Lemon Cake

Chapter Fifty-Two

"Are you sure you're alright?" Jasper questioned, taking a glance at Tulip sitting frozen in the passenger seat.

There was a method to her madness. Sitting as still as possible stopped the burst of pain that blasted through her body with every shift it made. She was discharged a half-hour ago; a day after waking up. She felt like a piñata that survived a five-year-old's birthday party; battered but alive. She was going to keep the tidbit to herself. She could tell he was antsy from the way he tightly gripped the steering wheel and eased up on the gas.

She pulled in a small breath, wishing she would've taken the nurse's advice and took the pain pill before leaving but she didn't want to be drowsy when she saw Sidney.

"I'm..." She had to pause for another short breath; and pressed her eyelids tightly together as she gripped the seat belt strapped across her; the doctor told her wearing the little belt saved her from being flung from the car and it was helping now. Her broken ribs and the sutures along her side were angry and making it known. "Fine."

"You don't sound or look fine." He said, reaching over and swiping the mass of braids that fell in front of her face and moving them behind her shoulder. "We should've stayed the extra day."

She felt the car ease up a little more down the wide-open dirt road. The afternoon sun hung onto its place radiating its light down from the big blue sky. She was thankful he set his sunglasses on her face after positioning the seatbelt comfortably around her.

"I'm as...fine...as they're...going to...get me." She let out a labored breath. She underestimated the excruciating pain that came from broken ribs. The movies lied yet again. "The doctor said...I was in...recovery."

He smoothed the fleshy pad of his thumb across her cheek and her body wasn't the only thing sensitive. Her feelings and emotions were, too. Tears kissed his thumb and he paused. She couldn't narrow down why she was crying. Sure, some of it was pain but the other portion of it was from something else, deep within her soul. Was it comfort? Safety? Love? She wasn't certain.

"Take my hand." He held the appendage in front of her and she hesitated. Clenching her seatbelt was helping her get through the pain. It was a method that was working but his hand seemed so inviting, warm, and strong.

She released the seatbelt and took his hand. Her fingertips wrapped around his hand and he did the same.

"Thanks." She whispered and gripped his hand tighter to inhale. She placed their joined appendages to her chest and was able to pull in a deeper breath as if having in near gave her more strength and she realized why she was crying. "You stayed."

"I did." His thumb squeezed her hand and she felt a warmth wash over her wounded body. "I am. I meant what I said before..." He went silent then resumed. "I'm not going anywhere. I'm here...with you. As long as you'll have me. No more stupid shit."

She let out a moan of pain she didn't know she was holding in for years. "I was scared. The condom...breaking....sent me... right back...to that...moment..."

"Shh." He sounded sensing her pain to talk and breathe from the grip she inflicted on his hand and the twist of her face. "Take it easy. You don't have to explain. I know. The trauma of it all. We should've waited a little bit longer."

"No." She abruptly said, looking down at their linked hands. "Then we wouldn't have been here. "I'm starting to trust you more. Believe you..." She paused for a breath and the courage to admit the last part. "Rely on you; for Sidney and me."

He nodded, keeping his eyes ahead. "She's going to be so happy when we drive up."

Tulip wanted to call and tell her that they were discharging her and she'd be back with her before nightfall. However, Jasper wanted to surprise her saying the girl needed a heavy burst of endorphins. Niesha, Lachlan, and her best friend Dae helped comfort the little girl but she wasn't her inquisitive, smart, precocious self with the thought of her MeMe being so far away and ill.

"She's going to be so happy." She breathed out. "I'll be happy, too." A smile started stretching across her face as she looked over at him.

"We're all going to be happy." He glanced at her and winked. "For a long time."

She smiled at him but he didn't see. His sight was trained ahead. Her smile faded as she nodded; she believed those words; his words. She didn't know exactly what lay ahead for their future and wasn't going to jump ahead and plan a wedding or fantasize about how it would be to give Sidney a sibling; she knew her baby girl would be a great big sister.

However, she was sure of one thing. She was ready to leave the past back where it was. She was ready to move forward and leave the hurt and pain behind. She was ready to be happy for a long time but unfortunately, she wouldn't. Once Jasper pulled into his driveway shouting greeted them as a familiar unfriendly face stood in the driveway with Sidney's luggage in hand but it was Neisha's voice that ripped through her stronger than the pain of her body.

"You can't take her!" Neisha shouted forcefully with Lachlan standing a couple of steps behind her and Sidney holding tightly around her waist. "She's not going with you."

Why do you think Tulip started to cry in the car?

Do you think she making the right choice by not fantasizing about a future with Jasper? Is it best to just stay in the moment?

Who do you think is trying to take Sidney?

Do you think Sidney would be a good big sister?

Do you think Tulip should've stayed the extra night?

I think this song goes well with this chapter. Thoughts?