Sam sat on the chair in her bedroom a week later, staring out at the ocean while trying to read her book. She had read the same passage ten times now and finally gave up, throwing the book on the floor and curling up. Being cooped up in the house was starting to drive her crazy; she knew that it was the safest place for her but after being on the run for more than six months, she was beyond frustrated.
Ryan had been ruining her life since she married him and even now, being away from him, he was continuing to do it. There was no place for her to go and as much as she appreciated everyone’s help, the only two people she ever saw were Nick and Lauren. It was AJ’s house but he never came up to see her. Hell, she wasn’t even sure if he was ever there. She knew what it was like to be stuck away as Ryan’s trophy wife but now she knew what it was like to be shut up in an attic somewhere where the owner was happy she was there.
She was starting to get worked up when she heard the knob on the door rattle. Turning, she saw Lauren’s head poking through the door and she forced herself to smile.
“Hey Sam. How are you?”
“Ok. Tired of being stuck up here.”
“Why don’t you come downstairs for a while?”
“I don’t think AJ wants me down there.”
“Why would you say something like that?” Lauren asked as she squatted down near the chair.
Sam finally lost some of her patience. “He pretends that I’m not here. I bet he’d be happier if I just left!”
Lauren reeled back. “Is that what you really think?”
“Yes.”
“Then you have no idea what you’re talking about.”
-----------------
Nick relaxed on the couch while he watched as AJ paced the living room floor. He had just told his brother that he and Lauren would be leaving in a few hours and heading back to their home. This, of course, meant that AJ would not be totally alone with Sam. Nick thought he’d love to get his space back and would like the chance to develop a better relationship with the woman he was just starting to get to know again.
“Are you sure you have to go?” AJ asked as he turned to face him.
“Yes.” Nick replied with a sigh. “We’ve been here for two weeks J. We have lives to get back to as well as a couple of dogs who are not happy with us for kenneling them.”
“I said you could bring them here.”
“You’re missing my point dude. Lauren and I have other responsibilities to get back too. Besides, don’t you want your home back?”
AJ dropped into the chair next to the sofa and put his head in his hands.
“Yes.” he mumbled. “But there’s Sam.”
“She doesn’t bite J. Although I hear she’s handy with a gun.”
AJ’s head snapped up. “That’s not fucking funny Nick! She needs to be protected not…”
“Now that’s the AJ I know.” Nick said as he put his hand on AJ’s shoulder. “You’re going to be fine.”
“How?” AJ asked. “She can’t even be near me.”
-------------
“Do you know what AJ does every time you have a nightmare?”
“Sleep through it?” Sam snapped. She knew that Lauren was trying to help and she didn’t mean to take out her anger on her. It was just all the pain she’d been through boiling over.
“Scoot over.”
Lauren pushed her over a little and took a seat on the arm of the chair. She understood why Sam was so infuriated; it wasn’t directed at any of them but at the situation and what had been done to her. Thinking back on it, she should have explained AJ’s behavior before now.
“He races me to your door?”
“What?”
Lauren nodded. “He gets here before me every time. The first time it happened, he wanted to go in but I was afraid you’d freak out if you woke up to a guy in your room. I persuaded him to wait outside and let me try. He wasn’t happy about it but when he saw that you were scared by me, he was hurting but understood…”
“So now he lets you do it?”
“Kind of.” she replied. “He still races me to your door every time but, instead of coming in, he sits by the door until I’m done getting you back to sleep. Then he has to come in and check your room and make sure you’re sleeping; he wants to make certain you’re safe.”
Sam sat there stunned and let Lauren’s words sink in. She hadn’t seen AJ since the night they brought her here and she assumed that he had done it out of pity and was now regretting the whole situation. When she found out that Lauren and Nick were leaving, she had been scared of what would happen and now, she wasn’t as scared as uncomfortable.
“I know it’ll be different without us,” Lauren said, reading her thoughts, “but give AJ a chance. Open up some and let him in Sam. He wants to help you but he doesn’t know how. He’s not used to situations like this but he will do whatever he can to make you feel better.”
“But how do I do that?” Sam asked as her eyes filled with tears and she turned away to hide them.
“Go downstairs…”
“But the windows!” Sam protested as she thought of AJ’s floor to ceiling window walls.
“AJ has blinds. Tell him you’re coming down and he’ll close them.”
“But…”
“No more buts. AJ’s used to be a fixer; let him help you. I know you’re scared of the whole situation but let him in. He’ll keep you safe Sam.”
All the young woman could do was nod and hope she was right.
Old Wounds by Kyrie
