gagged by two disguised men?
She rubbed her eyes and moaned Chase’s name. The last thing she remembered was lying enveloped in his arms. Or was that a dream as well?
“He’s not here,” Donna Lee said from the kitchen. She came to Delia’s bed and handed her a cup of hot tea.
“What are you … ? How did you … ?”
“Why didn’t you call me, Dee? When my sister is attacked and almost killed, I think I have a right to know. I should be there for you.”
“I’m sorry. I was just so embarrassed, I didn’t want anyone to know.” Donna Lee shook her head disapprovingly. “I know it’s silly, I just felt so stupid for letting it happen. I should’ve known better.”
“Would you stop blaming yourself for things you can’t control? Under no circumstances should you be bound and gagged and stuffed into a car against your will. It wasn’t your fault.”
Delia wondered how she had found out all the details and how she knew to come over.
“Chase called me,” Donna Lee said, sensing Delia’s question. “He told me everything. He said he didn’t want you to be alone.”
“So why didn’t he stay?” She regretted the words as soon as they left her lips. She felt ridiculous craving the arms of a seventeen-year-old child, but at that moment, she couldn’t think of anything she wanted more. She had to get herself together and get over him.
“So I guess you’ve gotten over the age thing,” Donna Lee said as she raised her eyebrows.
After taking a sip of tea to avoid eye contact with her sister, she said. “Of course, I haven’t. I didn’t want him here for any romantic reasons. I just … it was just nice having a … maybe I should call Jason.”
Donna Lee rolled her eyes, stood up, and plopped into the lounge chair. Besides the bed, the kitchen table, and the armoire that housed her clothes and desktop computer, it was the only piece of furniture in her studio apartment.
“If you were about to say it was nice having a man around, then Jason doesn’t qualify. In my opinion, seventeen-year-old Chase acts more like a man than Jason ever will.”
Hiding herself behind her cup of tea, Delia didn’t respond. She didn’t want to think about Chase or Jason or the attack anymore. She thought of a way to shift the conversation.
“You know, even if I did call you, you probably wouldn’t have answered your phone. You’ve been avoiding me for over a week. What did you find out? Did you get tested?”
“Do you need more tea?” Donna Lee asked, hopping out of the chair and heading toward the kitchen.
“You can’t avoid this forever. You have to go to a doctor.”
“I know. I know,” she said, resting her arms on the sink. In the small apartment, Delia could still see her without even changing her position on the bed. “I already went.”
Bolting upright, Delia swung her legs over the edge of the bed and set her cup on the nightstand. She took in a deep breath then said, “And?”
“And, I haven’t been back to get the results.”
Delia exhaled then crossed the living room/bedroom to embrace her sister. “I know you’re scared, but you have to find out. You have to know.”
“I know. Will you go with me?”
“Of course.”
After embracing for a few moments, Donna Lee pulled back and brushed away her tears. She tried to compose herself and wipe away her vulnerability. “I almost forgot,” she said, reaching for an object on the kitchen table. “Chase left this for you.” Donna Lee handed her a square black contraption.
“What is it?”
“He said it’s a stun gun. He wants you to keep it for protection. He said he’d feel better if he knew you had something to defend yourself with in case you found yourself in this situation again.”
She took the device and turned it over in her hands. She had never used a weapon before. She wondered why Chase thought this would
She rubbed her eyes and moaned Chase’s name. The last thing she remembered was lying enveloped in his arms. Or was that a dream as well?
“He’s not here,” Donna Lee said from the kitchen. She came to Delia’s bed and handed her a cup of hot tea.
“What are you … ? How did you … ?”
“Why didn’t you call me, Dee? When my sister is attacked and almost killed, I think I have a right to know. I should be there for you.”
“I’m sorry. I was just so embarrassed, I didn’t want anyone to know.” Donna Lee shook her head disapprovingly. “I know it’s silly, I just felt so stupid for letting it happen. I should’ve known better.”
“Would you stop blaming yourself for things you can’t control? Under no circumstances should you be bound and gagged and stuffed into a car against your will. It wasn’t your fault.”
Delia wondered how she had found out all the details and how she knew to come over.
“Chase called me,” Donna Lee said, sensing Delia’s question. “He told me everything. He said he didn’t want you to be alone.”
“So why didn’t he stay?” She regretted the words as soon as they left her lips. She felt ridiculous craving the arms of a seventeen-year-old child, but at that moment, she couldn’t think of anything she wanted more. She had to get herself together and get over him.
“So I guess you’ve gotten over the age thing,” Donna Lee said as she raised her eyebrows.
After taking a sip of tea to avoid eye contact with her sister, she said. “Of course, I haven’t. I didn’t want him here for any romantic reasons. I just … it was just nice having a … maybe I should call Jason.”
Donna Lee rolled her eyes, stood up, and plopped into the lounge chair. Besides the bed, the kitchen table, and the armoire that housed her clothes and desktop computer, it was the only piece of furniture in her studio apartment.
“If you were about to say it was nice having a man around, then Jason doesn’t qualify. In my opinion, seventeen-year-old Chase acts more like a man than Jason ever will.”
Hiding herself behind her cup of tea, Delia didn’t respond. She didn’t want to think about Chase or Jason or the attack anymore. She thought of a way to shift the conversation.
“You know, even if I did call you, you probably wouldn’t have answered your phone. You’ve been avoiding me for over a week. What did you find out? Did you get tested?”
“Do you need more tea?” Donna Lee asked, hopping out of the chair and heading toward the kitchen.
“You can’t avoid this forever. You have to go to a doctor.”
“I know. I know,” she said, resting her arms on the sink. In the small apartment, Delia could still see her without even changing her position on the bed. “I already went.”
Bolting upright, Delia swung her legs over the edge of the bed and set her cup on the nightstand. She took in a deep breath then said, “And?”
“And, I haven’t been back to get the results.”
Delia exhaled then crossed the living room/bedroom to embrace her sister. “I know you’re scared, but you have to find out. You have to know.”
“I know. Will you go with me?”
“Of course.”
After embracing for a few moments, Donna Lee pulled back and brushed away her tears. She tried to compose herself and wipe away her vulnerability. “I almost forgot,” she said, reaching for an object on the kitchen table. “Chase left this for you.” Donna Lee handed her a square black contraption.
“What is it?”
“He said it’s a stun gun. He wants you to keep it for protection. He said he’d feel better if he knew you had something to defend yourself with in case you found yourself in this situation again.”
She took the device and turned it over in her hands. She had never used a weapon before. She wondered why Chase thought this would
Similar Books
