He smiles as he takes it, still not moving his eyes from mine as he pulls it apart into several pieces and places it a few feet away from him.
“Can you tell me what happened?”
“I... my dad, he wanted money.” I go to look away but he shakes his head at me.
“No, keep your eyes right here.” He points to his eyes and I do as he says, not looking away. “Then what happened?”
“I... erm...” My head starts to pound as I go back to that alley, squeezing my eyes shut, I shake my head. “I can’t,” I choke out.
“That’s okay, just breath, take deep breaths, in and out... that’s it, now do it again. In and out.”
I concentrate on breathing and open my eyes back up.
“He’s still there,” I whisper, bringing my knees further into my chest.
“Where, darlin?”
“In the alley... By Jessie’s.”
I see his hand lift out of the corner of my eye, signaling someone to come closer.
“Corey’s here.” He smiles softly.
I turn to the footsteps that are closing in and a sob bubbles up in my throat as I look into his eyes. He won’t want me now. I’m broken, beyond repair.
“Baby?” he asks, his eyes becoming glassy as he crouches down. I shake my head and bury my face in my knees.
“You won’t want me now, Corey.”
“What?” he gasps. “Nothing could ever make me not want you. You’re my Birdie. We fly together, remember?”
I nod my head but I don’t believe him, not one bit.
“Me and you, baby. We’re it.”
I lift my face off my knees and look at him trying hard not to flinch as his hand cups the side of my face. “We are?”
“Yeah, baby, we are.” He smiles, his eyes shining with unshed tears and I see it then. I see how much he means it. I don’t doubt him for one second and I fling myself at him, not caring that I knock him over in the process and I bury my head into his chest.
“I’m sorry,” I gasp. “I should have told someone, I just... I just didn’t think he’d really tell him where I was.”
“It’s okay now, you’re safe. I got you.”
I nod into his chest again and stay there for I don’t know how long. All I know is that he’s home. My home. There isn’t anywhere else I would rather be.
“I’m sorry,” I say, lifting my head back up to Corey and just now seeing everyone that’s in the bar.
“You don’t need to be sorry,” he murmurs, stroking his hand up and down my back.
“We need to get you to a hospital.” I look back up to the eyes that are so familiar and he smiles softly. “Daley, by the way.”
“Your boss,” I whisper to Corey.
“Yeah.” He chuckles and plants a kiss on my head.
Corey lifts up, taking me with him and he doesn’t let me go, not even when we sit in the big truck outside. I stay on his lap, just like I did that day a couple of years ago.
I bury my face into his neck, not wanting to acknowledge anyone else that gets in the truck.