Hugs & Blows

Signs

            When Ethan Parkers first met Odette the last thing he expected was for her to be the love of his life, Ethan was not sure what he had expected; perhaps nothing besides the chance to help a lovely girl who was clearly in need of it. He didn’t do it for himself, he had just been overwhelmed with the burning urge to do it for her, and then there he was screaming in his kitchen into his cellphone begging the emergency dispatcher to deploy someone to help her once more. His floor was wet, the faucet still running and Odette was collapsed on the ground bloody and barely breathing.

            If you were to ask Ethan what occurred next he could not tell you. It doesn’t remember sinking down into the pooling water to grasp Odette’s small hands, he is unable to recall crying and telling her unconscious body how much he needs her and how truly he adores her. He doesn’t even remember how he got from there on his kitchen floor to where he was currently, in a hospital room in a chair next to the bed that Odette was in. He was holding her again now and pressing the back of it to his lips, muttering “I love you.” repetitively.

            When Ethan first met Odette she was coated in scabs and scars, all from self-inflicted wounds and now here she is, still covered in scars but now also with a stitch adorned wrist. He was fairly certain that this last cut had not been self-inflicted. At least not purposely. It was too deep and Odette was always careful about cutting and he knew that she was trying to stop.  He stroked her cheek and her lashes fluttered open.

            “Baby.” Ethan called with a smile.

            “The glass that didn’t break broke.” She crocked out.

            “What?” Ethan asked perplexed.

            Odette sat up and looked at the pitcher of water on the table next to her, Ethan rushed over and poured her a glass then handing it to her. She drank greedily.

            “The glass I dropped when you were crying didn’t break, but then when I was watching it, it completely shattered and it wounded me. I think that it’s a sign.” She informed him.

            “A sign of what?” Ethan asked her.

            Odette looked out of the rooms’ door as she shrugged silently.