The Suspect

chapter 33

A sharp sting in my arm wakes me up in a jerk. My eyes feel heavy as if they were sewed shut. I pry them open, greeted by a dull, melancholy sight in front of me.

I register that I'm in a bed as my eyes roam around every inch of the room I'm in. The walls are a dark grey— almost black and toward the right, there's only one window. The light curtain blows as the early morning chill greets me, the sun slowly rising.

A light stirring from beside me catches my attention and I turn my head to see Tatum sprawled right beside me. He's on his stomach, the muscles of his back lightly flexing with every breath he takes. His face is turned sideways, resting on the pillow and facing me. He looks calm, almost serene and his curls frame his face in a messy picture.

The sight almost makes me forget everything that happened last night. That maybe I was just having another nightmare; that maybe everything is okay and uniform for once. But the sharp pain in my arm along with the throbbing headache makes it real. I touch my wound, surprised to see it's bandaged and cleaned well. My gaze then moves to my clothes, and I'm in an oversized t-shirt yet again. Tatum's t-shirt.

The alarm clock on the nightstand reads half past six in the morning and I close my eyes, wanting to just rest for a few more seconds. In that short moment, I dream that I'm finally happy. Free from all my regrets and sorrows.

I wake to the soft touch of a palm on my cheek, and for a second I wonder if I'm dreaming of this too. However, when I see Tatum beside me, his eyes open, his face a few inches away from mine, I know I'm not.

I'm on my side, the one opposite to my wounded arm, and Tatum is now on his, facing me again.

"Morning," he whispers as his hand curls around my ear and stays there. The sun gleams across his face, highlighting the definition of his sharp jaw, indenting the scars on his temple.

I find myself leaning into his touch, "Morning."

"How are you—"

"Where were you last night?" I didn't mean to cut him off but I had to know if he was jumped or worse. Well, it couldn't be anything worse given the fact he's right here, present in front of me. Regardless, curiosity did kill the cat, didn't it?

He remains silent as if he were assessing my question, trying to find the appropriate answer. I wait anxiously as his thumb draws light circles around my earlobe.

"Someone jumped me. I must've been only a few steps ahead of you but it was too dark to tell. Once I saw what was happening down there I knew we had to get out but before I could get back to you, they grabbed me from behind and managed to drag me away from you," he reveals and his hand stills on my face, "I was tied at both my ankles and hands and by the time I got myself free, you had seen it."

I close my eyes, the events of last night coming back to me in flashes. The guns. The tents filled with women. Miller.

My mom.

There were no traces of her after she left seventeen years ago. I know it was a long time ago, but I still remember every single thing about her. Sometimes I wonder what it would be like to have her in my life. What it would be like to tell her about my first kiss, first boyfriend, or even my first period. I always thought mothers had a special connection to their daughters, and how I badly wanted to feel that.

Then I remember my seventh birthday. The day changed me for the worse, and a small part of me is glad she left.

I open my eyes to see Tatum staring at me with a slight knot forming between his brows as if he's confused.

"It was my seventh birthday," I begin talking about one of the worst days of my life, "I was just so excited to spend the day with my parents, and Brandon was due anytime soon. I think...I was more excited with the hope that Brandon would be born that day. That night, we had a small party, just the four of us. Right after dinner, Dad got a business call so he excused himself and went to take it in his room when Mom had said she had to go and pick up a gift left from one of our neighbors. She had been gone for a little while so I went out to check on her when..."