Chapter 18:
Eric drove straight over to Buddy's and knocked. Loudly.
Lyla answered the door.
She gulped.
"Mr. Taylor… Hi. Um I'm not sure now is a great time."
"Lyla… you and your father upset my daughter... my injured, recovering 16 year old daughter."
"I didn't know he was going to do that… Mr. Taylor, he just asked if I wanted to bring her some flowers to cheer her up. I swear. He said she got hurt at a party on Friday night. I didn't go and I didn't even know how she got hurt or that it was as bad and I never ever would have gone if I'd known what JD did to her. That is horrible."
Eric nodded. He believed her.
"I'd like to speak to your father."
"Um… he's had more than a few drinks now… after Julie yelled he kinda…"
"Julie yelled?" He asked surprised. Sure Julie fussed at him and Tami occasionally but never in public and never to any one else.
"Oh um… yes sir. She totally let my dad have it. And he deserved it! If she could have gotten up I think she would have hit him. She screamed at him and asked him if he would think I made a mistake if it happened to me. She told him about her wrist and a surgery and her ribs and not being able to shower alone and she just yelled so loud. I just I got him out of there as fast as I could. He started drinking as soon as we got home he just keeps muttering curse words and Joe McCoy's name. I'm really sorry we even went. I thought we were just being nice I didn't know he had any ulterior motives. I'm sorry."
Eric sighed.
"Please tell him he owes my daughter an apology and that I expect him to give it to her."
"Yes sir. I'm real sorry and I hope Julie feels better soon." Lyla said closing the door.
Eric took a deep breath and drove back to the hospital.
After dinner things were quiet, everyone was tense and waiting on Eric to come back.
"Julie tomorrow your dad and I have both taken personal days."
"What? Why?"
"To bring you home hun. We want to be sure to ask all our questions and get you home and set up in your room. I'm gonna swing by the grocery store tonight and get some things and this morning I went ahead and washed all your sheets and blankets so everything is clean and fresh."
"Oh… okay. I don't want to be any trouble mom. You guys need to go to work."
"Well it's just one day for now. Once we see how you do we can figure out the rest. I'll probably take a few more days this week."
"Uh… Mrs. T?" Tim interrupted.
"Yes Tim?"
"I uh… am I allowed to miss school to help out? I mean… I know this is all weird but I like helping and Julie is my uh…friend... and I'd like to keep her company too."
Julie blushed and Tami thought it over.
"I'm not sure Tim… I'm not saying no… I just… you've been here an awful lot… maybe school would be a nice break?"
"Mom… I like having Tim around. Please?"
Tami paused and looked between the two of them.
"Is there anything going on I should know about?" She asked.
Julie blushed and Tim froze.
"Um… maybe I'll just take Gracie for a walk. Give you two a few minutes." Tim said.
Once he was gone Julie spoke.
"I like him mom… I think you can tell."
Tami nodded.
"I've been getting that vibe, yes."
"I'm not sure if it's a crush or I'm just incredibly thankful for him saving me or something more but I would like to keep him around and try to figure it out."
Tami took a couple of deep breaths.
"Baby… your daddy isn't going to like that your feelings are involved."
"Dad loves Tim."
"Yes… but I'm not so sure he'll love him for you."
"Mom…I'm not sure where it is headed but I just... I feel really safe and protected when he's around. You should have seen how he got between me and Mr. Garrity… he's a really good friend if nothing else."
"Well does he have feelings for you?"
"I haven't asked him but… he is still here and…"
"And?"
"And he's really sweet to me… he held me while I slept and kissed my forehead." I'm gonna just skip the kissing on the lips. She's not ready for that yet. Julie added in her head.
"Julie… what about all the other girls? Are you sure you would want to date someone with his reputation?"
Julie frowned.
"I dunno mom. I'm not... I'm just really trying to be open and honest with you… Like you wanted with Matt...I just… maybe he can just miss tomorrow and help us and then he can come over after school sometimes… like… friends? To start anyway... That way i can get to know him better?"
"Well I'm fine with that I like having Tim around. I like him as a person. I just… well… Julie, I don't want you to get too attached and have him break your heart. I've had plenty of girls in the guidance office with broken hearts due to that boy."
"Obviously that's not what I want either. But I am already attached. I really like having him around me."
"Okay… I'll call Billy and he can stay with us for the day tomorrow but he has to go to school Tuesday, Julie."
"Okay mom."
Julie frowned.
"Hey Mom? When do I go back to school? I get tired just walking to the bathroom and I definitely can't write to take notes or anything."
Julie sighed.
"I know hun. I'll add it to my list for Dr. Collins." She pulled out a notebook and opened to a page with twenty-three numbered questions on it.
"You have twenty-three questions for Dr. Collins?"
"Twenty-four now. It's a growing list."
"Jeez…"
"Julie?"
"Yeah mom?"
"Let's wait to tell your dad about you and Tim becoming more than friends… I mean I don't want y'all to feel like you're keeping secrets but your dad has been very stressed out and I think having Tim around helps him too… Let's not pop that bubble yet. Okay?"
"Won't he be mad if he finds out we kept it from him?"
"Yes… but I'll handle that."
"Okay…"
Eric and Tim came back together.
Julie smiled and nodded at Tim.
I hope that means her mom is okay with me and her. Tim thought.
He handed Gracie to Tami.
"I think she uh… needs to be changed. She's a little on the smelly side."
"Great… thanks." She mumbled talking Gracie and the diaper bag to the bathroom.
"Daddy?"
"Yes baby?"
"Are you okay? Where did you go?"
He cleared his throat.
"Yes. I went to see the Garrity's. Lyla apologized and I believe Buddy will be apologizing to you soon enough. According to Lyla, Buddy duped her into coming. She said she didn't even know you were hurt till he told her. He apparently asked her if she wanted to bring you flowers to make you feel better. I didn't speak to him. Lyla said he already got an earful."
Julie's lips tightened into a line.
"Yes… I may have spoken to him."
Tim made a noise.
"Fine. Yes. I screamed at him. I'm not sorry. He should not have come here like that."
"I agree." Eric said.
"Me too." Tim added.
"Well good then. Can we watch something?" Julie asked.
The rest of the night went quickly. Julie's parents left at 9 and promised to be back around 8 in the morning since they didn't know what time exactly the doctor would be coming.
"Hey do you want to move to the bed?" Tim asked.
She smiled.
"Yeah… that would be good. Can you help me?"
"Of course." He stood up. He had changed earlier into a clean shirt and some more mesh gym/football shorts and his own pair of hospital socks with the bumps. Lisa didn't want him to slip if he was gonna be here.
He moved the blanket and the pillow and sucked in a breath.
Julie followed his line of sight and furrowed her brows. The inside of her left thigh had an almost perfect hand print in ugly bruises. It was much darker now too.
"Sorry." He mumbled when he saw she noticed.
She tried to pull her shorts down a little.
"Why are you sorry? You didn't do it."
"I know… I dunno. I don't want you to hurt."
"Tim, that bruise is about 6th on my list of pain right now."
"Wrist, rib, rib, rib… what's number 5? Headache again?"
"No. My back. My back is still really stiff. The chair helps but It still hurts."
Tim nodded wondering if she'd like a massage but not feeling bold enough to offer yet.
He held the IV tube so it didn't twist on her way.
She stopped halfway. With a scowl on her face.
"What's wrong?"
She pushed the red call button.
"I have to pee. Dammit."
He smirked. She peed a lot, it seemed like.
The night nurse unhooked her and she was able to go to the bathroom by herself and come back.
She got in bed and the nurse hooked her back up. She then brought her some fresh ice packs and gave her some medicine.
She scooted over and Tim slid in next to her just like last night.
Except tonight Julie wasn't as sleepy just yet.
She got her ice and put one pack on her ribs and the one for her arm gently on top of her wrist which rested on a pillow.
"I guess I should tell my mom to buy me some more pillows."
"Or you can steal the ones from the guest room."
"True."
"Hey… what did your mom say about me?"
Julie smiled. "You can stay with me tomorrow but you have to go to school Tuesday.
Tim nodded.
"She also said that we should keep whatever is happening between us from my dad for a little while."
She looked up to see a frown. She expected it.
"I don't like that much." He said.
"I agree. Her logic is that my dad can only handle so much at one time and she knows he values having you around and she doesn't want a you and me thing to push him over the edge."
Tim could see that point.
"I don't want him to hate me."
Julie leaned into him.
"He won't. He loves you Tim. And if it means anything my mom said she is okay with us becoming more than friends."
Tim blinked back tears.
Julie was surprised by his sudden emotion. She decided to lighten the mood.
"Hey you never answered my question earlier." She said.
"What was your question?"
She turned towards him gently and smiled a big smile.
"Wanna make out?" She asked biting her lower lip.
He smiled. "Yes… before we get another interruption. Yes."
He leaned forward and kissed her.
She kissed back and then growled.
He pulled back.
"What's wrong?"
"I… Ow. I tried to move my arm because I'm stupid. I wanted to…"
"You wanted to what?"
"Well now it's gonna sound really dumb."
"Tell me."
"I wanted to touch you or i dunno... be closer together." She blushed again.
He nodded.
"I get that. Both of your arms are kinda stuck."
He wrapped his right arm around her shoulder and gently scooted as close as possible even tangling his legs with hers. Bare skin against bare skin.
"How's that? A little more skin to skin." He chuckled.
"Better."
He melted his lips back to hers. He wanted to just kiss the stuffing out of her but he was sweet and gentle and patient reminding himself that they are in a hospital because she's hurt and he needs to be careful.
After a long make out session they were both tired and fell into a quiet sleep. Tim enjoyed just holding her.