Best Life

Chapter 39

Lizzy

I arrive at Katie's apartment and Adam is waiting out the front. I'm shocked at his appearance. He looks shaken and completely lost at to what to do to reach my sister.

"What the fuck happened?"

I question him, whilst trying and failing miserably to keep my accusing tone under wraps. If he's fucked up and deliberately hurt her I'll fucking kill him. By the look on his face, I can tell he knows this already. He explains what he thinks she probably overheard of the conversation he had with his sister at the hospital. If Katie had even the slightest bit of trepidation about Adam and their relationship, hearing what she probably did would have been nothing short of devastating. But I can understand what Adam actually meant by his words once he explains further.

Katie has got it wrong but the reality is, she's heard what she's heard, taken off, and is now convinced that her and Adam are finished. Sam is in hospital because she took away Adam's focus, Adam and Sam are leaving and that will be the clean break and the end of their relationship. Her roller coaster ride of emotions was just too much in her mind. That this heartbreaking end was inevitable and all her fault.
Cut and dry.
Over before it really began.
Katie will be angry.
So, so fucking angry... at herself.
She has to talk to Adam about this, but that could be some time away depending on what sort of state she's in.

Adam can't come inside with me yet. I need to see what damage she's already done to herself. I have the spare key and make my way inside. It's quiet. Too fucking quiet. I find her slumped on the kitchen floor. In nothing but panties and a bra, and an almost empty bottle of Johnnie Walker scotch in between her legs.

And blood stains... everywhere.

Her knuckles and hands are cut, bruised and bleeding. She's possibly dragged them across her face, smearing the blood along the way. It's dripping on her tummy and legs too. Her inked skin is on full display. Shit, it's a huge tattoo. I haven't seen it for a while and she's had a lot more detail added. My eyes reach her face as she drags her eyelids open as her brain sluggishly registers that someone is in her kitchen.

She is fucking wasted.
She can't even speak.

She tries to lift the scotch bottle to her lips and drops it back down to the floor with a thud. Jesus what a mess. I'll need Adam's help. To get her up and clean her hands. See if there's any other damage. It's going to be hard for him to see. Shit, I'm barely holding back the tears myself. My baby sister so broken. So helpless. Feeling so worthless. But she is far from that - if only we can make her see that. I'm not fucking giving up on her that's for damn sure.

I crack the door open and Adam is waiting.

"It's bad," I'm not bullshitting to him.

"I need you to help get her to the bathroom. She's punched something and cut her hands. I need to check if she's hurt anywhere else. Oh... and she's completely wasted. Don't fucking speak to her Adam. Your voice might trigger her and make things worse. Just help me lift her."

My instructions are harsh but necessary. He nods quickly in understanding but I can see he's shaking with adrenaline and probably fear at what he's about to see. I open the door further and let him in. He sucks in a breath and tears immediately well in his eyes at his broken girl passed out on the floor covered in blood. He clamps a hand across his mouth and smothers a whimper of pain at the heartbreaking sight before him.

I move the bottle and Adam steps forward to gently lift her off the floor. She's a complete dead weight but Adam's a big guy and easily lifts her, cradling her in his giant arms. She stirs and sighs quietly and instinctively nestles her face into his chest smearing blood over his shirt. His tears spill over and drip down onto her hair. He stays quiet and follows me to the bathroom. He places her gently on the counter, spreads her legs so he can stand in between them, her head resting on his chest, his arms wrapped around her so she can't fall. I make a start on cleaning her hands with a damp cloth. The bathroom mirror is smashed which answers one question - it hurts my heart to think that she was looking at her own reflection when she smashed her fists into the mirror.

There is no other damage, so I gently bandage her cuts and clean any other blood away. She stirs in Adam's arms.

"He smells... soooo fucking...good," she twists her head and looks at me with half open eyes. She is too wasted to realise that Adam is the one holding her up. He stays quiet. I can see his shoulders shaking, trying to hold himself together. I want to reassure him that it will be okay. She'll eventually be okay to listen to him.

They can do this.
They can work it out.
Fuck... I hope so.

"He... has... my... heart. My... heart. My... worthless... heart," she mumbles.

I nod at Adam and he silently lifts her off the counter and heads towards the bedroom. Like she is made of the most precious delicate substance on earth, he lowers her slowly onto the bed and pulls the covers up and over her tired, limp body. His hands are shaking and unsure about whether to actually touch her. He finally pulls his hand away and backs completely away towards the door.  His job here is done. I'll stay with her for the night and make sure she's safe. He can only wait now, till she's sober and ready to talk. She probably feels like she failed and he's going to need to convince her about the truth in what she heard.

I hope she believes him.
I hope she believes in them.
I hope she believes she's worthy.
She is.
He knows it.
He believes it.
Tonight has shaken him to his very core.
He's seen her at her lowest.
She'll probably fucking kill me when she finds out he saw her like that.
Good fucking luck with that.
Yeh, I can be a bitch too.
But I fucking love her.
And now I know Adam loves her too.
Now he just needs to show her.
And tell her.
And leave her with no doubt that she is the one for him.
Just her.
As she is.
Always and forever.
They can have it all.
A life together.
Their best life.