Larceny

29

I hear the door to my room slide away, a figure standing in the doorway. I dare not say a word. The figure grows nearer becoming more familiar; my eyes skim along its features. "Elinea," the voice says. I don't answer but I recognize it. "Are you," he pauses. "awake?" Bruno comes into the light his fro fuller than before. I shift in my bed. "Thank God, finally." He puts his face in his hands. He mumbles something under his breath then picks up his pace coming to my bedside. Grey bags hang beneath his eyes lined in red. His eyes appear shrunken in. He looks like hasn't slept for days.

"How long have I--" he cuts me off.

"El, They had you for five days; you've been out for two weeks." My eyes wander over my body, nearly ever inch burning with pain. "I," he starts but then stops.

"What?"

"I was worried about you." He says, eyes softening. I attempt to sit up. "Here, let me help you," Bruno says softly slowly gathering me in his arms. "If you shower, the hot water may help numb the pain a little." He carries me to my bathroom gently setting me on the rug next to the shower. I hiss, pain shooting up my legs as they gingerly touch the floor. "What did they you do to you?"

"I just received my second extraction...considering what was going on, I knew it was bound to happen." Squeezing my eyes shut I try to pull my shirt up but as my arms reach my head the pain prevents me from moving further.

"Need help?" Bruno suggests, running his hand through his mess of curls.  

"No," I breath instinctively. Forcing the flush coming up my cheeks aside. Why is he the one to find me in this situation?

He insists. "Let me help you." His hands are warm quickly passing along my skin as they go to work, pulling my shirt upward. He sets my shirt aside, leaving me in my bra and shorts alone. He turns his back to me.  

"Thank you." 

"You're welcome." he replies. He inhales as though he is about to speak but nothing comes. I decide to speak too and our sentences collide, words lost in the process. 

"Sorry, what were you going to say?" He glances at me peeking over his shoulder. 

"Would you..." My voice trails off. 

"Yeah sure," He picks me up again and places me in the tub, stepping away he pulls the curtain closed. "If you need anything, I'll be right outside the door." I thank him again and wait to hear the door meet it's frame. Slowly working one arm behind my back I unhook my bra, then pull of my shorts and underwear. Letting the water run I fill the tub half way and begin lightly scrubbing my skin as to not irritate the already extensive bruises growing on the allover.  

The warmth of the water lulls the emphatic scream of my limbs. I reach up to my head but before I can my arms stop short unable to move past my ears. I don't want him to have to help me. I would have called Amy but he's already here. There's nothing else I can do right now. I pull my legs to my chest wrapping my arms around them  then I call out. "Bruno."

"Yeah? Can I come in?" He inquires

"Yes." I hear the door open, footsteps then the door closes. "Need help?"

"Yes, pull back the curtain."

"You sure?"

"Yes."  he does and I pull my arms tighter around my legs with my back to him. "Would you mind, washing my hair?" He takes the shampoo and conditioner and kneels beside the tub. Carefully, Bruno rubs his fingertips over my scalp, gently distributing the shampoo evenly. He is fingertips move in phases massaging my entire scalp. I close my eyes and let my head be tugged by his careful hands. Once he's finished he uses the shower head to rinse my hair before applying the conditioner.

"How long have you been here?" He asks. His voice sounds worn and slightly hoarse on certain notes. 

"Two years." He repeats the process and then washes out the conditioner with warm water. "How did they get you?" 

"I just leaving my house to go to a private practice. I had only walked a block or two when someone grabbed  me from behind and covered my mouth and nose." Bruno takes my towel off it's rack and wraps it around me. His embrace is warm even through the towel, his heart beats steadily in his chest. Lifting me out of the tub and sets me back on the mat. 

"I'll be right back." He exits closing the door. I dry my skin and hair as well as I can with minimal movement. As I hear his footsteps reach the door, I wrap the towel across my chest, underneath my arms. He sets a backpack down before holding out some of my clothes. "Here," He hands me a pair of sweats then starts going though his bag. He sits down, his back turned to me. "Keep going." 

"I passed out almost instantly and when I woke up I was in this room, in so much pain that I couldn't move." Clenching my jaw, I slip my bra straps up on to my shoulders and hook the back. Then a tee shirt, underwear and lastly sweatpants. "Can I use the balm from your bag?" After going through the bag for a few seconds he turns to me giving me the small jar. After applying the balm to my bruises I attempt to stand but my ankle give out from under me but before I can crash into the tiled floor, Bruno catches me his hands underneath my arms. 

"I got you." Bruno collects me again and carries back into the room. He sets me on my bed and pulls the covers over me. He heads to the bathroom coming back with a thermos similar to the one that I have. Taking a seat beside me on the bed he pours me a cup of tea, the one for himself. I thank him and take the cup. 

"Do want to hear the rest?" I question breaking the silence. 

"Yeah," he turns to me making eye contact.

"It was almost eight months before I could walk again and back then I still needed help. Amy took care of me and gave me the answers I needed. She introduced me to Michael and got me in on the plan. I practice everyday, trying to rebuild the muscle I lost over the eight months it took me to recover but I haven't gotten back to where I was yet. That's where it ends. Everything else blurs together." 

"Two years of this," he breathes from behind the rim of the cup. 

"Yes. Every single day." His eyes darken. 

"I had just gotten off stage after a small concert. I walked out to my car to put my guitar away when I saw a woman laying in the bushes across the parking lot. I walked over to see what happened to her; to see if I could help her. When I got to there, I recognized her. She was from the audience. I serenaded her at the concert that had just ended. She was bleeding from a gash in her forehead. I reached for my phone to call the police but as I did some one grabbed my arm. When I tried to turn around another person shoved a damp cloth in to my face. I held my breath as I fought back but then I go knocked in the head with something hard and I blacked out." His tone dropping to sotto voce. I make eye contact with him again. "When I woke up the first person I saw, was you." 

"I'm sorry," I say watching as his eyes darken. Suddenly I feel an odd pang of guilt in my chest. 

"It's not your fault," He gives a small smile with a brief laugh and the guilt disintegrate. "I'm grateful it was you and not someone else." He sets his mug on my bedside table. "Thank you." For a moment the need for this thanks alludes me but when I realize what it was for I settle for the most immediate response. 

"You're welcome." I provide a small smile. He holds eye contact. 

"What?" 

"I've never seen you smile before. It's nice."

"Yours isn't bad either," I add handing him my empty tea mug. "Thanks again for all the help."

" MJ did say that we have to look out for each other." 

______

When I open my eyes the chair that Bruno fell asleep in back in it's place behind my desk; the blanket I lent him is folded at the foot of my bed and all of the things he brought with him are gone. Wedged under my pillow is a small white slip of paper. 

Wanted to make sure you were ok. I'll come back and check on you tonight and I'll fill Amy in on what happened. 

 ~B