CHAPTER TWENTY-SEVEN

Chloe’s P.O.V




I followed Hayley to the bathroom and she opened a closet taking out a big fluffy towel and a washcloth passing it to me.

“Okay, shampoo, conditioner and body wash is all right here,” Hayley pointed to the side of the tub.

“Okay, thank you I says placing the towel and the washcloth on the floor where the bath mat is sitting.

“If you want to feel fancier, we have bath bombs and bath salt in that little basket here as well,” She says passing me a basket.

“What’s a bath bomb, does it explode or something, because it sounds pretty dangerous,” I say half smiling.

“Oh, well it sounds destructive, but it's actually very relaxing,” Hayley says with a smile, I started to laugh.

“I bet it is,” I say jokingly.

“Is that sarcasm I’m hearing from you?” Hayley asked slyly.

“Maybe a little,” I say shrugging.

“Okay well, I’ll let you take your shower just leave your clothes out in the hall and I’ll put them away and bring you some PJ’s to wear,” She says laughing at my comment.

“Okay, thank you,” I say, taking off my dress and everything else.

“Woah, wait till I leave,” She says looking away.

“Sorry,” I say, stepping into the shower.

“It's okay,” She says, leaving the bathroom and shutting the door.

I sat down in the tub and put the plug in the drain, I turned on the tap, hot water first and then turned on the cold, just enough so it doesn’t burn my skin.

The heat felt good and my body felt greasy, blood and dirt started to run off my body and I lay back in the water.

I’m so tired, I slowly sank into the water, my face and all as flashbacks of Colby getting shot ran through my head.

Bang, on the ground again.

I jumped bringing my head out of the water choking, every time I closed my eyes he’s being shot again, and again.

I looked down noticing Colby’s blood was on my hands and my body and I couldn’t stifle the scream. 

The blood was pouring from the faucet into the tub and now I’m laying in it.

Suddenly Hayley’s knocking on the door and everything felt like it was underwater, I screamed louder as I couldn’t get out fast enough, I slipped and I went under again.

The next thing I know is I’m being pulled out of the water and I’m in Hayley's arms coughing, choking for air.

“Are you okay?” She asked worriedly.

“His, his blood I’m, I’m laying in it, I need to get out, I need to get out of here,” I stuttered crying.

“Chloe, there's no blood look, just water see?” She asked putting her hand in it and letting it fall through her fingers, not red but clear.

“No, it was there, it was red!” I yelled my hands in my hair.

“Okay, okay, you’re okay now see, I’m right here,” Hayley says, taking my hand.

I cried as I sat up. I can't do this anymore, I want Colby, no I need him and he’s not here. He promised to protect me, I know I’m being selfish but I miss him so much.




“How about I help you tonight?” She asked gently, all I could do was nod.

I sat with my back to her as she lathered up my back and arms with body wash, and then I laid down enough to rinse off my body.




My hair was wet enough from when I laid down before so she took some shampoo and began to wash my hair, I sat with my knees to my chest sniffling.




“How about we get out in a minute and get some food and call it a night?” She asked genuinely.




I nodded laying down and rinsing out my hair.




“Alright now let me go get you some clothes while you dry off okay?” Hayley asked sweetly.

“Okay,” I agreed quietly.




She left closing the door and I got up stepping out of the bath onto the mat as water dripped off of me, was I hallucinating all of what just happened?




Fuck I’m pathetic, I can’t even take a bath on my own; if anyone came and told me that I would be doing all this about a month ago I’d probably think I was being lied to.




Then again when isn’t someone lying to me?




Staring at myself in the mirror still dripping wet, I felt like I was looking at someone else. That the person staring back at me as if it wasn’t my own reflection.




Brown wet hair, blue eyes, pale skin, and very thin, thin enough that you can see my bone structure and can see my ribs.




The door opened and I looked down and noticed a puddle forming on my feet, I sunk into myself more than I already was as she put down the PJ’s and brought a towel around me as she began patting me dry.




“I’m sorry,” I whispered as she helped dry me off.

“For what,” She asked putting the towel over my head to dry my hair.

“For being so pathetic,” I says honestly, my arms limp by my sides.

“Stop calling yourself pathetic, with everything you been through I’d be surprised if you didn’t have PTSD,” She says with a sigh.

“PTSD?” I tested.

“It stands for Post Traumatic Stress Disorder, and it means someone living through trauma and reliving it in their head over and over again,” She explained without me having to ask.

“Oh,” I says thinking, maybe I do have PTSD, but these things happened when I was little too, only sometimes it feels like someone else takes over my head and body, and I’m not controlling it anymore; I decided not to tell her that part.




I yawned and she passed me my clothes and I quickly got dressed, I sat in the living room after she made me a bed on the couch with Colby's duffle bag close on the floor as she went back to the kitchen to make dinner.




The warmth of the fluffy blankets and pillows behind my head made me feel like I was laying on a fluffy cloud, I began to doze off, and soon I fell asleep.




























Colby’s P.O.V







Sitting on the stairs of the deck I had my face against my knees my face red and wet from crying, I sat here for about two hours now and I still can’t believe I forgot about everything.

This place is a dream house. 




I have a beautiful wife, a beautiful daughter, an amazing house; with a beautiful backyard I should be happy, shouldn’t I?




I should but I don’t, I feel like there's something missing, and some part of me doesn’t believe any of this is real.




 The sun is beginning to set and all I have done was sit here trying to remember, but maybe I should stop trying to remember maybe I should just live and it will come back to me.




“Daddy, dinner is all ready,” Addy says behind me, opening the sliding door.

“Alright, I’ll be in, in a second okay?” I called behind me.

“Okay daddy, better hurry before it gets cold!” She says matter of fact.

“I will,” I says sweetly before getting to my feet.




Taking her hand and letting her lead me inside, to the kitchen.




I should just let it go, I’m probably just having a rough day, maybe tonight when I go to bed tonight when I wake up tomorrow I’ll remember everything.




We got to the kitchen, there was a delicious aroma coming from a scalding hot bowl that was placed on the table.




I sat down in the chair Addy brought me to, I smiled at my beautiful wife as she picked up our daughter with a smile.




“You have to eat it all, daddy.” I looked down at the large bowl in front of me.

“I’ll try,” I half-joked honestly this was a lot of soup, I picked up a spoon and dunked it in the hot liquid substance and brought it back up to my lips and gently blew on it to cool it down.




They both watched me from the other side of the table, Addy especially.




“What?” I asked confused as to why I’m being stared at.

“Is it good?” Addy asked nervously.

“I don’t know yet silly,” I answered as I placed the spoon of soup in my mouth and swallowed, it was surprisingly spicy I swallowed back a cough.

“Mm,” I says emphasizing the taste for the girls.

Addy smiled with accomplishment with a small giggle.

“Do you like it?” Addy says with excitement.

“Yes I love it,” I says giving in a little as I took another bite.

“Yay, did you hear him, he loves my soup,” She stuck her tongue out at Chloe.




Chloe gasped in exaggeration in jealousy and Addy laughed.

I snickered as I took another bite, and hissing from the steam and spice.




“Honey can I get a glass of water,” I says half choking and taking a deep breath.

“No!” Addy yelled and folded her arms, god she looks so much like her mother.

“Why not,” I whined still choking.

“Because the spicey’s helps!” She says yelling again.