Putting the last of the silver wear on the table Lilly smoothed down the
red table cloth. Every year she helped Mrs Jacobs set up for her annual
BBQ. She had been doing it for the last six years, always leaving just
before anyone arrived
"Lilly darling"
Turning to the beautiful woman she smiled, walked towards her taking the bowl from her arms and setting it down, and arranging the cups around it.
Watching the girl as she arranged the cups and fidgeted Gwen could help but feel sad for her. No matter how much Lilly tried to hide it she still saw the angry bruises that littered the girl's body and face at times.
"Your all set Mrs Jacobs, I had better get home before… Well I had just better head home. I hope you have a nice day"
Gwen sighed as Lilly left, she knew Glenn had wanted to see her, but she also knew what would happen if she didn't get home.
Ten minutes later she was enveloped in a pair of strong arms
"Hi there stranger"
"Hi there yourself"
Kissing his wife he could smell the BBQ cooking
"So who's coming?"
Following her inside Glenn shook his head
"All of them – you know they cant resist your cooking"
Laughing when he patted his stomach Gwen watched him head towards the bathroom as she started towards the kitchen.
"Seen Lilly lately?"
Jumping a little she threw a tea towel at the big man
"You scared the hell out of me – and yes Lilly came and helped me set up this morning. I was going to ask her to stay but she said she had to get home"
Glenn frowned when he thought of the last time he saw the girl, her arms were covered in bruises and she had a black eye.
"There's not much we can do we cant force her to tell us"
Wrapping his large arms around her again he nodded
"I know but she s just so fragile – I cant fathom someone wanting to hurt her"
Turning to face him she agreed, kissing him for a moment before turning back to buttering the bread she had made that morning.
"Knock – knock anyone home?"
Braking away from Glenn, Gwen yelled
"Come In – where in the kitchen"
"Hay Gwenie"
Kissing the large mans cheek she motioned for him to sit down
"Mark you been keeping that husband of mine in line?"
It was the same question every time she saw him – even though she knew Glenn would never cheat on her it still nagged at her a bit
"Always"
"Want a drink?"
Opening the fridge Glenn spied a few beers, tossing one over to Mark
"Why don't you boys go play nice outside – I should be finished in a few moments"
"It smells good – cant wait"
Seeing the two well-built men go outside she finished her task and followed them. Steeping outside she heard a few more voices.
"Hay Dwayne have to say I loved your movie"
Setting herself next to the self proclaimed "Great one"
"Yea thanks Gwen"
The two talked for a little longer
"Gwendolyn!"
Looking up from Dwayne Gwen squealed in delight
"Skittles!"
The younger Hardy laughed at the nickname she had given him a few years ago when he first started dying his hair. Hugging her he saw Glenn look over at them for a moment then turn back to John.
"I've been watching you, your crazy you know that don't you"
"Yea but it keeps me amused"
"Or injured"
Smiling at the older hardy brother Gwen kissed his check, doing the same to Amy.
"Thanks for invite us Gwen"
"Piffle your always welcome here – if you want a drink there's some in the cooler over there"
Pointing it Gwen watched them leave, looking over her back yard more than half of the roster had turned up. Adam and Jay were in the pool with Trish, Stacy and Nora while Ron, Jackie, Paul, Steve and Debra were sitting at one of the table's chatting. The day was going well, everyone had eaten, had a swim and just relaxed, and she was talking to Steve when Nora's scream brought her towards the most horrifying thing she had ever seen.
"Oh my god – Glenn!"
Racing towards Lilly she stoped dead at what was in front of her. Lilly's beautiful hair had been hacked at, blood tinging it red. Her face was swollen and batted as her clothes hung from her body. She could see inch thick welts across her arms and legs where what ever she had been beaten with tore at her.
Glenn ran to her bloodied body, gently lifting her from the ground – her small whisper echoed around the now silent party
"Please – no more"
"Holy fuck"
Gwen didn't know who spoke but it took her out of her daze. Racing inside to call an ambulance.
"Lilly girl come one – please wake up girl"
Glenn didn't want to shake her too much, but he had to keep her eyes open.
"Hay Lilly guess who's here – Takers here to see you Lilly I told you I would bring him back so you could meet him"
Her green eyes fluttered open as Mark came up beside her
"Wow – two for one"
Trying to laugh she started to cough
"Shh child"
Mark lent down to the girl on Glenn's lap, he had told him about her before.
"See I know that would make you wake up – I've even got Jeff here. Remember Jeff he was on some of the tapes I showed you"
Her weak voice almost shattered him
"Skittles?"
"Yea Skittles"
His voice broke as he spoke to her. He could feel her blood seep over his arms as Mark gently brushed her hair from her face – Gwen was right next to them, he could hear the sirens not far off
"Honey hold on there on their way"
Gwen felt someone take her hand, looking up to see Jeff next to her, Matt and Amy not far behind
"Hay Lilly"
Jeff whispered as he lent down to her, Matt and Amy doing the same.
"Hay you guys rock"
Her breathing was becoming shallow as she looked back at Glenn and Gwen. Lifting her head from his lap a little, looking into Glenn's dark eyes
"You saved me – Glenn you and Gwen saved me and for that I'll love you forever, my protector and his angel"
Struggling to breath she could hear someone screaming but it sounded so far off. Closing her eyes Lilly fell into the inky blackness.
"Lilly darling"
Turning to the beautiful woman she smiled, walked towards her taking the bowl from her arms and setting it down, and arranging the cups around it.
Watching the girl as she arranged the cups and fidgeted Gwen could help but feel sad for her. No matter how much Lilly tried to hide it she still saw the angry bruises that littered the girl's body and face at times.
"Your all set Mrs Jacobs, I had better get home before… Well I had just better head home. I hope you have a nice day"
Gwen sighed as Lilly left, she knew Glenn had wanted to see her, but she also knew what would happen if she didn't get home.
Ten minutes later she was enveloped in a pair of strong arms
"Hi there stranger"
"Hi there yourself"
Kissing his wife he could smell the BBQ cooking
"So who's coming?"
Following her inside Glenn shook his head
"All of them – you know they cant resist your cooking"
Laughing when he patted his stomach Gwen watched him head towards the bathroom as she started towards the kitchen.
"Seen Lilly lately?"
Jumping a little she threw a tea towel at the big man
"You scared the hell out of me – and yes Lilly came and helped me set up this morning. I was going to ask her to stay but she said she had to get home"
Glenn frowned when he thought of the last time he saw the girl, her arms were covered in bruises and she had a black eye.
"There's not much we can do we cant force her to tell us"
Wrapping his large arms around her again he nodded
"I know but she s just so fragile – I cant fathom someone wanting to hurt her"
Turning to face him she agreed, kissing him for a moment before turning back to buttering the bread she had made that morning.
"Knock – knock anyone home?"
Braking away from Glenn, Gwen yelled
"Come In – where in the kitchen"
"Hay Gwenie"
Kissing the large mans cheek she motioned for him to sit down
"Mark you been keeping that husband of mine in line?"
It was the same question every time she saw him – even though she knew Glenn would never cheat on her it still nagged at her a bit
"Always"
"Want a drink?"
Opening the fridge Glenn spied a few beers, tossing one over to Mark
"Why don't you boys go play nice outside – I should be finished in a few moments"
"It smells good – cant wait"
Seeing the two well-built men go outside she finished her task and followed them. Steeping outside she heard a few more voices.
"Hay Dwayne have to say I loved your movie"
Setting herself next to the self proclaimed "Great one"
"Yea thanks Gwen"
The two talked for a little longer
"Gwendolyn!"
Looking up from Dwayne Gwen squealed in delight
"Skittles!"
The younger Hardy laughed at the nickname she had given him a few years ago when he first started dying his hair. Hugging her he saw Glenn look over at them for a moment then turn back to John.
"I've been watching you, your crazy you know that don't you"
"Yea but it keeps me amused"
"Or injured"
Smiling at the older hardy brother Gwen kissed his check, doing the same to Amy.
"Thanks for invite us Gwen"
"Piffle your always welcome here – if you want a drink there's some in the cooler over there"
Pointing it Gwen watched them leave, looking over her back yard more than half of the roster had turned up. Adam and Jay were in the pool with Trish, Stacy and Nora while Ron, Jackie, Paul, Steve and Debra were sitting at one of the table's chatting. The day was going well, everyone had eaten, had a swim and just relaxed, and she was talking to Steve when Nora's scream brought her towards the most horrifying thing she had ever seen.
"Oh my god – Glenn!"
Racing towards Lilly she stoped dead at what was in front of her. Lilly's beautiful hair had been hacked at, blood tinging it red. Her face was swollen and batted as her clothes hung from her body. She could see inch thick welts across her arms and legs where what ever she had been beaten with tore at her.
Glenn ran to her bloodied body, gently lifting her from the ground – her small whisper echoed around the now silent party
"Please – no more"
"Holy fuck"
Gwen didn't know who spoke but it took her out of her daze. Racing inside to call an ambulance.
"Lilly girl come one – please wake up girl"
Glenn didn't want to shake her too much, but he had to keep her eyes open.
"Hay Lilly guess who's here – Takers here to see you Lilly I told you I would bring him back so you could meet him"
Her green eyes fluttered open as Mark came up beside her
"Wow – two for one"
Trying to laugh she started to cough
"Shh child"
Mark lent down to the girl on Glenn's lap, he had told him about her before.
"See I know that would make you wake up – I've even got Jeff here. Remember Jeff he was on some of the tapes I showed you"
Her weak voice almost shattered him
"Skittles?"
"Yea Skittles"
His voice broke as he spoke to her. He could feel her blood seep over his arms as Mark gently brushed her hair from her face – Gwen was right next to them, he could hear the sirens not far off
"Honey hold on there on their way"
Gwen felt someone take her hand, looking up to see Jeff next to her, Matt and Amy not far behind
"Hay Lilly"
Jeff whispered as he lent down to her, Matt and Amy doing the same.
"Hay you guys rock"
Her breathing was becoming shallow as she looked back at Glenn and Gwen. Lifting her head from his lap a little, looking into Glenn's dark eyes
"You saved me – Glenn you and Gwen saved me and for that I'll love you forever, my protector and his angel"
Struggling to breath she could hear someone screaming but it sounded so far off. Closing her eyes Lilly fell into the inky blackness.