Chapter 19
1038 Words
I had Sawyer and Jason take down the fall decorations and put up the Christmas ones. Jason refuses to make any conversation with me.
I sighed when the last box was put up.
"Thank you for the help Jason." I smiled at him.
He just walked into his room. I felt really hurt.
"Just give him time." Sawyer said.
"It's been 3 weeks Sawyer. 3 weeks since everything fell apart on me." I sat down on the couch.
"Do you want me to talk to him?" Sawyer asked.
"No just leave him be. Something else is bothering him. I see it in his eyes." I said.
I curled up on the couch to watch Frozen 2. I had fallen asleep sometime during the movie.
I woke up to shouting.
"Damn it Jason you're making her feel like s**t!" Sawyer snapped.
"What am I supposed to do, Sawyer. I didn't even know she was being r***d! Christmas was the last time I saw her. I asked her about the bruises and she told me she fell, or was clumsy down the stairs! She's not a clumsy person!" Jason yelled.
I laid on the couch with my eyes closed listening.
"You really don't get it," Sawyer said. "When I first saw her that day I knew she was being abused. How could you not see it!?" Sawyer snapped.
"I saw the signs, I just didn't want to believe it." Jason sighed. "I didn't want to believe that someone would want to hurt the one person I spent my life trying to protect!" Jason slammed his bedroom door.
I felt the pillow I was laying on getting wet. I didn't even know that I was crying. I sat up and wiped my face. Sawyer went out the back door to the back porch.
I sat up on the couch. I sighed. I decided to make some hot cocoa.
I made two cups and took one to Jason. I knocked on his door.
"Jason?" I asked quietly.
"Go away, Alison!" he yelled.
I opened the door, he was laying on his bed. I set the cocoa on his nightstand and left the room. I walked into the kitchen and Sawyer was just walking in. I handed him the cup of cocoa and went to the closet for my coat.
"I'm going to see Phoenix, you can come with if you want. I just need to get out of this house for a bit." I said putting my coat on. Sawyer helped me with my boots once again.
"I'm guessing you heard Jason and I argue?" Sawyer asked a bit ashamed.
"I did, I remember seeing him last Christmas when he came to Boston to visit. James was working so I didn't see any harm in it, but when he asked about the bruises I froze I didn't know what to say. I was wearing a turtleneck sweater to keep them covered. I must have gotten too warm so I switched to a different sweater forgetting about the bruises on my neck, and that's when he asked about them." I sighed opening the door. "I told him I feel down the stairs with a load of laundry and one of my sweaters got my neck."
"But it didn't," Sawyer said wrapping an arm around my waist.
"No, it didn't. After Jason left, James came back from work, and that's when it got worse. He said he saw everything on the security cameras." I said opening the barn door.
"I'm so sorry Alison." Sawyer said pulling me into him.
"It's done and over with now." I said walking over to Phoenix's stall. She perked up when I walked in. I gave her a carrot out of my pocket.
I heard music coming from the barn office.
"May I have this dance?" Sawyer said as he pulled me into his arms.
I smiled at him.
"Take me away, cowboy." I grinned.
We danced to I Don't Dance by Lee Brice.
Once the song was over and the horses got hay for the night we headed back up to the house.
Jason was standing in the kitchen with the cup of cocoa that he didn't even touch. I watched him dump it down the drain. I felt my heart shatter.
"Jason." I whispered.
"You think this is easy for me Alison? To know that I could've done something about it, gotten you out of that situation. But then you show up here asking for help, the to find out that you're pregnant?! You think this is easy for me. I know what that cocoa means Alison. It means you're sorry. What are you sorry for Alison? Tell me!" He snapped.
I felt my heart break.
"I'm sorry I ever showed up here and turned your ranch life upside down. I thought these last few months you were happy to have me here. I know Christmas time is hard for you, because that's when mom died, don't you think I miss her too. I want her here now more than ever! Jason, when a girl is pregnant she wants nothing more than to have her mother's love. And I want your love too. Jason this hurts. I'm sorry that I ended up in an abusive relationship, but what I'm not sorry for are my children. I love my girls more than anything. You can be a stuck up, hard headed ass for all I care. But this, arguing is doing nothing for me. Now I am going to bed, and you can think about what was just said!" I snapped and made my way upstairs.
I got dressed in one of Sawyer's T-shirts and crawled under the covers.
"I'm sorry baby girls, momma loves you both so much." I said to my belly as I rubbed it.
"I didn't know your mother died around Christmas." Sawyer said as he came in to the bedroom.
"Yeah, Jason took it the hardest. He's really difficult this time of year." I sighed.
"He'll come around." Sawyer said with a reassuring smile.
"Eventually." I said. Sawyer turned the lamp off and pulled me against him.
I was so drained that I fell asleep instantly after laying my head on his chest.
- Writer
