Finding Myself With You 2 (Maverick Rose)

11. What Hurts The Most

What hurts the most. 
Was being so close. 
And having so much to say. 
And Watching you walk away. 
Rascal Flatts -What Hurts the Most 

Skeeter

Today marks the third week Axl had left. I'm drained. I can't find it in me to get out of bed and do the normal things that I would do if he was still here with me.

I'm not even sleeping in our bed, I'm sleeping in the guest bed. I can't stand to be in the bed that we once laid in where he was cuddling me and making me feel good all around. I love him so much. Why can't he see that? I should've just told him I was fine. He would still be here in my arms if I would have done that. 

I don't wear my ring anymore. I don't want to be reminded of the day he had asked me to marry him. 

His shined so bright and we both cried when I said yes because we knew, we thought, we would be together forever. 

He held me tighter than he had ever held me before. 

He marked me as his that night. Not just with the ring but with hickeys and love bites. 

I still have love bites on my neck from the last time he had made love to me. 

"Papa, are you alright?" Maverick asked. "I'm fine," I croaked. "No, you aren't. None of us are. Delilah has cried all day and night that she missed Dad. I miss him too and I know you do!" Maverick said. 

I sat up and looked at the boy who stood in the doorway. 

"I can't do anything about it, Maverick, he left," I said. "NO! WE CAN GET HIM BACK!" Maverick yelled. "Maverick, enough, we aren't getting him back," I said sighing and flopping back on the bed as tears streamed down my already tear-soaked face.  

Realization hit that I wasn't getting the love of my life back. 

"Papa, you need to get out of the house," Maverick said. "Just go for a walk it will make you feel better!" 

I sighed and turned over on my side away from Maverick. 

"Not now, Mave, maybe later," I said.

Maverick 

I walked out of Papa's room and decided I wasn't going to sit around for this, I was going to find dad myself! 

I walked out of the house and brought my flashlight along with me because I knew it would get dark before I found him anyway and I walked out into the warm fall night.

But it soon grew cold as wind and rain crashed down on me. I shivered and pulled my wet leather jacket tighter around me as I closed my eyes tightly and tried to remember how I could get back home. 

Just then someone attacked me and knocked me to the ground I dropped my flashlight and screamed but a hand clamped over my mouth as the man attempted to unbutton my jeans.

Another man held my hands above my head. I screamed and kicked and wiggled. 

I closed my eyes expecting the worst and then the weight of the men was taken off me and they ran off with the shot of a gun. 

I screamed and tried to scoot away having no idea who it was that had just saved me. Maybe he was going to rape me too! 

"Maverick, hey it's me," said the calming voice of Dad. I jumped into his arms and sobbed. "What are you doing out here, Rickie?" Dad asked. "I came to find you, you have to come home we all miss you. Delilah won't stop crying and Papa isn't doing anything! He's lying in bed and barely eating or drinking. He isn't taking care of himself!" I explained. 

"Okay," Dad said. He helped me to my feet and lead me to the car. 

AXL 

I was hesitant about going back, but it turns out I've done more harm than good. 

We arrived home and I went to my room and saw that Skeeter wasn't there. He must be in the guest room. I got dressed in something warm and went to Delilah's room first.

I walked in and saw her crying on her bed holding the stuffed animal doggy that I had given her a few weeks ago. 

"Dee, are you alright?" I asked. 

Delilah gasped and quickly ran to me and jumped into my arms and held me tightly. 

"I love you so much, Dee," I said. 

"I missed you too, Daddy!" Delilah said. 

I pulled her away from me and held her shoulders. "I'm going to see Papa now, okay?" I asked.

Delilah nodded and I walked off to the guest room and saw Skeeter lying in bed. 

"Baby," I said softly. He didn't turn to face me. I got worried thinking about how Maverick said Skeeter hasn't been eating. 

I walked up to the sweet boy and sighed in relief when I saw his chest rising and falling. I deiced not to wake him and instead crawled beside him and held him tightly. I kissed his cheek before slipping off to sleep. 

Skeeter 

When I woke up the next morning I felt someone in bed with me. Their face was buried in my hair and their arms wrapped firmly around my waist. 

I shrieked and jumped out of bed but I tripped and fell. 

I heard a deep groan from the bed and I cautiously looked up and saw Axl rubbing his eyes. 

I screamed and jumped on top of him and kissed his lips. 

Axl laughed when I pulled away. 

"What a great wake-up call," He said as I brushed the hair out of his eyes. 

He frowned when he looked at me and he sat up with me still in his lap. "You need to eat, baby, you look awful, do you want me to fix you some pancakes?" Axl asked. 

I smiled and shook my head. "I have a better idea," I said. 

And that's where we are now, abandoning the pancakes as we danced to whatever country song I had put on. 

Sometimes we kissed, other times we just held each other and swayed softly, sometimes we slow danced, other times we hopped and laughed.

But it didn't matter what we were doing. My ring was back on and I had Axl back with me. 

This was the best day of my life. 

No, the day I married Axl was the best day of my life.