From Dusk Till Dawn

Chapter Six

The next morning, I woke up after barely getting any sleep. Muffled cries filled the room and I couldn't tell if Amy was aware I could hear her or not. Slowly and cautiously I sat up in the bed careful not to grab her attention. I felt a rise in my throat and a strong tug in my heart. Being powerless and not able to help her made me realize how useless I am to her. She was always more than I ever deserved. Not knowing a way to take her pain away only made me feel I have failed her. For once I don't know what to do. After all those years together I thought we were becoming more predictable to each other but it didn't seem like it. Whether she needed me or needed space was a mystery to me. But I took my shot anyway and tried to comfort her. Tenderly, I placed my hand on her shoulder and felt her body shaking underneath my touch. I scooted closer to her and wrapped my arms around her. She didn't budge or push away. "I'm right here, let it all out," I said to her and hugged her to me as if I was the one needing her and not the other way around; which was somehow true. Worse than anything is that Amy still had an unfinished painting that she has been working on a few days before the accident. I knew it will eventually be brought up but until she mentions it I decided not to speak of it. It seemed like a lifetime before she stopped crying. I helped her wash up and took her downstairs to the kitchen. After helping her sit down, I headed to prepare breakfast. My nervousness was incredibly rising for I didn't want to make her feel any kind of pressure. When I offered to help her eat she seemed torn for a moment but we both knew she wouldn't be able to do it herself. She nodded weakly, "okay,"

It's not that I minded ever, feeding her and taking care of her in any other way was the least I could do to her.

"How do I look?" she asked after we were done with our breakfast. "Gorgeous. I mean you're you," I replied a little confused by her question. Her hair was slightly messy and her nose and eyes were still red from crying too much and the area beneath her puffy eyes was darker than her skin tone but she somehow still had her enchanting beauty. The type of beauty that never failed to make me weak in the knees; a beauty the only her can posses. "No Travis, I mean how do I really look, like how messy do I look?" She said with a tint of a smile at the corner of her lips.

"You don't look messy, rather tired and your hair is a little untamed. But all in all the picture is just stunning."

"Stunning never goes with tired, you know,"

"I think it does. You're always stunning in my eyes," I said and there I could see a full smile on her lips. One that I had longed to see in so long, I nearly forgot how her dimples add to her adorableness when she smiles. It didn't last long though before the smile faded again. "Come, I'll help you brush your hair," I offered to try to cheer her up and grasped her hand waiting for a green light. She nodded and attempted to stand up with me helping her. I sat her on the sofa and went to get her hairbrush from our bedroom. At that time I noticed a pained expression on her face but decided not to question it as to not push it further. I returned with the brush in my hand and sat at an angle where I can easily master the hair brushing process and not hurt her. I worked my way smoothly through her soft beach waves. Her light brown hair somehow had natural blonde locks hidden in it. These locks had a natural glow within them that shines without the need for any trace of sunlight. The brush untangled and smoothened the untamed parts in her hair. My hand lightly touched the skin of her neck multiple times while brushing her hair. The contact between our skin was barely there but it still happened and it affected me. I have missed her closeness and her touch so bad that a mere stroke of my hand against her neck made my breath hitch. The distance between us wasn't much either making concentration harder for me. Intentionally, I let my hand get in contact with her skin again leaving it to linger a little longer. This time the feeling of her move slightly as she tilted her head in response to my touch brought the wildest thoughts to my mind. But I didn't dare take things further for I strongly wanted to give her the space she needed. "Can you braid it for me?" She asked. "Yeah sure." I barely had any experience with female hairstyles but Amy had made me brush her hair many times before and taught me how to braid it. She used to enjoy it when I brushed her hair and I couldn't help but wonder if she feels the same at that moment. I went to return the hairbrush and get a hair-band then returned to her to braid her hair. The day was supposed to be one for her to let the whole thing sink in. To relax and think more clearly about the situation. But it didn't turn out the way I wanted. Everyone wanted to make sure Amy was alright and so everyone came. They didn't plan on it together and no one told me they were coming either. I mean, I sure expected everyone but not so soon and definitely not without a mere phone call to tell me they planned a visit. My mum didn't come, though, because the load of work was too much for her. Especially that neither I nor Amy were helping her. My mixed feelings were overwhelming. For starters, I appreciated the gesture of people caring about my wife's well being. But the fear of her getting overwhelmed by them was making me anxious. And the pity in her friends' eyes made me full of rage. She turned blind but she was still capable of many things, she was still Amy who always helps everyone. She doesn't need to be pitied, I wanted to tell them but instead, I stayed silent. I knew non intended to make it seem like they're pitying her but their eyes were screaming "poor Amy." And it pained me to think that from now on that's how most, if not all, people will see her. The blind girl. The poor blind girl who had a terrible accident. All these thoughts lead to the one main thing that felt like it's burning my heart to ashes; that it was my fault.