9 – Crazy Apples
I look up at her making sure I am allowed to explore the very intimate parts of her. Bella nods and opens her legs for me. I want her to know she always has a choice and the right to say no even when we are married, especially given her past. I nod smiling, having a very good idea of what a hungry wolf must feel like. Bella melts in my hands as I pleasure her and I lock the image of her in complete ecstasy deep in my thoughts. Her eyes flutter open like she is waking up from a dream and I think time froze for a few minutes
“You alright little fawn?”
Bella nods out of breath and I crawl up the bed beside her propping myself up on my elbow. Bella turns her head looking at me with a smile.
“That was… a lot of… wow” she says out of breath and I chuckle
“I will give you a lot more of that” I say honestly and she blushed again
“What about you?” she asks looking down at my strained pants.
“I can take of it; I wanted you to enjoy yourself”
Bella blushes again and suddenly rolls on her side burying her face in my chest. She clings to me and her soft lips brush against my skin sending Goosebumps up my arms.
“Thank you” she whispers
“For what?” I ask running my fingers through her hair
“For being gentle and patient, I feel safe with you” She answers in a small voice
I feel like there is a vice around my heart squeezing my emotions to a pulp. She has been so traumatized by her past that letting someone see her naked and pleasure her takes all the courage she has and it makes me so fucking angry that people did this to her but at the same time I am so grateful I get to share this with her and not some schmuck that’s just going to hurt her.
“Baby, you take all the time you need. There is no pressure from me” I tell her honestly
Bella nods kissing my chest and warmth floods me. We lay there for a few minutes and it doesn’t take long for her to drift to sleep. I get up slowly and silently, making my way to the shower. Was this ideal for me? No. Is Bella worth the wait? Absolutely, because once she understands I wont hurt her she will be mine; mind, body and soul and that shit is rare.
Bella
Adam and I left for Sunny Acres right after breakfast. We told Jo and Daisy that we decided to get married and I have never seen either of them so happy in my entire life. Jo will be dealing with the families and associates to inform them and to setup a few meetings for us. Since last night I can’t stop staring at Adam… He can be so domineering and forceful when it comes to my safety but never with my personal issues. I feel like Adam understands the dark struggle I have within me and that is rare – Adam is rare…
“You ready little fawn?”
“As ready as I will ever be”
“Don’t worry honey, it will be fine and if for some reason it’s not fine we will deal with it”
I stare at Adam just blinking. I have never met a man like him. He makes me feel like I am not broken, like I am wanted and like I am not alone.
“What?” he asks confused
“Nothing, I am allowed to stare at you”
“Can’t argue” he says grinning “There is the place”
Sunny Acres was built right outside of Derbermount, our neighboring town. The story goes that all the worst cases of people who had mentally… checked out; from all over the country was sent there. Apparently the people of the town did not want all that “crazy” so close to them. The institution was shut down for a couple of years after reports of children that had disappeared or mysteriously died were leaked by a former employee who committed suicide shortly after. Many people speculate the suicide was staged but they could find no proof. They discarded the old building on the property because people could not get rid of the smell coming from there even though police had searched every room and the grounds. They found small skeletal remains buried in the back garden of 23 children and that was obviously enough to shut them down and arrest the people responsible. They arrested the Psychiatric administrator, Doctor Charles Gresham and a nurse, Suzanne Kirby who he had an affair with. The doctor and the nurse was admitted to a different institution out of state as patients after being found guilty and sentenced to life in prison. So to sum it up there has never been anything sunny about Sunny Acres and looking at the new building in front of me I shudder to think what the old one must look like because this place was giving me the creeps.
The dark stone building has an Ivy plant crawling up the front wall. The tall bulky building has many rooms like an old hotel, it seemed from the outside. All the windows have burglar bars in front of them and the grounds seem kept and neat. In the driveway right in front of the double wood doors is a apple tree. One single tree in the middle of all this; it looked out of place and in the way and there was no bench to sit under the tree. It just stood there looking all proud with its shinny red apples and I felt that, I felt that tree. (So you’re an apple tree in the driveway of a loony bin now? really?) I sigh internally at my thoughts as we approached the doors and Adam knocks. The doors slowly open with a creek and I grab Adam’s hand. He glances at me with a blank expression before turning his head back to the doors. We are greeted by a slender nurse with long brown hair and deep dark eyes that look like she can swallow you whole if you stare too long.
“Welcome, my name is Veronica, please come in”
I am both baffled and horrified by her voice. Her appearance frightens me in that “perfect on the outside but the devil inside” kind of way. Her voice sounds deep and musical and it doesn’t match the way she looks at all. It’s fucking creepy to be honest.
“Thank you” Adam says with a nod and smile like we booked into some exotic hotel room in Hawaii and this is all very normal.
I roll my eyes internally and follow him. Veronica stops in the middle of the voyeur turning around to meet our eyes.
“This is Sunny Acres. We take great pride in the work we do here. We are passionate about serving and caring for people gifted to us, because every person is a gift”
(For the demon monster you keep in the basement, no doubt) I think to myself
“Please sign in at the front desk and I will wait for you over there by the door” she says with a big smile that makes my heart rate speed up.
“I will sign in and we will be there shortly” Adam says
“Oh, just immediate family” she drawls faking her disappointment
I swallow hard and my eyes dart to Adam. He is clenching his jaw in disapproval like he always does just before people end up dead but he gently squeezes my hand
“I hope that won’t be a problem” Veronica says still grinning
“No, not at all; just bring her back to me the way you found her. We wouldn’t want the people we care about to go missing.” Adam says calmly in a deep cold voice tilting his head to the side and pining Veronica with a look.
I glance at Adam and he is dead serious at the moment. It emphasizes to me that this man has been guarding me for most of my life and I relax a bit. Her smile falters and she nods in understanding. I walk over to the front desk and I am greeted by a young lady with a big beautiful afro and red rim glasses. Her brown eyes and smile are friendly and I can’t imagine how someone so sweet-looking survives in this hell hole. Her name-tag reads “Infinity”
“Hello I am Infinity; sorry about the Hag we call her Morticia because “creepy-fucking-walking-dead” is frowned upon by Human Resources. Please sign your name and number here and the rest you can put there and there” Infinity says with a big smile pointing with the pen
I giggle at her nodding “Noted, thank you”
“No problem hun, just watch yourself in there. I never go in there if I don’t absolutely have to”
“Why?” I ask
“Too much bad energy, I keep my shit clean” she says breathing deeply and exhaling slowly
“I’d very much like for my shit to be clean as well” I say smiling
“Look if they get in your face just tell them you are going to call the purple man” she says shrugging
Chills run down my spine and I do my best to quickly hide the shock on my face.
“Who is the purple man?”
“I have no idea but they are all scared to death of him. Sounds more like the boogeyman”
“Thanks I will keep it mind” I say and turn around waking to Adam
“Will you be okay?” he asks
“Yeah, sure… I think, and you are right here” I say motioning towards him
“Bella if you are not back in 30 minutes I promise you this place will see a whole different side of hell.” He says in a serious voice and I believe him with my whole heart
“Okay” I whisper
“Good luck little fawn” Adam says and kisses the top of my hand
I smile at him and turn away walking towards the door. Veronica isn’t looking at me but past me at Adam and she swallows hard. I don’t need to look over my shoulder to know he just warned her in all kinds of colorful ways to make sure I am not harmed. I stop right in front of her and her eyes meet mine. She has a blank expression on her face. Swiping her card we walk into a smaller reception area and then onward to another door with steel mesh covering the door-lite.
“When we enter through the next door stay in the middle of the hall and avoid eye contact. Don’t go near the doors and pay no attention to them. No one on this floor is likely to harm you but you never know. We will take the elevator to go to G2 for the patient you are looking for.” She explains as we walk in
My fists are clenched at my sides and I mentally face palm myself for being so nervous because the people on this floor are mostly battling with things like eating disorders and depression, I mean it’s not like they can scare me to death with ice cream… (Brussels sprouts maybe) We pass several rooms and I try not to look but I cant help myself. We walk past a big room with couches and a television. Another room leads outside into a garden. There is an arts and crafts room and also a kitchen. Everyone seems calm and peaceful. We turn the corner and pass by the living quarters and shared bathrooms. We take another turn and stop in front of an orange door.
“We will take the elevator just through these doors. Please stay close to me. Everyone is locked up but you never know.”
“No problem” I say clearing my throat
“If I may ask, why did you come to see Mildrid. No one ever comes for her.”
I will not tell this woman anything but I also cant hide who I am because everyone knows the “girl who’s dad was murdered” so I answer her the way Jo taught me; I give the truth vaguely.
“I have questions about a man she knew years ago although I feel this is a waist of time.”
Veronica quickly hides the ghost of a smile that ran over her lips and the tingle in my gut starts clawing at my insides
“Indeed, I’m afraid… she has never made sense in all the years I’ve known her”
“You seem young, have you worked here long?”
“I think it’s been 10 years now”
“How is that possible?”
“I started to volunteer here when I was 16. I’ve always had a passion for the “insane” she says making air quotes with her fingers.
“That’s very nice” I say with the best fake smile I can muster
“What is it you do?” she asks in a condescending tone
“I am a part-time antique curator and the rest of the time I pack fish” I chirp
She doesn’t need to know part-time antique curator means “I am a professional thief” and by packing fish I mean “get rid of body parts” That’s the weekend job I told you we would get to. Jo taught me from day one how to pick locks and vaults and steal priceless art and antiques. I am really good at my job.
“You pack fish?” she asks disgusted and I nod with a smile
“All kinds” I say winking at her and she frowns but doeskin say anything else
Love, or someting... 