Accessory Wars

Chapter 48-Ki

            "Absolutely not," Lilana protested. I didn't even get to ask her about bringing in Felisa but I'm sure asking her to speak in privet clued her in.

"He needs to hear it from her," I argued. "Until he does, he's not going to get any better."

"You realize she could trigger a negative psychological response in him."

I gave her a look that said, 'No fucking duh' and crossed my arms over my chest. "There's no way to know until we try. Don't psychiatrists like people to face their fear?"

"Not this quickly," she protested, adjusting her glasses.

"Would you do it if he asked for her?"

Lilana tapped her manicured nail against her notepad. She glanced over at where Benjamin sat. He was picking at the scars on his wrists. I suddenly got a hunch those scars might not have been from the Elicit.

We broke for lunch and I left the psych ward for the cafeteria. It would be up to Lilana if Felisa would be asked to come in or not. I hoped she agreed. I ate a small lunch, my mind wandering. I answered my text messages, otherwise known as spending far too much of my meal time texting Jay, before making my way back. I went through the check in process again and nearly leapt through the ceiling when I saw Felisa standing at the front desk signing in.

"You came!" I said, as I walked over. She turned to me, although no smile lit up her face. It made mine slip away.

"Ki, I know you mean well but this doesn't seem right," Felisa stated.

"Half of what he's torn up about is you," I argued. "He wants answers but he can only get them from you."

"Does he trust me enough to accept the answers?"

Oof. That was a hard question. I wasn't even sure how to respond to it. I wasn't Benjamin and I wasn't Felisa. I was just the third party called in for advice.

"All we can do is be honest," I replied. Felisa paused before giving a nod.

We both signed in and found a seat at one of the tables. We had to wait for another patient to finish eating before Lilana brought Benjamin back out. The entire wait, Felisa hardly sat still. I think she was beating herself up as much as Benjamin was. It made me wonder if Kami was too. I made a mental note to talk to her about it before I headed back to Bailey.

Felisa trembled next to me as we waited. She hugged her arms to her body. I offered her a sideways hug. She muttered something I didn't quite catch. Felisa looked like she was about to face a rabid bear.

When Benjamin came into view, I lowered my arm from Felisa. Benjamin's eyes never moved to me. The second they saw Felisa, they locked on and stayed there. Lilana returned to her seat, pulling out her notepad once more. I gave her a nod, a silent thanks for agreeing to my request. The room filled with an eerie tension. My chest started to hurt waiting for something to happen.

Benjamin moved first. He rose from his seat, knocking his chair back. The rest of us were on our feet in an instant. Benjamin shoved the table away, his face twisting into a snarl. Felisa winced but she held her gaze. I threw myself between them. Maybe bringing her in wasn't such a good idea. Benjamin raised a fist to strike but then he froze. His hand shook, his mind conflicting with his body. I watched his eyes flick over the bruises on Felisa's body before his lips parted, his breathing hissing past his lips.

"Why?" he croaked. He dropped his fist.

"Benjamin, I'm sorry—" Felisa blurted.