed and walking over to the door.

“Go back to Huntington, be with Michelle.” She said, opening the door and walking back down the stairs.

“Eloise no! I don’t want to be with Michelle. I couldn’t be happy with her!” Brian yelled as he followed her back downstairs.

“You were happy with her for almost four years!” Eloise yelled opening the front door and holding it open.

“Good-bye Brian.” she said taking a deep sigh. “Oh and here, you better have these.” She added grabbing the keys to the Escalade off the small table beside the door and handing them to him.

“You can’t do this Eloise.” He replied taking hold of her hand.

“I am Brian; it’s over. Good bye.” She said ushering him out of the front door.

“Eloise!” Brian exclaimed as she slammed the door in his face.

Eloise rested her back against the door and sobbed. She slide down the door, tears cascading down her cheeks as she sobbed relentlessly. Hannah crouched down beside her and wrapped her arms tightly around her, soothingly shushing her as she gently rubbed her back.

She couldn’t be sure exactly how long she’d sat there, but it felt like an eternity. At one point, she was sure she heard the Escalade pull out of the driveway, but other than that she sat there in Hannah’s embrace, sobbing. Her face stung from the relentless tears, her throat was sore from the continuous sobs.

“Honey, come on, you can’t sit here.” Hannah’s voice sounded like an echo from another room as she stood up, lifting Eloise with her.

“Come on, I think you need to try and get some sleep, you must be exhausted.” She said ushering her gently towards the stairs.

“Here, get changed into these, I’ll go get you something to help you sleep.” Hannah said passing Eloise a pair of pyjamas before walking out of the room. She was back moments later with a glass of water and some tablets. She handed them to Eloise who knocked them back without looking at them.

“Two of them were painkillers, I know I get a banging headache if I’ve been crying, the other two were sleeping tablets, they should help you sleep for a good couple of hours.” Hannah explained as Eloise curled up under the comforter, grabbing the spare pillow and hugging it tightly to her body.

“Stay” Eloise whispered gruffly as Hannah put her hand on the door handle to leave.

“Just until I fall asleep.” She whispered as Hannah made her way over to the bed. She lay down next to her and wrapped an arm around Eloise.

“Thank you.” Eloise whispered as her eyes began to flutter shut.

It wasn’t long before Eloise's quiet sobs were replaced with steady shallow breathing. Hannah quietly removed her arm and left her in a silent, dreamless slumber.

***

The sound of the front door slamming shut made Jimmy jump from where he’d allowed himself to doze with his head resting against the car window. He watched silently as Brian screamed Eloise's name. Things obviously hadn’t gone as well as they’d hoped. He was stood there for a long while before he turned and walked back over to Jimmy’s car. Jimmy had never seen Brian like this before. He was pretty bad after Eloise had left the first time, but he’d been expecting that, he’d been prepared to lose the girl he loved. This was different. Brian had been so different these past couple of months since Eloise was back in his life. He’d been happy again, truly happy.

Silently Brian got into the car, slamming the door shut and slamming his hands against the steering wheel.

“Dude? What happened?” Jimmy asked quietly.

“Michelle!” Brian growled.

“Michelle?” Jimmy questioned with a look of confusion. Brian sighed heavily and began to explain what had happened.

“But it’s not over. I’m not giving up on her that easily.” Brian said confidently.

“I’ve got to drive the Escalade back so I’ll see you later.” He said with a sigh before getting out of the car and walking over to the Escalade.

The entire drive back to Huntington Brian ran through the day’s events. His happiness had been ripped from him; the love of his life had pushed him away, out of her life. He wasn’t going to give up on her though. He loved her more than anything and he was willing to do anything to try and get her back.