Chapter 13
He had looked so hurt as he left that Sophie had had no choice but to follow after him.
"Where you going Soph?" Columbia queried as the girl began to open the door.
"Well Mr. Riff Raff looked so upset and I just…want to check on him" she replied, a worried edge creeping into her voice.
"Well good luck with that," Columbia snorted, "You'd have better luck consoling a spiked rock than that lump of ice."
"Well it can't hurt to try…can it?" She half seriously asked.
Columbia just shrugged her shoulders and once more became absorbed in the magazine.
Leaving the room, she quickly made her way down the hall and found herself at Riff Raff's door. She hesitated – what if he slammed the door in her face? What if he yelled at her? What if he – she stopped herself mid thought. No! I have to get some courage and make sure he's alright! I-I won't take no for an answer this time.
There was no response to her knock.
With trembling hands she opened the door and gasped as she saw the figure of Riff Raff sprawled on the floor. Is he breathing? OH MY GOSH IS HE BREATHING?
Sophie began to shake as she ran to the man, tears forming in her eyes, her breathing becoming gasps.
"Mr. R-Riff Raff are you ok? Please answer me?" She whispered putting her hand gently on his back only to quickly remove it, shocked by the wetness the extremity was met with.
"What the…" she muttered as she looked to her hand – it was covered with blood – with a quick intake of breath she gently removed the man's jacket, hump, and torn shirt revealing the cruel lines that marred his slim back.
"O-oh my goodness you poor dear. Oh my – oh dear!" Sophie cried passionately as she ran to the kitchen to retrieve a large bowl.
She swore she had never ran so fast in her life but it seemed like only seconds later that she was back in the room turning on the taps in his bathroom. She hovered over his prone form as the bowl slowly filled with warm water.
Bowl filled, Sophie grabbed Riff Raff and placed him on the bed as gently as she could. She gave a soft sob as he groaned with pain, still unconscious.
"You poor thing, don't worry I'll take care of you," she whispered gently brushing his hair from his back.
Sophie diligently went to work. She first disinfected the wounds, silently crying as his body convulsed from the pain. She then grabbed bandages, tape, and the bowl of warm water, positioning them on the bedside table.
"I'll have to monitor him all night to make sure he doesn't roll on his back or move too much" she said under her breath as she quickly went to her room to change into her pajamas.
She blushed as she looked at the skimpy collection she had to choose from but quickly got over her embarrassment – he needed her care – and pulling on a sheer negligee over her bra and underwear she ran back to Riff Raff.
She carefully pulled his head into her lap that was covered with a pillow to make him more comfortable and began washing his back with the warm water, bracing herself for the long night.