Page 86 of Whispers of My Skin

“We’ll get through this together. The four of us. We’re family now, so you won’t be alone. Joel and I will be here for you and Camille.”

She doesn’t say anything else, just hugs me tightly and cries. When her tears eventually dry up, she begs for forgiveness.

“I have to talk to your husband,” she says. “I have to tell Joel how sorry I am, tell him that I...”

“That won’t be necessary, Mom. He understands it was down to Oscar’s influence.”

Out of the corner of my eye I see my husband’s face on the other side of the room, and I know he will be there for them too. He is part of my family and we will all pull together.

And so eventually my mother leaves to collect Camille, having agreed that once we’re discharged, they’ll stay with us at Redlands for a few days until the dust settles.

Seems like things are definitely changing around here.

Changing for the better.

“You are so stubborn,” I inform my husband when we’re finally alone together in bed at Redlands the next day. “Stubborn like a mule.”

My husband was such a pain in the ass at the hospital while we were monitored overnight, I think the doctors were relieved they could discharge us the following morning, although they would have preferred to have kept Joel in for another twenty-four hours. He was the worst patient in history, insisting they took care of me first, despite his injuries being more serious, refusing to let go of my hand the entire time. They even had to take us down for the x-rays together.

Only when he was certain I was okay did he allow them to treat him. He had some nasty cuts, bruises, two cracked ribs, plus a deep gash on his scalp. His doctor was surprised that he didn’t have a concussion, and joked about him having a very thick skull.

My crazy numbskull husband.

Just when I think I can’t love him anymore than I already do, he does something to make me fall even harder. And every time he’s there to catch me, to give me the wings I need to fly alongside him.

“Couldn’t wait to get out of that fucking hospital. I just want to be here with you, that’s all I need,” he answers, smiling as he reaches out his hand to intertwine his fingers with mine.

“You’re not Superman, you know that?”

“Who says?” he whispers, tugging me closer.

I almost fall on top of him, and cling on to the headboard stop myself, because Joel is still badly bruised, very sore, plus he has two cracked ribs. So, as much as we might want to, we’re both tired, achy, with bodies covered in proof of yesterday’s turbulent events, so neither of us is up to whatever’s going on in that hard-as-hell head of his.

“Your poor swollen face needs more ice, Joel.” His swollen, black eye and his tightly strapped chest remind me of how close I was to losing him. Again. But forever this time.

“Who cares about my face?” he winks his good eye. “Trust me, all the important parts are in perfect working order, that I can assure you.”

I laugh, and roll my eyes.

“You’re thinking about that, right now? You have a one-track mind, you do know that, right?”

“What can I say? I can’t help it. Whenever my beautiful wife is nearby, I can’t think of anything else.”

“Well you’re going to have to figure out a way to think of other things,” I say sitting up in bed beside him. “Because there are things I want to know, and I want the whole truth from you this time.”

“Oh dear God, Tara, no!” he groans and lies back.

“Yes, Joel. I’m taking this opportunity to finally get to the bottom of things, since you’re laid up in bed, you can’t escape and I won't let you distract me.”

“I have a much better idea. Let’s compromise. I’ll take off your nightgown, then I’ll just lie back and let you ride me, cowgirl style. But I promise you it’ll be real good ride.” He tries to waggle his eyebrows at me in his usual seductive manner, but it doesn’t quite come off thanks to all his cuts and bruises.

“Don’t!” I warn when he reaches for the edge of my nightie to make good on his promise. “Joel, I mean it. I’m being serious here. I want to know.”

He sighs, knowing he’s defeated.

“What do you want to know?”

“Why were you arrested because of me?”

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