The Seventh Step

9

Chapter 9

Leo jumps as I bust through the door.
"Jess, what's wrong?" He asks, as he sits up.
I run to him and fling my arms around him "I'm so sorry" I sob "I'm so so sorry."
"No, Jess no" he whispers, stroking my hair "what are you sorry for?"
"I... I didn't know what it was like, when he hurt  you. I didn't know haw scary it was. I'm so so sorry"
Leo grabs my shoulders. I wince. He pushes me up. He stares me in the eyes then frowns "he hurt you" he says and I nod. "Where"
I push down the shoulder of my shirt and expose a hand like bruise.
"May I?" Leo asks and I nod. He reaches out and touches the bruise. I wince again and he mutters an apology. I cover the bruise and drop my head into my hands. The world goes black when I close my eyes. It goes black and easy.
"Jess" Leo sighs "oh Jess" he hugs me and kisses he top of my head. I look up and lie next to him on the small hospital bed. I place my head on his shoulder as we talk and he rests his head on mine. A few nurses bustle in and out. Leo smiles at them in turn and they smile back. A doctor comes in and checks Leo over before returning his warm smile.
I slowly fall asleep on the bed.
I wake a few hours later, dazed and confused.
I blink twice.
"Have a nice sleep?" Says a smiling Leo. I grin and hug him tight.
"Your grandmother came in while you where asleep. She told me to tell you that she's gone back home and that she wants you back before six"
"Oh" I murmur "what time is it"
"Lunch" Leo says enthusiastically.
"Oh"
"Jess, I'm really hungry and I'm not allowed to get out of this bed except for emergencies" Leo stares at me and flutters his eye lids.
I grin and shake my head before walking out of the room
"Don't expect anything appetising" I call back
"Oh don't you worry, I won't" I hear him shout after me.
The line is huge for the hospital cafe. As I hunt around the hospital for more cafés I find a small one in the corner.The line is not that long. I get us two more hot chocolates and some sandwiches. They cost way less then the hospital cafe so I make myself a mental note to come to this ones every time.
I find Leo how I left him. He smiles as I walk in and takes the hot chocolate and a sandwich from the tray. I tip the other things onto his bedside table.
"I've got to take the tray back" I say and Leo nods "hurry back, I've got a present for you"
I grin and quickly take the tray back.
When I'm seated on his bed, Leo opens his bed side table draw and pulls out a small box.
"It's nothing special, just I thought I owe you so much. Jess, I really don't think I could have coped without you. "
Tears start welling up again as I take the box. My shaking fingers pull of the lid and smile at what is sitting inside. A bracelet mad up of all metal coils until it reaches three charms. The first is a small heart made of silver metal. The heart is quite plain except off the three glass beads which sit on one of the sloping sides. The next charm is a infinity sigh  which again only decoration is three small glass bead. The last charm is a metal daisy flower with three glass beads filling the stem.
A small tear trickles down my cheeks and splashes onto the daisy.
"Wow" is all I manage
"Thank you"   
Leo grins and gently pulls me into his lips.
"Your worth more than any one I've ever met before" he whispers.
"Leo, I love you" I murmur as our lips meet again.
We sit together in silence.
"What did you tell the police?" I ask
"The truth" Leo says simply "like I said I would"
"Good" I say, pressing my face into his shoulder