"A
Single Yellow Rose" – Chapter Seventeen
Out at the lake…after
homecoming game…inside the cottage…
"Belle," Shawn said.
"Shawn," Belle whispered at the same time.
Both stopped and waited for the other to continue.
"Go ahead," Belle said still unable to lift her gaze
from the coffee cup.
"No…you go," Shawn said, stealing a sideways glance
at her. "Chloe said you wanted to talk with me."
"She did?"
"You don't?"
No…I mean…yes I do want to talk but if you rather
not," Belle finished the last of her water, "if you don't want to be here I'd
understand."
"There is no other place in this world I want to be
other than right here with you."
"Really?"
"Belle, how can you ask me that?" Shawn softly
chided her.
"I don't know," Belle eyes filled with tears and she
turned away before Shawn could see them "I feel like I don't know anything
anymore."
"You know how I feel about you."
"Maybe before…but now…after tonight," a sob escaped
past her lips before she could silence it.
Clenching his fingers into tight fists against her
tears, Shawn wanted desperately to hold her but he was sure she would just pull
away from him again. Leaning back on the pillows propped up against the bed's
headboard, he stretched out his legs and closed his eyes. "My feelings haven't
changed towards you Belle."
"How can you say that?" Belle whirled around her
face wet from her tears. "Look at me! Look at what he did to me! I let this
happen! I should have run away…I should have screamed…but I didn't try to do
anything until it was too late-"
"Belle stop!" Shawn's eyes flew open and he reached
out to gently cup her cheek with his hand, his fingers sinking into her hair.
"This was not your fault. I won't sit here and listen to you tear yourself down
over this. If it's anyone's fault it's mine!"
"Yours?" Belle's eyes filled with confusion. "How
could you think that?"
"I should have been there with you, I should have
followed you to make sure you were safe." Letting go of her Shawn leaned back
against the headboard again. "I just thought you were going after Mimi and you
two would want some time alone for girl talk…I just let you walk away."
"Shawn you couldn't have known that this would
happen. There's no way."
"I'm so sorry I wasn't there for you…to protect you.
I know I should be comforting you," Shawn again closed his eyes against the
already present tears but they leaked out from underneath his lashes. "God, I
feel like such a jerk but I need to know that you forgive me…p-please forgive
me."
The empty cup lay forgotten between them as Belle
hurled herself into Shawn's arms. Mindful of her bruises and soreness, Shawn
carefully wrapped his arms around her and held her close. Neither tried to
control their tears, allowing them to wash away the guilt and begin the
healing.
"Never doubt how I feel about you Belle." Shawn
said, stroking her hair. "I love you."
Belle slowly pulled back, needing desperately to see
his eyes. "You love me?"
"I have loved you all my life and nothing will
change that."
"But there are all kinds of love Shawn, how can you
be sure that what happened tonight hasn't changed the kind of love you feel?"
"A few days ago it took all the strength I had not
to make love to you when we were alone in my bedroom…those feelings haven't
changed Belle."
"Was that only a few days ago?" Belle asked. "It
seems like a lifetime."
"I want to help you through this Belle…I'm not going
anywhere."
Bell dropped her head unable to maintain Shawn's
strong stare. "I didn't want you too see me out there…I was so s-scared you
would turn away from me."
"Never."
"Why did this happen to me Shawn?"
"I don't know baby…but we've got to take the first
step in finding out. We've got to tell your parents what happened tonight."
Belle pulled fully out of his arms, curling her legs
under her balancing herself on her knees. "I can't do that!"
"Belle-"
"No!" Wrapping her arms tightly around herself,
Belle violently shook her head. "I can't go home and tell them…this would kill
them."
"You need them Belle…in a way that totally different
than how you need me or Chloe or any of your friends. Your mom is the perfect
one to help you deal with everything that happened."
"She's my mom! Not just some doctor…and they have
been through so much these last few months with the news about your…well, our
baby brother. They are holding it together but things still seem so unsure
around our house. I can't give them anything more to deal with."
Shawn leaned forward, staring at her intently.
"Belle, they have a right to know. And you can't hide what happened
tonight...how are you going to explain your face?"
Belle's hands flew to cover up the ever growing
bruise but even she could feel the swelling and scratches there. "I'll come up
with something-"
"No Belle, you are not a liar and I am not going to
let you become one now. We have got to tell them…we've got to stop this guy
from hurting someone else."
"Someone else?"
"We were so lucky Jason was close by and heard what
was going on and stopped that monster before he…" Shawn let his voice trail
away when he saw Belle's face pale at his words.
"I can't…I can't be responsible for another girl not
being so lucky can I?"
Shawn nodded. "My dad's working tonight. Let's go
see him and he can call your folks."
Belle slowly rocked back and forth, her hands
traveling down her cheeks to rest under her chin in a fervent prayer. "Oh
Shawn…this is going to be worse than…than what he did…I feel like such a
failure-"
"This wasn't your fault," Shawn reached out and
grabbed her hands. "If I have to say it a thousand times, a million times…I do
that until I can finally convince you."
Belle only nodded, taking a few moments to get her
reeling emotions under control. "Okay," she took in a deep breath and held it
for a second longer before slowly releasing it. "Okay, let's go."
Moments later, Shawn opened the door and walked out
into the main room with Belle next to him and her discarded clothes rolled into
a ball underneath his arm.
"They're all still here." Belle said, surprised to
see everyone.
"Of course we are," Philip said, from he still sat
in the corner chair with Chloe sound asleep in his lap. "Where else would we
be?"
Belle only smiled at him, a new respect for her
friend shining in her eyes because of what Chloe shared with her. Philip smiled
back as he gently nudged Chloe awake. "Wake up baby."
"Ummm," Chloe moaned, curling deeper into Philip's
embrace, "don't want to."
"I can tell but Shawn and Belle are out here."
Chloe became instantly awake and sat up straight.
"Belle are you okay? What's going on?"
Belle only nodded and looked up at Shawn who
tightened his hold around her waist and gave her a soft kiss on the end of her
nose. "We're going down to the police headquarters to talk to my dad…and then
he is going to call Belle's parents."
Chloe nodded in agreement as she stood up and Philip
did the same after her. "That's a good idea. I'm glad Shawn was able to
convince you Belle."
"You had something to do with it too Chloe. I guess
I was just being stubborn but believe me…your words did get through to me."
"Those two asleep over there?" Shawn said, tossing
his head in the direction of the couch.
"One of us is," came Jason's reply.
Philip stepped around Chloe and went over to where
Jason sat with Mimi still curled up on his lap, her head tucked neatly against
his neck with Jason's arms still wrapped around her back and under her legs.
"Geez, your arm must be numb by now," Philip said.
"Well bro, that's the only part of me that is."
Jason answered, looking down at his chest where in her sleep, Mimi had
unbuttoned his shirt to his waist in order to slip her hand inside. Her hand
lay spread low over his abdomen, her fingertips tucked just under the waistband
of his jeans.
Philip chucked low the pained expression on his
friend's face. "What's the matter? Sleeping Beauty here wrecking havoc on your
equilibrium?"
"She's making me damn horny, is that the same
thing?" Jason replied a corner of his mouth lifting into a sly smile.
"Pretty close," Philip answered returning his smile.
"So what's up? I couldn't hear anything with Mimi's
purring in my ear."
"Shawn and Belle are heading down to the police to
talk to his dad about what happened?"
"Whoa…what about her folks?"
"They are going to call them from there."
Shawn walked over to join them as Belle and Chloe
stayed nearby in a quiet discussion. "Hey Jason…do you think you can come with
us?"
"Yeah sure," Jason said, "but why?"
"Well, you're the only one besides Belle who saw
this guy. Maybe if you explain the whole story again you might be able to come
with something to help him."
"Well, considering my head feel a lot less clouded
than it did before maybe I will be able to remember more." Jason shifted
against the cushions pulling his one arm free from under Mimi's legs. "Let me
try and wake up Mimi here and we can head out."
Shawn and Philip backed away as Jason gently shook
Mimi, difficult to do since his arm had indeed fallen asleep. "Hey Mimi…come on
wake up."
"Five more minutes, Connor…tell mom five more
minutes," Mimi mumbled as she stretched out forcing her hand farther into the
top of Jason's jeans. Sucking in a deep breath through clenched teeth, Jason
felt the tips of her fingernails lifting up the elastic edge of his jockey's.
"God dang it!" he hissed, catching Philip's smile and Shawn's questioning look.
"It's not funny!"
Soon Shawn's smile matched his friend's as Philip
whispered Jason's situation quickly in his ear. Jason only offered a dirty look
in their direction as he wrapped his fingers around Mimi's wrist. "Hope you two
are enjoying this."
"No as much as you are," Shawn said.
"Come on Mimi," Jason repeated, gripping tightly to
her wandering hand," "it's time to rise and shine. You've got to wake up."
Mimi only offered a low moan and curved inward to
Jason seeking the warmth of him from the chill in the room. Philip and Shawn
laugh quietly as the look of despair on his face.
"I work better without an audience," he said and
Philip and Shawn took pity on him and walked away.
"Mimi…it's Jason and you have got to wake up now."
"Jason…" she softly cooed into his ear her warmth
breath causing the tightening across his lap to increase even more. He
tightened his hold on her for a quick moment, knowing that once she realized
where she was it would all be over.
"That's right…Jason."
"Jason?"
He could hear the change in her voice and he knew
he'd finally gotten through to her. Seconds later she scrambled off his lap.
"What's happened? What's going on?"
"You fell asleep, they talked and now we are heading
down to the cop shop." Jason said, trying to ignore the feeling of emptiness
that filled him now that Mimi was out of his arms.
"The police?" Mimi asked pushing her hair out of her
eyes, still not fully awake. "Are you sure Belle?"
Belle nodded as she came up to Mimi and allowed her
best friend to give her a warm hug. "I-I don't want to but Chloe and Shawn have
convinced me I have to do this."
"So…let's head out okay?" Shawn said.
"Look, why don't you two and Jason go on ahead in
your truck? I close up here and then I can take Chloe and Mimi home." Philip
said.
Everyone nodded in agreement and Shawn and Belle
headed towards the door. Shawn stopped and turned around when he realized it
was just the two of them. "You coming Jase?"
Jason cleared his throat as he leaned forward, his
head hanging low to his chest. "Give me a sec okay?"
Shawn nodded in understanding. "We'll meet you at
the truck."
"Give me a call when you get home." Philip said to
Shawn.
"It could be really late," Shawn said, looking at
his watch. "It's after midnight already."
"Doesn't matter," Philip replied. "Use my private
line."
Chloe and Mimi each gave Belle a hug goodbye as
Shawn nodded and then he and Belle headed out the door. Mimi turned back,
unable to tear her gaze from Jason's slumped shoulders. She took a few steps
towards him but stopped unable to move any closer.
"Talk to him Mimi," Chloe whispered over her shoulder.
"Not you too," Mimi whispered, looking back. "I
can't do it. All I see is him and Jan…"
"That's not the whole story, he deserved a chance to
be heard."
Jason started to rise from the couch and Mimi
grabbed one of the lamps and disappeared into the bathroom. Philip brought out
the oil lamp from the bedroom and put out the flames in two of the lamps,
leaving one on the counter. Jason put on his jacket as he headed towards the
door.
"You didn't tell Mimi did you?"
"She's really upset about all that happened with
Belle, Phil. Hopefully I can talk to her some time tomorrow and explain
everything…if she'll even believe me."
"She really likes you Jase," Chloe said. "Philip
told me what you guys figured out about Jan. I just can't believe she did
that."
Jason buttoned his jacket while staring at the
closed bathroom door. "Yeah, I've to deal with her too but right now I would
feel a whole lot better if I could just get Mimi to listen to me. She's not
coming out of there is she?"
"I doubt it," Chloe answered, "and Shawn is waiting
for you."
"Okay, I'm outta here."
Philip waited a few minutes after Jason left before
walking over and knocking a few times on the bathroom door. "You can come out
now Mimi…he's gone."
Mimi slowly opened the door. "I know you think I'm being
foolish but I can't help it."
"If you would only-"
"Philip let's get on home okay?" Chloe said,
lowering the wick on the lamp near her until it went out leaving only the lamp
in Mimi's hand as their only light. "It's been a long night for everyone."
Philip just shrugged and took the lamp from Mimi.
"Come on ladies…let's head out."
To
be continued…