The Dove And The Grenade.

Chapter 10: And Scene.

"Wait, so Eliese's psycho ex-boyfriend; who she dated for six months while we were away on tour, is texting her obsessively?" George asked Matty as they both waited outside of the police station. Eliese was inside filing a restraining order for her ex-boyfriend. Matty held onto two cups of coffee; one for himself and the other for Eliese. Matty nodded solemnly and gulped down the piping hot drink.

"Yeah, he's got her all freaked out. You know Eliese, she can handle anything but lately she's refused to be alone and that's what worries me most." Matty was worried about his new girlfriend. Eliese couldn't find it in herself to relax last night while they were out on their date. She didn't want to make Matty upset by being clingy and afraid, but he's more mad than anything else. He's angry that this guy has made her feel this scared of even going on a date for a couple hours. She's refused to check her phone, she's refused to look at the caller ID when someone calls the house.

"You should see what he's been saying to her." Matty regretted saying that. Now he has to replay the words that shattered the strongest woman he's ever known. He has to say the words that make Eliese's body tremble with fear, they make her stomach curl up into itself and they make her close herself off even more.

"Dude, I don't want to know what he's been sending her. I don't understand why she'd keep something like this from us. She knows that if she were to tell us about this then we'd make damn sure that she's safe, but not just her but also Emily." George was confused as to why she wouldn't tell them about the abuse she's been getting in the months they were seat. 'Does she think that we'll see her differently?' He thought to himself.

"Yeah, she's been having issues with Nathan as well." Matty announced and George groaned as he brought the cup to his mouth. He rolled his eyes and shook his head. Matty nodded with a scowled expression of disgust and hopelessness.

"I dunno, man, it's like she's addicted to the abuse and the pain." Matty's words were aching with realization. He had to reanalyze his friend's past relationships to realize that she's never been in a good relationship with someone.

"Then why is she with you?" That was the question that haunted Matty's mind at night when everyone else is asleep and he's lying awake in bed with Eliese sleeping beside him. 'Why is she with me?' He found himself thinking quiet a bit these last couple of days. 'Does she think I'm going to hurt her?' Matty frowned and sipped at the opening of the lid on his coffee. He's not going to hurt Eliese, never intentionally. He's going to stay true to his word and never hurt her like the past guys have. He's not going to cheat, he's going to be the love of her life. Just like she's his.

"You realize that she's going to be a task; she's been hurt so much that she's not going to let you in easily. Once again, George was right. Eliese was going to be a task. Only Matty doesn't have any idea of how badly she's been hurt in her life and how it's affected her now.

"Then I'll wait outside; brilliant sunshine or extreme downpour, I'll wait outside." Matty refused to give up on Eliese. They have been side by side since they were kids, Matty isn't going to leave just because Eliese is scared and being stubborn, he' hasn't and isn't.

Eliese emerged from the police station with papers in her hand; she looked more at ease now. She ruffled her hair as it bounced in the curls from the night before, she wore a grey sweat shirt that had the American flag on it and a pair of high waist jeans, and a pair of dollar store flip-flops. It truly was an odd combination but she wore it proudly. She approached Matty and George, and took the coffee from Matty since he held it out towards her. She took a greedy sip of the piping hot drink.

"So?" Matty questioned, drawing out the word. Eliese smacked her lips together and sighed heavily, dramatically to be frank, she sighed with her chest and shoulders. Her golden brown eyes met Matty's baby blues.

"They have to process it through the courts before it can take effect." Eliese replied in a tired voice. She was tired of all of this. George and Matty looked at each other then back down at Eliese, who took another gulp of coffee.

"What does that mean?" Both men asked at once. Eliese puckered her lips and tried to refrain from losing her shit over this situation.

"It means I have to appear in court with evidence of him 'stalking me' and even then he might not sign the papers to stay away from us." Eliese was devastated and frightened, but she managed to remain calm; her hands didn't shake and her knees weren't weak. But she was afraid; the police can't keep him away from her until he's served with the restraining order.

"When is the court date?" George asked curiously, shoving his free hand into the pocket of his light jacket. Eliese shrugged with a sigh.

"They said the earliest possible date would be end of January."

"Are you serious?" Matty exclaimed furiously. He was pissed that the court date is after he's gone for the tour, he can't protect Eliese or Emily from this guy. The police can't do anything to keep them safe either. It's like the law enforcement want something bad to happen to Eliese and Emily. From the text messages that Eliese showed Matty this guy is dangerous and he's not going to stop until he gets her back.

"Y'know what, I'm not going on tour until this is fixed." Matty proclaimed, putting his foot down. Eliese looked at George, he nodded in agreement. She was stunned by this, this his their first tour and they are not putting it off just because of her ex-boyfriend. Eliese shook her head in protest.

"No, no, I'm not letting you throw this away; you're going on tour and you're going to like it." Eliese stated to them in a hard voice. She wasn't about to let her best friend throw away his dream just because her ex-boyfriend is having a hard time moving on.

Matty looked down at her with a dominant expression and shook his head. His straightened black bangs waved around slightly. Eliese, too, shook her head at him.

"Yes, Eliese, you are."

"No, Matthew, I'm not." Eliese was stubborn and he knows exactly how stubborn she can be. George couldn't help but watch as the two bickered at each other like they were two year olds fighting over a toy.

"I'm not leaving you alone when that psycho is able to come around you and Em. It's either I'm staying here or you and Emily come with me." Matty gave her two choices regarding this situation. He knew she wasn't going to choose either but she has no choice in the matter of having to choose.

"Actually, that's not a bad idea." George admitted gruffly. Matty and Eliese looked at him confusedly and curiously. Matty chuckled in victory, knowing what was about to be said. Eliese drowned in defeat.

"No, really, you should come on tour with us. Your mom is always saying she never sees Emily enough so that's perfect. You come with us and Emily stays here with your mom." In reality, it was the perfect plan. It gave Eliese time to get away from life and it gave Emily time to be with her grandma.

"I'll think about it." Eliese admitted that this was probably a good idea. If she goes away then it'll give her ex-boyfriend time to defuse and lose interest in her while Emily has some time away from her mom.

The mood was forced to be lifted when Emily came skipping over to her mom with a childish smile. Jorel followed behind her slowly, his eyes wandered over the screen of his phone. Emily wrapped her arms around her mother's waist and hugged her dearly. Eliese smiled and looked down at her growing child.

"Hey sweetie." Was all Eliese said with a faked smile. Emily looked up at her mother, seeing the mask she wore to hide the truth. Eliese kissed the top of Emily's head gingerly. It was the softness of her hair that made Eliese's mind up.