Isolated
"I'm sorry." Punk said, lying in bed next to AJ, hoping she hadn't fallen asleep yet.
It was the first word spoken between them after their fight and their rather aggressive and possessive love making. In the moment, it was exhilarating, but lying here now, Punk couldn't help wondering if perhaps he'd been a little insensitive.
"For what?" AJ asked curiously.
"I guess I didn't really think how it would make you feel. Sophie being here. Me talking with her." Punk said, "I suppose because I know myself that I'm well and truly over her. I mean… it's you I spend every second of the day thinking about." He said, "But I can see why you'd feel a little on edge."
"It's not just that." AJ said, "It's the fact you've gotten her involved in something that's happened here. In the town." She said, "This is our place. Shiv is our friend. No offence to Sophie but… why would she be interested in helping you other than wanting something more out of it?"
"I really don't think it's like that." Punk said, "I just thought maybe she could help me fit some pieces together. Craig hasn't been found. The cops aren't exactly treating it as a priority. And now I find out my brother is trying to get out of prison early." He said, "I just need to feel like I'm doing something to help. To find out what the reason for the attacks was."
"I get that." AJ nodded, "And I know I was maybe a little… over the top. But I couldn't stand it every time one of the girls told me they saw Sophie's car." AJ said, "I guess it's my hormones, but I also just don't understand why she always shows up here."
"She's showed up three times since I came here." Punk scoffed.
"Three times too many." AJ grumbled, "Who does that, though? She literally could have just called or messaged you."
"I know." Punk understood where she was coming from, "But I promise you…" He turned to face her in bed, "You have nothing to worry about. You're my person. You mean more to me than you'll ever understand." He told her truthfully, brushing a strand of her hair behind her ear as she smiled softly.
"You're my person too." AJ whispered, "I just don't want you to get into any kind of trouble trying to figure out why these attacks happened."
"I won't. I'm not doing anything illegal." Punk assured her, "Daryl is going to visit Shiv at college tomorrow."
"He is?" AJ raised her eyebrows, "Why?"
"I guess he's worried about her like you and the girls are." Punk said, "She's been ditching his messages, when she told him to stay in contact with her."
"It's like she's just shutting everyone out." AJ sighed, "Maybe it's best if Daryl goes to see her. If me and the girls go, she'll know we're just checking up on her."
"Did you manage to call her today? I know you said you were going to try." Punk said.
"I tried but she texts me later on again to say she was busy with classes all day." AJ said, "I mean, I understand how she feels. Being attacked… you feel on edge the whole time. You just expect it's going to happen again, at any time. You feel you always have to be prepared. To be on guard." AJ nodded, "She must have been so scared. And she'll still be scared."
"Do we really think it's a good idea letting Daryl go see her? He's not the best with words." Punk scoffed.
"I think he might be the only one that could convince her to come home for Christmas, actually." AJ said.
"I hope so." Punk said, "I gave him the day off anyway."
"You know my aunt wanted to come introduce herself to Sophie." AJ grinned.
"Oh, God. Does she hate me now?" Punk said.
"No." AJ scoffed, "She just seemed a little… protective. She can be like that with me."
"Well, you're practically her daughter." Punk nodded, "You thought any more about telling your parents about the pregnancy?" He asked.
"Yeah, and I think I'm just going to call them and tell them." AJ shrugged, "Then it's up to them if they want to come out here and visit."
"I think that's probably the best idea. I thought about maybe encouraging you to go over there but… when I think about it, you should probably just leave the ball in their court. It's not your responsibility to keep the relationship afloat." He nodded.
"Yeah, I know. Still feel like I have to, though. I still send them money, and since we're having two babies, I seriously need to consider if I'm going to keep sending them the amount I've been spending." She said.
"Why do you send them money anyway?" Punk asked curiously, realising he'd never asked.
"Because they're not particularly well off. They live in a pretty run-down part of Puerto Rico. They've always struggled." She said, "So when The Brewberry started making me a decent amount, I started sending a little over every month to them."
"Does your aunt not speak to your mom anymore? I get the impression she doesn't." Punk said.
"No, they haven't spoken since I was little. To be honest, they've never really got along. My mom was always the irresponsible sister, and my aunt always had to take charge. Take responsibility." She said.
"Sounds familiar." He nodded to her as she smiled.
"Would you have wanted your parents to meet your kids?" She asked curiously, curling into him under the sheets, resting her head on his chest, feeling herself more relaxed now that they'd addressed Sophie and her feelings about her.
"No, not really." Punk said, "I don't think they would have cared either way. My grandpa would have loved to meet them, though. He was great with kids."
"You always speak so fondly of him." AJ smiled, "When did he die?"
"I was seventeen." Punk said, "He was great. Always willing to help. Me and him would sit and watch movies all day whenever I visited or stayed over. He took more of a liking to me than my brother."
"Must have been rough losing him." AJ frowned.
"Yeah, it sucked." Punk nodded, "Spent most of my childhood with him. He was a pilot in World War Two. Had the best stories."
"I bet." AJ smiled, "What was his name?"
"Thomas." Punk said, "People called him Tommy, or Tom." He nodded, "He was a tradesman later in life. Had a way with people. A real character."
"Sounds familiar." AJ smiled, "Thomas." She said to herself, patting his chest as Punk nodded, "It's a nice name." She looked up at him as he looked down.
"Yeah." Punk nodded along, reading her mind and nodding.
"When is the babies scan day?" Nico asked the next morning in The Brewberry, helping AJ set up the shop for opening.
"Shh." AJ said quietly, "Remember you're the only one who knows it's twins."
"Oh, I know I know." Nico waved her hand, "The girls are in the front of the shop." She said, whilst helping AJ bake some muffins.
"It should be the end of the year." AJ told her.
"And you've been feeling good, mija?" Nico nodded hopefully, "I know you like to keep things to yourself. But you shouldn't with this."
"I'm fine." AJ assured her, "Just a little… emotional sometimes."
"Mhm, I noticed." Nico nodded.
"It's that noticeable?" AJ asked with rolling eyes.
"Oh, no. But those are noticeable." She poked one of AJ's boobs.
"Are they really?" AJ looked down, examining herself.
"Yes, they're definitely bigger." Nico nodded as AJ smiled to herself, "Phil hasn't pointed it out?"
"Tia." AJ scoffed, her cheeks going red as Nico chuckled.
"Oh, April. I'm not the virgin Mary, am I?" Nico scoffed, "I'm surprised the hippy out there hasn't told you."
"Did you just call Becca a hippy?" AJ smiled a little.
"She's a great hippy. You have such great friends here." Nico nodded, "And I love working here with you, mija. I can see how loved you are from your customers. I'm just so proud of you." She shook her head as AJ smiled.
"Thank you." AJ nodded to her, "I uh… I think I'm just going to call my mom and tell her about the pregnancy. I'll leave it up to her if she wants to come visit with my dad. Which I doubt she will."
"She still claiming to be afraid of flying?" Nico shook her head, "I'll be those babies Abuela. Don't you worry."
"I know you will." AJ smiled, "The best Abuela in the world."
"I might have to cut down my travels. I'll have to come visit more. I want the little sweethearts to know who I am." Nico said seriously.
"No, please don't cut down you're travelling. You love it so much." AJ said, "We can always Skype."
"It's not the same." Nico shook her head, "And I'm getting older. I want to be here to help you with them. I don't know much about babies, but I know I'll love these ones the best. Out of all the babies in the world." She nodded as AJ smiled.
"Yeah, I think I'll love them the best too." AJ agreed.
"Hey, do you know which dorm Siobhan Benson stays in?" Daryl asked a girl who passed by him outside one of the dorm buildings at the college campus.
"No clue." The girl shook her head, already walking away from him before he could ask anything else.
He shook his head at her lack of help and walked up the steps to the building, opening it up and asking some more people if they knew of Shiv.
After asking a few people, someone managed to point him in direction to the dorm building which Shiv was staying in, which of course had to be the furthest away building.
Nevertheless, he jogged over to it and entered the building, climbing the stairs and asking people for Shiv's room. For the middle of the day on a Wednesday, he was confused as to why there were so many people just hanging around. Weren't they supposed to be in classes?
"She's the top floor. Room 32." A girl eventually told him.
"Thanks." Daryl nodded, climbing up the stairs to the top floor and finding room 32, which he knocked on loudly and waited.
He knocked again, hard, until the door finally opened, revealing Shiv in her pyjamas with an oversized hoodie over her. She looked like a ghost. Her eyes had bags under them, and they were tired, as if she hadn't slept in a week.
"W-What… What are you doing here?" Shiv shook her head.
"Well… you won't answer my messages." Daryl said, tilting his head a little to look in her room.
"Don't look in my room." Shiv scoffed, stepping to the side, "I'm busy with work. I told you that."
"Yeah, after saying you weren't coming home for Christmas." Daryl said, "You're going to spend Christmas here? All by yourself? In your pyjamas?"
"So what if I do?" Shiv shrugged.
"You love Christmas." Daryl said, "What's going on with you?"
"Nothing. I'm a stressed-out college student. I have things to do." Shiv said as Daryl budged by her and walked into her room, "Hey." She said unhappily as Daryl looked around the room curiously.
"Yeah, you seem real busy. Watching Harry Potter." Daryl nodded, noticing her laptop on her bed with Harry Potter paused on the screen.
"I was just taking a break." Shiv said, closing the door to her room, "Why are you even here? I don't need anyone checking up on me."
"Wrong. Clearly this is a cry for help." Daryl said, "Drapes closed. You're still in your pyjamas. You were clearly in bed when I knocked. You got that stupid Wizard film on, which I know you watch when you're feeling sad."
"So basically I'm a slob?" Shiv folded her arms unhappily, "You came all the way here to tell me that?"
"No. I came here to see if you were ok. Which clearly you are not." Daryl said, "This isn't you. You're annoyingly organised and ready to seize every day. And you've been ignoring me, when you told me to stay in contact. You've been ignoring the girls at The Brewberry too. They're worried." He told her.
"God, I have one lazy day in bed, and you think I'm ready to be committed?" Shiv shook her head, "I was up all-night studying. I have finals next week. I'm stressed."
"You don't have friends you can study with?" He asked.
"Who the hell do you think you are?" Shiv laughed a little, "I didn't ask you to come here. In fact, I want you to leave. Right now."
"You're not spending Christmas by yourself." Daryl said, "It's sad and it's lonely. You can spend it with me at my house. Or with Becca at the Eckles farm. But you're not staying here."
"Oh, and I have to do what you tell me?" Shiv said.
"You'll thank me for it." Daryl said, "Nobody will be on campus. Everyone will have gone home. You can't wake up on Christmas morning in this… dungeon of a room." He looked around.
"And where am I supposed to wake up? In my house back home? Without my parents? I'll be just as lonely there." Shiv shook her head.
"You can stay over at my place. Sadie can bunk up with my mom. You can have her room." Daryl said.
"I'd rather just stay here." Shiv said, "I'm sorry for not responding to your messages. I've just been busy."
"You've been off since your attack." Daryl said, "If you need to talk to someone, I'm sure there's people on campus who could help. Councillors. Professionals." He nodded.
"I don't need to talk to anyone. I'm fine." Shiv said, "You shouldn't have bothered driving here."
"I wanted to. People are worried about you. I'm worried about you." He said, "I don't blame you for isolating yourself after the attack. I can't imagine how scary it was… but shutting people out isn't going to help."
"Thank you for your assessment." Shiv rolled her eyes, "You can go now."
"You don't want to show me around this place?" Daryl asked.
"No. I don't." Shiv said, "I want you to go. Now."
He was stunned by the girl standing in front of him. It was like she'd cocooned herself in her own little bubble, inside her room, where no one was allowed in. He understood why she felt that way due to her attack, but he couldn't stand to see it. To see what it had done to her. It wasn't the Shiv he knew.
"I'm going to hang around for a little while. Text me if you want to get coffee." Daryl said, heading for the door.
"I don't want to get coffee." She assured him, opening up the door for him.
He didn't get to say much else, as the second he stepped out of her room, she closed the door on him.