Breaking Me Slowly

Thirteen

I never told Grayson about what happened several days ago. In fact, I never told anyone about what happened. At first, I didn’t even believe what had happened actually happened, but it was the missing teddy bear that confirmed it.

Someone had taken it.

I’ve searched high and low for it only to come up empty handed. I couldn’t understand what someone would want with a stuffed animal. Out of all the things they could have taken, why the bear? It just didn’t make any sense.

The only person that knew the significance of the bear was Grayson and I’m a hundred percent positive that he didn’t take it. I’ve thought about telling him what happened but decided against it. Instead, I found myself sneaking out early in the morning through the kitchen door and walking the trail to the backhouse where Sydney had been staying.

I had gotten two steps up the stairs when Jensen came bursting out, practically running into me.

“Juliette.” He surprised to see me. “What are you doing here?”

“I came to see Sydney.”

He rubs his jaw where there’s a hint of stubble. I wondered if he had stayed overnight.

“Oh, right,” he says. He looks back at the door. “She’s actually sleeping right now…”

I narrowed my eyes. “Sleeping.”

He nods, avoiding my gaze in the process. “Yes.”

I take another step forward and Jensen takes a step closer to me, blocking my way.

“Jensen—”

“The doctor still doesn’t want her to see anyone right now.”

“Too bad.” I step around him. He just steps right back in front of me.

“Jensen, move.”

He backs up against the door. “I can’t.”

“Jensen, I’m not playing.”

He lifts his chin up. “Neither am I.”

We stare at each other for what feels like hours.

“Jensen, I’m serious!”

He crosses his arms and shakes his head. “I’m not letting you in there.”

“It’s just a cold! It’s not like I’m going to be licking everything she’s touched.”

He makes a face of disgust but still doesn’t move. “You can see her in a few days.”

“Why not now? I’m already here.”

Jensen is about to argue more but he’s interrupted when Rebecca walks out and onto the front porch. She’s just as surprised to see me.

“Juliette, what are you doing here?” she asks.

I glare at Jensen. “I’m trying to see Sydney.”

Rebecca also glances back at the door. “She really can’t see anyone right now. She’s still feeling under the weather.”

“I thought she was feeling better now.”

“She was,” Rebecca hesitates, “but now she’s feeling sick again. We just want to take every precaution.”

I frown. “When will I be able to see her?”

Rebecca takes a deep breath, unsure of how to answer. “It’s just a waiting game at this point.”

She throws a glance at Jensen before closing the space between us and placing a gentle hand on my shoulder.

“Tell you what, I’ll have her call you later today so you can at least talk to her.”

I glance between Jensen and Rebecca. Jensen is staring down at the floor, deep in thought. Rebecca has a small, uncertain smile on her face.

“Fine,” I say, taking what I can get. At least I would still be able to talk to her, even if it wasn’t face to face.

The three of us walk back to the house in silence. It’s obvious something is weighing heavily on Jensen’s shoulders. I think about asking him what’s bothering him, but something tells me he wouldn’t say even if I did ask.

Jensen holds the back door open for us and laughter carries out from the kitchen. Grayson and Isabel are in the kitchen, standing a little too close to each other. As soon as they notice us, Grayson makes his way over to me.

He gives me a quick good morning and kisses the top of my head. It was his greeting that I had quickly grown accustomed to and loved.

I catch Isabel’s glare and it takes everything inside of me to not throw her a triumphant grin.

“What’s on the agenda for today?” I ask Grayson.

“Nothing, actually,” he says. “Today is a free day, so what do you feel like doing?”

I think about it for a moment and then an idea hits me.

“What?” Grayson asks, skeptical when he notices the grin on my face. “I’m going to regret this, aren’t I?”

I shake my head. “I think you’ll enjoy it.”

Grayson is the first to step out of the car and he is unimpressed.

“This is where you wanted to come?” he asks, coming around to my side.

“What’s wrong with it?” I ask, glancing at the pier.

The pier was packed with people bustling around each. Screams echoed through the parking lot as the rollercoaster made its loop.

“I’m just surprised you chose to come here,” Grayson answers at last.

I take his hand in mine. “I used to come here all the time as a kid.”

Grayson looks at me. “You used to come here as a kid?”

“I would come with my parents before they split up.” I sigh. “It was one of my favorite places.”

A memory of me, my father, and mother comes to my mind. The three of us would walk the pier together with me in the middle holding each of my parents’ hands. My father would always buy me cotton candy even though my mother was completely against it but in the end, she relented. It was those days where everything felt easy and simple. I almost longed for those days again.

A squeeze on my hand quickly brings me back to the present. I look down at our hands that are still intertwined. And then a thought occurs to me: had he seen my memories as well?

Grayson’s face softens and a smile appears on his lips. “Where to first?”

I give him a big, toothy grin. “That’s easy. The arcade.”

Without either of us noticing, an hour had passed, and I think Grayson ended up having a better time than he thought possible.

“We should go on some rides!” I say, dragging him off to the rollercoaster.

“Where do you wanna sit?” Grayson asks once we make our way to the front of the line. He follows me to one of the carts in the back.

“The back,” he notes.

I nod. “You feel everything better in the back.”

The ride attendants come around to check our seat belts and then were off. I feel the butterflies in my stomach more and more as we make our way up to the top for the big drop.

Grayson has a tight grip on his lap bar, and I can’t help but laugh. He piques a brow as if to say what.

“Scared?” I tease.

He rolls his eyes. “I’m not exactly a fan of heights.”

I gasp. “I’m so sorry! If I had known…”

The corner of his lips slightly lifts up. “It’s not that big of a deal.” He glances away. “And besides, it’s too late now,” he says the second before we drop.

Not once did Grayson scream or make a sound during the ride. He did keep a death grip on the lap bar the entire time.

“What do you want to go on next?”

“Would it be too much to ask to go on the ferris wheel?”

“Lead the way.”

As a kid, the ferris wheel was my favorite ride especially at sunset. At the top, you had the perfect view of the water and orange skies. Even though it was sunset yet, I still craved to see the water.

It’s not until were on the ride and already at the top when I turn to Grayson, a question on my mind.

“Did you see my memories from earlier today?”

He glances at me, quickly averting his gaze back to the water. “Just bits and pieces.”

“Do you do it all the time?”

He shakes his head. “This was the first time I did it without you knowing.” He looks at me. “I just wanted to see a little bit of your childhood.”

“I’m not mad,” I say. “If I could get a glimpse into your childhood, I would do it too.”

“You were cute as a kid.”

I blush.

“With your crooked teeth and freckled nose.”

I’m mortified. “I take it back. You can never look into my childhood again.”

Grayson laughs. “Oh, I’m still going to.”

The blush spreads further down my neck and I groan to myself, thinking about what I had just gotten myself into.