Songbird (completed)

chapter seventeen

Delia skulked to her room, leaving Thomas to wander downstairs. She was embarrassed that she was scolded but she was even more embarrassed that she had slipped up in the first place. Delia walked into her bathroom and started to undress and turn the shower on. She planned to wash this day away. She wrapped a towel from the floor around herself and walked back out into her bedroom to find some clothes. She jumped when she saw Thomas.
     "What are you doing in here?" She asked, her hand on her chest as she caught her breath. "I was just coming in to check on you and then I realized you were in the shower." He replied, blankly. Delia hitched her towel up and nodded. "I'm okay. I'm just really embarrassed about today." She shrugged her shoulders and moved around him as she grabbed some pajamas. "I understand. Me too. I didn't even think about the fact that we're dealing with minors here." He rubbed the back of his neck and let out a breath. Delia nodded and stood in the door frame of the bathroom. "But, tomorrow is a new day." She said, and gave Thomas a weak smile. He half way smiled back and walked back out of the room. 
       When Delia came out of the bathroom dressed and drying her hair with her towel, Thomas was back and sitting on the edge of her bed. "You're back." She stated. He grunted and nodded, his eyes focused on something in the room. "What are you looking at?" Delia asked. Thomas tilted his head and stood up and walked to the corner. He was getting a closer look at whatever he was examining. "What is it?" Delia asked again, this time her anxiety rising. "Do you have a security system?" Thomas asked after what seemed like the longest minute of Delia's life. "No. Well, yes but just the front door alarm. I kinda live out in the middle of no where and there's not a lot of people out here. I also can't afford to get my house decked out." She rambled. Thomas held his hand up and looked at her, and she immediately stopped talking. "I understand. But there's a camera on your ceiling that wasn't there the last time I was in here." Thomas explained calmly. 
     Delia's heart dropped down into her stomach.  Camera.  Her body started trembling. Thomas slipped his arms around her and stroked the back of her head. Somebody broke in.  She inched closer to Thomas. "We'll figure out who did this. I'll call someone to come and install stuff for you. I'll pay for it. I'll get the camera down and take it to the lab tomorrow." He said softly. Delia's shuddering slowed down, but she only felt a little reassured. She didn't think she would be able to sleep that night. "You stay in here and ill go sweep the house to make sure there aren't any more." Thomas directed her towards the bed and then got to work on removing the camera in the bedroom. 
      Thomas looked through the bedroom and Delia's adjacent bathroom for more cameras and as he did so he talked to Delia. "How are you feeling?" He said, looking through drawers and under dressers. Delia sat frozen on the bed staring at the wall. "I guess I could be worse" she replied. Thomas stopped looking and glanced at her. "Hey, listen to me." He said, waiting to speak until she looked at him. "I will make sure that you are safe. And if you want, I can see if we can get a motel." Delia nodded. "I can't sleep here tonight. And we should really call the department and let them handle the cameras." Delia got up and grabbed a backpack and started stuffing things in it for an overnight trip. She filled a smaller separate bag for her dog, Lukas. 
      While Delia was busy packing and getting the dog together, Thomas called the department and let them know what was going on. They waited to leave until the PD showed up and started sweeping the place. "I can't believe this is happening." Delia muttered as they drove to the nearest Motel 8. Thomas placed his hand on her leg and squeezed. "It's okay. We'll figure out what this is and we'll figure out whos behind it. And in the meantime, we'll stay in a shitty motel room until you feel safe enough to sleep in your own bed." Thomas said softly but firmly. Lukas poked his head in between them from the backseat and started panting, his breath hot. Thomas wasn't a fan but he was willing to deal with it. Delia was used to it. 
      When they got to the motel, the first thing Delia did was sneak Lukas into the motel room without being spotted. Thomas closed the door behind them, throwing their bags on a bed. There was only on queen size bed. "Why did you only get a room with one bed?" Delia asked flatly. Thomas's face turned red and he rubbed his neck. "This was the only room they had left." Delia opened the curtain and looked at the vacancy sign. It had switched to no vacancy. "I see." She said sheepishly. Thomas hid a smirk as he turned on the TV and switched to the news. Delia pulled her toothpaste and toothbrush out of her bag and went into the bathroom to brush her teeth. She stood in front of the mirror for a few minutes, just looking at herself. How long had those cameras been in there? How much have those people who put in the cameras seen? Who the hell put those cameras in there? She leaned her elbows on the counter and held her face in her hands. 
      A knock on the door startled Delia and she opened it almost immediately. "Hi." Thomas said. Delia gave him a weak smile. "Hey." Thomas pulled her against his body and wrapped his arms tightly around her. They sat like that for a few minutes. "How are you feeling?" He asked again. "Better." She replied. Thomas pulled back from the embrace and  nodded but he wasn't really paying attention. He was staring at her. Almost longingly. No. She was making that up. "That's good. Tomorrow is a new day." He repeated. Delia paused and tilted her head, a smile forming on her face. He smiled at her and held the side of her face, inching his closer. "Thomas.." Delia whispered. Thomas's eyes were something she couldn't describe. There was fear, there was lust, but was that also love that she saw? No. She was delusional. She needed to be committed. "Yes?" He asked. "Your wife.." Delia blurted.