Days ago, I thought. And even at that, it wasn’t more than a few bites of toast before I couldn’t stomach any more.
“But that’s going to change,” he went on, voice lowering. “You will eat decent meals. Get good nights of sleep.”
“Mkay.” I sighed. I didn’t want to fight anymore.
“I’ll earn your trust back. One day at a time. I’ll prove to you that you don’t have to hate me; that you can count on me. I won’t leave you like that again. I promise.”
Promises always got broken, but I nodded anyhow, sleep trying to tug me away again.
“After Dawn gets back with food, you will eat for me. I’ll feed you if I have to.”
Why did that sound…dare I say, appealing?
“Then, you’ll take a good shower, and we’ll watch a movie together. After that, I’ll leave for the night. But I’ll be back tomorrow morning with breakfast.”
Tomorrow sounded too far away, and who knows what would happen over the night hours. But still, I nodded.
“After that, we’ll talk. You’ll listen, and you won’t yell about how much you hate me. We’lltalk. Which means you’ll need to talk to me, too. To answer all the questions, I have and we’ll make a plan to get you back onto a good, healthy and sane path.”
“If you say so,” I yawned.
“I do say, little dove. You’ve suffered enough. No more hiding. No more fighting against what you know you need.”
“Wise choices.” Right? I hoped so.
“Very wise ones.”
A door clicked shut, then steps towards the kitchen. And with it, smells of whatever soups Dawn picked up wafted towards me.
“We gotta get up now, little dove.”
“Not hungry.” I had said it so many times over the past couple of years, it was automatic now.
But Jasper knew. He saw right through it, even if I was hungry. Maybe. I couldn’t tell anymore.
“Too bad. We’re going to go eat anyway. Up you go.”
I huffed, refusing to move. My body wasn’t ready. My mind, neither. I was content to lay right here and never move again. Even if I did have to pee.
Jasper, who must be a mind reader, easily maneuvered us both to sitting up. My legs were across his, my butt on the couch cushion.
“I’ll carry you.” Was that an offer or a threat?
Although it took way too much energy, I lifted my head enough to look at him. His eyes were dark and intense, waiting me out. In that one look, my stomach did a somersault, as if my soul knew something I had yet to figure out.
“Bathroom?”
“Can I trust you to go to the kitchen when you're done?”
Probably not, but I nodded.
“If you don’t make it there in ten minutes, I’ll come find you.” His voice deepened, a warning and promise all wrapped in one.
I opened and closed my mouth a couple of times before nodding.
“Good, little dove.” He pressed a kiss, so softly, to my forehead before helping me to stand. Only when he was sure my legs could hold my weight, did he walk me to the bathroom before leaving me to do what I needed.
It took a bit of work to get my hands to work with me, pulling down my pants enough to pee. It ended up not being far enough down,the trickle hitting the front of my pants instead of landing where it was meant to go.
