THE SPACE BETWEEN

Chapter 11

I hope everyone is safe and well. This chapter is a little long but I'm hoping you enjoy the diversion. <3  Also hoping I've worked out all the kinks. ;-)

Trigger Warning(s):  Sexual Content 

(Missi's POV)

We were stuck in rush hour traffic after we left the attorney's office in LA. The closer we got to home the more my body started to relax. Normally that was a good thing, but after holding myself tense for a long period of time I now felt like I'd been run over by a bus. Outlining my testimony wasn't as stressful as the coaching that followed. The list of things I should and shouldn't say during my testimony was daunting and I wondered if I could remember them correctly when the time came. I'd watched a lot of Law and Order, but I'd never been the one sitting in the hot seat.

It was after 7 when we arrived home. Shannon bitched at me about how little I'd eaten since I'd only taken a few bites of a sandwich during a short lunch break. I wasn't hungry then and I wasn't now, but I ate some crackers so he'd stop fussing.

I just wanted to sleep—shut down and turn off. I went upstairs and changed into a ratty old t-shirt of Shannon's that I'd adopted, grabbed my favorite quilt and climbed in bed. The mattress was so welcoming that it felt like a puffy cloud and I cocooned myself with the quilt. I was almost asleep when I felt stubble on my cheek as warm lips left a kiss.

****

I woke up from my peaceful slumber when I felt the bed dip.

'Miss, sit up. I brought you some juice and I want you to drink it.' Shannon insisted.

My eyes took time adjusting to the sudden presence of light.

'I thought you might be hungry when you got awake, so I ordered takeout.'

'I'm just going to drink this and go back to sleep.

I gulped down every drop of juice and headed for the bathroom. When I returned Shannon was sitting on the edge of the bed. He pulled me onto his lap.

'How do you feel now?' His concern evident by the creases in his forehead.

'Better.'

'That's good.' He kissed me then hugged me tight. 'I think you did good today, but I could tell it was hard on you.'

'Best part—it's over and only one more round to go.' My reply was flippant, hoping it would squelch the topic of conversation.

'There's something I need to get it off my mind.'

'What's up?' I yawned.

'I didn't realize what all went on that night with Michael until you described it to the lawyer. I felt out of the loop because I didn't know what he'd said to you. I should have asked you more about it when it happened, and failing to do that made me feel like I'd let you down.' He looked away.

'You didn't let me down. You were the one I leaned on. You saw me through that mess Shannon. How would knowing what he said have changed anything?' I held his face in my hands and looked into his eyes as I spoke.

'I still feel bad that I wasn't able to protect you that night. I guess today just added to that guilt.'

'How could you have known something like that was going to happen? Only Jared knew Michael was going to be there.'

'Don't even go there. There's still part of me that would like to punch the hell out of him, but he's going through his own personal hell now because of it. I'm surprised Brittany hasn't dumped him. Best I can figure she truly loves him.'