Kickstart My Heart

XVIII: Help Me Out

Lila

I sat on my couch, legs curled into my chest tightly, held there by my arms. My eyes were burning and swelled from the amount of crying I had done the past few days. Dr. Lane had oh so conveniently left town, stating that her family needed her back home. I knew the real reason she left, she didn't want to face the rejection I had thrown at her. The swelling in my cheek had gone down but the yellow and brown bruising was still visible whenever I looked in the mirror.

"Lila you haven't said two words to me since I got here," Taylee said from her stool in my kitchen.

All I could manage was a glance in her direction, turning my attention back to the football game on TV. I sunk even farther into the leather cushions as I watched the Packers celebrating a touchdown. Logan would on cloud nine right now.

"How is she doing," I asked quietly, my arms making it even quieter since they were covering my mouth.

Taylee's response was a sigh as she came to sit beside me now.

"She's doing okay physically. She's up on crutches now. Emotionally...." Taylee just trailed off.

My burning eyes met hers, searching for what I was afraid of. My nails dug into the bare skin of my shin as I waited for her to continue.

"She lost her dad, she lost you, she might as well have lost her mother too at this point with how Martha is acting lately."

"What is that supposed to mean," I croaked, feeling afraid to ask.

"Well with you taking time off, so did she."

"Obviously," I muttered, cutting her off and earning a glare.

"She's been spending a lot of time with Trevor's family, who mind you, have been coming to visit Logan everyday for the full visitation hours."

"Why exactly do they feel the need to come around," I asked through my teeth.

"Martha told them she thinks you forced yourself on Logan, so she thinks that Trevor can mend her from the damage you've done," my friend said with a very obvious eye roll.

"So she's trying to force her to be straight, is what you're telling me," I practically growled.

All I got was a nod so I got up and went for my bedroom, grabbing a box I'd had for a couple days now.

"Here, will you please give this to her?"

Taylee eyed the phone box before raising an eyebrow at me.

"This doesn't feel too risky to you?"

"She needs to know I'm still here for her. At the least I can text her when her mom isn't around," I said sadly, plopping back down to see the green and gold score yet another touchdown.

"Heard anything more about this whole thing from your mother," Taylee asked, patting my knee.

"All she would say is that she put Martha on leave for socking me in the face," I grimaced.

"At least it looks better now," Taylee said, turning my face to inspect the recovering blemish.

She left then, taking the phone with and heading to the hospital to deliver it as she had previously promised. With the game over I got up and slowly made my way to the shower, feeling lost all over again. It had been almost two weeks since I had been told to keep my distance and I didn't feel any better. I just felt worse to be honest. Mother just kept pushing aside my pestering and pretending not to hear my questions about this whole damn mess. It was obvious everyone at the hospital was beginning to talk. The great Dr. Masters had lost a patient and was now AWOL.