Loving Merritt Forever

3

Her

I awoke in a bed that was unfamiliar. At first feeling scared, then confused, before a blinding headache over took everything else. I winced in the too bright sunlight that was warming my skin as it beat in through the tall floor to ceiling windows and balcony doors.

My brain was pulsating in my skull like it was too big to fit inside my head today. My tongue felt swollen and scratchy like sandpaper. My eyes hurt as my head felt like it would split open. I shielded my eyes from the bright sun and made my way to the attached washroom that blessedly had a dim nightlight on and no windows. I looked in the mirror and was taken aback by the sight of me still wearing my wedding dress; triggering the memories of everything that happened yesterday.

David and Verity hijacked my wedding. My brother had been having sex with my fiance for months behind my back while I broke myself with effort trying to pay for the wedding they stole from me. I was homeless, friendless, alone and broke for the next two weeks. Longer I realized because I would have to wait until the next payday after I started my job to have real income. Plus, as I looked around the lavish hotel room, now in debt to the handsome stranger who had come to my rescue last night at the bar. I should call the dinner and offer to work any shift available. I had taken two weeks off for a staycation honeymoon with David, we had been planning to head to his parents cottage for a few days. Just the two of us.

Tears I had been holding back since yesterday started to fall. First only one or two slipped down my cheeks. But soon rivers of tears were streaming down my face as I crumpled to the cold, tiled floor of the very nice washroom. In a hotel I knew I couldn't afford. Not right now. My sobs echoed off the sterile tiled bathroom walls. Eventually, my body ran out of tears to cry. I stood up, shuffling on my feet back and forth while my arms tried to reach the zipper to free myself from my beautiful dress that now felt like it was drowning me. I felt something in my shoulder pop and give way as I finally reached the zipper and pulled it down. The dress slipping off my shoulders to puddle on the floor. My eyes watered slightly from the pain of whatever had popped in my shoulder. My arm now hanging limply at my side.

I looked at myself in the mirror shocked. I had dislocated my own shoulder trying to escape the dress. I still wasn't thinking clearly. I was tired, maybe still drunk on top of being more hung over than I had ever been. I went back to the bed in only my bra and panties, carefully tucking myself in so my damaged arm was on top. Willing my body to just give in to oblivion, I fell back asleep. I heard a small sound as I drifted off, not realizing it was my own whimpers of pain.

I awoke with startled as someone said my name. Without remembering anything that happened before I went back to bed I tried to jump out of the covers, only to fall out of the bed to the floor screaming in pain from trying to support my weight on my useless arm. I leaned back against the bed, sweat on my brow as I looked at my limp arm, realized I was as good as naked while the impossibly handsome stranger from last night was looking at me. Concern in his eyes.

"You're hurt" he said, kneeling in front of me, looking at my bruised, swollen ugly dislocated shoulder, his concern turning to rage as his voice snarled, "Who hurt you?" he shook his head and closed his eyes, taking a deep breath in and out. "You need a doctor," sounding concerned again as the rage I knew had just been there melted away.

I shook my head as he tried to get me to stand up. Ostensibly to take me to the hospital I guessed. I had pulled the sheet with my good arm from the bed, trying to salvage a shred of dignity as I covered myself up." I don't need a doctor, I'm a nurse, can you just," I paused, this wasn't what I was like. I wasn't this kind of girl, I just didn't see any other options right now. "Just help me pop it back in?" he looked at me like I was insane. Which was fair I decided, considering the state I was in both times I had seen this stranger.