Jenny was finally able to calm her sister. She had handcuffed talk dark and British to the end of Abbie's bed, so there was no worries about him getting up.
"Are you alright," Jenny asked sternly.
Abbie's eyes never broke from where Crane sat. Abbie nodded, but the feral look on her face disagreed. Without a word, Abbie stood and sprinted to the bathroom. Jenny took this time to spot the broken lock on the door and Abbie's pants hanging lifelessly from the edge of her bed.
"Sick fuck,"Jenny whispered to herself.
She wished that the image of Crane smacking her sister while she practically begged him to get the hell off of her wasn't forever burned into her memory. She hated herself for letting the situation go on for a second longer, but what she saw shocked her to the core of her being. A second later she heard Abbie spill her already empty stomach into the toilet.
Abbie hunched over the toilet dry heaving every ten seconds. She sat on her bottom and pulled her legs into her chest. What was wrong with him? Was he posessed or something? Abbie let her head fall to her knees and began rocking back and forth. 'I can't keep going through this' Abbie thought. Jenny jumped to her feet and reached for her phone. She dialed the only number that would know what to do in a situation like this.
"Irving...yes we have sort of a situation. No I can't explain it over the phone. Can you please just get over to Abbie's place," Jenny choked back tears when she heard Abbie crying in the bathroom.
Jenny ended the call with Irving. She peered over at Crane. He had passed out from shock right after he spoke. 'There better be a good explanation for this' Jenny thought. She walked slowly to the bathroom debating what she would say to Abbie. Her brain jumped from wall to wall until she layed eyes on her sister.
"Hey Abbs,"Jenny said softly. Abbie didn't look up. She eyed her sister's attire.
"Abbie umm Irving is on his way so you might want to put some clothes on,"the younger sister explained.
Abbie looked at her overexposed body like it was the first time she saw it.
"I'm not going in there with him,"she croaked.
Jennifer sat next to Abbie on the floor.
"That's fine I'll just bring your clothes to you and you can get dressed in here if you want," Jenny put an arm around her sister.
"Thanks, "Abbie said.
"No problem,"Jenny offered up. The younger sister quickly sauntered into her sister's room and found a pair of jeans and a shirt. When she returned to the bathroom Abbie was brushing her teeth and flinging water to her face.
"Here you go," Jenny said.
"Oh, thanks,"Abbie smiled.
Her mood seemed to have changed. Abbie dressed in under a minute.
"So what time is Irving supposed to be here,"Abbie questioned. Jenny surveyed her sister.
"Umm he should be on his way," she answered.
"Okay, Abbie walked out of the bathroom and into the living room.
She flopped on the couch and stared at the floor.
"Look Abbs if you need to go to the hospital I could-"
"No I'm fine, " Abbie seethed. Jenny turned on the light to take a better look at Abbie. She cringed at the sight of her puffy face.
"Hey you want something cold for your face," Jenny cleared her throat.
"No, it's fine,"Abbie said with a wave of her hand.
"Look if you don't put something on it now by tomorrow you'll be looking like a blow fish,"Jenny reasoned.
"Okay? And I said it's fine. I don't want to sit here and hold a bag of anything to my face. Just leave me alone,"Abbie blurted out.
Jenny flattened a wrinkle in her shirt. Abbie felt so bad. This was not Jenny's fault. It was Abbie who invited Crane to stay the night. It was Abbie who left her gun on the counter. It was Abbie who hadn't locked her door. 'God why didn't I lock my door' she thought.
"Jenny I'm sorry. I didn't mean to lash out at you. Just please let me lay here. Everything hurts and I just need to think things through, "Abbie apologized.
Jenny nudged Abbie to scoot over. She sat next to her tiny sister. Abbie rested her head in Jenny's lap. 'What the hell is taking Irving so long'she thought. As if on cue the two women flinched at the loud raps on the door. Abbie moved from Jenny's lap.
"That must be the captain,"Abbie said nervously as she pushed a stray hair behind her ear.
Jenny already hated the conversation she would have with Irving.
"This better be good," the captain said the moment Jenny opened the door.
Jenny turned to look at Abbie.
"Well is anyone gonna tell me why I was interrupted from my beauty rest? I mean I'm gorgeous but lets admit I could use a little more," Irving said as he rested both hands in his pocket.
"Okay first we have to get Crane to the hospital or something," Jenny explained. "I'll ask questions later," Irving sighed looking between the two. Abbie sat with one leg beneath her and a pillow nestled in her lap. Jenny lead the way to Crane.
"Okay don't freak out I made sure he was fine. He's been knocked out, but that's mostly due to shock I think. So yeah long story short I may have shot him," Jenny added.
Irving pushed the bedroom door open.
"You may have,"Irving asked sarcastically.
The captain took a mental note of the state of the room. The bedsheets were a tangled mess, and the floor was decorated with books that must have fallen from the bedside table.
"I'm not going to like this am I," Irving asked.
"Not one bit, Jenny answered as she gave Crane a once over.
He was still in the position Jenny had left him in; handcuffed to the bed and passed out. Irving walked over to Crane and checked his pulse.
"It's strong, "he looked back at Jenny.
"Yeah well I wasn't trying to kill the guy, "she said nonchalantly.
Irving began to check the wound on Crane's thigh.
"Just a gaze wound, nothing major. He just needs it to be cleaned and dressed. Where's the first-aid kit, "Frank asked.
"Ummm I don't know I'll go ask Abbie, " Jenny said as she headed into the hallway.
As soon as she stepped a foot out of the room Jenny let out a breath she didn't realize she was holding. When will this night end?
"Abbie where's your first aid kit," Jenny looked around.
The spot Jenny left her in was vacant. 'Maybe I handcuffed the wrong one' she thought. Jenny allowed her body to make a few strides toward the kitchen.
"Abbs,"she yelled.
"I'm in here, "Abbie hollered back.
Abbie was on the counter sitting crossed legged with a makeshift ice pack held to her face.
"What's wrong, "Abbie asked as she sat the ice pack down.
Jenny stared at her sister, "Nothing umm where's your first aid kit".
"It's under the bathroom sink, "Abbie answered suspiciously.
Jenny disappeared from the kitchen. Abbie was left with her thoughts.
"Crane, what are you doing,"
"Jenny...Jenny"
"Crane please"
"You okay Mills," captain Irving asked.
Abbie quickly wiped away a tear that crawled down her face.
"Yeah I'm fine," she answered.
Irving slid his hand across his hair.
"Okay just wanted to tell you Crane is alright. He's sleeping it off in your room"Irving added.
'My room' Abbie thought.
"Okay thanks,"she added dully.
Jenny walked into the kitchen.
"Alrighty then who's going to be the one to tell me what happened," Irving asked.
The two sisters exchanged glances. Jenny could tell Abbie wasn't in the mood for talking.
"I guess I'll start with when I came in. Shouldn't we go sit down, "Jenny posed.
Irving sighed and walked towards the living room. Jenny followed.
"You coming Mills," Irving asked. Abbie peeled herself from the counter and made her way. They all sat silently for a few seconds.
"Okay, so I came in the house and immediately I heard Abbie screaming my name at the top of her lungs. I heard her crying. I...I didn't know what was going on, so I grabbed her gun that was on the counter. I ran to her room and I saw Crane on top of her. He held Abbie down. She didn't have any pants on, and Crane's were partly down. I froze. Sorry Abbs, but I did," Jenny said with watery eyes.
"Crane slapped Abbie when she pleaded for him to stop. I yelled at Crane to tell him to get off of Abbie. He lunged for me and I shot him," Jenny concluded.
Irving looked disappointed.
"Is there anything you want to add to that," he asked Abbie.
She shook her head no.
"I'll take Crane with me. Are there any charges being pressed," he asked.
"I don't know," Abbie said hoarsly.
"Okay we can figure this out tomorrow...or should I say today," Irving peered at the window.
The sun was already high in the sky.
"Okay Crane we will go over this one more time," Irving said.
Crane shifted in his seat.
"left-tenant invited me to temporarily sleep in her home...strictly platonic I may add. Afterall I am a married man," he added.
"Come on Crane get to the point," Irving pushed.
"As i were, I slumbered on her sofa until I awoke due to extreme dehydration. I then headed to Miss Mills's kitchenette to get some water from the tap as you call it. I distinctively remember falling and then I awoke to the two Mills sisters on the floor. The left-tenant was crying and I had a gunshot wound to the thigh. Now will someone tell me what trully happened," shouted Crane.
'Hell I don't even know what happened. The only person who has the full story is Abbie, and I'm not sure if she's ready to talk.
Abbie sat up on her lay out couch playing another round of 'Don't tap the white tile' on Jenny's phone.
"Shit," Abbie hissed when she missed a black tile.
With that, Jenny emerged from the covers that covered her face.
"Seriously Abbs you've been up all night playing that game you need sleep," Jenny said.
Abbie bit her lip.
"Oh please you're just mad because I beat your highscore," Abbie said in a singsong voice.
Jenny sat up and snatched the phone from her sister.
"Oh my gosh no you didn't," Jenny squealed as she checked Abbie's new score.
Abbie held her chin up and grinned; looking her proudest.
"yup,"she said with a pop on the 'p'.
"But seriously Abbs you really need to go to sleep. I bet you have a headache out of this world," Jenny said.
Abbie curled into herself," actually no I'm-"
"Fine, yeah I know you're fine I get it," Jenny interrupted.
Abbie sighed aloud.
"I'm scared," Abbie whispered into the darkness.
"Of what," Jenny whispered back.
"to fall asleep...I know it's stupid, but I am. It's like I can still feel his hands on me. Just as I'm falling asleep I see his ugly ass grin that he had plastered on his face," Abbie shivered.
"I know how you feel," Jenny finally replied.
"You do,"Abbie questioned.
"Well, yeah and no. When I spent time over in Somalia there was this group of soldiers who would come at night and kill like an entire community. Sometimes they would make the children kill their parents and force them to be child soldiers. Everytime I would begin to fall asleep I would imagine one of the soldiers coming in, so I would stay up and check to ensure that all of my guns were full of ammo," Jenny explained.
"Well I guess we're more alike than we'd like to admit," Abbie said as she got up and went into the kitchen.
"You want some tea," she called out.
"No I'm good," Jenny yelled back.
Abbie fished for the tea kettle from one of the many cabinets in her kitchen. She silently praised herself for how quickly she found it. After filling it with water and putting it on the stove to get hot. She waited. The tea kettle hollard out in record time. Abbie grabbed a mug and poured the hot water over the teabag.
"Crane what are you doing"
"I can't breathe...Crane"
Jenny ran into the kitchen at the sound of Abbie screaming.
"What's wrong," she asked frantically.
Abbie clutched her hand to her chest.
"Nothing I just burned my hand with that water," Abbie muttered.
Jenny stepped closer to her.
"No I said I'm fine," Abbie said through clenched teeth.
"Abbs you're not fine," look at you.
Abbie dropped to the floor still cradling her right hand with her left. An endless stream of tears ran hot down Abbie's cheeks, and a series of sobs escaped her lips. Jenny sat next to her as she usually does.
"Abbie, it's okay not to be okay, " Jenny said.
She reached over to hug Abbie.
"Please don't," she retorted.
"Okay,"Jenny breathed.