Dearest Bella

Nightmare on Parsley Street

“Endurance is one of the most difficult disciplines. But it is the one who endures that the final victory comes.” - Buddha

He looked at her form lying on the couch. A murmur escaped and as she rolled over; the blanket fell away revealing her face. Her smooth pale skin illuminated only by the street lights shining from the half closed windows. “Silly girl.” He whispered affectionately. She moved again a few seconds later in a fit; her body jolted back and forth. Her voice broke the still silence as she began to moan loudly. “Please. Stop. No more, please.” Then her body tensed up and slowly relaxed. He had witnessed this reaction and heard these words many times before. He stood up from the chair across where her sleeping form was laying. Quietly he crossed the distance between them. She began to stir at his light touch on her forehead. The kiss lasted half a moment, tender and sweet. He walked into the small kitchen and poured himself a drink of water listening for her next bout of unrelenting nightmares. As he with-drew back into the lounge room he slipped and kicked the brown mat a short distance across the entry way. This caused the girl to stir from her moment of peace. Her eyes began to flutter open focusing on the empty entryway, a moment of heat and confusion filled her. Until her heavy eye lids began to trap her back into another dream. With careful quiet steps he retreated back into the kitchen. The girl rolled over and began to gently snore. He returned to the entry way and walked quietly over the mat and sat back in his chair where he continued to watch her. Admiring the curves of her wild brown hair cascading messily down her face and pillow. Her normally closed face now open in relaxed bliss. He could read her expressions so well, he knew what her dreams were by the way her body lay. Another bout of night terrors over took her as she called out much louder this time; “Ouch you're hurting me.” She began to shake uncontrollably and cried in her sleep. He hated these moments and held onto her as the crying slowly ceased. She moved her head upwards as she still slept thinking this was all part of her dream and she kissed him hard and with great passion. He relaxed into the kiss holding her fragile being as if she’d break. The kiss lasted a mere few minuets and he laid her back against the pillow. He sat back in the chair for an hour before climbing the stairs and wandering into the rooms one by one. 

He moved quiet quickly up the stairs only freezing at the two steps that creaked, made unbearably known by the aged floor boards. He knew the first door on the right was just the bathroom and continued on to the next room it was filled with a thick atmosphere. A chair and small table and king sized bed occupied the room. On the table opened was a baby book and note pad with her scribbles and small sketches. He leaned down and picked up the pencil and remembered how she used to bite on the end while humming to herself.  He glanced over to see what she was looking at this week. “Of course,” he thought to himself she had been looking at the photo of her fifth birthday. The last day she saw her parents before the accident. He shook his head softly as he wondered, ”if only she’d know how brave she really is.” He moved out of the room careful not to move the table or chair on his way. Softly closing the door he endeavoured further down the hallway checking the other room on the right side. This room was filled only with a double sized bed and a picture of black and white flowers. He closed the door and swapped over to the door across and found a similar setting with the double bed, but this one had a chest of draws. He could hear his heart racing as he knew the last room was her bedroom. He opened the door and immediately moved over to her side of the bed. He lay down stretching his legs past where hers’ normally ended and his feet nearly over hanging the queen sized bed. He closed his eyes and imagined holding her here forever instead of just the isolated moments on the couch, enduring all of her night terrors.  He sighed as he recognised the sound of her alarm blaring. He moved to the top of the stairs and could hear her mumbling about ‘five more minuets.’ He relaxed and knew she’d be too sleepy to hear him slip out the front door. As he entered the entry way to look at her for the last time that morning. He smiled at her hand holding her phone and her other arm hiding her face from the morning light. He whispered once more, “Good morning beautiful.” Before he took his leave and drove off to his own nearby residence.  

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He rubbed his eyes with his knuckles and readjusted his tie. He didn’t think he’d be out all night but he knew that he had to be there. He had to help her. Yes they moved in very different circles but that didn’t bother him. “would it bother her?” Shaking his head, his attention drawn back to his assistant. “Sir, Are you feeling well? If you need to we could postpone the meeting till tomorrow morning?”

He rolled his shoulders, straightened his glasses and replied with great annoyance. “No, David I want this deal already settled. Is lunch ready to go as scheduled? Nothing can go wrong?” David swayed a little at his boss’s tone before remembering his question. “yes sir. Everything you asked for is in order and ready for you when you get there.”

“Right. I’ll be flying home straight after the meeting. Only contact me when there is an extreme emergency.” Stepping out of the office he had no intention of waiting for his assistant to reply. He marched towards the elevator his mind preoccupied with a pair of brown eyes. 

A blonde haired woman in a low cut light grey suit  pulled him back to the present. Tugging on his collar she spoke in a soft voice, “Hey handsome, are you all set for tonight?” Her hand lazily trailing its way down his tie. He shot his hand up suppressing the urge to cough from her perfume. “Eliza, I will not be there. Don’t you dare touch me in public again.” He whispered back with a cold threat underlying the hard tone in his voice. He moved out of her grasp and continued to the elevator. Once the doors opened he stepped inside and immediately began to take off his tie. The elevator opened onto the basement floor. He dropped the defiled tie into the nearest bin. “Stupid bitch.” He muttered to himself as he pulled out his keys and unlocked a verdant coloured Bentley. He smoothly exited  the basement nodding to Gerald the security guard on the way out. The drive was faster than necessary as he wanted this meeting to be over. The faster it finished the faster he could see her.