To Love a Stray

Chapter 22

Hallo readers

I had trouble writing this chapter until an album inspired me, one that one of my daughters had playing nearly continuously in her vehicle. The Album is by Ed Sheeran, and three songs called out to me.

So in a place in this chapter, this album and two of these three songs are an important part. The songs are ‘Autumn Leaves’ and ‘Kiss me’

Mygypsy

　

Rosy’s story:

I pace backwards and forwards in front of the window of the sitting room with my arms clutching at my lower ribs. My face aches with the force of clenching my teeth together. I refuse to look at any of the three sitting watching me.

"Sit down and talk to us Rosy," Alan coaxes in a gentle voice.

"I’m not listening," I think and give a shriek of anger as I realise she has let the words sneak out of my mouth.

"Tell me what you’re thinking," Alan invites. "How you feel,"

"I don’t want to talk to you," I hiss angrily. I know if I don’t speak the evil inside me will. I have no intention of allowing it that chance.

"I just want to be left alone! I don’t want to be asked a hundred and one questions!" I snap without glancing their way.

"Alan maybe we should leave Rosy be," Sam suggests quietly. "We’ve found it best to leave her alone when she’s like this."

"Did I not ask you, that if you must sit in when I try to talk with your sister, not to interrupt?" Alan asks with a hard edge to his voice.

"We’ve been here two weeks and I have watched my sister get worse not better. If you think …" Sam starts in an angry tone.

I can’t help it, I glance towards him as I hug my ribs tighter. I feel my heart rate kick up another notch and my breath catches in my throat as Alan and Sam get to their feet facing each other.

"To my office now!" Alan orders with restrained anger. "Jake stay here with Rosy please."

"Good because I will be calling Kurt on my phone and I am sure he will want to speak to you!" Sam snaps as he heads for the door. I turn away with jerky movements and resume my pacing. I have butterflies in my stomach that feel as if they are the size of wedge-tailed eagles. I can hear each beat of my heart as the blood pulses in my ears and feel the adrenaline that is coursing through my veins.

"Came sit down for a few moments Rosy," Jake says softly. "You’ll feel much better when you stop pacing."

‘Do as he says’

"Fuck off!"

‘He’s right you know’

"Shut up bitch!"

‘This isn’t good for our Kitt,’

"Fuck the Kitt! I don’t give a damn about it! I hate it! It’s all about that little bastard isn’t it!" I have no control over the horrible words as they leave my lips. The words cut deep into my soul making it bleed as they tumble out while some tiny part of me means every horrible word.

"… Calm down, just calm down," Jake’s soft crooning reaches me and I turn to face him as I pant struggling for control of the thoughts whirling madly around in my mind.

‘Calm down, calm down, please just calm down,’ the words echo in my mind, or is it in the room? My mind and body feel like they are about to shatter into a million pieces.

"I will not calm down!" I yell back at Jake and look around wildly for something to throw at him. I want something that will shatter and crash onto the floor making a lot of noise - something glass, or something fragile. I need to echo the feeling inside me.