Page 164 of Take My Hand

“Em, she was just invited to a weekend away and didn’t bother turning up.” Liv stabbed a prawn with her fork—her mum always made her lovely lunches.

Sitting back in my seat, I surveyed the canteen, trying to catch sight of Ana, but she’d disappeared. I had a horrible feeling we weren’t going to get back to normal with her any time soon and the truth of acknowledging that fact, made my chest ache.

Chapter Fifty-Nine

Will

Maya gave a disgruntled huff as she tried to get comfy on the sofa. I’d heard the sound a lot already, since the minute she woke up, in fact. When she needed help in the shower, help drying herself, getting dressed, and as she was currently trying to do, get comfy.

“Would a pillow or cushion help?” I asked, aware that I was hovering and had been all day. I wanted to tell myself to stop being like fucking clinging ivy, so I could put money on Maya feeling the same way.

“No.” She put her good hand to her side. “I’m due a painkiller soon.”

Forcing myself to sit down, I gripped the arms of the chair to stop myself from getting back up to help her.

“Do you want it now?”

I heard an almost imperceptible sigh of frustration so, not waiting for a response, pointed the remote at the TV.

“Anything you want to watch?”

“No.”

Short, sharp and snappy.

We were only on day one and things were already feeling tense. Well, Maya was. I was more Mother Hen with a case of serious unease.

“Just say when you want anything, you know pain killers, a drink or?—”

“Yes, Will, I know.”

She let out another deep sigh, so turning off the TV, I turned in my seat to look at her. “What’s wrong?”

“Nothing.”

She chewed on her pouty bottom lip, shaking her head with a look that said, ‘disagree with me if you dare’. I felt for her, but if she started to take it out on me, things were going to get even more tense between us. We were still basking in the glow of new love, and I didn’t want anything to spoil that. I also didn’t want us to bottle up how we were feeling to the point where one or both of us boiled over.

I wasn’t experienced in relationships, but I knew enough that I couldn’t leave it to fester.

“I know you’re in pain, Maya. I know you’re frustrated, so instead of trying to act like everything is okay, tell me what you need to help make things feel a little better.” I raised an eyebrow. “If you want me to shut the fuck up, tell me. If you want me to stop asking what you want, tell me. If you want something, ask me, but don’t sit there bottling it up and getting more and more pissed off with me.”

“I’m not,” she protested.

“Maya, you are. You’re being snappy, and I fully understand why, but give me some indication about what it is. If it’s your pain, then I can get you pain killers. If you’re uncomfortable, I can get you a pillow. Just give me a clue.”

Then she burst into tears, and I felt like the biggest shit on the planet. I hadn’t even raised my voice. I’d kept my tone soft and light, yet big fat tears were rolling down her pale cheeks.

Moving to her side, I used my thumbs to wipe the wetness from her cheeks. “Hey, hey, what’s wrong? I didn’t mean to upset you.”

“You haven’t,” she snivelled. “I’m just so fed up and miserable.”

“Staying here?” I asked wryly.

Maya’s tears splashed my skin as she shook her head before dropping it against my shoulder. Gripping onto my jumper, she gave great big gulping sobs, making her body—and mine—shake as she held on tight.

“It’s j-j-j-just painful and I f-f-feel so useless.”

Gently wrapping her in my arms, I kissed the top of her head and made soothing noises to try and calm her down. I knew she was uncomfortable, but I was also aware of what the doctor had said about suffering from post-accident trauma.

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