Wanelle

11. Drama

Elle was discharged in two days later. If it was up to her, then she'd stayed for years. Chris was a mess himself. Countless of calls and messages from his wife, Loretta and daughter Brianna. He couldn't pick it. He'd rather face them and explain everything to them than talk over the phone.

The phone would make things more complicated. Out of control.

As he helped Elle into his sleek black car, he was lost in his own world. They had visited their son's grave. It was hard to say goodbye but it was done. The worst was done.

It wasn't meant to get to this. But he was fine. Everything happened for a reason. Elle's health had improved tremendously over the last days. He took so much care of her that he even bathed her sometimes. He wanted  her to feel his love, instead of seeing it. And she felt it. Even much more.

She still struggled to walk, but she was fine. All that mattered to him was that Elle didn't leave him or take the chance to change away from him. She was supposed to hate him beyond recognition but someway, somehow she just let it go. As reality sunk in, Elle just said, "they weren't ready for their son. He was taken away for a reason. " she had a life to live and Chris too. In reality their child would have gone through so much with the whole affair.

" It was a boy, " Elle announced. She had kept that specifically for this moment. She was a nervous wreck herself but talking about their child lightened the mood a little. At least for the moment.

" I hoped he had gotten your eyes, they are the most beautiful set, I've set my eyes on," Elle blushed at his compliment. Maybe he was trying to change. She thought.

" I wanted him to look exactly like you, and maybe a little like me, " Elle smiled brightly, with tears decorating her orbs. She didn't know what was gonna happen next, so she. wanted to feel happy for the last time. Hanging unto the happy bits.

" What is the name of your therapist?," Elle questioned as they drove off. The wind caressed her face as she looked out the window, enjoying the drive.

" Bryan, he's a cocky jerk but he's always right, he's a pain in the ads, " Chris scoffed.  Elle smiled. The kind which made Chris love her more.

"I'm glad you are trying to change. Though everything is messed up, I'm happy for your change."

" I'm sorry Elle, I'm sorry for everything. For every stupid action of mine. I was crazy to think my father was doing the right thing, " Elle frowned. He'd never talked about his own family.

" I treated the one person I loved like trash and I'm so sorry. I don't care if I have to keep saying sorry for an entire eternity but I'm sorry my dearest Elle." He rubbed his sore forehead. He had rubbed the are several times. It didn't seem to reduce the headache and all the pain. It wasn't working again.

" My father was a drunkard, my mother stayed with him, " Chris took in a sharp breath. The memory wasn't a pleasant one to recall but he wanted her to know about him. About the life he had. All that he experienced. How hard it was to hide in hoodies. How harsh those wounds hurt. How the disinfectant wipes made him wince. All the pain of hiding from everyone. Maybe his mother didn't love him enough to fight for him. She let him hurt her like he was her pain reliever.

" She was a victim of abuse, He'd hit her. Insult her and all in my face Elle. And when she wasn't enough for his beatings, then he'd turn to me, " Chris's hands trembled as he recalled everything.

" I had to get up most mornings trying to find the perfect hoodie to cover up my bruises. " he paused, the pain from the past made him shake.

" He fucking messed me up, Elle, I don't blame him for how I turned out but I feel like a coward, trying to follow the footsteps of a man who did nothing but hurt me. My mother never fought back. She took me as pain reliever, because when she wasn't being hurt, I was. I hate myself so much baby " Chris parked and cried. Elle wrapped her arms around him and hugged him tightly. The gesture was so intimate it broke their hearts. This was the reason he hid under those cold and hard exterior. So that he didn't have to show his painful and broken self.

"I wish you never met me, I wish we never turned out this way, " he held her tight to a point of breaking her. She loved it infact. She needed it just as much he did.

"Shhh, you'll be fine, I'm here." She kissed him on the lips, allowing her lips to linger on for a couple of minutes.

" No Elle, It isn't easy. I can't be fine. I'm like a ticking time bomb, I can't stop getting angry and every single time, I end up like him." He cried.

"My mom couldn't leave him and even at this age, he hits her when she stands up against him, she'd become used to him,used to his abuse. He has ruined her life. "

Elle finally understood why he broke ties with them and never went back to them. He didn't want to be around them.

"I don't want you to be like my mother. I don't want to keep hurting you Elle, "

" You'll never hurt me, " Elle wiped his tears away.

"I'm afraid, I'm scared. " He said quietly.

" We have each other, we'll be fine, " she wiped her own tears and nodded at him to drive. The silence that followed was peaceful. It was a comfortable silence, one that made each of them go through all the memories of their time together.

Once Chris opened the door for Elle, they were met with four faces. All screaming one thing. Disappointment.

" You little whore! " Loretta yelled.