Page 17 of Edging Obsession

Before I can go in, her mother touches my arm and says, “She’s hysterical. Please, I beg you, if you’re done with her, don’t go in there. Leave now. She’s been through enough.”

My eyes roam her pained face. “I’m not going to hurt her.”

“Jules told me about her boss, and I’m sure that’s why you’re angry. If you can’t get past it, I’m asking you to forget her.”

Her father comes to her side. “Miles, we appreciate you saving our daughter’s life at the club, but we need you to understand she’s in a fragile state right now. Her mental health is at risk.”

I face them and square my shoulders. “I left the tour to check on Jules, and I won’t join the band until we head to Europe in a month. If I didn’t care, I wouldn’t be here.”

Her parents glance at one another and then at me. Reluctant, they give me the go-ahead. I close the door behind me to give us some privacy. Jules is laying on her side facing away from the door. Her agonizing cries reach my heart, and I find myself softening. I walk to the side of the bed she’s facing, but she doesn’t notice. The pillow blocks her view.

“Jules.” She stops crying as she takes a quick inhale, burying her face in the pillow. “Look at me.” Her hands sluggishly loosen the pillow, and she turns her head enough to see me from the corner of her eye. “Sit up.”

Her shaky hand covers her mouth, tears sprouting again as her words crack like a crystal wine glass. “Miles. I’m…”

Jules can’t say any more. Her suffering wins the battle. I pull her up by her shoulders until we’re at eye level. “I didn’t come back to yell at you.”

Her shoulders relax, and she raises a hand to place on my chest. Even in agony, she’s beautiful. I embrace her and she releases her grief. My ass finds the bed, and I scoot onto it, hold her to my side, and let her cry until there’s nothing more to come.

Jules’ parents enter the room, but I chin nod toward the door, and they leave. Her head rests on my shoulder, so I kiss the top of it.

After some time, she says, “Miles, I’m so sorry.”

“It’s over.” I tilt her head up so she can see me. “There will be no mention of what happened with your boss ever again. Do you hear me?” She nods. “Tell me about everything else.”

For a good half hour, Jules talks about how she got depressed because she missed me. How hard it was to get out of bed and eat. She didn’t know where we stood or if I was with other women. Jules saw pictures of women hanging on my arm, but didn’t know if feelings were mutual or not. On top of missing me, she was worried about being jobless. How would she pay the rent? And then she read the hateful things people said about her, and she broke. Jules told me desolation annihilated her insides. She felt disconnected from her actions.

I lift her bandaged left wrist. “You will never do this again. Do you understand me?” She agrees. “What does the doctor say?”

“He says I’m bipolar and I need medication and therapy.”

Her hair is knotted, so I stroke in a soothing motion. “Once you get the medication, I want you to come home with me.”

She rotates in my arms to face me. “Your home?”

“Yeah, I have a house about an hour away from your apartment. You’ll like it. It’s on a lake.” A beautiful smile snakes onto her face. “We’ll find a therapist who can come to the house.”

Jules’ finger glides along my lower lip. “What about the tour?”

“We’ll join them in Europe.”

“We?”

I kiss her nose. “Yes, we. You and me.”

Her mouth opens and then closes. Confusion etched into her face. “Why, Miles? Why would you do this for me?”

My eyebrow lifts. “Why do you think?”

She scoots higher. “I want to hear it from you.”

We stare at each other. I’m not even sure how to answer the question, so I say what I’ve told others. “Because I care about you.” An ambush of tears is about to happen. “Hey, no more tears.” I wipe away some that have escaped. “But you need to tell the doctors and your parents. I don’t have a say in your well-being.” I rest my hands on her ass. “Do you want to live with me, Jules?”

She gives a vigorous nod. “What about my apartment?”

“It will be taken care of.”

When the doctor comes in followed by her parents, he explains Jules’ bipolar diagnosis and what it entails. In talking to her, he also surmised she has hypersexuality, which means she has a heightened need for sexual gratification. It’s often in the mania state and may include decreased inhibitions or forbidden sex. People who suffer from bipolar have mania and depression. High energy, happiness, and many other feelings in the mania state, and sleepiness, loss of appetite and other symptoms when depressed. The doctor talks about medication, which might be altered, depending on how it affects Jules. A therapist will assist in the type of medication and dosage and helping her cope with life’s challenges. After the doctor leaves, Jules tells her parents she wants to stay with me. They protest, wanting her to come home with them so they can care for her. After some back and forth, and my comment about them always being welcome to stop over at any time and stay, they concede.

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