Contradiction by Salina Paine Read Free Book Online Page B

guilt.
    When I dare to look up again, Jeff turns his head so that the dim light filtering through the blinds hit his face, he's unshaven and still in the same clothes. His bloodshot eyes are swollen and he looks a fright. The smell of whiskey and cigarettes is so potent I want to gag. I lay there unable to move, even more afraid to speak, because know If I open my mouth I will scream.
    Jeff looks down at me. "Jasmine, damn it, I love you. I draw in a deep breath when he begins to move his hand.
    "Why?" I sob. "Why would you do this to me? You were the one in the wrong."
    "Fuck!" He screams, rearing his hand back to slap me. Unable to move without crying out in pain all I can do is bring my arms up to protect my face. Jeff catches himself only inches from me, "we'll talk when you get out of here." he says stumbling to the door.
    Staring at the window as he creeps by I inhale deeply and shift to reach the call button. I hold my finger just over it and contemplate whether I should or not.  He is clearly dangerous and I don't want anyone else caught in the crosshairs of his rage, so I place it back down on the bed and sit there in the darkness.
    Every sound makes me jumpy and I can feel the medicine wearing off. My phone begins to ring so I reach over and look at it. The picture is one of the best memories I have. It's the picture of Jeff and me when we moved into our house a little over a year ago. I hit ignore on the screen and power off my phone. Closing my eyes to keep the tears from falling the door opens and I immediately panic.
    "Jasmine?" Brandon asks as he flips on the light.    
    "Yeah?" I ask trying to keep my voice from shaking.
    "How are you feeling?"
    "Like crap," I reply.
    He frowns, "I'm sorry to hear that, but on the bright side you are alive.
    “"I'd actually welcome death right now," I murmur to myself. He looks at me with shock on his face.
    "I would have thought you to be much stronger than that," he says, coming over to sit on the stool beside the bed.
    "I am, really. I'm just... afraid of the person who did this," I reply unable to look at him.
    "You know who did this to you?" He asks.  I nod staring down at my hands. "Did you tell the police?" He asks placing his fingers under my chin so I'll look at him. Shaking my head slowly, I can see the fire in his eyes. He draws in an exasperated breath and asks, "Why didn't you tell them?"
    I've been waiting for this question to surface, anticipating exactly what I would say, but I have no words. We sit there just staring at each other when the door swings open startling me yet again.
    "So how's my patient doing this morning?" Dr. Iverson asks, his voice carrying across the room. 
    He stops, looking back and forth between Brandon and me as huge smile crossing his face. Brandon nods at Dr. Iverson and quickly turns to me. "I'll be back later to check on you," he says as he walks out the door.
    "My dear, you seem in better spirits today," the doctor says as he begins to examine my face.
    "I am, Brandon has kept me company this morning," I reply trying not to smile.
    He looks at me and shakes his head. "I've known Brandon since he was a small child and I can tell you, even though you don't know him all that well, that young man cares for you. I look at Dr. Iverson with a confused look on my face and he laughs. "How do you know him?" He asks me.
    "I met him Thursday night at Bottlestopper, I was there with my cousin."
    He nods. "Well you must have certainly made some impression on him if he was in here keeping you company."
    "What do you mean?" I ask.
    "He caught his girlfriend cheating with a longtime friend of his." he says taking a seat on the stool. "He's a very loyal person and if he's with you he may simply talk to the opposite sex, but that's it." 
    "So that's why he didn't try anything." I whisper.
    "What was that, dear?" Dr. Iverson asked.
    "Oh nothing really, I just realized that's what I saw in him by himself all night." He nods and asks me to sit up.