Inside The Ring

Chapter 22

It was the third week in a row I was getting home late and even Harry wasn't home yet. Casey had been keeping me late, telling me I have 'great potential' we just have to dig deeper. Whatever that meant. But it was fun and it made coming home get put off for awhile because no matter when I went home Harry was always out. I'm not trying to complain about it, I'm happy Harry is so ready to get back in the game, he needs it. I just hate that boxing takes his every spare moment so I'm stuck alone. It's 9:45 for crying out loud! 

I clenched my hands around the shower nozzle and pulled, letting my bit of frustration wash away down the drain with all my strain from today. My body ached all over, but I was making progress. I could feel myself regaining muscles as time went by, everything that I had lost over the years, everything that had been damaged during the surgery, it was healing now. I'd gotten questions about the scar across my stomach many times now from the dancers, but every time the question comes up I politely decline answering and walk away before the tears come. In the beginning I could always look to Harry for comfort when the thought crossed my mind or someone asked about the baby, but Harry was so busy I hardly see him anymore. 

A quick shiver caught my spine as I wandered back into the bedroom in just a towel. My feet barely begun padding over to the dresser when I heard the front door open and Harry holler a goodbye to who I assumed was Levy. I quickly pulled on my undergarments so I wasn't bare when Harry entered and only dropped the towel when I had one of Harry's large t-shirts that covered most of my upper body and tops of my legs. 

The bedroom door flew open, a gust of air following suit. Harry barely registered my presence as he trudged into the bathroom. He never bothered with closing the door, so I could faintly see him strip off his shirt to reveal his new bruises. I frowned, I hated seeing his bruises or cuts. I hated seeing that he had been hurt. But the sight of him quickly disappeared behind the shower curtain making me sigh and wander back to bed. There wasn't much waiting involved before Harry was out of the shower. He ambled his way back into the bedroom, a white towel hung on his hips and another being used to dry his hair. I watched the muscles on his chest flex as his arms removed the towel on his hair before he threw it in the hamper. He promptly dropped his towel, his back to me, as he pulled on a pair of boxers and then came towards the bed, turning off the light as he came. His body dropped onto the sheets, and I subtly turned from my back to my side. Typically he would put an arm around my waist and snuggle his face in the crook of my neck but this time that didn't happen. He stayed put and I frowned.

Have I done something wrong? I wracked my brains for hours, trying to guess what I could have done until Harry's soft snores filled the room. I guess he was just tired or really focused on training but, he was getting distant and I don't know why. I chewed my lip as I tried to forget about it all, it'd be fine once he got back into the real fights and was back on his way to championships. It had to be, I know Harry loves me, I just need to stop worrying so much. I think, I think to much. 

~

 "But how would it be Lyme disease if this person lives in the city?" 

"he could have a pet?" one of the other students offered. 

"Okay but what about the rash? It's not the typical bulls eye rash" I countered carefully.