Just The Way You Like It - Under Construction

Chapter Seventy-Two

Chapter Seventy-Two

As I lied next to Wallace in bed, I started coming up with a list of all the things I thought he might let me do to make my life here more comfortable. Wallace's snoring didn't help in my fleeting quest for sleep, and I maybe only managed a couple of hours scattered throughout the night. He hadn't asked or pushed for sex when he had brought me back to the bedroom, and I hadn't offered it. Still, I couldn't keep myself from appreciating his thoughtfulness. For as much as he was a monster, he was also a human being, and ever since he had allowed me back up from The Pit, he had treated me like one too.

An alarm rang sometime in what I could only assume to be the morning. Wallace stirred and let out a yawn before rubbing his eyes and opening them. He had let me leave the light on all night without complaint, but before he drifted off to sleep that night, he had promised to buy a night light for me after work.

“Good morning, Darling. Did you sleep well?” He asked, wrapping his arm around my waist. I nodded my head and gave him the best smile that I could manage, knowing I was ready to tell him my list.

“I thought about what you said last night, when you asked me what would make me happy.”

“Mm-hmm, and what pray tell did you come up with?”

“A few things, actually.”

“Okay.” Wallace moved up into a sitting position in the bed, using his pillows for back support.

“I'd still like my bracelet, if it still exists. And, I'd like to apply for my GED.”

“I think we can manage those easy enough. We have several teachers on our roster, and a lawyer who can help if need be. Anything else?”

“One more. I want access to The Pit.” Wallace's face warped into a grimace, and I could feel the tension in the room rise as we sat together in the bed.

“Why on Earth do you want that?” He asked me, getting out and heading into the on-suite bathroom. He left the door open, so he could hear me as we continued our tense conversation.

“I know I won't be able to talk you into closing this place down, so I'd like to try and help make it better.” I still had to shout so Wallace could hear me. He stuck his head through the door, his toothbrush held steady between his lips. The look on his face told me he wanted more of an explanation, so I continued my plea. “I know what it's like to live down there, and I think I'd be able to make it better for the girls. It won't take much money, or time even. Just give me a chance. I don't want those girls down there going through life the way I did. They deserve better.”

“I'll think about it.” Wallace said as he finally left the bathroom. “Right now though, I've got to get to work. St. Micheal's is falling apart with out a leader, and I don't want to raise suspicions by not showing up.”

“What about me?” I asked, wondering if I was expected to stay put for the entire day.

“You have free range of this floor. I'll call and have someone bring you a set of keys and a wheelchair. Don't talk to anyone you see, and you can call me if you have any issues.” I sat in the bed as Wallace got dressed for work, trying to imagine what I could possibly do up here all day. Once Wallace was dressed, he donned his mask once again, and gave me a quick peck on the cheek before leaving.

Only a few minutes passed before I heard a knock at the door. I didn't even have time to respond before the door opened. A rather large man walked in, pushing a wheelchair in with him. He parked the chair next to the bed, well within reach, and tossed a set of keys on the bed beside me. I didn't recognize the man at all, and he didn't seem to even notice that I was there. He left as quickly as he had come in, all without saying a word.