Keep Me Together

Elenia stayed in the hospital for three days, barley leaving the bed. The slightest movement made her nauseous. She didn’t get many visitors other than her family; she had trouble keeping up in conversations.

Her therapist stopped by her room as well. He was pleased that she’d gone to the beach and relived Olivia’s death, despite the outfall of it. He could see that Elenia already had it easier, but they both agreed that she would keep coming to his office to talk; she still had problems, but loosing the weight of Olivia’s death made it easier to cope with the rest.

Elenia thought much about her meeting with Olivia, but she hadn’t told anyone about it and she dodged all of Seth’s questions. She said she didn’t remember anything. She was afraid they would put her in a padded cell if she told everybody she’d met her dead sister, and that her sister who died at age five looked like an eighteen year old.

“A kiss for your thoughts,” Seth said as he entered her room.
Elenia smiled at him. “Just looking forward to get out of here,” she lied and stretched her hand out for his. “I missed you.”
“I’ve only been out for 15 minutes,” he said with a smile before he leaned down to kiss her before he started to gather her things in her bag.

“Did you tell mama about out engagement?” she asked him absentmindedly and gazed out on the gray sky.
Seth laughed silently. “Yeah, I did. We have her blessing. Elia is very happy for me,” he told her. “And for you, of course. She understands why, because she had it the same with your father.”
She smiled and yawned. “That’s good.”

“Already tired again?”
Elenia nodded carefully, testing if she still got nauseous, but was pleased when she didn’t. “A little,” she confessed. “Am I staying at your place?”
Seth shook his head. “No, it’s best if you stay at your own house, at least until you get better.”
Elenia’s eyes brimmed with tears.

Seth noticed and walked back to her. He held her hand as he sat down beside her. “I’m staying with you, Leni, but then Elia and Paul can help look after you.”
“Okay,” she said with quivering lips.
“Hey, it’s okay, baby, I’m right here, and I will stay with you forever.”
Elenia nodded and wiped her cheeks. “Sorry, I’m just a little frazzled.”

“Are you ready to go?” he asked her.
“Yeah,” she said and sat up slowly but realized soon that she would need help.
Seth pulled the wheel-chair she’d been using up to the bed and lifted her off the bed and placed her in the chair. Elenia was so out of balance she couldn’t take a step without support.

Seth threw her bag over his shoulder and started pushing the chair. The white corridors were almost empty, and Elenia let her mind travel once again, but not for long; she spotted a familiar face down the hall. She didn’t say anything till Seth before they were closer to the man.

“Please stop, Seth,” she said and tried to stand up.
Seth took a hold of her arms and helped her. “What is it?”
“It’s Derek Lucas,” she said and leaned on Seth as she walked up to him.
Derek’s face was almost not recognizable. He looked drawn and tired. But his eyes widened when he saw her.

“Elenia,” he said in a weak voice. “I’m so sorry for not believing you, I’m so so sorry,” he rambled.
Elenia furrowed her brows at him. “What’s happened?”
“It’s Kenny. He raped my little sister! That mongrel raped my sister and she is just thirteen!” he raised his voice a little.
Elenia was speechless; blown away by what he said. Seth turned rigid next to her and she could feel his hands shake.

“I don’t know what to say,” Elenia whispered and didn’t manage to hide her tears.
“Oh, Elenia,” Derek said and grabbed her hand. “I was so stupid for not believing you. I know you would never hurt me like that.”
“Derek you hurt me,” she said and removed his hand. “You have no idea what a hell I’ve been through!”

“But I-” he was cut off.
“No!” she practically yelled at him. “I feel awful for what happened to your sister, but you have to take part of the blame! If you’d believe me when I told you, or when Miri told you, if you’d listen to us and done something about it, this wouldn’t have happened.”
“Can you ever forgive me?” he asked her.

Elenia gritted her teeth. She knew holding a grudge would hurt more than it was worth. “You have to know, if I ever do it will be for me, and not for you.”
“Elenia!”
“Seth, please take me away from this- this weak excuse of a man,” she said with sorrow filled eyes.
Seth glared at Derek before he swept Elenia up in his arms and carried her, forgetting about the chair.

~~~

Elenia was alone in her bedroom, tucked under her covers and waiting for sleep. Seth was downstairs with her parents. Elenia was thinking about what Olivia had said, just before she fell. Thinking it over and over again, and then there was a knock on her door.

Her mother stepped silently in and Elenia realized what Olivia had told her.
“Mama, are you pregnant?” Elenia blurted out.
Elia stared at her in shock before she sat down on top of Elenia’s covers. “Yes, I am,” she said softly and brushed her hand over Elenia’s hair. “How did you k now? I only first found out today.”

Elenia ignored her question. “It is a boy, and we have to name him Oliver.”
“Elenia, how did you know?” Elia asked again, “I haven’t even told your father.”
She looked up at her mother, and suddenly realized without knowing why that Elia was the only person that could understand what had happened to her.

“Would you believe me if I said Olivia told me?” She asked carefully.
Elia smiled at her and laid down beside her. “Yes, I would. It was when you were unconscious, right, when you hit your head at your beach.”
Elenia nodded. “It was so real, you wouldn’t believe how beautiful she was, mama, she looked like a real princess. With the dress and all. But she’d grown, she looked to be the same age as me.”

“What did she say you?”
“She urged me on to tell our tale, she helped me when it hurt too much. She said the worst was over and that I was strong enough, but she was so real,” Elenia said again. “She told me I had to tell you and dad that she loves you and misses you. She is proud of the boy Robbie turned out to be, and she’s sorry she wasn’t there for him.”

Elia had tears in her eyes and put a hand on her daughter’s cheek, she believed every word she said.
“She said I had to look after Oliver; he would need me in his life,” her voice was just a whisper.
“I know you’ll look after him,” Elia whispered to him.

“Do you think it was real, mama, or just a dream?”
“I believe you; I believe that was a real as it could be. Olivia is real to you; she’s in your heart.”
Elenia smiled. “She said that as well.”

“I experienced the same thing with my mother, after she died and I was hurt by Matteo. She showed me pieces of my life, showed me all my mistakes so I wouldn’t do the same again. My mother saved me from me.”
“I wish I would have met her,” Elenia said to her.
“But she’s in your heart, with Olivia.”

They fell silent and Elia thought Elenia had fallen asleep when she spoke again.
“I love you, mama, you are the best.”
Elia kissed her forehead. “I love you, Leni. You too, Livvy,” she smiled out in the room.