Coming Home

Chapter 13.

We eat in silence as the tv fills the room. He flips the channel as the show ends, hunting something new to watch and I see one of my favorite old movies listed.

"Oh! I love that one. It's so good. Have you ever seen it?"

He rolls his eyes. "What is it with every girl and epic romances. You know what's going to happen. The guy falls for the girl. Conflict ensues. They break up. Then love conquers all. They're all the same."

His voice is annoyed, but there's an air of something else in it, something familiar. I choose to maintain the mood in his voice with my own teasing. "What can I say, we can't help ourselves. You know us girls, we're just hopeless when it comes to romance."

He scoffs and lets out a hollow laugh, but selects the movie I love. "This is so ridiculous."

I can feel his annoyance at the movie, but he watches it anyway.

Why is he doing this if he hates it? Maybe his hold over his mood is improving.

We both sit quietly watching the black and white movie, and I allow myself to soften and dissolve into the fictional world.

I wake to sunlight filling the room and realize I fell asleep sitting up on the couch, the blanket pulled up to my face and covering my nose. I feel a weight in my lap and look down to see Adrian's head leaned against my leg. His face is strained and I sit still, trying not to move him.

What in the world? How did he get over here? Why is he lying against me?

He feels my body shift and his eyes slowly flutter open. Strained at the light, his hand quickly reaches up to shield them. "Sorry. My pillows just weren't cutting it last night, and this was the only way I could get comfortable enough to sleep for a few hours."

He sits up and his hand reaches up to his head in pain.

I jump up to grab his medicine and water and hand it to him quickly before sitting back down. "It's ok. I was just surprised. I don't mind. However I can help Adrian."

He sits quietly and his closeness is unnerving you. I let out a nervous cough before moving to get up.

He speaks quietly, his voice strained. "I'm sorry Caroline. You've taken time out of your life to help and I've been nothing but an ass to you. I don't know what's wrong with me. I just can't get a grip on it. You make me react for some reason."

My heart flutters and I hesitantly place a hand on his shoulder, feeling his strong muscle beneath his thin shirt. "It's ok Adrian. I know this has been harder for you than anybody. I can't imagine what it's been like for you. I'll be fine. Just tell me how I can help you."

He looks over and I see his crystal blue eyes looking clearly at me for the first time, without any anger or malice as he speaks. "Could you let me lie back again? That did really seem to help. My head is splitting and my ribs are killing me."

"Of course Adrian, here. Lie down." I settle back into the couch and let him lean his head into my lap. His pain seems to lessen and his hand goes back over his eyes. "I used to get migraines when I was younger. My mom used to massage my scalp to help the pain. Do you want me to try?"

He speaks lowly and rough. "I'll take anything at this point. It's like a knife is jabbing me behind my eyes right now."

My hands run through his hair and I feel my heart flutter. My fingers begin to massage at his temples, pulling back to the base of his scull and making their way up his entire scalp. I repeat this series of movements for several minutes and he groans.