The Last Time

Chapter 3

I wake up the next morning and feel my whole body aching. I move my hands up my top to feel my ribs and flinch at the sudden pain that shoots through my body. I panic, thinking of how I'm going to hide this from the rest of the band, especially Christine, who's been watching like a hawk recently.
I look to my right and see Joe still sleeping, so I quietly slip out of bed, holding onto my ribs as I do so, and go into the bathroom.
I audibly groan when I look in the mirror. One massive bruise covers my left cheekbone and another covers my temple. The wound under my eye is very swollen but no longer bleeding. I look down at my wrists and see the now fully formed hand shaped bruises that circle them. I sigh in sorrow, he's usually so careful not to hit me where other people will be able to see. I lift my shirt up and gasp in shock. There's one massive bruise that covers the whole right side of my ribs. It's the darkest purple imaginable and, in parts, looks as though it has blood trapped just under the skin. No wonder I find it so difficult to move.
I begin to do my makeup, making sure I conceal the bruises properly. There's not much I can do for the wound under my eye, I can only hope it doesn't look as bad to other people as it does to me.
Once I'm finished I snort a couple of lines cocaine and instantly feel relief wash over me, a small grin spreading across my face.
I leave and return to the bedroom and see Joe still sleeping, if he didn't get up soon we were going to be late to the studio, but I didn't dare wake him, these being the only moments when I felt even a little free.
I pick out my clothes for the day from my wardrobe, making sure I wore something with long sleeves to cover my bruised wrists, and start getting changed slowly, taking care with my ribs.
I turn around and see Joe's awake and watching me, he has a glint in his eye and a smug expression on his face. I suddenly feel small and take a step back. He doesn't move.
"I-I'm going to go wait downstairs whilst you get ready." I say, mentally cursing myself for stuttering and appearing weak.
He doesn't say anything, he just watches whilst I walk out of the room and close the door.
I walk down the stairs and move to the living room to sit on the couch, wincing as I do so. Most women would love to go to work with their partner. I wish I was one of them.
I hear him come downstairs and stop in the doorway.
"Stevie." he says. I feel my heart rate rising.
"Y-yes?"
"You fell down the stairs, got it?"
I hang my head and sigh, "Yes."
"Good, it's not as though anyone's going to think you're lying, you're always making a fool of yourself."
He walks to the front door and goes outside, leaving it open for me to follow.
I get into his car and we make our way to the studio. This journey took far too long, I was aching to see Lindsey's face, it always brought me comfort.
Once I got out of the car I walked as fast as I could without crying out in pain toward the studio door. Out of the corner of my eye I saw Joe make his way down to the opposite end of the hall, where the Eagles were recoding their new album.
I entered the studio and noticed I was the last one there. I took my time in closing the door, I wasn't ready for everyone's questions yet.
I turned around slowly and walked towards the couch and sat in the empty space next to Christine, trying my hardest not to flinch at the sudden pain that shot across my ribs. I could see everyone staring at my face, trying to work out what had happened.
"I fell down the stairs." I stated, almost as if I'd recited it, before any of them had the chance ask questions.
"Jesus Stevie, you look awful, are you sure you're okay to work?" Lindsey asks. It's the fist time in weeks he's spoken to me out of concern, I'd forgotten how much I'd missed it.
"Gee, thanks, Lindsey. I'm fine, it doesn't feel as bad as it looks." I'm lying, it hurts, a lot.
Everyone goes back to what they were doing. I notice Christine looking at me suspiciously, she already knows somethings going on, I'm afraid she might have figured it out.
I turn away from her slightly so she can't inspect my injuries too closely, but as I do so I gasp at the sudden pain my ribs send through my body.
"Stevie? Are you okay?" Christine asks worriedly. I look at her and see concern in her eyes, which grows as she sees the sudden tears that appear in mine.
She gets up and stands in front of me. She reaches her arm out for me to take and helps me off the couch. She leads me towards the door slowly, aware that it hurts to move.
"Where are you ladies going?" Mick asks.
"Drinks run," Christine said "be back in a minute." I always admired her ability to stay cool, whatever the situation.
Once out the door she leads me to a brightly painted storage room and motions for me to sit down in one of the empty chairs at the back.
My heart rate increases at the anticipation of what she's going to say.
"How long?" she asks.
I feel my breathing quicken and my start to eyes water again.
"W-what?"
She sighs and kneels down in front of me, making us eye level.
"I know, Stevie. How long?" She repeats, softer this time.
A tear runs down my cheek, stinging the already painful wound.
"About a year." I say quietly, looking down, ashamed
"Oh, Stevie." she breathes.
I finally break down. Tears begin spilling from my eyes and my body starts to shake.
She holds me, she doesn't say anything, she knows there's nothing she can say to make it better. I'm pretty sure she's crying too, but she hides it well, just wanting to make sure I was okay.
Once I've calmed a little she inspects my face, looking closely at the bruises and cut.
"Are you hurt anywhere else?" She asks.
"No." I reply, not looking at her.
"Stevie, I saw the look on your face when you moved, I know there's more, please, I just want to make sure you're okay, let me help you."
I sigh in defeat, standing and lifting my shirt.
Christine's hands go to her mouth as she looks at my ribs, and I hear her gasp.
"Oh my god Stevie, have you been to see a doctor?"
I look away guiltily and shake my head.
"Love, let me take you, you need to get yourself checked over, you could be seriously injured."
"No, I can't do that. Doctors ask questions, questions I can't answer. Chris just leave it, it'll be gone in a couple of weeks."
"Only to be replaced my another."
I look at the floor.
"Stevie, ple-"
"CHRIS?" We hear Mick call.
"I'll be back in a minute, stay here."
She leaves. It's only then I notice Joe standing by the door, his face angrier than I've ever seen.