Love Lengths

Chapter Twelve

Kyle

He didn’t understand what she was saying; she wanted to leave? She could barely move! She thought she was being a burden; she thought he’d have just left her? He managed to convince her to stay and eat something and he called her a doctor out to be checked over; bruising and three broken ribs. The doctor advised rest and pain killers, he wrapped a bandage around her ribs to try and hold her together, physically, but pulled Kyle to one side before he left.

“Your girlfriend must be in a lot of pain Mr. Johnson; she has sustained very painful injuries and it will take a few weeks to start to feel normal again, before she can properly move again.” Kyle didn’t correct him about Maggie being his girlfriend, he knew enough to know about confidentiality and that he’d not be able to help if the doctor couldn’t give him information, so he just nodded along.

“She will likely start to remember her trauma and feel panicked by it; give her these tablets if she starts to get too panicked and try to get her to focus on breathing and being in the moment.” He patted Kyle’s shoulder as he left the house and handed him the small bottle of pills.

Kyle took the tablets and put them in the pocket of his joggers; he made her a cup of tea and some toast and headed back upstairs to see her, knocking before he entered and she invited him in.

“Thanks,” she smiled a weak smile at him as he handed her the cup and set down her food on the bed, “I really will be out of your way soon. Are you parents at work?” she sipped on the hot tea and took a nibble out of her toast as she looked him straight in the eye.

“My dad passed away a few years ago,” he held up his hand and waved her off as she started to back track and apologise, “My mother is out, she doesn’t know you’re here, not that she will mind at all either, but she likely won’t be back for a few days.” She looked confused at him but decided not to press the issue. She ate in silence then, only half of her toast and put her shoes on, gathered up her bag and explained she’d just go to the toilet and then go home.

“You should stay here Maggie,” he took a deep breath as he started the next explanation, “I have phoned the school on both of our behalves and explained, very briefly, that we had a bit of an ordeal last night.” He chuckled at the minimisation, and rubbed the back of his neck with his hand as she stared, wide-eyed, at Kyle sat in front of her. “ I’m sorry if that was out of line, but I couldn’t wake you, and I couldn’t have people from school calling and turning up here on a whim trying to find out where we were.” He rambled at her, determined to make her see he was trying to help her.

“Oh… erm… thanks. You didn’t have to. I’m sorry.” She stuttered, he begged her to stop apologising and then went back over the events of the night with her, right from ditching last class to how he followed her home.

He saw how she darted her eyes around the room when he talked about Lexi and then the fight; she looked wide-eyed as he’d explained that he’d taken the guy on. Her eyes softened as he explained he’d wanted to make sure she was safe and she stiffened when he told her about the young girl the night before; he watched the tears fall as she processed the death of a girl the same age as her.

Maggie took a long hard look at him and sighed heavily when he finally finished talking; “Wow,” she whispered, “so big night for you huh?” she laughed, an empty laugh that had no humour, he just nodded at her and leant forwards, his head now in his hands and his fingers entwined in his dark hair.

“Maggie,” he lifted his head to look into her eyes, “Can I ask you some questions? About last night?” her eyes fell and her fingers fumbled with the hem of her grey t-shirt; she nodded and took a deep breath, wincing and looking back at him.

“Was that the first time they…?” he trailed off, he couldn’t bring himself to talk about how they could beat their own child to within an inch of her life; she shook her head, no and his teeth and fists clenched and he stood to his feet. What was going on with him? Sure it was sad, heart-breaking even but why was he so offended that they had done it to her? Her specifically.

“Does anyone ever help?” she just shook her head, “Does anyone even know?” again, no. he let out a huge sigh and walked towards her; she tensed as he knelt down in front of her, his hands reaching for hers.

“Please,” she cried, “please don’t.” Again?

“I won’t hurt you Maggie, I swear.”

“I know, it’s not that.” She chewed her lip and tried to explain, “I erm… it’s difficult to explain.” she flicked a stray thread between fingers.

“Try,” his eyes begged her for information. Maggie took a long pause and then looked him square in the eyes.

“I can hear what you are thinking when our hands touch.” She said, completely blankly and waited for his response. Kyle laughed at first, breathed out a sigh and asked her to be serious.

“I am,” she said, again blunt, “here, see.” She touched his hand before he could move away and said “you’re thinking I’m crazy, or lying, or both. You don’t know if my hair is really this dark or if I dye it, and you don’t want to ask me if the abuse was more than physical.” She trailed off at the end and a small sob came out of her throat.

“I… how did you?... that’s not possible. How could you?” he questioned all at once and didn’t give her chance to answer, he stood and backed away without looking at her, swirling around as he tried to process what she’d said.

A huge breath blew out of him as he turned to face her again, “So, erm, wow.” She nodded and wiped a tear away. How was this even possible? He’d heard of magic and thought it was either a myth or something that had existed once, long ago, all of the seers were dead now; or so he’d been told.

“Has it only ever been physical?” he asked, his eyes were sad as he waited for her answer.

“I was never sexually abused by my parents.” She said, matter of fact, Kyle blew out another big breath, relief this time, and looked at her eyes, desperate eyes, pleading to not ask further. He couldn’t help himself.

“Wait. Not by your parents?” he asked, “What about someone else?”