Hard 2 Love

Chapter 2

I open my eyes to the white dry wall ceiling of my room. I barely slept last night. I feel new pain on my shoulder. I crawl slowly out of bed, and enter the bathroom. I look at myself in the mirror. A black eye. New bruises on my chest and stomach. A small laceration on my left arm. I take my pain meds and take a quick shower. I walk into the small bedroom and grab some clothes off the floor. I glance at the bed. Lee lays peacefully asleep. I need to get him on those meds. He's gonna kill me, or ill kill him. This needs to stop.

I get dressed and check my phone. Nothing. All my friends left me after I stayed with Lee. They told me he would do this to me. I didnt listen. I love Lee.

I slightly shake Lee. "Baby, wake up."

"Why?"

"You promised you would try it for two weeks. Its the first day."

"Ill get up and do what you want cuz I love that red t shirt on you," I laugh with him and grab his pill while he climbs out of bed.

I hand it to him, we pause with our hands intertwined. He leans down and kisses me gently on my lips. His lips were soft like cotton and his touch was like the old days. Before the... The... Before the bad things. "Now take a shower, and put some clothes on. I have to go to work,"

"Ok. I love you, Harper, you are my world," he pops the pill into his mouth. He swallows and nods, "I like it," he runs his hand through is short brown hair, and walks into the bathroom.

I work at a small Cafe in downtown Nashville. I usually only work half days, my boss knows about my living situation and lets me spend my time off at the therapist and doctor.

During my few hours of working, I spotted Lee's mom, she comes in occasionally when she knows ill be working. I give my boss a look, asking if I could go talk to Lee's mom, and she nods.

"Karen, how are you?" I sit across the booth from her.

"Nevermind me, how's Lee? God, is that eye from him?"

I try to cover it with my hand, "I tried to cover that with makeup... I guess it didn't work."

"Oh darling, I can't say sorry enough."

"Its not your fault. Anyway, they started him on a new medicine, he didn't want to take it. After some... Altercations... We decided he would take it for 2 weeks, if it worked he would stay on it." I say, reaching across the table and hold her hands.

"Why wouldn't he take it?"

"He, he thinks he'll get addicted." I look down. Lee's dad passed due to drug addiction.

"Oh, honey, please tell me, you were easy on him, you that, how hard that is for-"

"Karen. I know. I, he, we. We worked it out. I really think this will work on him though,"

"Okay, I trust you Harper. Don't let my baby get hurt. I know how hard this is for you, but I am so grateful that you are there for him."

I get back to work, and soon enough, my phone buzzes with a notification to get to the therapist. I set down the wash cloth and wave to my boss.

When I enter the therapist, I see Lee put something in his mouth, see me, and immediately swallow it and smile.

I enter slowly, "what was that?"

"What?"

"What did you just put in you mouth?"

"Nothing. I don't know what your talking about."

I look at him very carefully, I can tell he's lying, but I wasnt going to push him. "Ok lets go home."

"Don't you have to meet with Shara?"

"Not today. I don't want to. Lets go." We head out and there is an awkward silence. He breaks it.

"How was work?"

"I saw your mom. We talked for a while. I told her about the plan with the pills." We climb in the truck.

"Yeah? What did she say?"

"Uh, she, uh she said-"

"Stop stuttering and talk!"

"She said she didn't want you getting hurt and I uh, said I wouldn't let that happen. That's all."

He stares at the road ahead of us. "That's all, huh?"

"Yea..." I look at the whole on the knee of my blue jeans and pick at the strings.

He pats my thigh softly, "thanks for talking to her."