Somewhere Here on Earth

5

I was sitting outside in my swim trunks and shades by the patio door enjoying the Spanish heat. I hadn't messaged Roze all morning because I knew she was enjoying her last day with Terra and I was more than happy to let her have girl time. Actually, it had been almost twenty-four hours since we spoke and I was missing her so much. I got out of my chair and saw Claude standing there pale as a sheet. "Claude, what's the matter?" He was holding his phone. "Claude? Is everything okay?" He shook his head and I walked over to take his phone. "Hello?"

"Prince?" It was Terra. I was surprised to hear her voice. "Hey, what's wrong? Is everything okay?" I was trying to put on a big brother voice. "No...We need you to come home." She sniffled. I could hear she was outside somewhere. "What? Why what's going on? What happened? Where are you?" "Roze wants you home. I don't think I can see Rozie anymore...We're..." I could hear Roze in the background. "Let me talk to Rozie, please." I could hear the phone shifting. "Roze, what's going on? What happened?" "I-I can't talk about it now. But...I need you here with me. I'm at the hospital and..." She started crying.

My heart was racing and my face was getting hot. "Roze, what happened? Baby, what's wrong?" She sniffled. "Just get here. Please. Please, Prince." "Okay, I'll be there as soon as I can." I hung up the phone and he was still standing there pale as as can be. "Claude, we're packing up and leaving. We're getting on the first flight to New York and then to Minneapolis." He was standing there. "Claude! Now!" I went upstairs to take a shower and wash all the chlorine off of me before getting dressed.

Claude was driving me to the airport when I started pressing him for answers. "Claude, what were you told?" His eyes glanced into the rear view as I was sitting in the back. "She was at the police station and Gary...he hurt her, sir." "He what?!" Claude swallowed hard. "That's all I was told...but...I heard a nurse in the background of our conversation talking about a pelvic exam." Suddenly, my heart began to race. "You don't think he..." Claude glanced in the mirror again. "It's possible. It would make sense why she wants you home early. She needs your care, sir." My heart began to race and once again my face got hot. My hands began to shake.

When we arrived at the airport, I was in a hurry to get home. I wanted a one round trip there just to see her and I wanted a fast one, too. All I could think about was getting home to see her, and to make sure she was okay. On the plane, I felt guilty for being away. If I was there I could've stopped it or even if I called her I would've stopped it then, too. I wasn't sure how to deal with this, as it wasn't about me. It was about her safety to make sure she was okay now. Now is what mattered. Claude fell asleep, but I was awake, and I couldn't think of doing anything else but being there with her.

I was alone in my hospital room when Gary's mother Sybil walked in. "Roze. I'm sorry. I...I didn't think Gary could do something like this." I didn't want to talk about it, I didn't want to even relive it anymore. "Don't...I'm...I'm glad you walked in and...intervened." "Well, I...I could hear screaming from outside, I thought-" "Please, Sybil. Thank you. I need to be alone...if that's okay. Please don't let this fracture anything I have with Terra. She and I are close, and she's too young to try to comprehend what happened." I rolled over in my bed so I was on my side feeling the worst pain everywhere. My throat, my legs...everything. "I'll be here if you need me, Roze. Gary is going to be in legal trouble after this for a long time." I closed my eyes letting a tear fall. Although my eyes were closed, I wasn't planning on sleeping. In my head I was replaying back everything that happened last night.

I was remembering Prince's words. "Sex is a beautiful, spiritual bond, baby. Remember that." But...what was what I just went through? That wasn't spiritual, that wasn't beautiful. More tears fell but I felt a hand on my cheek and opened my eyes to see Prince standing there in a hoodie and leggings which caught me off guard at first. "Am I dreaming?" I asked. He shook his head as he was stroking my jaw and sitting on the bed. "Are you okay?" I didn't say anything. I wasn't sure. "Do you need anything?" He asked me. "Gum, please." He checked his pockets. "I think Claude has some. Hold on." He stood up and went out to the waiting room which was the perfect opportunity to get situated in bed for him to sit with me. He came back with some gum and sat next to me on the bed. His hands were rubbing on his thighs which usually meant he was nervous. After I popped the gum in my mouth I rolled onto my side to bury my face in his ribs and hold his hand.