before Jack’s worn black soaks. She peered down at his big naked toe poking out of the fabric.
“Jack, your eyes sure look like they could do with a clean.” She walked to the side of the bed and placed the dish on the bedside table. “If you don’t mind of course.” She perched on the edge of the mattress, and almost instantly his eyes hit hers.
She found her view stuck to him, and it was impossible for her not to melt from within. His beautiful dark brown eyes that used to send her wild as a teen, still had the same effect. His dark unruly hair she used to toy with. And his lips, pink, and in need of her kiss. She was blushing like a beacon with so many passions coming back to her. There was a doubt, that maybe he would recognise her. But now, she could see what an empty man he was. He didn’t recognise her at all.
“Go ahead,” he said in a sombre tone as he turned away.
Nell coughed lightly to release all that tight tension. If she continued to flare up around him in such a way, she might give something away. Or, he would probably just think her peculiar. Nonetheless, she had to remain professional.
She softly dabbed at the flaky blisters and hit a raw spot. He winced, bolted upright, and grabbed her wrist, firm. He gazed at her with a puzzled frown. Nell gasped out nearly knocking the dish over.
“Have we met before?”
“No Jack,” Nell lied, wiggling her hand against his hold.
He released his grip and closed his eyes remorsefully. “I’m so, so sorry.” He gulped down his Adams apple. “My head is all messed up, and… and…”
“It’s okay Jack.” Nell grew upset, and accidently let a tear fall out of her eye.
“Hey,” he shuffled up on his pillows. “Look, I am really sorry.”
Promptly she calmed herself, and offered him a half-smile. “It’s understandable Jack. You’ve been through hell’s fire,” she said with a sigh. “All these men have. You’ll recover before you know it.”
Nell tidied up the swabs and opted not to use the ointment. She wanted to get away from him in case she burst into tears.
“And you’re right,” he said in a more cheery tone. “I’m going to stop whining like a baby. Jeez, I’m still here, and we’re winning the war. I should be grateful. On top of the world,” he roared a little too loud.
It was all right there for her to see. The eighteen year old youth in him coming to the surface. The carefree, positive, the funny side, tugging on all her heartstrings.
“Jack… shush.”
“Again, I’m sorry… head injury.” He shrugged his shoulders with pursed lips. “Mood swings,” he grinned sweetly.
“Right, I’ve done.” Nell stood quickly, picking up the dish and teacup from the bedside table.
“Thank you,” he called after her as she made a swift escape.
It was so hard for Nell. His presence made her feel young all over again. How could she go on when she knew the truth; keeping his identity from him, lying to herself?
***
Nell spent her lunchbreak alone in the green tiled bathroom, trying to figure out what to do next. The twenty minutes she had to eat, was being spent weeping erratically. That was until Teresa burst through the door looking for her. Nell held a paper towel under her eyelid and sniffed.
“Nell, let me see what he did to you,” she angrily gestured her fingers at Nell’s reflection.
Nell let the towel drop to show the tiny blue bruise on her cheekbone that her tears had exposed. It wasn’t as in your face as some of the bruises she had received off Alistair. It was small; the size of a ha’penny.
“You’re a mess and have been all morning Nell,” Teresa rubbed Nell’s arm. “You need a place to stay, my door is always open for you.” Nell thought it very sweet, so much so she began to sob again. “Stop it Nell… god I’m sorry, but you husband is a nasty piece of work.” She pulled Nell into her arms,
“Jack, your eyes sure look like they could do with a clean.” She walked to the side of the bed and placed the dish on the bedside table. “If you don’t mind of course.” She perched on the edge of the mattress, and almost instantly his eyes hit hers.
She found her view stuck to him, and it was impossible for her not to melt from within. His beautiful dark brown eyes that used to send her wild as a teen, still had the same effect. His dark unruly hair she used to toy with. And his lips, pink, and in need of her kiss. She was blushing like a beacon with so many passions coming back to her. There was a doubt, that maybe he would recognise her. But now, she could see what an empty man he was. He didn’t recognise her at all.
“Go ahead,” he said in a sombre tone as he turned away.
Nell coughed lightly to release all that tight tension. If she continued to flare up around him in such a way, she might give something away. Or, he would probably just think her peculiar. Nonetheless, she had to remain professional.
She softly dabbed at the flaky blisters and hit a raw spot. He winced, bolted upright, and grabbed her wrist, firm. He gazed at her with a puzzled frown. Nell gasped out nearly knocking the dish over.
“Have we met before?”
“No Jack,” Nell lied, wiggling her hand against his hold.
He released his grip and closed his eyes remorsefully. “I’m so, so sorry.” He gulped down his Adams apple. “My head is all messed up, and… and…”
“It’s okay Jack.” Nell grew upset, and accidently let a tear fall out of her eye.
“Hey,” he shuffled up on his pillows. “Look, I am really sorry.”
Promptly she calmed herself, and offered him a half-smile. “It’s understandable Jack. You’ve been through hell’s fire,” she said with a sigh. “All these men have. You’ll recover before you know it.”
Nell tidied up the swabs and opted not to use the ointment. She wanted to get away from him in case she burst into tears.
“And you’re right,” he said in a more cheery tone. “I’m going to stop whining like a baby. Jeez, I’m still here, and we’re winning the war. I should be grateful. On top of the world,” he roared a little too loud.
It was all right there for her to see. The eighteen year old youth in him coming to the surface. The carefree, positive, the funny side, tugging on all her heartstrings.
“Jack… shush.”
“Again, I’m sorry… head injury.” He shrugged his shoulders with pursed lips. “Mood swings,” he grinned sweetly.
“Right, I’ve done.” Nell stood quickly, picking up the dish and teacup from the bedside table.
“Thank you,” he called after her as she made a swift escape.
It was so hard for Nell. His presence made her feel young all over again. How could she go on when she knew the truth; keeping his identity from him, lying to herself?
***
Nell spent her lunchbreak alone in the green tiled bathroom, trying to figure out what to do next. The twenty minutes she had to eat, was being spent weeping erratically. That was until Teresa burst through the door looking for her. Nell held a paper towel under her eyelid and sniffed.
“Nell, let me see what he did to you,” she angrily gestured her fingers at Nell’s reflection.
Nell let the towel drop to show the tiny blue bruise on her cheekbone that her tears had exposed. It wasn’t as in your face as some of the bruises she had received off Alistair. It was small; the size of a ha’penny.
“You’re a mess and have been all morning Nell,” Teresa rubbed Nell’s arm. “You need a place to stay, my door is always open for you.” Nell thought it very sweet, so much so she began to sob again. “Stop it Nell… god I’m sorry, but you husband is a nasty piece of work.” She pulled Nell into her arms,
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