Chapter 18
After the cab arrived I told him to head back to Annie's place. I threw an extra $20 and told him to make good time. He gave me a dirty look as I got in though, no doubt looking over my swollen eye and broken nose, along with a shirt covered in blood and wondered if he was making the right choice. After I threw up the money though he dropped the meter and took off. We only made one pit stop, at a pharmacy where I loaded up on smokes, a bottle, and some fresh medical supplies, before arriving at Annie's place.
I checked my watch and noted that it was not quite 11:30 yet, a few hours before Annie would be off. I breathed a small sign of relief in the fact that I could try to clean up better and maybe dissuade the inevitable shit storm that Annie would have at my appearance. I walked up the stairs to Annie's place and got out my key, sliding it in and popping open the door. I set my things on the counter and gingerly shrug out of my coat. I was reaching for a glass out of the sink when the bathroom door opened, and Annie came out wearing just a towel. Shit.
She took one look at my face and ran over, running her fingers gently over the wounds and telling me that I needed a hospital in between a litany of curse words so blue that it would make Scarface himself blush. She ushered me into the bathroom and helped me get my shirt off. I watched as tears formed in the corners of her eyes as she looked at the trail of black and purple welts that ran along my side. I told her that I was okay, but that just pissed her off more so I let her yell at me and minister my wounds. I winced as she dabbed alcohol on my eye and nose, cleaning them with a gentle touch. It always amazed me how someone who looked so hard and tough, was so soft inside when she let it show.
After 20 minutes of doting, she ran a hot bath and helped me off with my pants. I could have done it I'm sure, but this was another one of those times I instinctively knew to let her stay in charge. She told me to soak in the tub and after a few minutes, she came in with a glass of scotch and a handful of pain medication, the good stuff apparently. I looked at her as she set them on the bathroom sink, the towel had grown a little loose around her and a bit more of her breasts appeared out of the top than before. I could see her tattoo's glisten with a slight sheen and smell her shampoo whenever she got close. This was one of the moments that always made us come closer, saving the other person. I took the pills she gave me and downed the contents of the glass in one shot, feeling that splendid warm burn at the back of my throat. As Annie placed the glass on the sink, her back to me, I reached out and pulled her back into the tub. She landed with a yelp of surprise and a stifled curse as I gently kissed her lips, muttering softly about how lucky I was to love someone like her.
End of Line.
Gerrad!
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