Angel of Mine (Completed)

Chapter 14

She was running barefoot.  Blood was seeping from the side of her head trickling down her cheek then to her chest.  She was clutching her broken arm and in her haste she fell on her face in the dirt road.  She was dead tired from running, when suddenly she heard heavy footfalls so she tried to get up only for a hand to pull her hair.  She winced in pain as someone jerked her head backwards.  She looked into the dark and menacing eyes of her attacker. “I told you to STAY. AWAY! But you didn’t listen! Now I’ll make sure that you’re not going to hang around for long, bitch!”

 

Lathan heard Cerise whimpering in her sleep.  She thrashed her head sideways like she was struggling in her dreams.  She instinctively clutched her arm and curled herself in fetal position.  He hopped on the bed beside her and held her close to his chest.  “Shh, baby I’m here.  I’m here angel.  I’m not leaving you. I’m here..I’m here.”  He stroked her hair and wiped the sweat forming on her forehead.  He kissed her trembling lips and rocked her slowly.  She stopped her thrashing and found her again in deep slumber.  He didn’t let her go for the rest of the night until he felt his own body relax before he dozed off.

*****

In a haze, she squinted her eyes and felt the heat of the rising sun touch her cheeks.  She slowly opened her eyes and found herself in not so familiar surroundings.  This was definitely not her room because the walls were in dull white.  The room had vertical blinds instead of her pastel green curtains.  She could see the blue skies and a promise of a spectacular view in the partially opened floor to ceiling window. The smell of disinfectant assailed her nose and knew she was in the hospital, again.  Her right arm was encased in an arm sling.  Then everything that happened the day before was slowly creeping into her consciousness, the thugs, the beating, the warning, the race and finally her nightmare.  She wanted to straighten her body but she felt a heavy weight of a warm body spooning her.  A heavy familiar arm draped around her waist holding her close.  She took a deep breath and tried to pry the arm away so she can go to the bathroom to pee.  She slipped out of the bed but the sudden movement had made her dizzy, she slumped on the chair then it gave a loud screech that startled a sleeping Lathan.

“Baby, what are you doing up.  Get back to bed.”  She almost smiled at his rather funky bed hair but thought better not to embarrass him.  She finger combed her hair as best as she could.

“I need to pee.”  She said as she felt her cheeks warm like she was sure she was blushing at the moment.

“Come, let me carry you there.”  Lathan offered.  He got off the bed and was at her side.

“Seriously?  I’m not an invalid.  I can manage.  Just help me up and I should be fine.  Where’s my dad?  And what are you doing here?”

Lathan frowned at that question.  Did she really think he would have left her alone.  “He’s gone home to get some stuff.  Dr. Cayman said you can go rest at home if you wish.”  He held her to his side with his arm around her waist as they walk toward the bathroom.

“Just give me a few minutes to clean up then we’ll talk, ok?”  Lathan just nodded and closed the door gently.  He didn’t miss a glimpse of her smooth back peaking through a slit of the hospital gown.  He felt a little twitch down his crotch and cleared his throat.  Seriously Lathan this is so not the time.