Angel of Light (A Zak Bagans Story)

Chapter 37: Reconnecting

Chapter 37: Reconnecting

I quietly took a deep breath before opening the door.

I knew I couldn't avoid talking to Zak, so I just did the best I could to make my voice sound the best I could.

"Hey..." I said softly.

Speaking softly didn't help much.

I saw the concern in Zak's eyes, even though he smiled slightly.

"Hey," Zak replied softly.

I noticed he was holding a plastic bag in his hands, and from what I could tell, it looked like it contained a fairly large, round, plastic container.

"Ashley filled me in on how your visit to the hospital in Italy went. She said the doctor recommended you stick to soft foods for a few days," Zak said.

I nodded.

"She did," I replied softly.

"Well, I thought maybe we could have lunch," Zak said, lifting the plastic bag slightly, a little unsure of himself. "It's homemade chicken soup, my mom's recipe...although I probably did a horrible job of making it," Zak added, somewhat shyly.

He made me soup?

I couldn't help but smile.

"I'd like that..." I said softly.

Zak smiled slightly.

"Come on in," I said softly, as I stepped aside so Zak could come in.

Zak smiled a bit more and walked inside, handing me the plastic bag with the soup.

"I made it last night, so it's not frozen. Just needs to be heated up," Zak said.

I nodded.

"No problem," I said softly.

I turned and walked out into the kitchen as Zak shut the front door behind him.

I set the bag down on the counter near the stove, and took out a large pot from one of the cupboards.

I took the container out of the bag and was just about to open it, when I felt Zak's hand lightly brush my arm.

I looked up at him, and saw that he was looking at the scarf around my neck.

"How bad is it...?" He asked quietly.

I frowned slightly.

"It won't help you any if you see it..." I replied softly.

"I need to see it..." Zak said quietly, causing me to frown.

I figured there was no point trying to argue with him, so I reached up with my hands and unwrapped the scarf from around my neck, and slowly pulled it away to reveal the bruises.

I saw Zak's eyes widen in shock, and then they narrowed in pain.

He slowly reached up with one hand and very lightly, touched one side of my neck with the tips of his fingers. His touch was so light, that it didn't cause any pain, but it did cause a shiver to run down my spine.

He pulled his hand back, and I could tell by the look on his face that he realized the bruises were identical to the shape and size of his hands.

"I'm so sorry..." Zak whispered. "Maybe I shouldn't be here..." he added, taking a step back from me.

I turned so I was fully facing him and reached out with one hand, gently grabbing his arm.

"No, it's okay," I said softly. "I know you wouldn't hurt me on purpose," I added.