Shattered

Chapter 29

At 2:47, I woke up because of the nightmares.

This time it wasn't just about Jack, but also about Martha, Scott, and their friends.

After a few minutes of trying to get the images out of my head, I stood up and turned the light on.

I laid in bed for a while before I started getting antsy, so I went to the bathroom, and took a shower.

After a very quick, hot shower, I put clothes on, and checked the time again.

It was only 3:05.

I sat by the bay window, looking at the black sky.

I thought about everything that had happened in the past month.

The orphanage, the kids that I never had a chance to say bye to, Jack's funeral, and moving in with Mr. Thompson and his sons.

I really missed those kids.

They were so young; all they wanted was love.

They were funny and polite when they wanted to be

The babies, though they had no idea what was going on, needed love too.

I felt terrible for leaving them, not even to mention I never said goodbye.

Once the sun started rising, I went downstairs, knowing someone would be down there already.

"Hello." Mr. Thompson said as I entered the kitchen.

"Hello." I said quietly, sitting on one of the stools by the island.

We sat in awkward silence for a few minutes, both of us not knowing what to say.

I could tell he wasn't very good at communicating unless it was about school or work stuff, but it's still more than I can do.

"How's your hand?" He asked, taking a sip of his coffee.

"It's ok." I said quietly with a small smile.

"You wear a lot of those." He said after another few minutes of silence, gesturing to the hoodie I had on.

"You wear a lot of those." I said quietly in a joking manor, gesturing to the fancy suit he had on.

"Very observant."

I smiled a little more, knowing he was trying to make a joke.

It didn't sound like a joke, but I knew he was trying.

"Do you work every day?" I asked, snapping the hair tie against my wrist.

"Most days, yes." He responded.

I nodded a little, looking down at my hands as I picked at my nails.

I could feel his eyes on me which made me a little more uncomfortable, but I just continued to snap the hair tie against my wrist and pick at my nails.

He was analyzing everything I did which made me even more self-conscious.

"You need therapy." He mumbled to himself, making me look up with a small smile.

"I need more than just therapy." I said jokingly.

"You always seem to be on edge and anxious." He said, keeping his normal business-y tone that I was starting to get used to.

Don't forget stressed and traumatized.

"I'm ok." I said with a small smile.

He looked at me with slightly squinted eyes, not believing me in the slightest.