Page 58 of His Gift
Conrad
I'm surprised to find the room immersed in darkness. The air is stale and I can barely distinguish a bundle of sheets and blankets.
"How's Conrad?" Harper's voice is unrecognizable, low and rough, and tugs at my heartstrings.
"I'm here and I'm okay, my sweet girl."
She bolts upright, blankets falling away as I'm already on her, the frantic shiver in her body vibrating against mine as I lie down and hug hertightly. The familiar scent of her hair, usually a comfort, is now tinged with a sour, almost acidic smell.
"Shh, shh, I'm okay. I'm sorry it took me so long. I'm here." Over and over I try to reassure her, but she just holds onto me for dear life and doesn't even let me see her face or kiss her. Finally, I shut up and let her deal with this in her own way. It's the right thing to do because Harper relaxes, even though she doesn't let go of me or raise her head. I wait and wait, hoping she'll tell me what's wrong. How can I help her. Trying to stay awake. But the trip, as short as it was, has taken a toll on me.
I wake up with her puffy, red eyes checking me out. They're glazed, distant, and her face gives away nothing of what's going on inside her head. Completely blank.
"How are you?" Again, barely a whisper, her voice sounding as if it's not been used for a while.
"I'm okay. I bled a lot, but they gave me a transfusion and the cuts were deep but didn't damage anything important. Once the sutures reabsorb, and maybe after a bit of rehab for my shoulder, I'll be good to go. Have you slept?"
She shakes her head. Judging by the shadows under her eyes, she hasn't slept in a long time.
"Okay, then. I'm going to procure fresh clothes for the both of us while you shower and then we'll have breakfast together. We're moving to a nicerplace today. A place where we'll have our privacy and you can resume your therapy. How's your hip?"
All I get is another slow shake of her head, but this time she grabs my shirt.
"No to what? Talk to me, sweet girl. I'm here to stay, I'm not going anywhere."
"To all of it."
"Harper… We're not staying in this hole. And you'll feel a lot better after a shower and with some food in your belly. Please? For me?" I don't know if pushing her is the best course of action, but I need to do something. I can't let her waste away in this room.
Her blank stare meets my words, then a sigh escapes her lips, a sound so heavy it feels like a physical weight. She moves slowly, deliberately, getting out of bed, and a knot of worry tightens in my chest. I follow her closely, ready to catch her if needed. She walks steadily, though. It seems the inactivity has done little damage. Still, I don't leave her side, trailing her to the bathroom where she closes the door, the click of the lock like a slap in my face, and I keep waiting until the sound of the running water starts.
Then I open the front door and find the pissy agent.
"Morning. We'll be ready to go in a few, but we need fresh clothes and breakfast."
He snorts, turns his back to me, and talks in the comms, mumbling something I can't quite hear. It seems I've made a friend for life.
"Everything you requested will be here soon. Agent Levy is already on it and he'll be here in five minutes. When you're ready, he'll show you to yourrequested accommodation. Agent Garcia said he would arrange to have your belongings moved within a couple of days."Oh, the sarcasm!I choose to ignore it. Hopefully, we won't have to interact much in the future. I just thank him and close the door.
The water is still running, so I sit on the edge of the unfamiliar couch, the cheap fabric rough under my touch, waiting and preparing for when Harper will come out. I really have no idea how to help her navigate this darkness. At least having her in my arms has granted me a good night's sleep and overall, I'm starting to feel myself again. I'll need all the strength I can muster. The last thing she needs is worrying about me.
"Way better," I mutter, my voice echoing in the unfamiliar space of the sunny, spacious apartment.At least one of us appreciates this.I know I'm talking to myself, though, because Harper couldn't care less. Each small victory—getting her to dress, coaxing a few bites of food, finally arriving here—has felt like scaling a mountain. She reacts to my touch, leaning intome for a few brief moments, but she's stopped seeking it. If I don't initiate, she simply drifts, a ghost in her own mind.
"Come." I bring my sweet girl to the couch and cuddle her, her head nestled against my chest, my fingers running through her hair and my lips pressed on her head. "You need to sleep. Are you comfortable—"
Harper pushes me away. "I'm not tired." Her eyes flash with anger, her jaw clenched tight. Then her face goes blank again, and she nestles back on my chest.
"Tell me what you want to do, then. Whatever you want. Tell me how I can make you happy." No answer. Maybe she thinks I can't. And maybe she's right. But I'm not giving up so easily. I know something she always loved, so I run my hand over her, gently, slowly, feeling under my fingers every inch of my sweet girl relax. And I keep steady, enjoying her body leaning against mine more and more. She's falling asleep. Finally. A dull throb pulses in my side where the stitches pull, but I'll stay still and let her rest as long as she needs. I didn't really believe it would work and now I can't stop smiling.
A loud knock on the door rips the smile from my lips, but most of all makes Harper jump, her eyes wildly scanning her surroundings. "It's the Feds, Harper. Probably they have groceries or something." Son of a bitch. I told them to give us time to settle down. "Sweet girl, look at me. I'm here. I'll protect you." I caress her face and turn it toward me and she nods,exhaling a trembling breath. When more knocks echo in the room, she tenses, but doesn't go into a full-blown panic again.
"Let me check what they want. I'll be back soon. I'll close the front door behind me, but I'll be just outside." If Levy kept his word, I'll need to make a phone call and Harper can't hear it.
With one last look and a reassuring smile, I exit the apartment and face the fucker.
"I told you we needed time!" I spit, keeping my voice down for Harper's sake.
"I'm not your butler."
