In the Stars (30 page)

“I love you too, Raleigh. I love all of you, and it means so much to me to have such loving people here for me—now and always.”

After some time, Adam and Tara have left together, and the doctor comes in to talk with me once more before releasing me. I have a busted blood vessel in my eye and a knot on the side of my head. I am going to have one hell of shiner and several headaches, but there was no signs of another concussion. No one, as of right now, will give me details on Scott’s injuries—basically just that Scott is the asshole’s name, and that he is being moved to a cell later today.

Raleigh is still sitting beside me on the bed, and Mom is standing outside the curtain, talking some more with the doctor. The curtain slides to the side, and there he stands with his hands in tight fist by his sides and wrinkles on the sides of his emerald eyes where he is squinting them so tightly. I don’t know why the sight of Eric has me crying again, but suddenly the sobs are just uncontrollably leaving me.

His hands relax by his side, and he takes two large steps over to me, taking me gently into an embrace against his chest and softly stroking the back of my hair. “Oh Caroline, shhh it’s ok. I swear to you, that piece of shit will never touch you again. My jurisdiction or not, I am going to make sure his ass gets everything he deserves.” I pull back slightly, and look up and see Mom standing inside the curtain, looking confused, and Raleigh has her hand up toward her shaking her head back and forth, stopping Mom from walking further.

I look at Eric’s shoulder where my face was just resting, and start wiping at the wet marks I have left trailed all over his shirt. He lightly takes my chin, raising my eyes to his. “Leave it Caroline; please just leave it. Are they releasing you now?”

Raleigh hands me another tissue, and I wipe my face clean before speaking. “Yes; Mom and Raleigh are taking me to my house. They aren’t too happy I am not coming home with them, but I don’t want to run away from my life and give him any satisfaction if possible.”

He gives me a weak smile, and then his fingers lightly caress my cheek. “My brave girl. Do you all mind if I follow behind you? I know officers are supposed to stop by and speak with Caroline some more. They have been pretty busy with the assailant, and the guys that stepped in to help, so they haven’t gotten back with Caroline yet. I would like to be there when they talk with her again; if that is ok with all of you.” Everyone looks over at me, waiting for a response as I just shake my head yes.

Eric helps me out to my mom’s car, and Raleigh climbs into the back.

As soon as we pull into the drive, Tara and Adam step out of the house. Adam gives Tara and I each a quick hug, and then heads for his car. Eric gives him a quick stern look, but quickly turns his attention back to me.

Even though Scott never had a chance to touch me in that way, I can’t help but feel dirty. Everyone gives me a look of sorrow as they let me go wash the filth I feel away. When I walk back into the living room, they are all sitting around talking. Mom comes over to me with the first smile I have seen on her face all day, and leads me toward the couch.

Eric has a laptop set up on the island, and he shuts it as I come walking by, and he reaches out and lightly squeezes my hand. I can feel the automatic pull of comfort with that one little touch from him. They have my pillow and a blanket set up on the couch, and I settle in. I’ve never been so thankful for a room full of people. Everyone tries to pamper me with anything they can do for me, or get for me.

After several minutes, there is a knock at the door. Eric answers it, and two officers come walking in. One is a short, yet broad shouldered female, and the other is an average height, very broad, all over male. I notice for the first time as Eric is standing by the door, that he has his badge and gun on his belt. He must have come here from work, and my gratitude for his presence increases.

After several questions to me from the officers, as well as several questions from Eric back at them, they finally leave. All eyes were on me when asked if I want to press charges. I didn’t hesitate at all with a “yes”. I found out that Scott actually had rope and a knife in his pockets. The guys that saved me gave Scott a broken nose and two broken ribs. Eric had also been doing his own research, and told me about a prior charge from Scott’s High School days by another female against him for rape. She dropped the charges once the court case actually started, changing her statement to consensual.

Everyone has grown very weary again, and all this news just attacks me all over with the seriousness of the whole day. I can’t bring myself to eat anything throughout, and mom tries to stay the night here with me. I convince her that I will be fine, and she really should go home to Mark and explain everything to him. Raleigh rode here with my mom, and, even though she protests, I convince her to leave with Mom so she isn’t riding back alone.

Eric comes to sit on the couch beside me and takes my ankles, placing my feet on his lap; rubbing my feet the same way he did before. Once again, his touch and presence are an instant warmth and comfort to me. “I know this won’t be easy, Caroline, but I’m glad you are pressing charges. Assholes like that can’t keep getting away with this shit. Trust me when I say I will do everything in my power to make sure of that. I don’t want to see you, or Tara, walking alone any more, though. You might also start getting sick of seeing me around, because, like it or not, you two are going to be seeing a lot more of me around here.”

A smile spreads across my face, and, even though I won’t tell him, the thought of having him here more makes me feel safe and very warm inside.

Tara walks over and leans in, giving Eric a hug. “I already talked to Caroline about working out our schedules to make sure we are always with someone else. For once Eric, I think I really am going to appreciate your over baring company over me. Thank you for everything.”

Eric looks up at Tara, and gives her a big smile. “Didn’t think I would ever hear that from you, Tara, and no need to thank me; I want to be here. I’m just sorry this situation is the reason I am needed.”

Tara sits down beside Eric, and leans her head on his shoulder. He leans over, kissing the top of her head, and then looks back over at me. “Eric, I really appreciate you coming here today. You were great with all the questioning and it just means a lot to me. I…. I just feel really secure, and after this day all this right now just somehow feels so right.” Eric is just staring at me with that same look in his eyes—there is so much he wants to say, yet he won’t.

I feel my eyes starting to get heavy, as Eric continues rubbing on my feet and ankles. The weight of the day’s stress bringing my eyelids down. I feel the blanket rising up further on me, and I look up to see Tara looking over me. “I really am tired, Tara, but I think I’d rather sleep in my bed. Would you mind coming to lay down with me, though? Sorry if that sounds strange; I just still don’t feel like being alone.”

Tara reaches out her hand to help me up. “Caroline, that isn’t strange; if that is all you ask of me, of course I will be here for you.”

I look over at Eric, and he looks reluctant as he gently lifts my feet from his lap and places them on the floor. “Thank you again, Eric, for everything. I guess I will be seeing you again soon?” As soon as these words leave me, I can’t help the feeling of contentment that runs through me with knowing I will be seeing him again soon.

He reaches up, brushing a strand of hair behind my ear. “I want to be here for you, Caroline; you don’t have to thank me. Yes, I will see you soon. I have a few more things I want to look into, if you two don’t mind, and then I will head out.”

We are all standing now, and Tara gives Eric a hug and kiss on the cheek. Eric kisses her back, and then turns to me and wraps his arm around my waist and gently pulls me into him. My arms automatically wrap around him, and he brings my head down gently to his chest and strokes my hair down my back a few times. I’m sure I hear him inhale, as he leans down toward me and it causes a shiver to run through me. Eric lets out a sigh, and then releases me. This embrace is the best feeling of belonging I have ever felt. “You girls try and get some rest. Scott is in jail, and I am going to be sure to keep up to date with his whereabouts; so don’t worry with that.”

ON THURSDAY, I head back to school with Tara in her car. The knot has gone away, and the pain has subsided substantially. My eye looks right out scary, and I know I am going to receive a lot of stares throughout the day. Word has spread across the school of what happened. Scott is out on bail, and at his parent’s home, but he isn’t allowed back on campus at all.

Tara walks with me to my class, and Matt meets her by my door so they can walk to their class together. They have been out a few more times, but she really doesn’t talk about him often. As they turn and walk away, I notice him reach over and take Tara’s hand into his. Tara looks down at their entwined fingers, and tucks her hair with her other hand, and then looks back straight ahead.

Throughout class, I notice several stares in my direction, but no one invades me with questions. The girl that I always sit by is overly talkative and nice to me this time, but she is decent enough not to bring anything up. When the class is over, I stand and start to walk down the aisle, and a sudden surge of confidence and strength hits me. This is my life, and I am going to live it. I will be damned if I let what Scott is capable of, or anyone else for that matter, allow me to stop feeling free, and end up living in fear.

I step out the door, standing tall with a smile plastered across my face. I look from side to side to see if Adam has made it to walk with me to lunch yet. Who I see, instead, has my smile spreading even wider. Eric pushes off of the wall, and walks up to me with a genuine smile of his own. I feel the tingle that always seems to accompany Eric run through me.

“Hey Eric; what are you doing here? I know, from the three phone calls Tara and I received yesterday from you, that you worked all day and night yesterday. Don’t you ever just sleep and relax?”

Eric’s smile falls, and he now looks irritated. “I’m sorry. Are you disappointed to see me, Caroline? I saw and met that Adam guy that was waiting here for you. I sent him off, so I could talk and walk with you instead. Does that upset you; should I go find and bring him back for you?”

I scrunch my eyebrows together, looking at Eric and trying to figure out his mood. I’m sure that it isn’t so, but I really sense he is acting jealous over Adam. I reach up and loop my arm through Eric’s, around his bicep, and start walking. “Trust me; I will see Adam a plenty. He has become a really great friend over the past month. Come on bodyguard, I was just headed to lunch. Are you hungry?”

Eric looks down at our arms linked together and then back up at me with a smile. Of course, I smile back. “Damn, I missed that dimple. What is it about you and that damn dimple that wipes away all my irrationalness? I would love to have lunch with you, Caroline. Where would you like to go?”

“Well, I’m supposed to meet Tara and Adam in the cafeteria, but I can let them know if you’d rather go somewhere else.”

“I’ll send Tara a text, letting her know I got you. Do you have any more classes today?”

“No, but I do have work tonight, and a couple more assignments to catch up on, even though I did most of them yesterday while sitting at home.”

“Then I am going to extend my body guarding duties to a full day service today. I can even take you back and forth to work if you want.”

“Eric, we don’t close until ten tonight, and then I have to help close up. You really need to try and sleep some.” He opens the door to his truck for me, and reaches down, grasping my hips and lifting me into my seat again. I turn toward him “Eric, you know I am capable of getting up into your truck on my own; don’t you? I’m not some small child.”

Eric takes hold of my legs, turning them back forward in my seat. “Trust me, Caroline, when I say by no means do I see you as a small child. This way is just more fun; now buckle up.”

I can’t help but smile, and of course buckle up as I’m told. Eric takes me to a barbecue restaurant, and we sit in a small booth, eating and talking easily with one another. He has never talked so much to me before, and it feels really good to have him actually telling me about himself some. Several times, I catch my hand on its own accord starting to slide across the table toward his, and I have to force myself to pull it back quickly each time. That undeniable draw I get every time I’m close to Eric is back full on, and my body and mind are once again wrestling with one another. A couple different times, I notice Eric looking toward my injured eye, and each time I see pure rage run through his features, but then he quickly shakes it away.

Eric drives me back to my place and turns off his truck, coming around and helping me out. He reaches into the back seat, and grabs my bags—and his laptop bag as well. He starts to walk toward the front door, and looks back at me with a questionable look. “You coming, Caroline, or what? I have my own key to the place, so I can just use mine.”