Chapter 23:
Wednesday
3:30 pm
Tim and Julie had napped for about two hours when Tim woke up. He looked over at Julie and just sighed.
You are so beautiful Julie Taylor. He thought.
He untangled himself from her and quietly went to the bathroom and then the living room.
Mrs. Taylor was working at the dining table.
"Hey Tim… you need something?"
"No ma'am… Julie is just sleeping…"
"Okay. How is she doing?"
"Oh um… she seemed okay. She mentioned Mrs. McCoy came over but didn't tell me any details."
"Oh yes. Julie gave her a piece of her mind. I hope she passes along the anger and they can just leave her alone." Tami didn't feel like it was her place to explain what Julie had said. She felt like Julie could and would tell Tim if she wanted him to know.
"I know. I wish we could make it all go away for her. Do you… um…?"
"What Tim?"
Tim cleared his throat. He had been thinking this for at least two days since Julie's emotions were a little all over the place.
"Do you think she should talk to a doctor or shrink or something?" He asked uncomfortably.
Tami puzzled over this question.
"I don't know… she… she hasn't asked to talk and she usually just lets me know if she wants to. Maybe an outside resource would help her. I can ask her."
"I… uh… Mrs. T… I just think she has a lot to think about and maybe she will feel better if she can talk to someone else who has experience with helping in these situations."
"That could be Tim. Thank you for looking out for Jules." She smiled at him.
Tim wondered into the kitchen and grabbed a bottle of water and headed back to Julie's room. She was still asleep so he lounged on the floor and flipped through her magazines.
A while later Eric came home with GB and Tim excused himself to spend a little time with Billy. Julie was unhappy that he had to go but he promised he would come over tomorrow night after practice.
Tami cooked and the three Taylor's all ate dinner together.
"Julie hunny, how are you feeling?" Tami asked.
"I'm okay I guess." She shrugged.
"Any pain?"
"No mom… I've been taking my meds. My ribs are actually starting to feel a lot better. I'll hopefully take another shower tonight and that will help some more."
"Okay hun."
"Mom?"
"Yeah?"
"You will sit with me right? And uh… help me with my hair?"
"Of course Julie. We can do it after Gracie Belle goes to sleep."
"Thanks"
Conversation drifted to Eric's day and football drama.
After dinner Julie decided to call Tim.
"Hey" She sighed.
"Hey… you okay Julie?"
"Yeah… I… well I'm tired I guess… I feel like everything makes me tired."
"That's probably normal…"
"I know. Mom's going to help me shower in a little bit. I actually am feeling less pain from my ribs."
"That's great. The shower will probably help relax your muscles too."
"I hope so. It's been… well… a really long week."
"I know." It's only really been a few days since Friday night.
"I'm glad you have football to distract you… I might need a new hobby since dance is out for a while."
"Hmm… have you thought about a new hobby?"
She smirked. "Not exactly. I think Pictionary is off the list."
"Ha ha. And writing too?" He asked carefully.
She sighed. "You know I like writing?"
"Julie Taylor… I notice a lot about you. Yes, I know you like writing."
She blushed and smiled. "I like reading too… even that has been a little more difficult with turning pages and everything."
"I know. Keep brainstorming and you'll find something fun to keep you entertained. At least you don't have to do school work."
"Ahh… actually I do. Mom said I'll get some work delivered each week starting Friday and I'm supposed to do my best and ask if I have questions." She sighed again.
"Well you can kick ass. So you probably won't even need help."
She smiled again. "You're sweet Tim."
"Shhh keep that to yourself Jules. It only happens with you."
She giggled.
"I'm sure…" She said a little sarcastically.
"Well… you bring it out in me."
"I have to talk to my parents about Friday… I don't know what they will want."
"What do you mean? What's Friday?"
"The game… I mean… I don't know if they want me to go."
"Oh… well what do you want?"
"I don't want to be home alone."
"No. Of course not…"
"My mom has only missed one of my dad's games ever excluding the TMU gig that we try not to speak of."
"Oh… so she'll go?"
"I think she would want to. I guess I have to ask…"
"Do you want to go?"
"I mean physically… I think I could go. It's a home game… and I have a sling for my arm… I just… ugh…"
"You haven't been out…"
"Yeah exactly! I know Tim… I think I would feel like I would be on display or something. Everyone would be watching me or worse they might even talk to me... i don't want another Buddy situation."
"Then don't go… maybe a friend could stay with you? Lois? Tyra?"
"Well maybe… they usually go though. Maybe Lois… sometimes I sneak away with her and we go eat nachos."
"You skip the football part?"
"Oh don't get grumpy. I watch most of it. Plus now I have someone to watch."
"Oh yeah?"
"Yeah… I've gotta check out this hot guy... i mean... he'll be in the tight pants..." She blushed.
"Yeah? Anyone I know?" he baited.
"Well…his number is 33. He is really hunky, loves giraffes and brownies and he is sometimes adorably sweet. He makes me smile almost all the time and laugh and feel amazingly safe. I'd like to think he might be my boyfriend." She held her breath.
Tim smiled. "He sounds like a lucky guy to have such an amazing girlfriend."
"Oh yeah?"
"Yeah… this girlfriend must be gorgeous and cute and funny and sweet and…"
"Tim?"
"Yeah?"
"Am I your girlfriend, really?"
He swallowed. "I… I'd like you to be. I'm not… *sigh*… I'm not really the boyfriend type Julie. You obviously hear things and you know, but I feel really happy when I'm with you and when I'm not with you I can't stop thinking about when I get to see you again… I feel like that is part of the boyfriend/girlfriend relationship. I'm not perfect in any way and it might be trouble but I like you a lot and want to be around you all the time."
"Aww Tim, I feel the same way. Except… I don't think it will be trouble. You… I just… some things would be different from… um… your normal relationships." She hesitated thinking about discussing sex stuff.
"Yeah… I want things to be different. Listen, maybe this should be a more in person conversation?"
"Probably a good Idea. Just so you know, I'd like to be your girlfriend if you…"
"Yes Julie. Yes. Okay?"
She beamed.
"Okay… well Tim on that happy declaration, I'm going to get ready for my shower now. Talk to you tomorrow?"
"Yes… sleep well."
"You too."
The showering process went a lot smoother tonight. Julie was able to do everything herself except her hair and wrapping her arm afterwards.
That night Julie fell asleep thinking of only the list of good things in her life.
Caring and loving family.
Great boyfriend.
Healing body.
Warm shower.
Soft bed and comfy pjs.
Sweet friends.
Nice church members who sent baked goods.
She didn't once consider the boy on the other side of town who had lost nearly everything in his life.
JD's list was a list of things he had lost in the last few days.
Football
Friends
School
Memories from that night
Privacy
Safety
Freedom
Future
Mom
Respect
Hope…
His own mother had not returned that evening. He knew she had gone to the Taylor's. He had asked her to and she had reluctantly promised she would. After a dinner of Chinese take out, His father had just told him she was going to her sisters… in New York… for a while. JD felt in his heart that his own mother thought he was a monster. He wasn't allowed to leave the house let alone the state… he wondered if he would even see his mother again.
He didn't feel like a monster but someone in the courthouse had shouted at him that he was and he saw his mother flinch. The cops told him Julie was afraid of him and refused to speak to him. His father could barely look at him. He remembered in the hospital hallway Riggs and Coach had looked at him like he was… He wondered just how many people hated him… that was a list that was growing long as well.
AN: Thank you for patiently waiting for chapters.
I am planning on hunkering down and getting the last few chapters out pretty fast.
I plan on being completely finished with this story on or before August 12th, since I am in Graduate School and that's the first day of new classes.
REVIEW? They make me smile. :)