I woke up to the smell of bacon and eggs and freaked out for a second. I slowly and quietly grab my taser and make my way into the kitchen to be greeted by Ryan cooking breakfast. I watch as he flips the bacon over carefully to avoid grease spatters and as he places the lid back down on the pan. He looked good and I secretly felt bad for forgetting that he stayed with me last night. He held me while i slept and I was so used to sleeping alone again that I forgot he was here. I feel my face flame as I feel the hard,smooth surface of my taser in my hand. It was habit to grab it when I heard a noise. I was that jumpy when he let me go that I actually started sleeping with it under the pillow. He would probably be upset if I told him that.
I start thinking about my first morning after sleeping in a real bed.
I walk downstairs carefully trying not to make any noise and smell bacon and eggs. I smelled maple syrup too but was too scared to actually try to sniff deeper to check it out. I looked around at the foot of the stairs and see a partial wall blocking the kitchen from the living room serving as an island. If I could just get to the front door I'll be set and I can hide in the field across the way and make my way home. If I could pinpoint my way home that is. I have no idea where I was and which direction I would need to take to reach the city. I mean I could hitchhike but that could take too long and I would more than likely have Ryan on my heels if he caught me leaving. I'd never be able to outrun him anyways.
I crouch down under the top of the wall and silently thank the gene gods for my short genes. I really needed to get out of here. This was seriously the only time I was thankful for being short.
"Hey. I hope I didn't wake you up?" Ryan asks effectively pulling me back to the present. I get lost in the past. Sometimes I'll get so caught up in the past that half my day has gone by and I haven't gotten a thing done.
"No. I gotta get to work so I can drop off those manuscripts. Then I gotta talk to Pat." I said quickly. I really don't want him feeling bad about Pat. I mean I wouldn't have gone to a therapist but my Mom pretty much forced me and seeing as how she's paying I may as well.
"Okay." Ryan cuts the stove off and turns to look at me. "You want me to come with you today or wait here? I can come back later after you let me know you're home." He ran his hands through his hair and rubbed the back of his neck. His signature nervous gesture. I couldn't stop my thoughts from wandering to how it would feel if I ran my hands through his hair or how his hands would feel on me.
"Ryan..." I start with apprehension.
"I can go for a while. I have some errands I need to do anyway. It's good." He rubs his hands together as if signaling the discussion done. As if he was mad at me for not wanting him here. I couldn't help it. I didn't want someone to call the cops because they heard someone in my apartment. I couldn't lose him as much as I felt weird admitting it.
"Listen, just because you're scared about being turned in doesn't mean you get to be a dick. I'm the one harboring a criminal. I could be prosecuted too and need I remind you that this is my place and I don't ask you to do anything." I say quickly. "You're acting like you did when I was a hostage you didn't know if you were gonna kill or not. Now if you'll excuse me I'm going to work and my therapist. Clean up and fucking leave." I walk out the front door shutting it a little roughly.
By the time I get to the office I've calmed down and Mark stops me before I can leave.
"Hey Athea?" Mark gently grabs my hand, stopping me from leaving. "I just wanted to check on you and see how you were doing?"
"I'm doing fine ma- sir thank you for asking." I said curtly.
"You're doing a good job on the manuscripts. Are you coming back next week?" His eyes held no hidden agenda. It was only concern.
"I plan to sir. I want to thank you for the time off. It's really helped with everything. I feel much better now than I have since I got back home." I said thinking about Ryan and how I wish I didn't yell at him. He just seemed so mad that I didn't want him hanging around my place today or with me. It's not that I really didn't want him to but I didn't want to take the chance that Mack changed her mind and wouldn't give me warning about what she did. I feel my face redden at the thought of him holding me last night after my nightmare.
"Athea. I- was everything okay with this manuscript?" Mark holds up the manuscript that Ryan helped me change my mind about. I can understand his confusion. He deserves to have some confusion because I'm still confused about it too.
"Well, I had a friend help me with some of the manuscripts last night. He came over for a small dinner I had with my family and other friend." I said which is partially the truth. I mean Ryan did come over but not for the dinner.
"Helped?"
"Well it wasn't necessarily a help. It was more like he read the ones I put an x on and this one caught his attention. He then explained it in a different way so I reread it and had to get you to try to give this author a shot. The way he explained it was that it's like Groundhog Day except it's about the main characters mistakes she made the night she died. She gets a chance to relive that week over and over until she gets it right. When I first read it I was confused because I was a little exhausted from the dinner and the fight I had with my parents."
"Well, sci- fi, fantasy genres aren't what we are really known for."
"I know sir. However I think if you read it and look at the market and other companies you'll see that maybe this might be what we are looking for to get our sales and income to go up. This is a very hot genre. A lot of people are actually reading Star Wars, Star Trek, Lord of the Rings, Harry Potter and all sorts of books like that. Back to the Future is definitely making a comeback. I was thinking if you liked the manuscript we could take a chance and branch out." I said nervously rubbing my hands together. I didn't want to get in trouble for it but I was going to throw it out.
"Okay. I'll take a look. Tell your friend thank you. On your personal life a little bit," Mark started nervously. "If you ever need to talk to me about anything then I'm here as a friend. Not a boss but a friend or confidant if you will." Mark was sitting back in his chair looking somber. He seemed hopeful that I would take him up on his offer. It was appreciate but I wasn't sure how to feel about my boss knowing my personal life.
"Okay. Thank you sir?" I was a little flustered about the offer and kind of confused as to why he would want me to tell him about my life if needed. It made me think of the time that Ryan asked about my life. It was closer to the end and it was weird. I was flustered then too but also at a loss for words. I mean at the beginning he abused me everyday then after four months he wants to get to know me and ask me to talk to him.
"I'll let you go. I hope you have a good day and keep up the good work. You're a very valued employee here." This time I felt like he meant it in less of a boss way and more of a 'I want to be with you' kind of way.
I nod as I exit his office and building entering my therapists building. I sit in the waiting room patiently. Ryan wasn't here. Mack knew about him, and I just yelled at him out of frustration of him seeming mad about me not really wanting him at my place by himself today. I lean my head against the wall behind me and look to see Pat walk a patient out the office before looking at me.