Page 84 of Feel It All

“Oh, my sweet girl. You’re safe.”

Chief and I both hover over her while she gets checked by the paramedics. She has another concussion, severe bruising on her face, and a minor cut to her bottom lip.

“Okay, guys, she is free to go.” The paramedic says, putting the last bit of ointment on her cut.

“Okay, let’s get you home. Your mom and sisters are waiting for you at your apartment,” Chief says as he helps Winry get down from the ambulance.

“Okay, but I need to talk to Graham before we go.” Winry looks over at me.

“Sure, sweetie. Graham, you and Owen can have the night off tonight. Winry, I will be in my truck over there when you are ready.”

“Thank you, sir.”

“No,” he shakes my hand, then actually pulls me into a hug. “Thank you.”

He turns back to Winry, just to look at her again, and I understand. I have had to look at her the whole time just to remind myself that she is here.

She walks up to me sheepishly. “Graham, um, would you come over when you get done here?”

“Yeah, I can do that.”

“Okay…okay, good.” She comes in for a hug that I never want to let go of. “Thank you for finding me,” her throat croaks.

“I would have never stopped looking for you, buttercup.”

She breaks our hug, and a few tears stream down her face. I gently wipe them from her face, careful of her bruises.

“I’ll see you later?”

“Yeah, I just have to drop Owen off at his house, then I’ll come over.”

“Okay.”

It feels like so many words go unsaid, and I want to beg her to say them, but instead I let her go.

Chapter 27

Winry

Wepullintomyapartment, and I don’t even make it out of Dad’s truck before my mom and sisters rush out the door.

My sisters tackle me first. My body aches, but I don’t mind too much.

“Girls, easy now,” Dad says, noticing their death grip.

“Okay, it’s my turn now, let her go.” Mom peels off my sisters and wraps me in a gentle hug. “My baby, are you all right?”

“I will be.” My body is in pain, and if I think about what happened too long, I am afraid I will fall apart. So I am focusing on Graham and getting him back.

When I wasn’t knocked out, all I thought about was him. The fear that I would never see him again hurt worse than the beatings. I don’t want to be without him anymore or lose him ever again.

“What do you need, honey? Anything you want: food, water? Anything,” mom says as we go inside.

“The paramedics said I could take some pain medicine, then I would like to take a shower.” Then I would like to get Graham back, but I don’t say that part out loud.

“All right, honey. Do you feel okay to stand in the shower? Maybe one of us should sit in the bathroom in case you fall.” Mom rambles as I get the medicine out of the cabinet.

“Mom, I will be fine. I know it looks bad, but I can stand in the shower.” I pop some in my mouth and get a drink of water.

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