Save Me From Myself

Chapter 3-The Man Who Can't Be Moved

"Okay, now why don't you make yourself comfortable while I order some food. I'm starving and you must be the same. So, what are you in the mood for? Italian, Chinese, Indian, Thai?", he asked me while pulling from underneath the coffee table a pile of leaflets.
"I'm really not that hungry..."
"Nonsense, I'm going to order some Italian, can't fail with that. Now, let me make you a cup of tea."
"Do you play piano?", I asked him pointing towards the piano.
"Yes, piano and guitar. I'm trying to learn how to play violin too but that one is tough to master. Now, kettle in place, let me look for something for you to wear, something that might actually fit you, and I think I have some cream for bruises. Does wonders. I have two left feet."
"I'm good you really don't need to bother, honestly."
"No bother at all, can you watch the kettle while I look for something and get your bed ready?"
"Seriously you needn't worry I can do that, it's the least I can do...you know after all the help..."
"No, honestly, let me look after you, you seem to be needing that for a change, and, as much as I don't look like it, I can really find my way with household things."

He went outside the living room and left me alone. As I waited for the water to boil, I started looking around. On the fireplace were scattered a lot of pictures. I recognised Glen and Mark, but the others were unfamiliar faces, friends and family of Dan.

I heard the kettle make the distinct sound of water boiling, took it off the stove and looked for cups. I managed to find both the cups, the tea and the sugar, just as he came back holding a pair of pyjamas and a fresh towel.

"You can go have another shower, get yourself warm and here are some pyjamas. They're new, I never wear pyjamas, usually I land in bed however I am dressed like, when it happens. Most of the time I sleep on the couch."
"Thank you."
"As you go out of the living room on the right is your room. It has its own bathroom, and I put some shower gel and essential stuff there. While you do that the food will come and we can eat. Now let me prepare the tea, the old Danny way.", he smiled.

I followed his instructions and entered a large guest bedroom with a beautiful black bed, covered in nicely smelling linens. The room was tastefully decorated, everything matched from the curtains to the fluffy carpet. I went into the small bathroom where different shower gels were placed in the shower, alongside shampoos, conditioners and shower oils. Me and Dan both seemed to have different concepts regarding the meaning of the word essential. I showered myself, then got dressed in the pyjamas he gave me which were also too big. I tied the pants and then adjusted them so they were the perfect length for me not to stumble in them.

After finishing this process I went back to the living room where Dan was throwing empty take away bags in the bin.

"I ordered some pasta, I hope you like them, don't know your taste in food but..."
"It's okay, really.", I said reassuringly.
"Well, let's dig in then.", he said grabbing a fork filled with pasta and stuffing it in his mouth.

We ate our meal in silence, then Dan grabbed the plates and put them in the dishwasher. He then handed me a cup of warm tea and lit himself a cigarette.

"You never told me, what do you do for a living?", I asked taking a sip from my cup.
"You never asked. We are musicians. The taxi driver was right. I am the guy he was talking about. Me, Mark and Glen, we're in a band called The Script."
"Never heard of you guys, I'm really sorry I have been cut off with the world lately."
"We are at our third album, and things are really starting to go well for us.", he started telling me with a passion in his eyes.
"Music is everything for you?", I concluded.
"Yes it is...pretty much everything, music never breaks your heart, it's always there, no matter what..."
"I never listened to any of your songs...Would it be to much to ask you to sing for me?"
"Sure. No problem."

He sat in front of the piano and started to play. I was amazed by how natural he was. My eyes started closing slowly and I fell asleep on the couch. I woke up in the morning in bed,tucked in. I didn't realise how I got there as I remembered falling asleep on the couch. What happened did he take me there?

I went to the living room after I took a shower. He was already there, sipping from a cup and typing at his laptop. A cigarette was lit in the ashtray and from time to time he took a few puffs. He noticed I was standing there, looking at him.

"Hey, morning, there is coffee done and I bought some croissants. I also took the liberty of buying you some clothes and some things you need. I guessed your size, hope they fit you. Not that good at buying women's clothes."

I blushed, thinking of that. He was being awfully kind. He got up and poured me a cup of coffee and put a croissant on small plate.

"Thank you Dan but you needn't have done that. I have to let my friend know I'm okay though...I have given it a thought. And I can't take advantage..."
"You are stubborn, you are not taking advantage of anything. Seriously. I am half the time on the road and you need a fresh start."
"Do you usually do that with every woman you meet?"
"I usually don't, actually I have imagined things would evolve differently between us. We would smile at each other in the bar and I would finally go to you and offer you a drink, then we would laugh about how many things we have in common and I would ask you out on a proper date. But if you want to know I haven't invited someone in my apartment in years...", he said on a sad tone at the end.

I could see he was starting to pour his heart out, but there were some things he didn't want to speak about. I bit my lip and went towards him gently patting his back. He looked at me and took my hand in his, gently kissing my fingers. Even those who had broken nails, without a blink. His warmth and kindness were something new to me. I never had that with Nicholas before.

He never did stuff like that to me. He never kissed my hand, let alone my fingers, he never kneeled in front of me, or took me in his arms when I felt scared. He never did anything romantic if I thought well. I fell in love with the idea of bad boy. Tears started falling from my eyes at the thought that I spent four years in a big lie. Dan noticed that and he quickly took me in his arms, holding me gently.

"Stop sweetheart don't cry, everything will be okay. Come on. Look at me."
"I can't, I'm hideous. I am stupid and I don't even know where to start with my life from now. I accepted being brutalised and abused because I was too stupid to move on. Because...I...I wasn't strong enough to move on..."
"No, sweetheart, look you're not stupid...And you are beautiful no matter these scars on you. Okay? I know it's going to be really awful to tell you this now, but we have to go to the police and take care of that fucker so you can start a new life."
"Yes..."
"You can stay here, start something new, I will be there for you, always, okay?"

I nodded as he kissed me on the forehead protectively. I wiped my tears and took the bag that he brought. His eyes instantly lit up with excitement as I started to pull out jeans, pyjamas, blouses, slippers and other things he had bought for me. I thanked him and went to the bedroom to get dressed. Everything fit. Dan clearly had an eye for women. Or at least shopping for clothes for women. At the police station everything finished quickly. It was all sorted out.

"Okay, now what do you want to do now? It's kinda cold outside today...so..."
"We never get warm days in Ireland you know...", I said pulling the scarf on my nose and the cap better on my head.
"Do you want to call your friend?"
"Yes...I do....", I said pulling my phone out with its broken screen.

Dan looked at me raising his eyebrows. I could see that he wasn't happy to see my old flip phone stitched with duct tape and with its broken screen.

"I have an idea, call your friend and tell her to come in an hour to Fade Street Social. In the meantime I have something to do."
"Okay...but don't even dare to buy me a new phone.", I said pointing at him.
"I will because I can. Because you can't go with that phone out in the smartphone era."
"Are we going to have a row?"
"I am not arguing I'm just stating the obvious. Now come on.", he said giving me his arm.