Living With The Giants

Thirty-Seven: Hold Me

Thirty-Seven: Hold Me

The journey home consisted of silence. Tess was not allowed in Austin's car with Darrick, instead having to ride with her mother and Brian, her mother fussing over Tess at every second of the journey like any mother would. Holding her daughter close to her chest and running fingers through the locks of her strawberry blonde hair, Tess felt somewhat comforted by her mother's touch in that moment, knowing she actually cared so much. Tess spent most her days never seeing her mother and to see her so worried made her heart warm, curling into every touch and enjoying the attention she received

Tess didn't want to be anywhere near Austin in that moment, couldn't bare even breathing the same air as the other boy after what he'd said to her at Lennys. Austin had tried to apologise, had quickly rushed to her side to explain but she couldn't listen. Didn't want to see his face or hear what he had to say. Tess couldn't even bring herself to be near Darrick, who had stood nearby to watch over her once she'd left the human hospital, moving to greet her but was instead told by Brian to step back. It made her heart ache seeing the expression that came across Darrick face, frowning as he quietly stepped back away from his tiny girlfriend . Tess had wanted to reach out and tell him it was okay, but was too scared to even look up at him. The thought of giants made her want to curl into a tight ball. Ever since she left that hospital she simply wanted to be with her mother, falling into her arms as if she were ten years old child again and cried into her shoulder. To be with a human is all she craved.

Curling into her mother's arms now in the car, she found herself frowning as she looked at her arm which still ached painfully with every bump the car drove over. Avoiding eye contact with Brian who sat fuming behind the wheel, having called the police station and give them an ear full on when they were arresting and charging Lenny. Tess hid herself against her mother til they arrived home and continued to hold her as was carried into the giant home and up to her house. Brian had come to the decision to move her small house out of Austin's room, where Austin tried to argue that he could be trusted, but was instead ignored as her home was moved to the small downstairs office by the living room. Tess didn't argue, too tired and in pain, actually agreeing with Brian to moving her home to the office, not wanting anything to do with Austin or be anywhere near him for that matter. Let alone live in the same room.

By the time she had arrived home, night had fallen and enveloped the small town in a blanket of darkness. Now placed upon the desk, she saw the porch light was on, and the familiar yellow glow made the house feel warm and inviting after being kept in a cage living like an animal for the past two days. The metal of the doorknob was cool against her palm and she twisted it with ease, entering the well-lit living room of her house and limping inside. An overwhelming warmth spread through her body and she felt like sinking to the ground at the sight of the home before her, never realising how lucky she really had it. Once settled, Brian left to make her food giving her time to relax inside, to gather her thoughts and finally have some peace and quiet by herself.

Tess didn't waste a second to hurry into bed, pulling the covers over her head and curling into a tight ball to hide from the world. Letting her body sink into the softness of the sheet like sitting upon a heavenly cloud. She laid like this til her mother would come up join her for dinner, bringing up bowls of steaming soup to eat inside her human home at the kitchen table for the first time ever. Never seeming to eat in the human home because they'd always had a place at the giant table, where she could imagine Brian and Austin were eating together now.

Tess appreciated the silence as she drank her soup, the food warming her stomach and making her want to fall back to sleep. Each mouthful tasting heavenly. After dinner with her mother, Margaret went to wash up in the human sink since she'd be staying the night in the guest bedroom, while Tess found herself wandering aimlessly to her room, finding herself in the bathroom realising she was craving a shower.