“Please. Put it down.” It was Nick. She looked at him, and she swallowed hard. He stepped toward her. “You have me, Claire. I’m here for you.” Tears ran down her cheeks. He reached toward her. “Just hand me the glass.”
He was slow and calm. He put his hand on the piece of glass, and gently pulled it out of her hand. She collapsed into him. He held her tight, and kissed the top of her head, whispering to her. I couldn’t make out what he was saying. I was too busy trying to clean up the bits and pieces of glass.
“Come on, let’s get out of here so Elaina can clean up. We have to check your hand.” He was able to get her moving out the door while holding her tight against his body. He and Henry took her to the dining room to start fixing her hand.
I heard the distinct sound of spiked heels on tile behind me. With a soft voice, Sophie asked, “Is there anything that I can do to help?”
I paused, but didn’t look up. “Uh. Yeah. Yeah. Can you grab the trash bin and broom from the kitchen?”
“Be right back.” She left the bathroom and came back in a flash.
She brought the bin in and knelt down in front of me. I didn’t know what to say. “Thanks” was all I could manage. We cleaned in silence for a minute and then it happened.
“Umm...Elaina?”
“Yeah?”
“Listen, I know we started off on the wrong foot, and I understand this whole thing isn’t easy for you. It’s not easy for me, either.” She sighed. I listened to her while she spoke, but I still didn’t look at her. “I don’t know if I should tell you this, but…” She cleared her throat. It seemed like she was searching for the right words. “I love Henry. I’ve loved him for years, since we were teens. He helped me through so much. I gave myself to him. He was my first. He saved me and protected me for years, and then Roger pushed him out into the field. I lost my protector. After he left, I was violated, time and time again.” Her words were laced with sorrow and hatred.
“So what are you trying to say?” My voice was a little cold, but it was all that I could offer at the moment.
She cleared her throat again, trying to push back her sadness and pain. “I don’t know…I don’t know what I’m trying to say. All I know is that Henry loves you now. He loves you so much, and I want to see him happy. I never made him as happy as you do. We have chatted several times about you during your relationship. You make him so happy.”
I narrowed my eyes at her, skeptical. “How can he be happy in this life?”
“There’s so much you don’t know.”
“I’m gathering that. I know he’s still hiding stuff from me. I can feel it.”
“He’s just trying to protect you. He’s trying to protect all of us. He has a lot on his mind, and the weight of the earth on his shoulders.”
I sighed. “I know. I have heard that one before.” I felt ashamed for how I reacted to splitting up into teams. “I just wish he would open up to me more.” I looked at her and she nodded.
“He will. I know he will. He just needs time to process who he is, and what he needs to do. He was treated the worst out of all of us recruits, and I never understood why. He was the only one who questioned things. He questioned everything, including the program. He was beaten so severely on many occasions that there were a few times I didn’t think he was going to pull through. He had suffered many broken bones, including a fractured skull, several concussions, deep gashes, tasing, and whippings. Then there was the verbal and emotional abuse, and the murder of his mother. I spent so many nights nursing him back to health, only for him to be beaten down again. I feared for his life, and I still do. He was the only person that I connected with.”
My heart ached for him and, believe it or not, my heart ached for her, too. I couldn’t believe what I was hearing. It was just so surreal.
“So you were really beaten, as well?”
“Yes. And repeatedly raped into submission.” I looked into her eyes, her sparkling emerald green eyes, and I was taken aback. I could see the same pain in her eyes that I saw in Henry’s.
“I’m so sorry,” I whispered and looked down, ashamed of my immature, selfish behavior. After all she endured, she didn’t need my crassness.
“Thanks. Can we start over?”
“Sure.” My smile was weak, but real. She reached up and touched my cheek, like Henry always did. Her cool caress sent shivers down my spine.
“Henry picked a good one.”
Her words moved me. I had a newfound respect for her. Sophie stood up and grabbed the broom. We finished cleaning up the glass and blood in silence.