Two wrongs make it right

Accepting Help

I roll over feeling sorry for myself. Sun burn hurts. I know I will tan after a few days. Right now I have nothing but regret.

I see my phone on the bedside table with a card propped up against the light.

I pick up my phone knowing I need to message Constable Clark.

I pick up my phone and lay on my back. I have no idea what I write.

'Hey its Kara just checking when you have time off work if your still willing to help?'

I throw my arms out and whince at the pain.

My phone dings and I whince at this response.

'Hey Kara, I should finish work around lunch time can I swing by and pick you up after work?'

'Sure Constable'

'Please call me Maze'

I dont reply. I get up and waddle to the bathroom to have a cold shower. Bruno is sitting on the bed unwilling to move. I swear he burnt all his energy yesterday.

I run the shower and squeel a little when I get under the water. It's hard to breathe its that cold. After a few minutes the burn subsides a little. I feel wide awake.

I get out and dry off. I think of my parents. I'm scared to call them. What would I say?

I wear a loose fitting dress to not irritate my sunburn. I put my hair up into a ponytail.

I dig through my cupboard for alovera.

I find it and set it on the bench.

Bruno whines at the door of the bathroom.

I walk out and grab his bowl and feed him.

Bruno is outside and I hear a knock on the door.

I walk to the door as I go to touch the handle I stop.

"Who is it?" I call through the door.

"Babe, it's me" Duncan is behind the door.

"Can I come in?" Duncan asks.

I whip my phone out and message Tristan and Ben.

"You're not allowed to be here" I say.

"Kara, stop this" The sound of a key being inserted into a lock hit my ears. I panic instantly.

I call the police. My heart is pounding.

"hello police station"

"Hey, my name is Kara my ex is trying to enter the house" I hold the door with one hand as the know turns.

"What is your address?"

"umm it's 23 slogan close"

"We have a car in the area"

"Kara!" Duncan yells pushing on the door.

"Please hurry" I'm shaking with fear.

The door bursts and knocks me back against the wall. I'm winded and disorientated.

I see Duncans angry face come at me. I scream like a banshee. Duncans hand wraps around my throat and holds me against the wall. Silencing my scream.

Two sets of hands grab him from behind. I can see red and blue flashing lights from behind them.

Tristan comes between Duncan and myself. My knees give out as soon as Duncan let's go. I fall onto Tristan he catches me with one arm.

I get my bearings and stand slowly. Tristan let's me go. I walk out the front to see the police taking Duncan in cuffs to their car.

My phone rings and vibrates across the floor where it fell. I pick it up.

"Hello"

"Hey, just heard there was a domestic at your place are you okay?" Maze questions.

"Yeah" I'm stunned that he called.

"Still up for this afternoon?"

"of course" I breathe.

"Okay see you then" he hangs up.

Tristan turns around "who was that" all of a sudden I get nervous. I feel guilty for talking to someone else.

A female officer comes up to me with brown blonde hair under her hat, green eyes she is tall.

"Did you call?" She looks at Tristan and he points at me.

"I called" I look at her.

"What happened?"

"He isn't meant to be here. He opened the door with a key"

"Why does he have a key?" she asks.

"He use to live here, I haven't changed the locks since he has left"

"OK, I suggest you get on that soon"

"Yeah doing it this afternoon"

"Okay" She walks off.

Ben walks over. I can smell Alcohol seeping through his pores. He is wearing a black t shirt and blue board shorts. He stands next to me and runs his hand down his neck.

"Can we talk?"

"What about?"

"What happened between us?" Ben shifts on his feet.

"I thought we decided to be friends?" I look at his face he has bags under his eyes. It's very noticeable that he hasn't had enough sleep.

"Yeah" He stops and walks off. I watch as he walks around the corner.

Tristan comes up to me after.

"I don't know what's going on but he has been drinking heavily since" Tristan stares at the corner possibly waiting for Ben to come back.

"I told him I just want to be friends"

"Oh. Are you going to be okay?"

"Yeah, I'll be fine" I smile at Tristan.

"Okay. If you need anything just let me know" Tristan walks around the corner. The police leave with Duncan. I enjoy the feeling knowing he will be locked up for the rest of today.

I look at my phone it's twelve thirty, I don't know where the time has gone. I close the front door. I run to the bathroom to fix my hair and see the alovera on the sink ready for me to use.

I start putting it on my face when I head another knock at the door. My heart starts thumping in my chest.

"Who is it?" I call from behind the door.

"It's Maze"

I unlock the door with the bottle of alovera still in my hand.

Maze is in a pair of cargo shorts and black t shirt with white print. The shirt shows his muscles and his strong arms.

"Alovera?" Maze looks me up and down "Oh that's a good sunburn" Maze walks in and I step back still looking in his eyes. "Do you need help with that?" Maze points to the bottle.

I nod dumbfounded. "Sorry. Can you help with my back" I turn to show my back.

"Wow"

We walk into the loungeroom a bit before Maze sits. "I can help" He smiles.

I sit next to him pour some on my hand and give the bottle to Maze and turn away.

I wipe the alovera on my face and front of my shoulders. I feel a gentle hand of cold gel across my shoulders. I get goosebumps instantly and shiver. Maze stops "Sorry did that hurt?"

"No its just cold" I smile.

Maze covers my back with alovera gel.

"Thankyou" I smile at him as I turn around to get the gel from his hand.

"Wait" Maze as he lifts his hand "you have a big lump" and he just runs his finger over my cheek. I blush but don't pull away. Maze gives me a feeling of safe.

"I'm almost ready" I walk off into the bathroom leaving Maze to walk around my broken home.

"ok" I sigh "I'm ready" Maze gets up and leads me to his car.

A beautiful Black Audi A4. Black window tint black interior and leather seats.

I get in the car and Maze closes the door for me. I put my seatbelt on while he walks around the car.

He gets in buckles up and looks at me with a smile on his face.

"Ready?"

"For wha" I don't finish as he pulls out the driveway fast.

Maze stops a moment grins at me again and takes off.

"Show off" I smile. Maze chuckles and slows down.

We pull up to Bunnings warehouse. Maze jumps out very fast and runs around the car to open the door.

"That's very chivalrous of you" I note.

"It is, I was taught manners" Maze smiles we walk next to each other going into the shop. He grabs a trolley. I can't help myself.

"Can I get on?" Maze looks at me questioning what I'm asking "on the trolley"

Maze smiles "sure".

I stand on the end of the trolley and grab the basket. Maze pushes me around on the trolley both of us laughing and having fun.

He stops in an isle and grabs some deadbolt locks for my place.

"What tools do you have?"

"None?" I smile.

Maze thinks for a second "ok" he takes us to the power tools and grabs a small tool kit.

Maze pulls the trolley up to the checkout unloading the trolley. I pull my purse out.

Maze growls at me.

"It's for my place" I glare at him.

"Fine, I'm getting food" Maze glares.

"Ok" I smile.

I pay for the items and we walk back to the car pushing the trolley.

"Your very interesting" Maze breaks the silence as we put everything in the car.

"Thanks" I smile.

Maze parks the trolley and opens the passenger door for me. I get in.

Maze pulls out his phone and sends a message.

"Just ordered food" Maze starts the car. We hit the highway and head towards the main part of town.

Maze stops the car off a side street from the main street. There is a small sign sticking out of the wall in a little alleyway.

"Stay here" Maze gets out and runs in. It doesn't take him long to come out with a bag of food and two coffees.

As he gets into the car he hands the coffees over to me. I am scared to spill even a drop.

Maze drives us back to my place carefully I think he can see my face.

We get to my house and he opens the door for me as well as taking the coffee off my lap.

"Do you want me to carry anything?"

"No, I'll come back for the other things" Maze smiles.

He just seems so comfortable. I can't get my head around it.

We sit in the loungeroom Maze hands me a cup of coffee which is smooth and creamy.

He opens the bag of food and pulls out a ham and cheese croissant toasted to perfection.

"It's simple but it's delicious, they make the croissants themselves" Maze smiles.

I finally get the courage to ask the question that's been burning in my mind.

"Who taught you manners?" I know it should be standard but rude people are everywhere. Kind people who hold the door are extinct or so I thought.

"My mum and Grandmother" He takes a spi of his coffee "has no one ever opened a door for you?" He bites his croissant.

"Well actually. no" his expression drops as of I have insulted him.

"My grandmother really pushed it" I can see him reminisce.

"Is she still alive?" I am holding my croissant not eating.

"Your not eating" Maze stares at me still holding my food frozen.

I guess he doesn't want to talk about it. I stare at him a little longer just to be defiant.

"Eat" he orders.

I giggle "yes officer" I smile and quickly take a bite.

Maze laughs at me being sarcastic.

"Oh! these are delicious" I am enjoying the light crispy and crunchy and soft.

Maze smiles making eye contact with me.

Maze eats the last of his croissant. Wiping the crumbs off his chest and getting up.

I stay and watch him.

He walks out to the car and gets everything out. He starts pulling the lock off the front door.

I quickly hurry up. I stand next to him.

"Can you pass me a Phillips head screw driver?"

"What is that one?" I feel so stupid asking.

"It's a cross shape" Maze explains.

I pull one out it looks weird and hand it to Maze.

"Is that right?"

"Yes correct"

I stand there holding screws and pieces as well as passing tools having no idea what to do with them.

We work our way to the back door.

"So I have to ask how did you end up with someone like that?"

"He wasn't this bad to begin with" My chest hurts.

Maze looks at me "Do you need a few minutes?" He's staring at my face not moving. I put my hand up to my cheek and feel tears. "Have you thought about therapy?" I stare at the wet tips of my fingers.

I stay silent still shocked I have tears running down my face.

Maze can see I'm still frozen looking at my fingers. He stands up straight and put a hand on my shoulder. It pulls me out of my trance.

"I'm not sad" Is all I can say.

For a few moments we both stand there in silence I decide I need to have a moment "excuse me" I head to the bathroom and close the door.

I just stare at myself in the mirror and wash my face. I stopped caring about Duncan a long time ago but this change is scary. How can I let everything change.

I hear a soft knock on the door.

"Are you okay?" Maze asks through the door.

I open the door "It's just scary" I look at Maze my face still wet.

"Change can be scary" Maze has been very supportive.

"Thankyou for being so nice"

"I think I owe it to you since I busted you in the shower" I chuckle at Maze bringing this up.

"I forgot about that"

Maze holds his arms out and I walk into his hug.

It was a little strange but I accepted it. After what seemed like a few minutes it was comfortable I didn't want it to end.

Maze let me go.

"I finished the back door" He smiles "I can leave you alone now"

Felling bare now "Thankyou again it's been a fun day" I had actually enjoyed myself. I hadn't felt this normal in a while.

"I had fun too" Maze pauses and looks at the floor. I can sense his hesitation but he gives up and walks out. He doesn't say good bye he just gets into his car and leaves.

I'm just standing at the front door a little lost. I pick up the tools and put them in the shelf closest to the front door.

*****Duncan's POV

"She wouldn't let me in" Chad has been drinking my beers and shouting me drinks.

"Dude, She’s probably sleeping with someone else" Chad responds "I'd beat them both" Chad throws back another drink.

"I bet it was one of the guys who grabbed me, I bet he was hiding in the bedroom all along" I am so angry I feel the pain in my soul it's stabbing.

"My girl tried that now she respects me" Chad still hasn't introduced me to his girl she just stays next door. "I busted her flirting with the bottle shop guy" Chad reminisce.

"What'd you do?"

"Well he was being so nice to her and when I got her home held her against the wall by the throat and looked her in the eye" Chad holds his arm up as if doing it again "I said if you pull that again I will kill you"

"And that worked?"

"Yep" Chad is proud of himself.

"How cam I get her to take me back? I was the best thing that ever happened to her"

"You have to get her to let you in, Then once your in just don't leave" Chad has the most simple explanation.

"First I have court" I don't understand what the problem is I didn't do anything wrong.

"What are they pinning you for?"

"DV"

"Oh, sorry man"

"I have an idea" Chad sits forward.

*****Kara's Pov

Bruno is snoring next to me. I'm just laying on my pillow staring at my bedroom door. My phone dings.

Maze sent a message

Hey I had fun today. Can we do it again? Just hang out?

My heart flutters a little it's nice that he wants to do it again.

I thought you'd never ask 😋

I settle in and go to sleep.

The fists come for me pushing me into the floor. Each hit pounding in my head.

I can't breathe. I can see a face he let's it up so I can catch my breath then starts again.

I can't breathe again. He rips my clothes off I'm naked and choking. I try to rip his hand off my throat, I kick and fight as hard as I can.

I wake up covered in sweat, tears on my face and Bruno is now hiding in his cupboard. I catch my breath a little realising I kicked Bruno.

Ok I need therapy. I admit it.

I grab my phone and message Maze.

Hey I know it's late, You asked about therapy. I think I should go. sorry if I woke you.

I try to slow my breathing as I put my phone down. Maybe dealing with this is alot harder than I thought.

I slowly drift back to sleep feeling guilty for hitting Bruno.

I wake to a message on my phone.

Hey I hope I didn't wake you. that's great that your ready for therapy. I will set up a meeting with Dr. driscoll.

Maze had sent that at four am.

Thanks Maze.

That's starting to feel like my catch phrase.

I get up and pat poor Bruno who is still hiding in his bed. He wags his tail with a sad look on his face.

I walk out into the kitchen and get his food ready then I hear him walk into the kitchen and grovel at my feet.

"Extra soft food because I am sorry" I tell him as I give him the food.

Bruno waits staring at his food. Concentrating for me to say the word.

"Here you are"

Bruno digs in. There's a knock at the door.

I look at Bruno and he looks at me momentarily before he starts scoffing food.

"Who is it?" I wait for an answer.

"It's Ben" his voice sending a soothing sensation through me.

I dont hesitate in opening the door.

"Hey" I feel like I have missed him.

Ben walks in and enlopes me in a hug. I hug him back. My heart calms and I feel a warm tingling like electricity go through me.