by Ann, Bry
“Yes, sweetie. There was glass. How are you feeling? Can you rate your pain on a scale of 1-10 for me?” she asks gently as she fiddles with what I assume is my IV.
“Um…” What is my pain? Does it matter? “Is anyone here?”
If Anthony’s here, my answers will be significantly different.
Images of my battered body flying through a glass table fill my mind. I involuntarily flinch. The nurse’s eyes narrow.
“No.” Her voice is clipped. “Did someone do this to you, Kiki?”
“I…”
“Tell anyone about this and you die, bitch.”
“Don’t worry,” the nurse murmurs, seemingly able to read my mind, “I don’t know much about you, but the men who brought you here, they’re no joke. If you have them on your team,” the nurse chuckles half-heartedly, “no one’s layin’ a finger on you, doll.”
“I can’t tell.” Not yet.
“I understand,” the nurse whispers, then adds, “I’m here when you’re ready.”
“Thanks,” I choke, my voice giving out a bit. That seems to snap the nurse into action. She fixes a bunch of medical crap attached to me I don’t understand before heading back for the door.
“Lights on or off, doll?”
“Off, please.”
She nods and darkens the room. As soon as she leaves, I do what I'm more than used to from living with Anthony. I grab the pillow, hold it over my face, and let silent tears fall.
* * *
I wake up to the sound of denim scraping on fabric. I don’t open my eyes yet, but not out of fear. Chills aren’t running up my spine, so I know it’s not Anthony. Besides, he rarely wears denim. He’s more of a suit and tie guy. Still, I just listen. It’s a while before any sound comes from the source of the fabric scraping.
“Sorry, I'm a fuckin’ coward.”
Guy.
It’s Guy. He’s here. He came!
Instantly, I feel safer. Until I process his words… and the tone of his voice. He sounds broken. As broken as I feel.
“I don’t belong here, Keeks. I'm sorry I didn’t get to you in time and you got hurt.”
“You have nothing to be sorry for,” I whisper. I peek one eye open in time to see him pop up.
“Kiki?”
“Hey, stranger.”
“Hey, how, uh, how are you feeling?”
“Not stellar, but I’ll live. You, on the other hand… what’s going on, Guy? No offense, but te ves como una mierda.” (you look like shit.)
He chuckles a bit, but it dies quickly.
“Guy, what’s wrong?” I murmur.
“Kiki…” he starts, running his fingers through his long, dirty blonde surfer hair, “I don’t belong here, Keeks. I'm going home.”
“What about your friend?” I ask as I feel my heart skip a beat.
“He doesn’t know yet.”
I study him full on now. “Are you running?”
“I didn’t think so, but maybe,” he confesses honestly. Then he smiles sarcastically. “You don’t stumble across a man alone on an island without him being insane.”
He stands. “Sorry I didn’t get to you in time. I hope you heal quickly. Take care of yourself, Kiki. Anthony won’t be a problem for you anymore. Go live, sweetness.”
What?!
“Wait, Guy!”
With a sigh, he stops in the doorway.
“Yes?”
“What do you mean about Anthony?”
He tenses. “He won’t be a problem. That’s all you need to know.”
“Look at me,” I demand.
To my huge surprise, Guy does. It feels so good. I can’t even describe it. For so long, no one listened to a word I said.
“Is he alive?” I whisper. “Your friend…”
“My friend didn’t kill him,” Guy says quickly.
“But someone else did.”
Guy goes quiet, answering my question. My breath shakes as I exhale, but I keep it together for now. Guy needs me and he’s been here for me.
“Guy, don’t leave without saying goodbye to your friend.”
His winces. “Kiki, please, just… fuck.”
“Guy…”
“Okay, I’ve been patient since I saw your hottie in the room, Kiki, but I’m done waiting. I need to see my girl.”
Despite the tension in the room, a little smile plays on my lips.
Rain.
Not even a second later, she walks in, dressed to the nines like always. Damn, this girl doesn’t skip a beat!
Her heels click on the hospital floor as she makes her way over to me.
“So, uh, two things,” she begins, twisting her hands together, which should have been a red flag for me. However, I’m too busy watching Guy. I need to make sure he doesn’t leave before we can talk a bit more. “First, Ajax is okay. All the wounds were pretty superficial.”
My gaze snaps her way. I suck. I totally forgot about what Ajax did for me and what happened to him!
“Thank God,” I breathe.
Rain nods. It’s then I notice the dark circles under her eyes that she tried to cover with concealer.
“You okay?” I mouth, glancing at Guy real quick.
She shrugs. “That brings me to point two.”
“Okay…” I say hesitantly, not liking her tone.
“I maybe, might have, um… Well, in my defense, I thought you might die.”
“Out with it, Rain.”
“I called your father. He’s here. Maybe.” She winces.
“Rain!” I try to raise my voice but it cracks. “How could you?”
“I'm sorry! I was scared!”
Even though fury flows through my veins, I glance at my friend's hair. For all her outward vanity, Rain has her struggles, too. It’s not my place to say. I worry she’s struggling again. I imagine she’s had to do all sorts of things that trigger her to get me to this hospital.
“Pumpkin.”
My father’s deep voice registers in the hospital room. I stiffen. When I hear the door click again, my head snaps to the spot where my father stands, all 6’4 of him. My dad is attractive for his age—strong, muscular, thick brown hair. It’s part of the reason he’s been able to build this whole new life without me, so I hate that I have a “cool” dad. But that’s irrelevant now. Because Guy just walked out.
“Don’t let him leave. Dad, please,” I beg.
My dad startles at my quick and desperate tone. “Who is…?”
Realizing he doesn’t have time to ask questions, or really the right to question me right now, my father stalks down the hall. He’ll get Guy back. My dad’s too powerful, too demanding, not to. But Guy is, too, in his own way.
“Kiki,” Rain starts.
“Just stop.” I hold a hand up. “I’m mad at you right now. I still love you, but I'm pissed.”
“I had to. You looked so bad,” Rain whispers. “You and Ajax were…”
Tears spring to her eyes and I kinda feel shitty for being mad at her. It had to have been traumatic, what she saw. But I'm still pissed.
“I get it, but you still had no right.”
“I’m sorry.” Rain ducks her head. Even furious, I still hate seeing someone as gorgeous and incredible as Rain meek.
“I’ll get over it.” Eventually.
The room is awkwardly quiet ‘til my dad comes back in, dragging Guy behind him by the collar of his t-shirt. I shit you not.
“Dad,” I gasp with a laugh. I admit it. Guy scowls and glares at my dad. That makes a little giggle escape my lips. Guy softens a bit.
“You had your dad drag me back here like I'm your high school boyfriend. What?”
I laugh full on now. I can’t help it. This man always makes me laugh, no matter how much things suck.
“Who is this, Katrina?” my father demands.
I flinch at the name. “It’s Kiki,” I murmur.
“Keeks, if you’re me,” Guy butts in, cutting the tension.
Even Rain laughs at that. My
father’s brows furrow, not angry, just not quite sure.
“Alright, let’s start over.” My father shakes his head and turns to Guy. “I’m Robert Wilson, Katrina’s father.”
“Kiki,” I whisper again.
“And you are?”
“Guy.” Guy extends a hand.
“And who are you to my daughter?”
Guy looks at me, then back at my dad with a little laugh.
“Oh, sir, that’s for your daughter to explain.”
“Are you two together?” There’s my dad. Always right to the point.
“First, no,” I interject. “Second, even if we were, it would be none of your business, I think.”
My father stands to his full height and walks to my bedside.
“Wrong, pumpkin,” he says softly, looking down at me. I cringe inside, knowing what he’s seeing: the bruising, the cuts, the dark circles. Despite my anger toward my father, I can’t help my need to impress him. He’s just so successful. It doesn’t help that he’s remarried now. What if they have a child? What if they have a daughter more beautiful than me? More successful? Then will he really give up on me?
Fuck, I'm still not over him leaving me.
“What happened? From the beginning.”
“No.”
My father’s eyebrows raise. “No?”
“You heard me. I didn’t invite you here.”
“You’re the one pushing me away, Katrina!”
“Kiki!”
“Fine, Kiki. I have no clue what you go by these days. I don’t know you anymore. Last I heard, you were dating that guy, Anthony. Now you’re here!” I cringe. “You can’t push me away anymore. I'm sorry I fell in love. I'm sorry I left your mom. I'm sorry I moved. I’ve told you this! But I also said you could stay with me anytime. You left me, Kiki. I just switched locations. Goddamnit, my stubborn daughter.”
My father runs a hand through his hair.
“Like father, like daughter,” I mutter.
“Kiki, come on. Stop it.”
“Where’s Mom?”
“Do you want me to call her? She’s, hun, she’s working.”
“Of course she is. No, don’t call her. I didn’t even want you here. Why would I want her here?”
“Katrina, respect your mother.”
“Oh yeah, like you respected her.”
“Katrina!”
“It’s Kiki!”
“Okay, whoa, I'm not trying to get involved in any family drama here, but this is getting intense. Maybe we should all step out. Give Kiki some time. Get her food, maybe. Do you like food, Keeks?”
I like him. That’s what I like.
“I like food.” I smile softly at him.
“Cool. Robert, know any good food in the area?”
My dad, being ever the Harvard graduate, picks up on that wording.
“You’re not from around here?”
“Nope.”
“Care to elaborate?” My dad cocks an eyebrow.
“Uh, nope.”
I snicker.
“Fine, let’s get food,” my father mutters. “Rain, would you like to come?”
Rain has been unusually quiet.
“Actually, my dad is worried. I probably need to be getting back soon. At least for a bit. Kiki, I swear I’ll—”
“Don’t,” I cut her off. “You know I get it, girl.”
“Ti amo, Kiki.”
“Love you, too, Rain.”
“I’ll take you home, Rain.”
While Rain and my dad talk for a brief minute, I glance at Guy. He’s fidgeting badly. For the first time, I notice how out of place he feels. He was being cool for me.
“Guy?” He looks up. A charming smile plays on his lips, but I notice it for what it is: fake. I try to sit up, but gasp when a sharp pain shoots up my spine. Immediately, Guy is there, helping me back down.
“What are you doing, sweetness? You’re all jacked up. What do you need?”
“Are you leaving now?”
He takes the tiniest step back. “I-I don’t know.”
I reach for his hand. Since I'm sorta weak right now, Guy helps me a bit. He places his hand on the bed for me. I take his hand in mine.
“Don’t go. Not yet. Wait ‘til I get out so I can show you Illinois. My way. Ever been out with us normal folk?”
I cock an eyebrow. I can’t help the pleasure that hums through my veins when he smiles a real smile.
“You asking me out, Kiki Wilson?”
I could marry him for using my maiden name.
“Depends, would you say yes?”
“I might.”
“Oooh, you drive a tough bargain. What’s the deciding factor?”
Guy looks back at my dad. When he sees him kinda watching us, Guy leans in closer to me, making my heart flutter, and yeah, other places, too.
“I get to drive. And there are cookies involved.”
Then he leans away, a happy little smirk on his lips.
“I think I can work within those conditions. So you’re staying?”
“For now, Kiki. I won’t stay forever. One date. Then I go home.”
My heart burns a little but I pretend it doesn’t. “I know.”
“Cool. Well, your dad is glaring at us, so any preference on food?”
“I should probably eat something healthy,” I grumble.
“Don’t worry. I got you. Smoothie, hands down the best healthy food. Even when you add spinach, that shit is delicious.”
“Okay, I trust you. Get me the healthiest, most delicious smoothie you can find.”
“I thought Rain and I were getting you food,” comes my father’s voice.
I glance at Guy with a sigh. “He’ll just keep pestering me. He’s a lawyer. He’s persistent.”
“I guess I'm not leaving town yet, so…”
“You’ll come back tomorrow?” I ask hopefully.
“With a smoothie. See ya, Kiki. Heal up and…” He leans in close, even closer than before so literally only I can hear. “Play nice.”
I glare. “You know nothing.”
“I know he loves you. Kiki, you’re lucky to have a parent who got on a plane to see you when he heard you were in trouble.”
With that, he pokes my nose and walks from the room. I'm left with my mouth hanging half open, meanwhile my dad’s head is cocked curiously and Rain is grinning from ear to ear.
“No offense, Mr. Wilson, but ugh, I wish you weren’t here right now.”
He looks at Rain and smiles a little. “Really? Boys now, Rain?”
She grins at him. “Boys always, Mr. Wilson.”
She’s so full of shit. She doesn’t do shit with boys, men, or anything in between, but I enjoy the look on my dad’s face right now.
“Jesus, you girls. Kiki is in the hospital, for Christ's sake.”
“No better time for some positivity in the form of d—”
“Rain, control yourself!” I belly laugh.
My dad shakes his head at both us, but there’s a smile on his lips.
“Your friend was right. What do you want to eat, Kat—Kiki?”
At least he’s catching himself now. “Anything’s fine. Something healthy, but not disgusting.”
“Got it. I’ll be right back. Rain, let’s get you home.”
Rain runs over and hugs me gently. “Take care of yourself.”
I grab a strand of her hair with my fingers, remembering how dismal it looked when I first met her. “Tell your dad you’re struggling today, Rain. It’s okay. Don’t fall back into old habits.”
“I’ll be okay. Ti amo, my friend.”
“Love you, Rain.”
“I know it’s wrong, but I'm glad you’re safe for good.”
“Me too.”
Me too.
Guy
Five Days Later
I can’t believe she got me to agree to this. Seriously, I can’t believe I'm still here.
“Wait, Guy!”
Alex comes running out with
her brother, Carl, right behind her. She’s wearing skull leggings with an all-black t-shirt. Yeah, she’s going through a phase if I’ve ever seen one.
“What’s up, trouble?”
“Take this with you,” she whispers, slipping a pocketknife into my hand.
“Uh, why?”
“Because I'm worried about your safety.”
Alex bats big, brown, adorable eyes at me.
Lies.
She’s so full of bullshit right now.
“And what’s the real reason?”
“I'm worried,” she kinda whimpers. She’s laying it on too thick. She can manipulate circumstances well, but people? Well, she’s got some work to do. And she’ll do it, too.
“In that case, here, take your knife back. I have one,” I lie.
The adorable face she was giving me a second ago drops into a scowl.
“I need you to take this knife,” she grumbles.
“And why’s that? No lies.”
“Carl found out Mom’s doing a ‘surprise’ search of my room today. I need it gone.”
“You can’t hide it elsewhere?”
“Cameras,” she mutters. “And Frances would find it.”
“Ohh, so you need me now?” I smirk.
Her scowl deepens. “This is my favorite knife,” she mutters. “Or I’d trash it and steal a new one, but this is my favorite.”
“I’ll take it under two conditions.”
Her brother is full on grinning now.
“What are they?” Alex grumbles.
“One, no manipulating people for a week.”
“Done.”
“Two, you sneak into Frances’s room and paint your nails on his floor. Maybe invite a friend. Make sure he sees you.”
She smiles at that. “So done. I don’t really paint my nails, but I will for this.”
“Alright, trouble. I’ll take your knife. Behave, alright?”
“Of course. Thanks, Guy.”
“Sure. Oh, Alex, why is this your favorite?”
Instantly, her face falls and for once, she looks genuinely young and scared.
“‘Cause it’s my knife.”
My eyebrows furrow as I stare at the knife in my hand. It’s then that I notice, despite the cool handle she stuck on the end, it’s old and chipped. Real, real old. I snap up to look at her.
“Oh.”
That’s all I can get out. I bet she found this and used it when she lived on the street with her mom.
