Just Checking Up! Part Six: Broken Memories and Twisted Files!

Rip:

Silks poked at the quiche on her plate, her appetite not existing after a severe panic attack. Choosing to sip at the ginger tea instead, Mavis inquired of her health. Mumbling something about morning sickness, the excuse simply had to be bought. Scratching at her neck, ruby beaded along the fresh marks at the nape of her neck. Dropping her hand to her lap, her antsy energy picked up. Pulling her onto my lap, my arms draping around her waist did little to stabilize her. Struggling through the dinner, every other second was spent being panicked at the scarlet glistening on her finger tips. Tracking the way it could have happened, distress had her way with her. Hiding her scratches with her palms, her head bobbed up and down. Passing out in my arms, her snores echoed in my ears. Shutting down any protests, going home popped up first in my head. Thanking Miss Mavis with a polite smile, apprehension lingered in her eyes upon me sweeping her away into the hearse. Going through the motions, a numb stare haunted my features. Her past could be simple enough to find out due to my unlimited access, a couple of boxes coming into view the second I pulled up to the front steps of my old man’s home. Stepping over them, videos and records waited for me. Remembering that I left my coat in the hearse, a long sigh tumbled off of my tongue. Such trivial things would have to wait, a frown plastering itself on my dejected features. Sneaking off to the porch, a VCR waited for me. Clues about the source of her agony would reach my head soon enough, the need to solve it nipping at my heels. Tucking her in on the couch, gentle waves crashed onto the lake’s golden sands. Leaving for a second to get the boxes, her body had curled into a ball. Not good, a nightmare was soon to follow. Setting up the VCR, all the breath left my body at the three therapy tapes in front of me. Popping the first one in, an eleven year old Silks shivered across from a pompous blonde haired female therapist. Recognizing her as one of the old hags who had been fired for abusing her power, my heart sank into my stomach.

“Do you regret what you have done? Surely, you could have done something else.” She suggested cruelly, her fingers running through her slick bob while Silks looked as if she hadn’t eaten for a few months. “You can’t be let out of the facility if you don’t start to eat and stop scratching at your neck. Don’t you want to live life and not be here, brat! We have been at this for a year!” Silks shook her head, her fingers scratching at her neck. Drops of scarlet stained her white sweater and soft wool pants, her other fingers digging into her legs to the point of bleeding. Wanting to yell at the screen to cut it out, her tiny voice destroyed my soul.

“I regret not fighting back sooner.” She choked out through a wall of tears, her voice evening out. “Hunger for power drives you. The reason for me not opening up to you is simply because you are a wicked evil witch who is no better than them. As for the food thing, I can’t digest the food you give me. You can’t take a kid from starving to rich foods. Any idiot knows that.” Growing red in the face, the notebook hit Silks in the face. Refusing to react, pride replaced the rage in my eyes.

“Such a child. How could I expect you to understand where I am coming from?” She continued ruthlessly, her bloody hands folding across her lap. “People like you are simply lawful murderers. Killing people’s will to live, so fuck off. I request a new therapist and I will take that placement test. Believe it or not, I did teach myself up to what they call twelfth grade schooling. I would like to collect my high school degree. Another thing, I would love to speak to your freaking higher up. You know to file a complaint like a normal person unless we let this go and you sign me out of this hell hole. I come back once a year. Sounds good?” Nodding in pure obedience, surprise rounded my eyes, no one had ever tamed that witch of a woman in ten seconds flat. Rising to her feet, her sandals shuffled away. Also, when was she going to mention how much of a genius she was? Digging through the files on the table, the high school degree was indeed granted at the age of eleven. Clearly playing the system, her IQ report stunned me.

“Discovered my secret, eh?” Silks sighed apologetically behind me, her arms draping around my neck. “Sorry for hiding it. The government wanted me to work for them and their serial killer program. Emotionally the toll would be too much.” Glancing back at her with wonder in my eyes, a devious grin stole my heart. Wishing she was on my team, the job problem could have been solved a long time ago. Then again, I didn’t want to stress her out mentally.

“Do you want to get married?” She queried simply, my heart stopping with pure bliss. “I want to be your wife because I love you with all of my heart. Every time I close my eyes, I see us at the courthouse signing papers with matching rings on our fingers. Imagine a yard full of our kids, the dogs barking with sticks in their snouts.” Spinning around to face her, honesty laced her nervous grin. Cupping her face, dreams really could come true.

“Miss Mavis can marry us tomorrow if I ask politely.” I returned with a peck to her forehead, my palm lingering on her cheek. “If you want a job, a seat waits in my team. No, I don’t want you for your genius. I want you so you challenge yourself. Let’s be honest here, you loved to hunt down that cult. Not as dangerous as serial killers, right?” Sliding onto my lap, her legs curled around my waist, her bump brushing against my firm abs sent a wave of euphoria crashing through me. Burying her face into the nape of my neck, neither of us wanted to let go. Kissing the nape of my neck, we succumbed to our desires.

A couple hours passed of losing ourselves to forget our worries, my father coming home had us scrambling to put on our clothes. Shutting off the VCR, a knowing grin had scarlet flushing our cheeks the moment he plopped down across from us. Soaking in the open files, there was no point in hiding what he had seen.

“Feeling better, kiddo? You seemed off at dinner.” He fretted apprehensively, Silks beginning to chat comfortably with him to redirect his concern. Packing up the boxes, his hand stopped me at the videos. Knowing better than to say no at his request with him, the boxes would be his to explore later. Secrets were his specialty, my need to understand coming from him. Relenting would simply make it a bit less painful between us all, Silks shooting me an approving nod. Closer, we were all about to become closer.

“I will have her draw up the paperwork. Consider yourselves hitched by the end of this week.” He announced cheerfully, his hand clapping my shoulder heartily. “Welcome to the family, Silks. You will always be my daughter. Don’t screw this up, Rip!” No pressure, I thought anxiously to myself. Excusing himself to make a sandwich for a special sandwich for her, curiosity peaked in my mind. Setting up the VCR, she replaced the tape. Pressing play, a sixteen year old Silks stared intelligently at a brown haired man with kind light brown eyes. No signs of stress wore on her features, his scraggly beard spoke of stress.

“Why must you be so difficult? Your next step relies on you getting freed from this therapy cycle.” He reasoned with her impatiently, her hands fussing with her ivory cotton skirt, the inky black blouse clinging to her curves. Curling her burgundy lips into a sadistic sneer, he head cocked back.

“Death would have to come before you have me take your government entrance exam. Shut up with that. I am going to get a normal job, damn it! Routine, I need routine. You keep pushing this bullshit onto me and I can’t stand it. Everybody has so many expectations for me but yours are simply a pain in my ass. Am I not an American citizen? Fuck off!” She barked back passionately, her bat purse jingling as she gathered everything. Snapping his fingers for her to sit back down, his cheap gray suit made him look stiffer than before. Denying his order, a defiant grin met his frustrated grimace.

“If you walk away now, our monetary assistance will be gone. No more apartment, none of that bullshit!” He roared thunderously, her fingers flipping him off on the way out. Shouting fuck you on the way out, his clipboard broke into two pieces from pure anger. The screen flickered to a happier Silks working at the coffee shop I met her at, my old man and her interacting with real friendliness. Coming in at that moment, his stress dissolved into nothing. Giggling at their interactions, time sped up to the first time I met her. Pausing the screen, life lit up in our eyes the moment our eyes met. Love at first sight really did exist, a rapid drumbeat becoming my heart rate.

“Told you that I loved you from the moment I met you.” She giggled adorably, the same life returning to her eyes. “The trouble was that I didn’t want to bother you. Probably should have been brave and ignored my tendency to run from anything good for me. How about we get married tomorrow? That is if you are ready. Can you help us out, Herb?” Placing the sandwich on the worn wicker table, he couldn’t move fast enough. Yawning as she rose to her feet, her hand lingered on mine until she left mine to take a shower. Pressing play, our interactions hitched my breath. Each one had us getting closer and closer, our fingers intertwining for longer stolen seconds. Cutting out at the last one, silent tears stained my cheeks, an empty ring finger taunting me. Most people would tend to think that it would be too early but not me. Getting to know her felt like a lifetime of love, the first word feeling like picking up where we left off in some sort of past life. Her worn leather bag caught my eyes, stern footfalls preventing me from snooping around it.

“Shoot, she didn’t eat the sandwich Mavis made her.” My old man pouted dejectedly, his arms folding across her chest. “Will you have her eat it later if I put it back in the fridge?” Getting up to leave, my plea for him to stop gave him serious pause. Sinking into the closest chair, a conversation needed to be had.

“I won’t screw up, right?” I blurted out intensity, every breath beginning to shorten. “What if I hurt her worse than her p-” Putting his hand in the air, a hearty fit of laughter burst from his lips. Disbelief twisted my features, breath by breath returning back to normal. Leaning onto his knees, his gentle dad smile comforted the cracks in my soul. Hell, it always did.

“Kiddo, you know that I believe that you will never hurt her. Marriage will lack any difference. Nothing but a piece of paper between you two. From day one you took care of her, your dumb ass showing up the night her place burned down. Of course, you will be a good husband.” He assured me while squeezing my shoulder, a sigh tumbling from my lips. “Therapy will be an option once she is on your insurance. Fuck, you didn’t think about that one. Once you are hitched, she is covered. We need to make sure that baby is doing okay. By the way, I have a few leads on homes on the lake if you wish to purchase a home near me.” Pulling out his phone, his fingers moved a mile a minute to show me home after home. Growing more excited by the second, a slender finger stopped him on a cedar shake covered A-frame two houses down. Wet hair slapped my neck, a bemused Silks chatting about what she loved about it. Zoning in, excitement buzzed in her eyes at the art studio. Describing where she would put her various tools, the air on the porch grew lighter. Scrunched curls floated around her face, her genuine smile never leaving her lips. Moving my gaze down to her new emerald silk pajamas, a deep ruby flushed my cheeks. The soft material emphasized her breasts and bump, a new passion stirring within me. Fussing with the flowing pants, the bell sleeves tickled my cheeks a few moments later. Tucking a wet strand behind her hair, golden moonlight painted her features. Time slowed down, her beauty was second to none. A peck to my cheek whipped me back into reality, some plans having been made between them. Regretting that work claimed my time tomorrow, a fine evening would be greeting me. Swinging her onto my lap, the offer for the sandwich had been accepted. Eating it with a grateful smile, nothing could describe the relief at her eating. Anxiety often barred her from enjoying food, morning sickness doing the rest for her. Switching on a movie, her wet hair tickled my neck as she snuggled into my chest. Bringing her knees up, the very motion reminded me of a black cat finding its way to a sunny spot. Settling into a calm night, fond memories were plastered into place with my father looking happier than ever. Yawning groggily on his way to bed, privacy had been granted to us. Getting on her knees, tears swam in the waterline of her eyes.

“Sorry for getting stressed out earlier. Family really isn’t my thing or it wasn’t. Give me time to adjust.” She apologized in a shameful whisper, her fingers moving towards her neck. Grabbing her hand before it could get to it, a flurry of apologies escaped her lips. Collapsing into my arms, violent sobs wracked her body. Soaking the nape of my neck with every emotion, desperate fingers clung to my shirt. How on Earth did she make this far alone?

“Take your time. Nobody is asking you to push yourself.” I comforted her gently, the way her body trembled away growing rather wild. “Would you look at that? You made it through the day!.” Sitting on her haunches, her shaking fingers wiped her tears away. Donning a shadow of a smile, her hands dropped limply to her side. Struggling to find a way to joke her way through it, raw emotional agony wrote itself all over her features.

“What would I do without you, my dear prince? Thou rideth in on your white steed and sweep me off of my feet.” She laughed brokenly, fresh tears staining her cheeks. “Doth my heart deceive me or doth it free me with thou in my life? No, angels gave me you.” Pressing her forehead against mine, our fingers intertwined. Real, everything felt so real. Thump! Thump! Our hearts seemed seconds from beating out of our chests.

“Doth thy princess want to wear the crown of thy kingdom?” I returned playfully, light returning to her eyes. A fit of laughter burst from our lips, time slowing down at her how free she looked in the moment. Grazing her lips against mine, our hearts’ song became one. Melting into a fiery kiss of tender passion, Heaven couldn’t beat this. Pulling me to my feet, cool air lashed at my cheeks as she pulled me into a bout of autumn rain. Humming our favorite song, euphoria raced through my body with every twirl. Remembering how she constantly reminded me to live every now and then, working too hard became a thing of the past once we became acquainted. Spinning to the end of the dock, wet clothing clung to our bodies. Too happy to care, her real smile never left her face. Watching the ripples dance across the water, her hands guided mine to her bump. Swaying back and forth underneath the cloudy sky, a hint of the morning began to poke through. Storm clouds cleared, orange rays fluttering through the branches.

“Might as well watch the sunrise while we are up.” She commented with a wink, her palms sliding onto the back of my hand. “Protect me from myself, please. Promise that you will always catch me when I fall.” Resting my chin on the top of her head, my princess had nothing to worry about.

“Consider my arms a net, my lovely lady.” I vowed strongly, her loving gaze meeting mine. “No matter how far away I am, you can call me. Count on my steed to get me to you. Besides, this little nugget is going to rock our world, aren’t they?” Brightening up at the mention of our child, her excitement had her chattering away a mile a minute. Happy to see her brightening up a bit, prayers could only bring such luck in our direction. To whoever is in charge of our life, please grant us the good grace to keep going in this thing we call life.