Tacoma Falls: Blazing Hearts

A mess

Maury

The following morning, the doctor removed the breathing tube but left the feeding tube. A nurse brought clear liquids to me. I pushed them away.

"Maury, you need to start consuming food, or they won't remove the feeding tube," Papa said.

I stared at the table. "I'm not hungry."

"Please, Maury."

I shook my head. I refused to eat or drink. Shep entered the room. My lips turned downward.

Papa walked toward Shep and leaned into him. "Maybe you can talk sense into Maury. If he doesn't eat, he can't leave."

Shep nodded as Papa left the room. He strolled toward the bed and sat in a chair beside me. "Not hungry?"

"Nope."

"Okay. I can wait until you eat." Shep folded his arms and smirked.

"I don't care." I refused to look at Shep.

"Now that's a lie. We all know you care."

"Nope. People ruined that." I shifted the conversation. "When I get out, I'm starting a garden. I can sell fresh fruits and vegetables to people to repay you. Plus, Papa loves them."

"Maury."

"I'll have Papa get me the supplies I need for the garden. Then, no one will see me. I can even talk to them. Talking helps a garden grow."

"Maury."

"People like corn, tomatoes, beans, carrots...."

"Maury, stop!"

I shut my mouth and looked at Shep.

"Why are you ignoring what's happening?"

"I'm not ignoring anything. I'm facing reality."

"Whose? Because this isn't you."

"It is now." I lowered my eyes to the table. "It was always my reality. I was just too blind to see it. So, now, I'm seeing it."

"Fine. But your reality will change if I have my way."

I snapped my head at Shep and stared at him as he smirked.

Damn it.

*******
Shepherd

Maury might think he can hide from the world, but that wasn't happening. The world needed Maury. This town needed Maury. I needed him.

Everyone had done Maury wrong, including me. He never deserved how anyone treated him. People listened to lies and set out to destroy a kind person. Even I fell into that category when I lied about us.

If anyone deserves kindness, it's Maury.

I picked up the green Jell-O and sniffed it.

"What are you doing?" Maury asked.

"Making sure it's Jell-O and not that imitation crap. It's fine." I set it down. "You going to eat?"

"Why?"

"You look like shit."

Maury scrunched his nose.

"You have dark circles and lost weight. How are you going to grow a garden if you fall over?"

"I'll manage."

"Sure you will." I nodded. "Maury can't lift a hoe because he doesn't have the muscles. There goes the garden."

Maury glared at me.

"No one will buy crappy food from a bunch of weeds. They'll turn their noses up at it. Didn't figure you for a lousy farmer." I leaned back and shrugged.