“You guys stop,
it is ok. I am fine. I am alive. I mean yeah it sucks that I’m here, but I’m
fine so please stop freaking out.”
“Yeah
guys, our Sophia is
a trooper.” Connor winks at me and I
start laughing.
“Alright
everyone, visiting hours are over, come back tomorrow before Sophia is
released,” my dad tells everyone. He looks at the balloon and stuffed animals
Connor is carrying. “Someone will have to help carry the gift shop out.” We all
look over at Connor and burst out laughing. I am lucky to have great family and
friends. “Thank you everyone for being here for my daughter.”
Everyone says
goodbye and I start to feel sleepy again. Adam is the last person in the room
and he sits down next to me. “I will be here first thing tomorrow morning. I
promise.” He gives me a light kiss, “Dream of me tonight.”
I reach out my
arms for him. When he wraps them around me, I hold him tight. “I’ll miss you.”
“I’ll miss you
too.” He strokes my face and gives me another kiss. “Sleep tight. I’ll see you
in the morning.”
“Night
Adam.”
When he leaves
the room, I realize it is just me. A part of me feels sad. I hate being alone
in the dark. I lie on my side and look out the window. The moon is shining in
my room. I sigh. I think about everything that has happened and pull my knees
up to my chest. I’m tired of running and being scared, this has to come to an
end. I
have
to be strong. Kyle will
not
win. I close my eyes and
fall in a deep sleep.
Unexpectedly I
feel eyes on me. I turn over on my back and look up. Kyle’s at the end of my
bed staring at me. How in the hell did he get in past the nurses and my dad? I
look around the room and then back at Kyle. Even through the darkness, I can
see his malicious expressions. His darkness is screaming at me. I need to do
something. I push myself up and keep my eyes locked onto his. “Kyle…” I press
the call button. “You need to get out now.” My voice is calm which surprises
me. I can do this. I need to do this.
Kyle walks over
to me, taking small strides. “Sophia, I miss you.” I frantically press the
button. Where in the hell is everyone? Kyle is getting closer. Fuck it! I start
to scream but his hand covers my mouth. “You need to listen to me. I am sorry
about this but I can’t let you go.” All of a sudden, Kyle lifts his hand off my
mouth and runs out of the room. I start screaming again and see my dad and
Nancy
run in. “Honey, what is wrong?”
“Daddy!
Kyle!” I point to the door and pull the
covers up to my face. This seriously cannot be happening again. I do not want
to deal with this bullshit anymore. I want to move on and live my life,
our
life.
I just want to go home with Adam.
My dad turns
around to look at the door. He pulls his hands through his hair and I see his
shoulders slump down. “
Nancy
, call security now and have the hospital locked down. Find
him!”
Nancy
runs out of the room. My dad comes over
to me and brings me into his arms. “Oh Sophia, are you ok? Did he hurt you?”
“No, no I’m ok.
Daddy when will this all be over?” I cry into my dad’s shoulder and start
hyperventilating.
“
Shhhh
, honey, It is going to be ok.” I fall asleep with his
encouraging words. It will all work out in the end.
The next morning
I wake up and see my dad sleeping on the chair beside me. I feel safe again but
still scared. I am not sure what Kyle is capable of doing but I know he will
not stop until he gets what he wants. My dad said I will be released from the
hospital today, and I am glad to be out of here and with Adam again. I smile
just thinking about how we have been and how wonderful he has been toward me.
“Morning, Daddy.”
My dad starts to
wake up. “Morning, how are you?”
I turn my head
to him. “I’m alright, ready to go?”
“I know honey.
Let me go talk to Dr. Hendricks and we should be leaving shortly.”
I start to get
comfortable again when Adam comes in my room. He is dressed in fitted jeans and
a dark gray shirt. He looks so sexy and I cannot wait to go home with him
today. “Hey baby, how are you feeling?”
“I’m ok, but you
should probably sit down.” Adam makes his way over to the chair beside my bed
and kisses me on the lips before sitting down. “Kyle came to my room last
night.”
Adam abruptly
gets up and goes over to the window. He pulls out his phone. “He was here last
night. Find him!”
My poor Adam.
I wonder whom he
keeps talking to on the phone. “Adam, who do you keep calling?”
I see his
shoulder slump and he puts his hands on the window. “My dad and I are putting
together some sort of security team for you. I can’t have this happen to you
again.” He turns around with his arms crossed. I don’t want him to do anything
special for me. I’m not a charity case. I feel myself getting mad.
“Adam, just
stop, I don’t need body guards. We will be fine.
Now please come here.” His shoulders hunch
down and I can see the exhaustion throughout his body. He makes his way over to
me again. “I missed you. I can’t wait to go home today.”
“Sophia, I can’t
wait for you to come back either.” He gives me another sweet kiss. God I love
him.
It has been
about two weeks since my release from the hospital. It feels great to be home.
Thoughts of Kyle keep me up when Adam isn’t around. I need to stop letting him
win. I find myself wondering when I will see him again. Will I be alone? Will
he hurt me again? Is he capable of doing more damage? Even with Adam by my
side, I still keep thinking of the worse case scenarios. Adam told me to stop
thinking about him and to be happy that I’m alive. Easy for him to say, but I
don’t fight back. Adam has kept me home and won’t let me out of his sight. I
made up new recipes to try out, and have been baking like crazy. Connor has
been complaining that he has already gained five pounds!
Being with Adam
is helping me but it is still hard to move on. It feels amazing to be in his
arms and to hear him tell me how much he loves me. Adam gives me hope for a
better tomorrow. Each night before we go to bed, he whispers how much he loves
me. We have a sign over our bed that says, “Always kiss me goodnight” and he
does. I have been sleeping in a lot, since I’ve been home, and when I wake up
there is a lily and a note on the nightstand. He has been unbelievably romantic
and I love every moment I spend with him.
“Good morning
beautiful. How are you feeling?” He leans down and gives me a kiss. I start to
blush and smile.
“I’m okay, thank
you.” I roll over and look at the time. It is only seven. I raise my arms over
my head and stretch. I have to do something today or else someone will feel my
wrath! I bend forward and take out my laptop. I power it up and let out a sigh.
“
Soph
, what are you doing?” He sounds annoyed. I flash him a
dirty look and focus on my laptop again.
“Adam, the
presentation is coming up and I need to work on it.” The bruises on my face are
still there, but slowly fading. I still have not left the apartment in fear
Kyle will find me. I’ve had a few nightmares but it has been getting easier.
“I’m not going to let Kyle ruin this for me.”
Adam takes my
hand and sits on the bed. “Baby, everything’s been approved and I took your
presentation to the board. You’re fine, everything is all set.”
I look at him
with such rage and annoyance. I cannot believe he has done this to me. This is
my project! How dare he do this! “Adam! What the hell! I am fully capable of
doing
my
work!” I pull my hand away. “You have no right to do this!”
“Sophia, stop
this now. You are in no condition to be working. I did not do anything wrong. I
took what you did and showed the board. Everyone knows that you did the work
and are very impressed, as they should be. I am trying to protect you. You are
to be working from home, but not until you’ve fully recovered.”
I push him away.
How
could
he do this to me? I am more than capable of getting my work
done. My skin is tingling with irritation. I get up from the bed and pace
around the room. “You can’t do this Adam!” I point my finger at him and wave
him away. “I can work!”
“I’m not doing
this with you right now. Until we find Kyle you are to be with me, Connor or
Erin, do you understand me?” Adam abruptly gets up from the bed and leaves the
room.
God, he makes me
so mad! My cell phone starts ringing. I get it from the nightstand and do not
recognize the number, but I answer the call anyway, thinking it is someone from
the hospital. “Hello?”
There was heavy
breathing on the other line.
“Hello?” I’m
getting impatient and about to hang up when that sinister voice comes on the
line. “Sophia.” The hairs on my arm stand. I stop breathing. I’m frozen. Why
can’t I be strong and get past this?
“Kyle?” I look
out the window of our bedroom. I hear a creak and immediately turn my head
toward the door. I grab onto our comforter and try to remain calm. “What do you
want?”
“For you to
listen to me,” his breathing becomes erratic. I hear him moving and wonder
where he is. “I need you to understand Sophia. I didn’t mean to hurt you.
Please, please listen to me. I need you to meet me outside of your apartment.”
He pauses. He can’t be near the apartment. I’m frantic again. “I’m standing
outside.” Kyle’s pleas are scaring me. I throw the covers off and run to the
window. I look outside the window to see if he is there. I feel eyes on me but
I don’t see him anywhere. I drop the phone and panic. I can’t seem to catch my
breath. I don’t realize how loud I’m crying until Adam and Connor storm in.
Connor picks up
the phone from the ground and Adam takes me in his arms. “Who the hell is this?”
He looks at the phone. “There is no one on the phone.
Soph
who was it?”
I can’t breathe.
I feel a tight hold on my throat and collapse into Adam’s arms. I want to tell
them that Kyle was on the phone but I can’t talk.
“Sweetheart,
look at me.” Adam places his hands on my face and brings it up. “I know you’re
scared but we need to know who called you. Just nod, ok? Was it Kyle?”
I nod.
“Connor, make
sure the doors are secured and tell Jack and the staff to not let Kyle in the
building.” Connor runs out of the room. Adam takes me in his arms and leads me
to the bed. “I am not going to let anything happen to you Sophia. You are my
life. I love you.”
“I’m sorry.” My
voice is raspy and I attempt to curl my lips in a smile.
Adam strokes my
head. “Baby you have no reason to be sorry. I just want you to be safe.”
I feel calm but
still can’t shake the feeling of being scared. I knew Kyle wasn’t going to give
up until he gets me back or kills me. I don’t know why he won’t just leave me
alone.
* * * * *
The next few
days are starting to become unbearable. Adam does not want me going anywhere
without him or Connor. Things are so boring. I tried conferencing him when he
was in the office, so that I could stay on top of the plans for
Optimax
and the products. I do not get how I can work when
I can’t even leave. Apparently going to the office was not a good idea. My dad
wants me to stay home so that no one will see the bruises and Adam agrees. I
hate that everyone is making decisions for me.
Kyle hasn’t
tried contacting me since that day and there hasn’t been anything suspicious
going on. All this paranoia is driving me crazy. Adam controls everything. He
isn’t sleeping at night, and is cranky all the time. Luckily,
Erin
is over all the time so I don’t feel too
alone.
We’re sitting on my bed reading magazines.
Erin
flips on her back and loudly groans.
“Girl you need to eat! You look sick.”
I frown. “I just
haven’t been hungry.” I look at myself in the mirror. I’m in one of Adam’s
shirts and my black crop yoga pants. I am shocked with how I look. “God, I need
to get out of here and get to a spa!”