I reached my hand out and touched her hair gently, being sure not to wake her from the much-needed slumber. Even without the care of a stylist, her hair still shone with life, her fat curls hanging loosely around her shoulders. She looked so innocent in sleep, so young. How could anyone hurt something so beautiful?
I’d like to find the sick fuck and castrate him in the middle of the street, but as much as I’d like to hop on a plane and go after that fuck, taking care of her was more important. I’m sure that fucker’s day will come.
I stayed up well into the night, sitting up in the chair next to the bed. Every once in a while, she’d moan or make some weird noise in her sleep, and each time I’d brush her hair gently and speak to her softly until she settled down again.
She’d given me a lot to think about, and I let my mind go where it will. The only thing I knew for sure is that I was attracted to her. The only question was how did I feel about her now that I knew her story.
Could I really marry a woman who was carrying another man’s child? And then I had to separate the two and think about the kid. None of this was his or her fault, and it was obvious that she wanted to keep her baby.
She didn’t seem to have any negative feelings or thoughts against it, which shows the kind of heart she has. But could I do it? Would I be able to show kindness…?
Even as I thought it, I knew the answer. The kid’s story was just as sad as hers, wasn’t it? Wouldn’t he or she need someone to love them too? It all seemed so simple, really. But I knew it wasn’t that it was far from it.
My thoughts were still too new, and there were too many of them to tackle in one night. I looked at the bed when sleepiness set in but figured she’d freak if she woke up and found me lying next to her, so I decided to sleep on the chair.
We’re gonna have to come up with another plan, though, if I’m going to keep her with me here in my room in secret until I tell my parents what I have in mind.
That was a headache I wasn’t in the mood to deal with right now, though, so I closed my eyes and tried to get some sleep. I was out before you know it.
“Papa…” My eyes flew open at the sound. Her voice had been barely above a whisper, but I heard it all the same. I left the chair and went to stand over her in bed. There was a lone tear making a track down her cheek as she called out for her papa.
I brushed her hair again softly, feeling helpless in the face of her sadness. I felt that squeezing in my heart again as I looked down at her. I’ll make it better for you, I promise. I said the oath to myself, but it was enough that only my heart knew what I had in store for her. One day she would too.
I fixed the covers more firmly around her and stood there a little longer than was necessary, just drinking her in. Each time she murmured for her papa in her sleep, she crept a little deeper into my heart.
Once I was sure she was going to be okay, I moved my hand over the place where the child now slept, no longer seeing him or her as something to be reviled but as a part of her.
I think I fell in love with the kid then because of all that she’d been through to protect it regardless of how he came to be. And because it was none of his fault.
The next morning I came awake slowly as I felt the presence in the room. The night came back to me, and I turned my head slowly to find her watching me from the bed. I searched her eyes for fear or discomfort, but all I saw there was wary confusion.
She averted her eyes as soon as she saw that I was awake, and I wondered how long she’d been awake watching me. I sat forward with my hands hanging and looked down at the floor. I hadn’t missed the blush. Innocent! Sweet!
“The others should be here in another hour. I’ll go down and find you something to eat while you get dressed.” I made a side trip to the bathroom to brush my teeth and get cleaned up before jogging downstairs to the kitchen.
Mom and dad were in their wing and wouldn’t be seen until about nine when the house really started to wake up, so there was no fear of them finding me in here, but I had another problem. I have no idea how to cook.