I poured the coffee into the mugs, placed them on the table, then sat down.
Allison grabbed cream and sugar and two pieces of toast and joined me.
“These are the best scrambled eggs I have ever tasted,” I said, devouring them. It was the truth.
Allison grinned. “The key is to not mess with them too much when you’re cooking them and I add a dash of milk. I am glad you like them.”
I inhaled the breakfast and helped her clean up the table. We walked over to the couch and sat down, our bodies turned toward each other.
“Do you have to work at all today or just get ready for your trip?” Allison asked.
“No work—the office is closed until tomorrow. I wish I didn’t have to go to California.”
“Me too.” Allison grabbed my hand and I entwined my fingers with hers.
She gestured for my other hand, the one wrapped in gauze.
“We should take a look at that,” she said.
“I guess you are right.” I removed my good hand from hers and started to unwrap it until Allison stopped me.
She took over, unwrapping it carefully. It looked a lot better than I expected, but was still a little red and bloody.
She got up and returned with peroxide and cotton and began cleaning my hand.
She then did something that blew me away. Before wrapping the hand back in fresh gauze, she took my nasty looking hand up to her mouth and kissed it gently right on the wound, closing her eyes.
I closed my eyes, too, overwhelmed by the raw emotion I felt from that gesture, but didn’t do or say anything, just watched her as she wrapped my hand in gauze again.
“Thank you, Allison.” I whispered.
She couldn’t possibly imagine how much I needed to have her right now.
“You’re welcome.” She moved in toward me and placed her head on my shoulder. I pulled her close to me and we sat like that for a minute.
“Do you have to work at the diner today?” I asked.
“No, I would have been there by now. I took today off and go back tomorrow.”
We sat in silence for about a minute, then I turned to her and kissed her on the forehead when she looked up at me.
There was so much I wanted to say to her. I didn’t know where to begin.
“Allison…if yo
u don’t mind my asking, was Nate your last boyfriend? Is there anyone else?”
She straightened herself up as if to prepare to answer my question.
“No, there isn’t. I haven’t dated anyone since Nate. The whole thing was just such a huge disappointment. Everything was so normal in the beginning with him. Alcoholism is a real beast.”
“Yeah, but not all alcoholics are violent. Had he tried anything like that before?” My body cringed at the thought.
“He never tried to rape me, but he did hit me, like I said, the one and only time before last night. That was it. I broke up with him the second he put his hand on me.”
“I am so sorry, but I am glad you were smart enough to leave,” I said, suddenly wanting to find Nate again and finish the job.
“Yes. I had never experienced violence in my life. It was just Mom and me since forever. A peaceful existence, until she died. Everything seemed to fall apart after that.” Allison looked down.