Ruthless ; B•E

Twenty two

"Minnie.. baby. Wake up we're here." Billie said calmly while getting out of the car.
   "Go in and lay down, I'll bring the bags inside in a few minutes." Billie helped the sleepy girl out of the car and on the front stairs.
   She opened the door and Aliza sluggishly walked up to their bedroom where she had easily fallen back asleep.  
     Billie had unloaded the car and unpacked the bags as quietly as she could without waking Aliza out of her sleep, and after that she started on dinner.
    She knew Aliza was still having nightmares so she chose something quick and easy which was spaghetti.
    "Aliza. I made dinner." Billie whispered while sitting on the edge of the bed, calmly shaking the girl.
    Aliza peeked her eyes open and smiled at Billie who looked a complete mess.
    "What happened to you?" Aliza giggled while sitting up.
   "I never knew how hard it was to make homemade noodles. I have flour in my eyes and egg in my hair." Billie confessed which drove Aliza absolutely insane.
   She laughed her ass off before finally deciding to get out of bed.
After they enjoyed dinner together Billie jumped in the shower, leaving Aliza in the kitchen sipping on a glass of wine that Billie had poured for her over dinner.
"Minnie why are you in the dark kitchen? Is everything okay?" Billie asked while coming in and turning the light on.
"Yeah, I was just tracking through my thoughts."
"Are they bad thoughts? Do they make you sad?" Billie asked while sitting down next to the girl at the table.
"Kinda... but. But they aren't stronger than my good thoughts tonight. I think I'm getting better." Aliza said while leaning her head on Billie's shoulder and closing her eyes.
"Healing has its ups and downs Minnie. One day you'll feel fine the next you're bed rotting. I'll be right here every step of the way."
She always knew how to make Aliza smile like crazy.
It's always the little things that count.
"When are they delivering my car here?" Aliza asked with a devious smile.
"Tomorrow night... why?" Billie's words drug on, curious to know what Aliza was thinking.
"I want to race you."
"No... no no no. You know I don't race. Especially since my car is so expensive to repair." Billie raised her eyebrows and Aliza whined.
"If something breaks I'll fix it. Pleaseee?" Aliza opened her eyes wide and batted her lashes at Billie who let out a groan.
"One race and that's it." Billie caved.
"Yay. I'm tired now. Can you read to me?"
Billie scrunched up her nose and kissed the side of Aliza's head.
"You know it baby. Go get settled in."

The next day Aliza was back to her sad self.
Same with the day after that.
And the week after that.
She wasn't improving not one bit so Billie did a few extra things for her.
Billie had to go back to work the next day so right now she was running Aliza a warm bubble bath with rose petals floating in the water.
Billie sat by her side and read aloud quietly while she soaked in the tub.
"How long will you be gone?" Aliza asked and Billie stopped reading.
"Less than a whole day. But I promise when I come back you and I will spend so much time together. We can do all the things you love, name it and I'll set it up." Billie kissed Aliza's lips prior to grabbing a towel and holding it up so Aliza could wrap herself in it.
"Can we stay up late and talk about things we never said before?" Aliza asked with Billie guiding her to the room.
"Yeah baby. Here's your pajamas." Billie handed Aliza a stack of neatly folded clothes and walked out so she could change.
Meanwhile Billie was in the kitchen pouring some red wine into those fancy cups you'll see at an expensive restaurant.
She carefully carried them up to the room and set them on the bedside table.
"What is it you want to talk about Minnie?"
"Anything." She replied wholeheartedly.
Billie smiled and cautiously placed the glass in Aliza's hand.
Aliza took a small sip and gave it back to Billie before they got into bed comfortably.
"When was your first kiss and with who?" Aliza asked while turning onto her stomach. Her grin was wide and toothy and her eyes were squinted.
"Oh you're getting juicy with it already?? I was... 8 and I had kissed a boy in my gym class. He was gross but I wanted to prove to my friends that I wasn't a pussy." Billie scrunched up her nose in embarrassment and Aliza just laughed.
"What about you?" Billie asked questioned as the laughter finally died down.
"I was much older... I was 10. And my parents let me have my very first and last sleep over and I kissed my best friend Jenna. It was a dare." Aliza yawned and Billie tucked a strand of hair behind her ear before placing a gentle kiss on her lips.
"What's your favorite memory?" Billie asked while stroking Aliza's hair.
"I have two that really stick out. First it was my kindergarten graduation. Alex and Elijah were there with my parents and they spent three days congratulating me and in the fourth day I went to Chuck E. Cheese." Aliza laughed a bit at the bed but Billie heard the sadness in her voice.
"What about the second one Minnie?" She whispered.
"When I got drunk and you comforted me and told me about your life."
They made full eye contact and a smile tugged at the corners of Billie's lips.
"Mine was the night you ran from the shooting and I brought you home and you slept directly behind me, I couldn't move or breathe but you were so peaceful and beautiful."