Taylor's POV
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Shaking my sore wrist's off I sigh looking down at Jay, my eyes full of tears and my sobbing taking over my breathing. A red mark clouding his face where Matthew has just hit him, his eyes closed as he sleeps with a frown over his lips. Carrying a world of problems as he finally rests fast asleep.
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My wrists shake as I lift up the blanket and swing my legs over the side, the pain from my shoulder just beginning to break through from my movements. Sipping the water on the side, I take two paracetamols and wipe my eyes.
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"I'm really sorry Matthew, would you be able to help me get dressed" I whisper facing the wall, the cover wrapped around my waist. Lifting my arm is not an option and my sling is situated in the ensuite. I hear his footsteps fumbling around to my left, the drawers opening as he presumably finds me a nightshirt whilst I keep my eyes trained on the wall and the alarm clock on my nightstand which reads six am. The blackout blinds have been extended thankfully blocking out the bright white light of dawn.
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Matthew slips a loose pale pink gown over my head as I watch him kneeling before me.
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"I'm just going to gently move your arm into the straps" he whispers softly giving me warning before he lifts my injured arm.
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"Here breathe in when I do it. On three" he whispers as I watch his face nodding.
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"One, two and three" he says softly as I breathe in sharply from the pain and he raises my arm slipping it quickly through the gown. I let out a yelp and he apologises instantly.
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Matthew helps me to stand, steadying me from my waist as my gown falls and covers me. He retrieves my sling from the ensuite his eyes going over our wet clothes in the shower just briefly before he looks away uncomfortably.
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Once the sling is clipped into place the relief of not having to hold my arm up instantly washes over me and I let out a steady breath before looking up and into his dark green eyes. Deciding better of launching into a rant about the whole ordeal, he looks upon my grief stricken face and nestles me under his shoulder guiding me away from the ensuite and out to the hall.
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"We've been up all night" I whisper over to him and he nods.
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"I heard you practically screaming Taylor" he says softly looking at me.
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"From down the hall" he explains as I look up at him, reluctant to re-live Jay holding me down. I'm almost positive that he blacked out, or was in some sort of shock. His hands so tightly griping onto my wrists as I tried to plead with him to see sense. To realise that he was hurting my dislocated arm, praying that I would look up and be reminded of his usual seductive smile, anything other than the vacant empty expression that worried me to death.
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"Jesus" he says shaking his head as he looks down at my arms in the light, I yank the sleeves of my robe down hiding the red marks on my arms and shaking my head. The strong sunshine casting rays of light over the wooden banisters as we pace down the staircase, the house in mourning as all of our guests remain asleep upstairs.
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"He was..." I say before my voice breaks and I attempt to control my fears.
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"He lost himself in that moment" I stutter as Matthew walks us through to the veranda outside, my cotton robe pulled over my nightshirt. Resting on the outdoor sofa set, I vow to thank Rachel, Ross and Chris immensely for clearing up the mess from the tragic events of last night. Including the smashed glasses and the remnants of food and wine. The blood spilled has been cleared away and the cream marble steps shine in the morning glow of the sun. The water shimmering in the pool below as I gaze out over at the grounds. Matthew takes a seat next to me and I wipe my face.
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"He just lost himself" I explain as he shakes his head, pushing his locks back and exhaling before turning to me calmly.
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"How about one month" he whispers softly turning his full body to me and clasping my hands in his.
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"Matthew" I mutter softly holding onto his hands and looking into his green eyes.
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"I mean it Taylor one month away; anywhere. We can even bring Ross. London or Paris or I don't know anywhere, I'll get the tickets and we can just take some time away from this situation until it all gets better" he whispers desperately holding my hands in his own.
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"Paris. The art, the food and the Eiffel Tower" he whispers clutching at straws as his eyes plead with me to listen to him. Sobbing I turn to face the pool and for a brief moment I imagine us in Paris, sipping wine and visiting the Louvre. Eating escargots or duck confit and showing Henry the sites.
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"Consider this Taylor." He says under his breath as I gaze down at my wedding rings with the marks surrounding my wrists. Both a symbol of the best and worst nights of my life. Of marrying Jay and committing to him forever, I think of his strong smile and the unwavering look of devotion in his eyes. Compared to the look of his sorrowful expression from his broken heart when he realised his father had passed away, the anger and the pain as he lashed out. The worry I feel for Jay seizes me as I remind myself of the urgency in his eyes as he tried to run away directly after the death of his father and how I feared for his life. The fact that I was the only person to stop him from doing anything reckless forces me to come to a conclusion.
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I pull Matthew's hands close to me clasping them in my own as he exhales steadily waiting for my verdict. Feeling his eternity ring underneath my fingers.
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"I cannot leave him" I whisper and the deflation is evident in the frown on his lips and in how he casts his eyes down.
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“I cannot leave and take everything from him whilst he is at his lowest point, I love him. I worry he will do something reckless” I say more rationally as the sun penetrates through the clouds and warms up my bare legs and I rest my hands back in my lap over my bump.
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“I told you Matthew” I begin softly as he exhales forcefully.
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“I love him and I will not leave him” I whisper softly as a lush breeze sweeps through and eases off the burning of the sun. The azure blue sky shines over my head as I stand gingerly offering him a coffee as he looks straight ahead frustrated.
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“Taylor” he pleads softly standing by me and clutching onto my hand.
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“No Matthew that’s the end of this” I whisper softly as he gazes down at my arms again.
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“I understand” he hushes me looking into my eyes as he pauses shaking his head from side to side.
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“I’ll make the coffee, lay back on the lounger and rest” he whispers softly.
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“Would you like a tea” he asks me resting me down on the lounger and erecting the parasol to shield me from the sun. Only my bare legs and feet feeling the warm glow of the sun.
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“Green tea” I mutter searching his earthy green eyes and only seeing the kindness and devotion that I’ve grown accustomed to.
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I watch his back, still clad in his white shirt from the christening but with his tie removed and sleeves rolled up to expose his natural olive skin.
He disappears into the kitchen as I close my eyes to the bright searing sun, the faint tweets of birds in the distance singing their morning tune and the rustling breeze washing over me. Feeling my body getting heavier and heavier as I rest into my upholstered lounger, laying my head back and clearing my brain of all of the events of the past twenty four hours.
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Faintly hearing the clink of the porcelain on the glass table. A spoon stirring the cup making clinking noises like the pattering of high notes on a piano. Twinkling in the distance as I give into the allure of sleep, hearing his I love you’s as I drift away.
