Post by JULIE BRADY on Apr 20, 2014 11:29:24 GMT -5
“Fuck you!” The sudden outburst from Remy sent Julie for a loop, her blue eyes widening in anger and surprise. Why was he so upset? She was trying to make amends! The man got to his feet and threw his arm out to the left, knocking over her lamp. She dove to catch it, but wasn’t even close, gasping as it shattered on the hardwood floor. Straightening, she gave Remy an affronted look as he stumbled towards her. “What the hell--?” She was cut off by his own screaming. "I'm not a charity! You…I don't need you…pity!" He kicked for her coffee table, making her gasp again, but he missed and tripped over his own feet. Crashing to the floor, his foot caught beneath the coffee table and sent it toppling over. Her hands flew to her mouth, watching as a vase of flowers, a set of coasters, and a couple books crashed to the floor, the clattering of the heavy coffee table sure to make a racket for the people below her. She was sure there would be damage to both the table and the floor and she rushed forward to right it so she could see the extent of the harm. Thankfully it was just a little scratched and the floor was okay. It wasn’t until she heard Remy growling in pain that she even looked at him. He was grabbing his wounded shoulder as he rolled over, apparently having landed on it. “Serves you right, asshole! What the fuck is wrong with you?!” she chastised frantically. Rocking back and forth, he was obviously in a lot of pain. Maybe he hadn’t deserved her snapping…or maybe he had. She stepped over to him and bent down to help him up. “Come on, get up! I want you out!” He shot up, avoiding her helping hands. “Stop fucking talking!” The more he said, the more infuriated she got. “Say what?! You came here to fucking talk! You aren’t going to bust into my house, make accusations, break my shit and then tell me to shut up! Get up and get out!” He was struggling to his feet and she refused to help, fuming from her spot nearby.
Finally he was on his feet and he nearly stumbled into her as he made for the door. She stepped away, making sure they didn’t touch. The last thing she wanted right now was to touch him or help him. He was tripping in the general direction of the door, but it seemed he was so fucked up he couldn’t even find it. God, he was such a baby! Stomping after him, Julie grabbed a hold of his good arm at the elbow, dragging him along to the door. “This way, you moron! And don’t come back! You can find your own fucking way home!” She couldn’t remember the last time she’d been so angry. How could he do this to her? How could he show up in the state he was in, accuse her of trying to take his job and thinking she was better than him, break her things, and then tell her to shut up? What sort of a person did that? She had been sadly mistaken to think he had changed. When they reached the door, Julie threw it open and released Remy’s arm. She put both hands on his back and pushed hard enough to make him stumble into the hallway. It was pitiful and disgusting to see how difficult it was for the man to stand on his own or even catch himself. Tears filled her eyes and they were burned there with her glare when their eyes met for the last time. She slammed the door shut, hearing it reverberate off the walls of the hallway even from behind her own door. Twisting the lock into place, she vowed she wouldn’t open it again for anything.
The rest of the night was spent picking up broken porcelain from the lamp and glass from the vase. Water was spilled all over the floor and she cut herself trying to mop it up with towels while bundling the glass into the towel. Tears stung her eyes as she picked up Remy’s mess, knowing it was now officially over between them. There was no going back from this now. How could she erase tonight from her mind when she looked at Remy? Even at work, she would see him stumbling and barely coherent in her apartment. Could she even continue to work there? Caroline would be upset with her leaving, but she didn’t think she’d be able to stand Remy now. Tomorrow she would start looking for other possibilities. Maybe she would even go to Portland; the desire to put as much distance between herself and Remy as possible was strong in her mind. When everything was back in its place for the most part and pieces of broken things were thrown away, including the broken pieces of her heart, she resigned to her bedroom. But she couldn’t sleep. Even now she feared how Remy had gotten home. If he’d even made it there. She tried to block out the guilt, but just as she had almost convinced herself she didn’t care, the guilt came trickling back. The whole rest of the night passed with her tossing and turning until she caved and forced her nose into a book. When dawn broke, she was exhausted and knew there was no way she could go into work that day. She called Mr. Graham to let him know around eight in the morning that she wouldn’t be in. He said he wouldn’t mind going in and stopping by the hotel since Remy had already sent him a text just minutes before that he wouldn’t be in either. At least Mr. Graham sounded cheerful and Julie let her guilt slip away knowing that Remy was alive. With that in mind, she crawled into bed and slept for most of the day, awakened every now and then by nightmares. Falling asleep on the couch in front of the TV helped to chase those nightmares away and she found herself stranded on the couch for several days after. It turned out she took that time off after all, if only to make sure she didn’t look at Remy’s face.
Finally he was on his feet and he nearly stumbled into her as he made for the door. She stepped away, making sure they didn’t touch. The last thing she wanted right now was to touch him or help him. He was tripping in the general direction of the door, but it seemed he was so fucked up he couldn’t even find it. God, he was such a baby! Stomping after him, Julie grabbed a hold of his good arm at the elbow, dragging him along to the door. “This way, you moron! And don’t come back! You can find your own fucking way home!” She couldn’t remember the last time she’d been so angry. How could he do this to her? How could he show up in the state he was in, accuse her of trying to take his job and thinking she was better than him, break her things, and then tell her to shut up? What sort of a person did that? She had been sadly mistaken to think he had changed. When they reached the door, Julie threw it open and released Remy’s arm. She put both hands on his back and pushed hard enough to make him stumble into the hallway. It was pitiful and disgusting to see how difficult it was for the man to stand on his own or even catch himself. Tears filled her eyes and they were burned there with her glare when their eyes met for the last time. She slammed the door shut, hearing it reverberate off the walls of the hallway even from behind her own door. Twisting the lock into place, she vowed she wouldn’t open it again for anything.
The rest of the night was spent picking up broken porcelain from the lamp and glass from the vase. Water was spilled all over the floor and she cut herself trying to mop it up with towels while bundling the glass into the towel. Tears stung her eyes as she picked up Remy’s mess, knowing it was now officially over between them. There was no going back from this now. How could she erase tonight from her mind when she looked at Remy? Even at work, she would see him stumbling and barely coherent in her apartment. Could she even continue to work there? Caroline would be upset with her leaving, but she didn’t think she’d be able to stand Remy now. Tomorrow she would start looking for other possibilities. Maybe she would even go to Portland; the desire to put as much distance between herself and Remy as possible was strong in her mind. When everything was back in its place for the most part and pieces of broken things were thrown away, including the broken pieces of her heart, she resigned to her bedroom. But she couldn’t sleep. Even now she feared how Remy had gotten home. If he’d even made it there. She tried to block out the guilt, but just as she had almost convinced herself she didn’t care, the guilt came trickling back. The whole rest of the night passed with her tossing and turning until she caved and forced her nose into a book. When dawn broke, she was exhausted and knew there was no way she could go into work that day. She called Mr. Graham to let him know around eight in the morning that she wouldn’t be in. He said he wouldn’t mind going in and stopping by the hotel since Remy had already sent him a text just minutes before that he wouldn’t be in either. At least Mr. Graham sounded cheerful and Julie let her guilt slip away knowing that Remy was alive. With that in mind, she crawled into bed and slept for most of the day, awakened every now and then by nightmares. Falling asleep on the couch in front of the TV helped to chase those nightmares away and she found herself stranded on the couch for several days after. It turned out she took that time off after all, if only to make sure she didn’t look at Remy’s face.
-----------------------------THE END-----------------------------
