Six…

Six: Thorns

As the cliché goes, every rose has one… or a few.

Warning: there’s very strong language in this one.

Aubrey’s last class ended.

After throwing some books in a locker, she gazed at Shawn.

He pulled her near and kissed her.

Aubrey’s heart raced next to his.

As they parted, she worried about telling him her secrets.

What will he think of me?

The huge, glowing sphere peeked over the valley, signaling nighttime.

Aubrey sat rigidly next to Shawn.

Glasses littered the end table next to a wine bottle. She’d had to fortify herself, but the buzz didn’t help much.

Actually, Shawn drank more than she.

She didn’t know where to begin.

Every muscle in her body was rigid, her stomach like a block of ice.

“A year ago… err, two years ago—I got pregnant.”

That block of ice in her stomach hardened.

Shawn’s incredulous look didn’t help her anxiety.

“I was raised to believe in angels,” she said. “These awesome creatures that sometimes come down from heaven to visit mortals.” Once the statement escaped her it sounded quite ridiculous. However, she pressed onward without looking at Shawn. She knew if she did she may not say anymore.

“I had a lot of problems when I turned eighteen. But I—I met someone who helped me,” she said. “And, well, I lost my virginity to him. Almost a year later I had a baby and gave him up for adoption.”

“You had a baby and gave him up,” he echoed.

“Um, yeah. I’m sorry I didn’t tell you before.”

“Uh-huh. What exactly does this have to do with angels?”

Staring at him for the longest time, she wondered whether to answer that.

“I believed the father of my baby was an angel,” she said, steeling herself for his reaction.

Shawn looked away and stared blankly ahead. Then he bolted from the sofa and poured another full glass of wine, gulped it down. Then one more glass, quickly drinking it as well.

He returned to the sofa, nearly falling onto it.

“Feel better?”

“Yeah,” he slurred. “So you gave him up for adoption?”

“Yeah. My parents forced me to. Actually, my mom told me if I gave him up, she’d make my dad pay my way through college so I wouldn’t have to wait on tables anymore. But that wasn’t the only reason. She said she’d also disown me if I kept the baby. I felt like I had no other choice.”

“After I gave birth and then told them about the angel, my dad committed me to a psych ward for six months.”

“Jesus, Aubrey.”

Her eyes shifted away from him. She could just imagine how crazy she sounded.

Please don’t leave me cuz I’m crazy, she thought.

“You really thought an angel fucked you and knocked you up?”

Aubrey glared at him. “Yes, as a matter of fact, that’s exactly what happened.” Red hot anger melted the ice within her.

“But you don’t have to be so crude about it!”

“Oh, excuse me. You had sex with an—angel; meanwhile, you won’t touch me with a ten foot pole! Was he that much better than me? Did he make you feel that good, your so-called angel?” he mocked.

“Stop it! You’re drunk!”

“Better drunk than crazy,” he muttered.

His words threw a knife in her heart.

He rose from the couch.

“Now you’re leaving?” she shouted while rising. He didn’t answer.

Shawn stumbled in his drunkenness.

“Please don’t go. You’re too drunk to drive!”

He struggled to stand.

“Shawn! Don’t go! You’re too drunk!”

He stopped at the door, resting his head against it. In his drunken-induced blindness he fumbled for the knob.

“Look, you can’t even find the damn knob!” she said. “Shawn—just don’t go.”

“Why not? You don’t want me… and I don’t want a crazy girlfriend,” he whined, heaved a few times.

Finally he shoved open the door and stumbled outside.

After a few moments of indecision, she chose to run after him.

“Shawn!”

Too late. He climbed on his motorcycle and sped off.

The chopper weaved its way down the street.

Aubrey cringed.

Maybe I should call 911. Maybe… no, just let him go.

There’s nothing else I can do. I tried.

Between fits of weaving, Shawn managed to steer the cycle for 1 1/2 miles.

Then he began straddling the yellow lines.

The chopper swerved into a parking area toward a wrought iron fence.

it slammed into the fence, throwing Shawn several feet.

His head smashed against a brick wall; then he slumped to the ground.

A heart that once beat next to Aubrey’s, has ceased to beat at all.

*

Chapter Seven will be pubbed next Wednesday. Thanks for reading! ♥