Status: Active.
Shiver.
dealing with the aftermath, pt. two
I woke up to the sound of Hunter's voice calling my name. I scrambled to my feet and raced downstairs. For some reason I didn't want him in Sophia's room. I still hadn't told him about her, despite all the other things I'd shared. Hunter was standing in the living room with a bouquet of roses.
"Hey baby," he greeted me. I stopped a few feet away from him and waited to see what he was going to say. I didn't know what words to use. I was feeling so many things all at once. I wanted to tell him to leave me alone forever but I was afraid of his reaction. And somewhere inside me, I wanted him to stay. I knew it was wrong but everything before the other night had been perfect. Was one mistake worth losing the only person who seemed to care about me anymore.
"Hi," I said softly. He held the flowers out and I reached for them but my fingertips barely grazed the stems. I dropped my hand to my side. Hunter sighed and stepped closer to me.
"Grace, I know what I did last night was terrible. I don't want to be like my father. Please, baby I need you. I need your help. Don't let me turn into him," Hunter begged. I nodded and he held out the flowers once more. This time I took them and held them close to me.
"Promise me it won't happen again," I whispered. Hunter put his hand on the unbruised side of my face.
"I promise," he said meeting my gaze squarely. "Now, why don't you get those flowers in some water and get dressed. I want to take you out for an early birthday dinner."
"Okay," I said uncertainly. I didn't really feel up to leaving the house but I also wanted to heal this rift between us. I put the flowers down of the coffee table and turned to go upstairs.
"And do something about that eye," he ordered. I nodded and ran up to my room. Getting dressed took only a few moments. Covering my black eye proved to be more difficult. I layered makeup over it but it was still faintly visible. Finally I grew frustrated and reached for a pair of scissors. I ran my fingers down my hair and cut it swiftly at an angle. I stared down at my hair on the floor for a second before dropping them and running into the bathroom.
I was relieved to see that by some miracle I had actually cut it very well. The hair fell lightly across my right eye, taking focus away from the bruising. I sat down on the side of the tub and took several deep breaths, trying to regain my composure. Eventually I stood and went down to where Hunter was waiting in the living room.
"Baby, you look beautiful," he said, reaching for me. He pulled me close and kissed my lips gently. I tried to relax and kiss him back but it was still difficult. I was glad when he stopped. I followed him out of the house with one final glance backwards.
"Hey baby," he greeted me. I stopped a few feet away from him and waited to see what he was going to say. I didn't know what words to use. I was feeling so many things all at once. I wanted to tell him to leave me alone forever but I was afraid of his reaction. And somewhere inside me, I wanted him to stay. I knew it was wrong but everything before the other night had been perfect. Was one mistake worth losing the only person who seemed to care about me anymore.
"Hi," I said softly. He held the flowers out and I reached for them but my fingertips barely grazed the stems. I dropped my hand to my side. Hunter sighed and stepped closer to me.
"Grace, I know what I did last night was terrible. I don't want to be like my father. Please, baby I need you. I need your help. Don't let me turn into him," Hunter begged. I nodded and he held out the flowers once more. This time I took them and held them close to me.
"Promise me it won't happen again," I whispered. Hunter put his hand on the unbruised side of my face.
"I promise," he said meeting my gaze squarely. "Now, why don't you get those flowers in some water and get dressed. I want to take you out for an early birthday dinner."
"Okay," I said uncertainly. I didn't really feel up to leaving the house but I also wanted to heal this rift between us. I put the flowers down of the coffee table and turned to go upstairs.
"And do something about that eye," he ordered. I nodded and ran up to my room. Getting dressed took only a few moments. Covering my black eye proved to be more difficult. I layered makeup over it but it was still faintly visible. Finally I grew frustrated and reached for a pair of scissors. I ran my fingers down my hair and cut it swiftly at an angle. I stared down at my hair on the floor for a second before dropping them and running into the bathroom.
I was relieved to see that by some miracle I had actually cut it very well. The hair fell lightly across my right eye, taking focus away from the bruising. I sat down on the side of the tub and took several deep breaths, trying to regain my composure. Eventually I stood and went down to where Hunter was waiting in the living room.
"Baby, you look beautiful," he said, reaching for me. He pulled me close and kissed my lips gently. I tried to relax and kiss him back but it was still difficult. I was glad when he stopped. I followed him out of the house with one final glance backwards.