This Life is a Beautiful War

Chapter 12

Chapter 12

Gabby

I think I woke before the sun even rose.  I knew that I wasn’t in my own bed, mostly because I could feel Jake’s arms securely around me.  And then I remembered what all had happened the day before. 

I opened my eyes to see Jake’s dimly lit room.  I could feel his breath at the back of my neck.  Slowly, I turned around in his arms to face him. 

I’d never gotten to stay in the morning with Jake after I woke up.  I’d always get up and leave before I even looked at him.  Because I knew that if I looked at him, I wouldn’t have been able to leave. 

Reaching up, I traced his face with my fingertips.

He shifted beside me, pulling me closer.  When his arms constricted around my ribs, I gasped and then moaned.

Jake’s eyes shot open then and he looked at me in shock.  “Are you okay?” he asked.  “What did I do?  I didn’t hurt you, did I?”

“Yeah, kind of,” I said.  “But it’s not your fault.  Promise.”  I could be honest with him now, no matter how much I didn’t want to let him know what’s been happening with my mother.  “I just have a few bruised ribs.  That’s all.  It’s no big deal.”

He sighed, leaning up on one of his elbows to look down at me.  “It’s a very big deal, Gabby,” he said.  “But you don’t have to go back home with her.  You’re staying here.”

Tears welled up in my eyes as I looked up at him.  I had been crying way too much in the past day or so.  I didn’t want to cry anymore. 

Jake reached up and wiped them away with his fingers.  “Everything’s going to be okay,” he said. 

I nodded at I reached up and wrapped my arms around his neck, pulling him toward me.  Slowly, while our eyes were locked, I leaned up and kissed him. 

“You need to show me,” Jake said against my lips. 

“Show you what?”

He sighed, pulling back to look me in the eyes again.  “Show me what she’s done to you,” he said. 

I grimaced.  “Are you sure you don’t just want to see me without my shirt on?” I asked, trying to make a joke out of it.

“Gabby,” he groaned.  “Quite joking around.”

I pushed away from him and sat up.  “I…I just don’t want you to see me like this,” I said.  “I’m afraid of what you’ll think.”

“Gabby,” he said, sitting up.  He kissed the side of my neck.  “You don’t have to be afraid of what I’ll think.  I love you no matter what.”

I sighed, looking over at him.  “Just don’t go crazy, okay?” I said. 

I knew that I had bruises all over my sides and stomach but I only had seen a little of my back.  He was going to get a full view of it, though.

Slowly, I reached for the hem of my shirt and pulled it over my head.  My muscles in my back were screaming at the movement like they seemed to always do.  My hair fell, covering my back, and I didn’t want to move it because I suddenly felt self-conscious since Jake was about to see almost all of me. 

I felt him move more behind me and his hands sweep my hair back over my left shoulder.  And then I heard his intake of breath. 

“Shit,” I heard him say under his breath. 

“I told you,” I said.  I could just imagine what he was seeing.

“Gabby,” he said quietly, and carefully touched my back.  “Oh, my God, Gabby.”