"Chapter Thirteen: These Scars that run so deep.
Alexander was sleeping with his chest to the mattress and Taylor was using his shoulder blade as a pillow leaving a mess of red hair on his shirtless back.
He was a very light sleeper and woke up on that Wednesday morning to find his wife tracing one of the scars on his back with her index finger.
“What is this one from?” She asked knowing he was awake.
She was referring to a jagged, irregular, bumpy scar that seemed to have faded over the years.
“The one next to the tattoo of your name?” He whispered.
“Yes” She answered as her finger stopped over that patch of skin
“His belt buckle” Alex said, his voice thick with sleep, as he turned to face her
She half smiled in sympathy when her eyes met his sleep filled eyes and morning stubble.
He pulled her close and wrapped his arms around her.
She started to trace another scar on his toned right arm.
“Cigarette car lighter” He said bluntly referring to where her hand was.
She kissed his arm, hopping that it would make the scar disappear.
“Why didn´t she stop him?” She asked looking his in his dark eyes.
“My dad died when I was five and when I was seven she remarried. – This part of the story Taylor was familiar with – He was a good guy with a short temper when it came to me” He tried to explain
Taylor´s hands rubbed his arms.
“And Molly?” She asked referring to his half sister.
“Never touched her, never even yelled at her.”
She looked at him with sorrow. Taylor knew about his abusive step father but he was never prone to giving her details without her having to push.
Alexander took a breath in and decided to tell her the whole story. He held her tightly hopping that maybe his words would be less painful.
“Every time he hit me, I´d run to Jordan´s house. She would put a band aid on me and let me stay until I felt well enough to go home.” He exhaled.
Taylor found herself half smiling in amusement thinking of a seven year old Jordan putting a band aid on seven year old Alex.
“Her parents knew and sometimes they would let me spend the night. They were the ones who took me to the hospital the day I broke my arm when I was twelve.”
Taylor began to trace her hand over his left arm. There was a crink in the middle. And she remembered how he complains a little about it every time the temperature drops.
“That is the year you started playing baseball, right?”
“Yes. I started to play that year and at seventeen I was offered a scholarship to play varsity for Boston College….Jordan followed me all the way from Connecticut to Massachusetts. She went to BC. Journalism. And so did I. We shared a dorm throughout college.” He explained as he buried his nose in her red hair inhaling the scent of her shampoo.
“A ballerina turned Journalist. – Taylor joked – But what about vacation. You had to go home at some point. “She asked.
“I would go home for two days out of every school year but I did call my mom every other day.” He explained.
“What about the holidays?” She pushed on.
“Jordan would beg her parents to come to the house her grandmother owned in the Hamptons… They would come on every holiday and Emily also came when she had time…We would all celebrate together… I felt like part of their family…I still do.” He said honestly.
Taylor pulled away from his arms and looked in his eyes.
“Ok” She said.
Silence settled between them.
“Tay?” Alex called in a whisper.
“Yeah?” She answered half asleep.
“You have scars too, right?” He asked insecurely
She inhaled and pondered before giving him an answer. She thought it was funny to see her tall, dark, handsome, quiet and confidant husband so sensitive.
“I do. - She finally answered – But I´m not a show off like you. Mine are inside.”
Taylor snuggled into the nook of his shoulder and dozed off. And Alex sighed in something that resembled relief."
In Down Came the Rain by J. Rodrigues
Sim, ja escrevi um livro, e só uma pessoa o leu ate hoje <3
Nata
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