Page 60 of Hey Girl
“That was forty-two minutes!” I scold, stopping in the middle of the yard with my arms crossed.
“Hey, you’re welcome,” he deadpans with a sarcastic tone. How dare he. “Mayzie wanted to make you a little care package if that’s okay,” he informs me as I hear the other truck door slam and Mayzie comes around the front, carrying a box, a compassionate smile on her little face.
“I was in the middle of baking brownies when you texted Jack,” she explains. “So I asked him to give me time to let them cool so that I could bring some to you.”
Awwww.
“I also brought you a few BLASTS, some bottled water, a blanket and pillow, and of course the phone charger.”
I glare at Jack over her shoulder as I lean in to hug her.
“So you thought you’d rub some salt in my freshly opened wound by bringing your perfect little wife over?” I ask him, which he returns with a cocky smirk. “You didn’t also happen to put a pen and notebook in there, did you?” I ask Mayzie as I pull away and relieve her of the box. Those words that were sailing through my head while I was on the swing are still in the front of my mind and I feel like writing them down.
“No, but lucky for you, I’m a writer and always have those kinds of things on hand,” she smiles as she turns back to the truck.
“Is she okay?” Jack asks quietly, his hands in his pockets and tilting his head at Rebecca’s house.
“I don’t know,” I mumble, looking down at the box of essentials. I wish I could just see her, lay eyes on her to know the answer to that. “But I’m not giving up on her.”
“Listen,” he tells me, looking somber. “Celebrity Dirt & Dish was the outlet that broke that story. I’ve got Mike on it and he’s getting every subpoena there is so he can investigate.” That would be his notorious brother - in - law who happens to be the lawyer of all lawyers. Seriously, he can out-lawyer the shit out of any other lawyer. He’s helped us out of a jam or two in the past, so this reassures me. “In the meantime, he told me that because this was leaked without Rebecca’s consent, anyone who looks at them is guilty of sexual harassment. So he’s releasing a public statement that hopefully people will see and think twice about looking.”
I nod. That doesn’t do shit for the people that have already seen the photos but it’s better than nothing, I suppose. At least it feels like something is being done.
“Chris,” Jack looks at me sternly. “We’re going to find who went through your personal property and ran to the gossip rags. Then, we’re going to slap Dirt and Dish with a lawsuit that will make their ancestors cry. We’re getting Rebecca some justice, I promise.”
I nod again, appreciatively, but I doubt that it will repair the damage that’s already been done to my sweet girl.
Jack claps a hand on my shoulder and gives it a squeeze, as Mayzie returns with a notebook and a couple of pens for me. They wish me well, and I wave to them as they drive off.
Finding an outlet in the corner of the porch, I plug in my phone and have a brownie while it charges. This is awesome. Depending how long I have to stay out here I might have to have even more things delivered. But the last hour has proved to me that I can do this. I can stay here on this porch for my little mouse during her troublesome times.
I will defend this house like a fortress!
20
REBECCA
Ihave no idea what time it is as I spent the night completely under the covers, slipping in and out of sleep. I don’t want to come out, or even lift the comforter off my face. I’m safe here. It’s dark, quiet, and perfect. It’s all I want right now. Unfortunately, my bladder is not having it, and no matter how much I try to mentally give it the middle finger, the need to pee only gets stronger.
Weakly pulling the covers off, I roll out of bed and pad to the bathroom, trying not to look at anything. The less stimuli the better.
After using the bathroom, I wander back to bed with no other intention than to crawl back into the blanket pile and shut the world out until the havoc in my mind and my heart die down. Despite my best efforts, I notice that it’s light outside, but I don’t care. In my own little world of nothingness I plan on spending the foreseeable future in, it doesn’t matter what time it is.
Getting comfortable, I’m about to bring the covers back over my head when I hear a faint snort. I’ve heard that sound before. But where’s it coming from? I hear another series of smaller,quieter snorts, and I know immediately what’s making them but…where?
I listen carefully, following the noise to my window. I carefully pull the curtain back just a crack and oh dear God…
Chris is flat on his back on my porch, a pillow under his head and a blanket up to his waist. His arms are sprawled out, his knee bent sideways, and his mouth hanging open as he saws his usual sleep logs. Empty BLAST cans litter the space around him and I think I see some kind of chocolate crumbs on his chest.
He stayed.
I can’t believe he stayed.
He said he wasn’t going anywhere, but I didn’t think he meant that so literally.
He’s here with me and that means so much but… I can’t. I just can’t…
Releasing the curtain, I shrink back towards my bed and let the darkness take me away again.