Total pages in book: 68
Estimated words: 62737 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 314(@200wpm)___ 251(@250wpm)___ 209(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 62737 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 314(@200wpm)___ 251(@250wpm)___ 209(@300wpm)
“I will,” she replies. We go through the process of getting her undressed. I’m trying to be gentle while biting my tongue when more marks appear on the sides of her body. The shirt clears her head, and I toss it to the ground. And while I’d love nothing more than to burn them to a fiery crisp, I’ll end up washing them, just in case.
“Shorts now? Then I’ll give you a towel to hold up while we work on your undergarments. The socks may be a problem. We can always have you get in the water, allow them to soak, and loosen them up a smidge in order to pull them off.” A few minutes later, with a lot of hissing from Rory, she’s stepping into the shower while looking longingly at the tub. Her hand stays in mine, the towel wrapped around her torso being held by the underside of her arms. When I get a glimpse of her back, it’s just as bad as the front.
Jesus, I really hope Jude does a number on the piece of shit.
“I’m good from here,” Rory mutters. Her socks came off easier than expected, the only plus I’ve seen out of this whole ordeal.
“I’ll go grab you some clothes of mine and Jude’s. I’m sorry. I don’t have a lot here for you to choose from.” I pull another towel out of the cabinet for her hair. The one she had wrapped around her body is now hanging on a hook right near the shower stall.
“Thank you, Ronnie.”
“You’re welcome. Don’t get out on your own. I’m sure you’re more than capable, I’d feel better being near, at least,” I say before I’m out the door. She makes a hum as a response, and I call it good. Rory will more than likely crash after her shower. I’m also going to offer her some over-the-counter pain reliever, and maybe by then, we’ll hear something from Jude.
My mind is frazzled. I bounce from one area to the other, gathering things here and there, forgetting what I need, and have to backtrack. I grab my phone off the couch and look at the screen with a fleeting glance. There’s no message from Jude, so, either no news is good news, or he’s yet to have a chance to text. I say a little something to keep everyone involved safe and go check on our girl.
Once I’m back in the bathroom, it doesn’t take long to get Rory out, dried off, dressed, and her hair brushed. The proof of her crying is written in her bloodshot eyes. Then there was the sniffling, and I really wanted to pull her into my arms to hug her. But she’d been through way too much. Added with the vibes rolling off her, I could more than sense any type of affection wouldn’t be well received.
Now we’re in the living room. I’m sitting on the couch, and the television is on. Flashes of different colors light up the screen, and the volume is as low as possible. When I asked what Rory wanted to watch, she shrugged her shoulders in a non-committal answer. I scrolled through channel after channel until she made a noise when I landed on a cartoon. So, we watched it while she ate a few crackers, took the two pain relievers I dropped in her hand, and downed a bottle of water.
The adrenaline dropped shortly after she relaxed. A pile of blankets is surrounding her. The weight and warmth all around her made her breathing deepen, along with soft snores, as her head is propped up on a pillow on the other end of the couch.
I pick my phone up, worry settling deep in my bones with every minute that goes by that I don’t hear from Jude. I’m about to pull up our message thread to ask for an update when I hear the garage door opening, and I breathe a sigh of relief. As much as I’d like to move from my place on the couch, it might be impossible not to jar Rory when I move. She has her feet on my lap, and anytime I had to readjust to get comfortable, I’ve felt a slight twitch from her. I’m not used to sitting in one place for so long unless it’s on the floor to play a video game.
I’m at war with myself yet again. Do I wake her up to tell her Jude’s home, or do I remain quiet and sit still. The choice is taken off my hands when Rory pops up, and she’s tackling the covers off her body when she hears the door close behind a devastated Jude.
“No, no, no,” Rory chants over and over again, hands covering her face, turning into herself. Jude goes right to his sister and scoops her up in his arms, holding her tightly without saying a word. The only way to describe the scene before my eyes is total devastation. Tears form, and no matter how much I try to blink them away, nothing stops them from sliding down my cheeks. I can hear the soft murmurings coming from Jude.