Love Will Come Through

At half past four, the phone rang. Chris had wasted his time by staring at the Discovery Channel. He had only got up to get a new bottle of beer. He got up lazily and placed the fifth empty bottle on the salon table, where the other four bottles stood. He stumbled over to the phone (It had been hours since he had breakfast, and he didn’t had much for lunch either) and picked it up
‘Hammond?’
‘Yes, the other Hammond is wondering why you didn’t attempt school today’ he recognized his brother’s voice.
He grunted and walked back to the sofa as Paul was still speaking:
‘And frankly, I don’t believe the crap Jane told me about being sick’
Now Chris chuckled
‘Very good.’ He muttered as he sat down on the sofa. ‘I’m not sick’
‘School sick?’
‘Sort off’
‘How come?’
He lay down on the sofa and sighed as he stared at the ceiling.
‘It’s complicated’
‘Than what is it?’
He sighed again.
‘Listen Paul’ he began. ‘I need to tell you something’
‘Go on’
He waited a few seconds before he spoke:
‘There is… this student’
‘Student?’
‘Yes, one I teach’
‘Oh god, you didn’t shag one, did you?’
He burst out in laughter. All though he felt crap, Paul’s dry sense of humor made him always laugh
‘No I didn’t’ he said. ‘But it comes near it’
‘Come again? You’re not saying you are dating one right?’
‘No’ Chris said as he closed his eyes
‘Damn it, Chris. Tell me’
He chuckled again
God, this is so not funny -
But before he could say something, Paul spoke again:
‘Oh God, you are not in love are you?’
Chris kept silent.
‘I think I am’ he said after a few seconds’
Now it was Paul’s turn to be quiet
‘But… You’re never in love…’
‘I know’
‘How come?’
‘I don’t know’
‘And it’s a student?’
‘Yes’
‘Does she know?’
‘Yes’
‘What does she think?’
‘She doesn’t like it’
‘Who-’
He already wanted to answer, when Paul blurted through his own words:
‘Oh God, it’s not Noreen is it?’
He wished he could have nod, because actually saying it was totally embarrassing
‘Yes’ he sighted
‘She’s been at your home?’
‘Yes’
Twice -
‘Nothing happened I suppose?’
He frowned.
‘Of course not’ Chris said a bit irritated
‘Oh good’
‘Yeah great’ He said as he sat up again
‘Keep it like that, and you are safe’
‘Paul this is serious’
‘You’re never in love Chris!’ Paul said.
‘I know - I just - Know this is different’
‘How do you know?’
‘I - know - ’
‘How do you feel?’
‘I love?’
‘How do you feel Chris’
‘Confused. Nervous. Sick. Distracted’
‘That’s how you are when you’re drunk, Chris’
‘I’m not drunk Paul!’
Not yet…
Paul chuckled
‘Sorry Chris’ he said, still chuckling a bit
‘Doesn’t matter’
‘But Chris, you know this is hard for me to believe.’
‘I know’
‘You’ve never been in love’
Chris sighed
‘I know’
But I kissed her - Normally I wouldn’t have done that
‘Something else happened’ he said.
‘What?’
‘I - When she was here I - I kissed her’
Paul was silent again
‘You did what?’
‘I kissed her’ Chris now said more firmly. ‘She ran away after that’
‘Jesus Christ, Chris’
‘I know, I know’ Chris sighed again. ‘She wasn’t at school today, so I went by her house to explain why I did it’
‘She didn’t like it I suppose?’
‘No’ Chris said and got up, beginning to pace the room.
Paul sighed
‘God, where have you gotten yourself into?’
‘I don’t know’ Chris said as he entered his bedroom
Paul sighed again.
‘Listen, I have to pick Kirsten of the train station. We will talk tomorrow morning, okay?’
‘We do?’ Chris said but he already remembered they would go jogging tomorrow morning’
‘You know what I mean’ Paul said a bit irritated. ‘Still got your jogging shoes?’
When Chris had remembered about going jogging with Paul, he had walked over to his clothed and opened it. He searched it and found a pair of white Assics’ jogging shoes (they were more blown than actually white)
‘Yes, I’ve still got them’
‘Great, than I will pick you up tomorrow’
‘Okay, see you tomorrow’
‘Cheers’
He hung up and went back to the sitting room where he placed the phone back in the charger. He dropped himself on the sofa again.
Fine - Now I’ve told him - I should at least feel a bit better now -
But he noticed he didn't. He still felt terrible guilty towards Noreen. Strummer jumped on the sofa, begging for attention so he stroke the cat 'Ever been in love, Strum?' he asked. The cat gave a purr, and he snorted. 'You know I can't believe that' he said.
I've never let you outside -
'Or have you been spying on the cat opposite?' he asked the cat and looked at him.
The cat gave another purr and he snorted again. He sighed and laid down on the sofa
'I've never been in love' he muttered, almost feeling embarrassed he had to tell his own cat this.
Never - I never believed in it -
'But now - ' he added with another sigh
And I've hurt her -
He closed his eyes, and listened to the TV. He often got up to get new bottles of beer. He had placed all the empty bottles back in the crate that stood in the kitchen, before he laid down the last time he had walked.
He opened his eyes as he heard the bell ring.
What the -
He wasn't expecting anyone, so he was a bit surprised his bell actually rang. He got up and walked over to the intercom.
Maybe Paul -
He didn't look on the intercom but opened the door at once. He didn't feel like opening the front door and see who would come upstairs, so he just leaned against the wall and waited for the second bell to ring.
When the bell of his front door rang, he opened the door. He had expected to see Paul, but instead, it was a smaller person.
It was Noreen.
His eyes widened in shock, but before he could say something, she swung her arms around his waist and began to cry as hard as she had done before.
What the -
Before she had buried her face against his chest, he had seen her face. It was bruised
Jesus - What happened?
He didn't think but wrapped his arms around her. He could feel she was drenched.
The weather - God - She feels frozen -
'God, Noreen' he said as he pulled her more inside, closing the door with
one hand. 'What happened?'
Who did that to you - ?
But he could already guess the answer.
'He - he - ' eyes closed, still pressing her forehead against his chest, Noreen tried to speak. 'He was angry and - '
He knew his thoughts had been right. He wanted to swear, but he thought it wouldn't be the right thing to do now. 'Come' he said and let go a bit of her, although he still had an arm wrapped around her shoulder. He gestured her to the sitting room and pushed her down on the sofa. He didn't sit down but went over to the kitchen to fill the water boiler and to putt it on. As the water needed to boil, he went to the bathroom and took a box of Kleenex and a towel. He went back to the living room and now finally sat down, placing the box of tissues on the salon table. He gave her the towel, so she could dry herself off a bit. He took her by her shoulder, and made her look at him
'What happened?' he asked again He now could have a better look of her face. It was all bruised and swollen
God - Her father didn't do that - He - He seemed nice - Apart from that he was commanding her like she was his servant -
She had brought up her face, but she didn’t look at him. She had taken the towel and pressed it against her face 'My dad - was angry.' she said, still sobbing a bit 'And I - I didn't - do what he wanted.' she explained further and took a deep, almost shaking breath. 'So he did - this.' she muttered, referring to her swollen cheek.
He couldn't resist, but to brush her wet hair behind her ear, so he could see her face better
God - I shouldn't have come - Maybe - he did it because of me -
'Was it my fault?' he asked softly.
I need to know - Whether it's my fault or not -
'I.. I don't know.' she mumbled 'I don't know a-anything anymore..'
He gave a sigh
So it was - Than I shouldn't -
'God, I'm sorry Noreen' he said as he absently ran his fingers through her hair. 'I-I shouldn't have come over today'
It was stupid - it seems like I'm screwing up everything
'Is there anything I can go?' he said, and he hardly knew he had placed his hand on her cheek, which felt hot because it was bruised so badly.
'I don't - kn-know - really - ' she stuttered, not looking at her, and not reacting to the hand on her cheek.
'I - I should go again - a-and not - bother you.' She got up, and so did he.
'You don't have to go' he said as he placed his hands on her shoulders, preventing her from running away.
I want you to stay -
'I don't want you to go back there' he said
Who knows what else will happen -
'Y-You can stay here overnight if you want that' he said, but knew it was stupid and so against the law. But he didn't care. He had to take care of her. She was hurt and frightened, and he wanted to help here. He kept looking at her as he spoke. Her eyes had captured him. They were watery, but still beautiful to see. He felt the urge to kiss her again, but after what had happened yesterday, he knew it wouldn't be wise. He didn't want to upset her more, and doing such a thing now would seem like he's using her
‘I-… I don’t know if I should… I don’t want to go home’ she said
‘Than stay here’ he said, now also placing his other hand on her shoulder. ‘Please-…I don’t want you to go back there… Please stay’
I don't want anything to happen to you -
'Don't go there'
Not yet - not now -
He looked at the sofa but than back into Noreen's eyes. 'You can sleep on the sofa' he said. 'It's - very comfortable - ' If it had been another situation, he would have let her sleep into his bed, and he would sleep on the sofa. But that just didn't seem right
'We will see tomorrow what we can do about him' he said, thinking about the police. It wasn't normal that a father hit his daughter like this
He saw how she looked at the sofa, but than nodded.
‘Alright’ she said softly, and he nodded while he let of her. He knew it wouldn't be just a thing to let her sleep here. First, she wasn't his mentor student, so it already seemed odd. Second, even IF she was his mentor student, it still wouldn't be allowed to let her sleep at his place. And third, he still had feelings for her. He knew she would never have the same feelings for him, and that nothing would happen, just when he keeps his hormones down.
'Do you - do you want to use the bathroom?' he asked her.
‘She nodded. Her make up had ran out again, and she looked terrible.
‘You can take a shower if you want to’ he said ‘You know where it is’ a nervous smile on his face.
Noreen nodded slightly, and went to the bathroom. Meanwhile, he rubbed his face as he stared out of the window.
How could someone do that to his own child? His own flesh and blood? He had never understood this. He’d dealt with more cases of abuse, but it had never affected him this much.
He could hear the water running in the bathroom.
He left the sitting room, and took some extra sheets from the closet in his bedroom. He took a second pillow and brought them to the sofa in the sitting room. He removed some of the pillows, and brushed some of the cat hairs of the sofa before he placed the sheets on it. It already was quit late, so it would be best to go to bed as well. He secretly wanted this to prevent things from happening.
He heard how the tap in the bathroom went of. He walked over to the bathroom, and called through the door: ‘Have you got something to sleep in?’
’Uhm-…’ he heard Noreen said. ‘No - I haven’t’
‘Let me get you something’ he said and went to the bedroom. Out of the closet, he took a shirt and a short he used to sport in in the summer. He went back to the bathroom door, and said. ‘I’m placing it on the ground next to the door’ he said as he dropped them on the ground. ‘You can take them’
He than went back into the sitting room, and he could hear the bathroom door open and close again.

He had been staring out of the window again when he heard movement behind him. He turned around and saw Noreen standing there, carrying her own clothes, which she placed on the ground next to the sofa.
‘Sleep’ he said to her. ‘I’m going to bed as well’
She nodded, and fringed the shirt she was wearing. He acted like he hadn’t seen she was uncomfortable and closed the curtains. He went over to his own room, and looked at Noreen as he stood in the door opening. ‘If there’s something-… you could always-… wake me up’ he said. Strummer walked past him and entered the sitting room.
‘Do you mind if he stays here? His litter box is in the kitchen. She shook her head as she sat down on the sofa. She stroked the cat before she looked up at him.
‘Thank you’ she said softly.
He smiled a little and nodded. ‘You’re welcome… goodnight’
‘Goodnight’ she said, and Chris closed the door.
Right - Just keep that door closed for another eight hours - and nothing will happen -
He took a deep breath before he went to his bed. He took of his clothes and stepped in his bed, only wearing his underwear and a hemp.
Nothing will happen - Just go to sleep -
But it took him a long time before he finally fell asleep.