Sarah was wheeled into the operation theater.Beth was restless and antsy. Brian had showed up with a few snacks, but she couldn't eat. She wasn't sure she could keep anything down. The closest she had gotten to relaxing was sitting with her feet rapping against the floor in quick successions.After six solid hours of anxiety, the doctor finally came out to give Beth good news. The surgery was successful. Sarah was wheeled into a recovery room. Being the fighter that she was, Sarah smiled and laughed even when the doctor and everyone else told her to take it easy. After spending some time with her, Brandon, Sherlie, and Brian stepped out to allow Beth some alone time with her."I always loved it when you sang to me,"Sarah croaked out. Beth laughed. "I haven't sang in a long time, mamma.""You have been too busy. Showcase your talent to your mamma. Please?"Smiling down at her mom, Beth nodded. "Okay."Sarah listened with a gentle smile on her face as Beth's melodious voice filled her
"This is amazing!" She whisper yelled."Shall I play you some music, Elizabeth?""Can you?!""I can. Please, select an option."On the screen, there appeared options upon options of different genres. From reggae, to classical, to jazz, to classical jazz, to hip hop, to country... Even gospel and italian music! With her mouth wide open, she looked up to Brandon.He pointed at her open mouth."I don't know what to say.""You can start by declaring me the best gift giver the world has ever known.""I feel so... So honoured. Wh-- you-.... I don't know what to say," she stuttered, going to wrap her arms around him. "Thank you. Thank you so, so much. I..."He tipped her chin up and pecked her lips."You're welcome." Before she could run off to work, Jackie called and flamboyantly gave her the day off. Deliriously happy and at peace with herself, Beth proceeded to drag everyone into the woods to play with water balloons. Sarah decided to hold onto the pomeranian puppy and the buckets of wat
Minutes later, Beth appeared with her bag in her hand and a smiling Jackie following behind her."Go off with your man now. You take care of my girl, okay?" Jackie waved them off. As they drove off, Brandon asked,"Why are you so quiet?"Beth sent him a glance. "What do you have against a girl and her silence?""You never pass up a chance to bug me. What's up?""Nothing. Just tired. Where are we going?""Are you okay? You've been looking a little pale since yesterday.""Pale?" She chuckled like he was a gibberish speaking baby. "How?""You skin looked flushed.""Flushed? Nah, I'm just tired. I'll be fine."Are you sure?""Yup. Where are we going?""Where do you want to go?"Beth shrugged, feeling a headache coming on."How about I teach you to game?""Hm?""Video games at my place."Beth instantly sat straighter. "Like a PS game?"He nodded. She suddenly beamed with excitement. As they went on, Brandon noticed that the further they drove, the droopier Beth got. Brandon's worry went up
The next morning, Beth woke up and after taking a bath and brushing her teeth, she turned on her phone. Fielding all the messages from the others, she went straight to her mom's. Sarah's third voicemail left her heart pounding and her entire body tightening with fear. Retrieving nothing, she immediately bolted out of the room and out of the hotel. Brandon pushed past the crowd in front of Beth's house like a mad man. His eyes were stuck on the building ablaze in front of him. Thick smoke darkened the clouds. He felt the hands of the Police officers and Brian around him, but he kept fighting. He had to. Beth's house was on fire. 'Elizabeth, I'm choking. I-I think I left the stove turned on earlier. I'm going to ch-eck. Where are you? C--call me as soon as you get this.' Sarah's strangled voice kept ringing in Beth's head. The voicemail was sent a little over an hour ago. She had called over and over again, but it had gone straight to voicemail. "Please, go faster," she hassled the
As Beth walked down the lonely road with her hoodie up to avoid the stares of people, she turned off her phone and shoved it in her pocket. Sherlie had stayed away from Brian because of her, and for as long as she remained there, Sherlie would continue to avoid people till Beth was ready to be around them. Beth wasn't ready, but she wasn't going to wait till she was. She couldn't risk causing issues in Sherlie's life. She refused to cause a rift between Sherlie and Brian. She couldn't cause that too. If only she had gone home... If only she had left the hotel sooner...If only she had blown Brandon off from the start...If only Brandon hadn't bet on her...Why? Why was her life so sorrowful? Why did she attract pain wherever she went? Sherlie didn't think so. Brian didn't believe it. Her mom used to call her a blessing.... Her father had always called her his bright light in darkness... But light didn't kill. Sherlie. Brian. Brandon. Her mom... If only they knew. If only they k
"I can-""Shh." He rose his eyes to hers, then looked down to the angry finger imprints around her neck. She watched as the simmering anger in his eyes boiled over. Bowing her head in resignation, she let him wash her in her bra and panties. In that moment, she didn't care. Her mind wandered. She drifted in and out of her body, remembering words that cut through her, and images that caused her heart to pound against her ribcage. When a hand landed on her shoulder, she flinched, spun around, and instantly cried out in pain."Fuck, I'm sorry. I'm sorry."Her knees buckled. He caught her and with his arms around her waist, helped her out of the shower cubicle. In the bathroom's front space, he draped her in a towel and led her into the room. Handing her a robe, he briefly left the room for her to put it on, and to hand Lola over to the vet who'd come at his beckoning. Knocking twice, he stepped back into the room, holding a cup of grape juice. Beth sat on the bad, ramrod straight. Sitting
She forced air into her lungs and held it before slowly letting go. After repeating the procedure a few more times, her racing heart began to slow down. Her lungs didn't feel as tight."That's right, baby girl. Breathe in and out. Good," Brandon spoke in her ear.She looked to Brandon with tired eyes and whispered, "I'm sorry." Brandon watched Beth's eyes close as she fell asleep. Sherlie and Brian who had been stood at her room's door watching the whole ordeal, followed Brandon after he partially left the door open and went to the living room.Unable to sit, Brandon began pacing the length of the living room."I have never seen Beth that scared before. Ever." As he ranted, he racked his brain. What could have possibly made her react like that? She had looked so scared and helpless. She was plain terrified. With a puzzled look on his face, Brian pulled out a dining chair and lowered onto it. Sherlie stood with her back against the wall, deep in thought."What happened before we came i
Brandon went quiet, darting his eyes from one of hers to the other. Because I am stuck in love with you. "Well, because...." He trailed a finger down her face. ".... Because you are my Elizabeth, and I adore you. You and all your craziness," he said, making a face at the last part that made her laugh. His heart lifted at the sound of her laughter. "I feel..." She exhaled with a smile on her face. "I feel better. So much more better. Thank you, Brandon. Thank you." "Thank you for talking to me." "You have done more smiling and shown more emotions today than I have ever seen you show in public," she teased. "Has Brandon Wade gone soft?" His expression changed. He feigned a military look so quickly, she blinked in surprise. "Don't push it." She threw her head back and cackled. Hiding a giddy smile, he got out of bed and began for the door. "Come get breakfast," he called out behind him. Once he was at the doors she called to him. He turned around to look at her. "Don't take a