I Broke Her

34

Dannon

"That was great, let's go get some drinks" "they are in the kitchen" "alright".
Walking into the kitchen maddox and Bridie were sitting at the island.
"Why are you sitting in here?" "We are talking" Bridie looked up for only a second before putting her head back down.
"Let's get some drinks" gabriel and aziz walked behind her while I kept my attention on her I could see her tense up but she didnt say anything or move.
"Bridie" Bridie looked at maddox then put her head down.
"We should go set that waterfall up" Bridie nodded "are you coming?" Bridie nodded again.
"Bridie it's alright".
"Look at me" lifting her head she looked at maddox "stand up" keeping her eyes on him, she stood up "keep going". Walking around the island and out of the kitchen maddox went with her.
Following them out I called out to her.
"Bridie wait" then walked in front of her "are you okay?" "Maddox and I are going to set up the waterfall" i nodded "can I have a hug?" "That's okay" pulling her in for a hug she just stood still. "I'm sorry about earlier" Bridie nodded "I will let you go set it up" "okay".

"Is Bridie alright?" "She's going to set up the aromatherapy waterfall maddox got her" "do you think it will help?" "Don't know but I am willing to try anything" "she wasn't comfortable in here?" "She felt surrounded" "I didn't even think about that, sorry dannon" "no its fine, maddox is with her" "she is okay with him?" "She is okay as long as its one on one. sometimes she will speak with two people. Hopefully it will get better soon" "it's going to be hard for her" "yeah it will but she is making progress" "alright let's get these drinks".
All of us making a Drink, maddox came in.
"Where do you keep your buckets?" "Laundry" "thanks" "maddox do you want a drink?" "No I want Bridie to know I am thinking straight" "one won't hurt" "you have it". He's right she has said that before.
Maddox walked out leaving us men to have a drink. "Okay that was strange, maddox not wanting a drink" "he's doing it for Bridie, aziz" "it's not like we are going to hurt her because we have had a drink" I just let apollo and aziz talk.
"I will be back" "alright".
Walking out of the kitchen, maddox was walking out with a bucket of water.
"How much does that thing hold?" "Five litres" "far out. How did she go going up the stairs?" "She did it on her own. it's coming down that's the problem" "did she run?" "No she kept her attention on the guest room door and walked up" I grinned "that's good" "are you coming up?" "Yeah I want to check this out while it's on" "alright".

"Got enough water?" "It's five litres" "let's see how this goes" Bridie nodded.
Maddox poured the water in then added some oils and turned it on.
"You will need to turn this on an hour before you go to bed or just keep it running. It won't over heat so there's no worry there" "how long does it take for the water to warm up?" "Don't know it should say it on the instructions" Bridie picked up the instructions and had a look.
"Twenty minutes" "that's when the aroma will start" seeing the grin on Bridies face, I couldn't help but smile.
"Are you going back down stairs now?" "Nope I have something we can do" "what's that?" Maddox reached into his pocket and pulled out a deck of cards and I shook my head while Bridie laughed "what are we playing?" "Snap" "no" "go fish" "you'll be fishing the cards off the floor" "that's a no, how about gin rummy?" "Alright let's play that" "are you joining us dannon?" "I will let you two play, I'm going to head downstairs" Bridie nodded. "Maddox will you be coming back down?" "Not until Bridie wants me gone" "now" maddox looked at bridie and she smirked "too bad we are playing" she Chuckled.

I'm glad he can make her mess around, it takes her mind off everything else and it's good to see her happy. I would've stayed up there with her but the men are here and I can't not be down stairs.

Bridie

"What made you angry yesterday?" "When?" "When you walked out, did pauline upset you?" "Ahh no she handed me something that brought back a memory" "what did she hand you?" I put my head down "whatever it was you threw it out, taking your anger out on the bin" "a pregnancy test. I was pregnant, I told dinah about it the day before to brighten her day and I planned to tell dannon when he came back the next day. The same day that dinah was hurt" maddox nodded "I'm sorry Bridie, I know I didn't do it but I know how much you wanted kids" "yeah" "have you spoke to your parents?" "No. I need to get better before I do that" "I'm sure they would be thrilled to see you" "id love to see them too, I'm sure I have missed so much but not yet" "I have an idea" "what is it?" "You were very close to dinah" "yes I was" "come with me" "we are half way through a game" "just come with me" "okay".
Standing up, maddox put his hand out and I grabbed it.
"Where are we going?" "You'll see" walking out of the room, I walked with maddox down the other end of the house.
"Maddox you aren't.." "keep going Bridie" I nodded.
Maddox opened dinah's door and I just stood there "come on" walking In, maddox let go of my hand as I walked forward. Looking around the room, nothing had changed but it looks like it had been dusted.
"What are you thinking Bridie?" "We had so many laughs in this room, she would talk to me for hours about her past and how things would be if she could change her fate" "how does it make you feel being in here?" "Close to her" "she wouldn't want you to remember what happened in the foyer, she'd want you to remember the good times you had together" I nodded "she used to just sit up in her bed and write. Not even looking at the paper she kept her eyes on mine as she spoke, I don't even know if she was actually writing. sometimes I would laugh because she looked like she was assessing me, the glasses sitting on her nose the same look a teacher would give" maddox Chuckled "I could see her doing that".
"Her journal" "what made you think about her journal?" "That's what she used to write in while talking" opening her bottom draw, the brown journal sat right in the middle of the bottom drawer. Hesitantly grabbing it out, I sat down on her bed.
"That was her journal?" "Yeah".
Opening the cover, I couldn't help but laugh.
Maddox sat down beside me looking at the page making him do the same. A photo of dannon as a teenager while dinah stood behind him with her tongue out and rabbit ears behind his head. "Out of all photos she chose that one" "I'm sure he would be thrilled" I grinned at maddox's sarcasm.
"I will take my time reading this it looks like she has wrote a lot" maddox nodded.
"Are you feeling alright?" "Yes" "good let's go try something" "maddox I know what you thinking" "come on" standing up I held onto the journal like my life depended on it and walked out with maddox. Maddox closed the door then we walked towards the stairs.

"Bridie I want you to walk down the stairs. With every step I want you to think of a good memory with dinah" taking a deep breath I nodded "this time you won't be looking at me, look at the steps" "maddox" "you can do it, just think about what I said".
Taking step by step I'd stop and look at each one thinking of dinah and a memory that we had together. I could do this for years and still have more. I knew maddox was in front of me I could see his feet three steps down. Images of dinah laughing or smiling invaded my mind. Her beautiful smile would make her dark eyes light up every time like she never had a care in the world. Getting to the third last step, I noticed maddox's feet on the foyer floor.
'she'd want you to remember the good times' closing my eyes, I thought of the day we went out for coffee and she had spilt her coffee, instead of getting the waiter, she just put her fingers over the spill and flicked it off the table 'its fine they won't know' I couldn't help but smile.