Consequences Of Actions

Chapter 34: They Heal

[Chris]

Three days had passed since Eleanor has been assaulted. 

Three days of pure hell.

Eleanor was released from the hospital the afternoon of that horrible day when the doctors made sure she was fine to go home. Her mother was so desperate to discharge herself from the hospital and go home with her daughter, but after a lot of convincing from Eleanor and my mom she finally gave up.

I didn't see the scene though. I heard from mom. 

Because Eleanor didn't want to see me.

Imagine the pain that I went through when I heard she didn't want to see me. I only wanted to hold her all the time and reassure her and myself that she was safe but she didn't let me. 

She must have blamed me for what happened and she had every right.

She must have hated me with passion.

She had every right to hate me.

Mom kept reassuring me that Eleanor only needed time after that drastic event that happened to her. And I kept telling myself that mom was right, that I should only wait for a few days. I couldn't think otherwise. The pain of never seeing her again was too much for me that my mind used every trick, lie and false hope to relieve me of it.

Mom, Emmy, and Mia stayed with Eleanor at her house for two nights. Eleanor didn't come to school for three days and didn't come to work for two nights. And she was coming back to work tonight, although Mrs. Pine had given her a week off strictly after she heard about what had happened.

I was so against her decision, not wanting her to tire herself. But mom said it was good for her to be distracted. I could see that mom was worried for Eleanor but she wouldn't let anything show on her face for my sake. But I knew something was wrong. 

So after pestering her, she finally gave in and told me that Eleanor was not showing any emotions. She hadn't even cried for three days not even talked more than necessary. She was mainly in her room, staring out of the window with emotionless eyes.

I still could remember when I went to Eleanor's house that day after they left the hospital. 

I just stood outside and looked at the lights inside her house. I was devasted. I knew she was hurt, but I was hurt as well. Why she didn't want to see me? Did she really hate me? Was our love over? Was she going to leave me just like that?

I didn't know how long I stood there, drowned in my miserable thoughts. I was brought out of my thoughts when the front door opened and a pale and dazed Liam walked outside. He stood there for a moment, just staring at me and I could see tears gathering in his eyes.

He sat down on the first stair and wrapped his arms around himself. I walked forward and sat beside him. We didn't talk for some minutes, We just stared ahead, drowned in our thoughts.

"I really don't know how to thank you, Chris." said Liam finally breaking the silence. 

I glanced to my side a bit startled and saw him staring at me with teary eyes. 

"You saved Eleanor today." he said. "You saved my mom as well. I owe you everything. Thank you, Chris. Thank you."

I pulled the now weeping boy into my arms and rubbed his back. It should have been so hard for him, thinking of himself as the only man of the family that have to protect his loved ones but not having the power or money to do so.

"Shhhh," I tried to calm him but a tear slipped down my eye as well. His pain was contiguous, seeping into my heart as I softly whispered words that my father had whispered to me not an hour ago that even I didn't believe at the moment.