The Choice (The Choice Series Book 1) (3 page)

I watched her as she pulled the bandages all the way off and took the herbs off one by one then dropped the dirty rags and used plants in the trash.  Then she answered, “I learned from my mother who learned from hers.  I guess you could say it’s a gift that runs in the family.”

Ruth
finished with the rest of the herbs and I thanked her again. Amber finally came back in the room and grabbed the chair from next to the dresser and set it by the bed.  Ruth finished and started touching around my swollen leg. Amber also quietly inspected my injuries.  Once the herbs were all removed I noticed stitches in my leg.  It actually looked really good, I thought, considering it had only been a day since I had fallen down the hill. 

“Did you sew me up
Ruth?” I ran my fingers along the stitches counting from one to eight. 

She nod
ded, “Yes you needed eight stitches.” 

Ruth ask
ed Amber, “Can you help me unwind the bandages from around her chest and ribs.” 

Amber
stood and said, “No problem.”

T
hey slowly started to unwind the wrap. They got my ribs unwrapped first and started working on removing the bandages around my chest.  With only a few more strips to go, the front door burst open and some man I didn’t know came walking in. 

Just as he start
ed to say “Ru-,” he stopped.

His
bright blue eyes with flecks of gold met mine and I couldn’t breathe. His eyes seemed familiar to me but I couldn’t remember why. It was as if the room just filled with an electric current and the hair on my arms stood at attention.  He was the most striking man I had ever seen. His hair was as black as midnight.  I wanted to reach out and grab one of his curls and twirl it around my finger, just to see if it looked as soft as I thought.  I started to raise my hand towards him.  I stopped when he raised one eyebrow as if asking a question.  I made myself drop it to my side

I hear
d Amber quietly whisper, “Olivia, breathe.”

I involuntarily took
a breath.  I knew I was staring but I couldn’t seem to look away. He seemed to realize the effect he was having on me.  He gave me a half a smile enhancing his two dimples.

“Yumm
y.” I said.  Then I thought
crap
did I say that out loud? 

I turn
ed my head to look at Amber my eyes wide.  Asking a question without words, oh gosh did I just say that out loud?  I saw her mouth turn up and she smiled at me nodding her head yes.  I then raised my eyebrow at her mouthing the words, “He is so freaking hot!”

I
then remembered that I was practically bare, I glanced at him as I quickly pulled the sheets up to my chin. I turned my head away before it turned a bright shade of red.  The pressure on my side increased and I give out a small cry.  He took a step towards me and reached out as if to help but then quickly dropped his hand back down to his side.  He seemed to be struggling with what he should do. 

He wa
s still staring when Ruth finally coughed and suggested, “Enoc could you come back in a bit, when we’re done with Olivia?” 

He nod
ded and then stepped through the door closing it quickly behind him.  I could still see the light blue t-shirt clinging around his broad shoulders and chest. I thought to myself
so that’s Enoc my protector.  Heck he can protect me anytime.
I’ve never had anything like that ever happen to me before.  It was as if some invincible electric current was pulling us together.

Amber
giggled at me and pretended to wipe drool from off my face.   Slapping her hand away I broke out in a smile and said, “He is gorgeous.”  

Ruth looks at Amber and commented, “
I’ve never seen Enoc act like that before, have you?” 

“
No, me either” Amber responded shaking her head in response. 

Ruth
’s slender fingers continued to unwind the bandages until I was bare. I crossed my arms around my chest.  Amber just laughed, “Hey it isn’t like I haven’t seen them before.” 

“Ye
ah skinny dipping when we were twelve doesn’t count.  I didn’t have all this,” using my hand like Vanna White to emphasize my breasts.  

I could
see Ruth holding back a smile while still feeling along the edges of my ribs. I winced when she got near a particular tender spot.  “You are lucky you didn’t break a rib” she informed me.

I yawn
ed nodding in agreement.  “How long do you think it will take for it to heal?” I asked. 

“
It should have taken longer but with all the herbs, maybe less than a week.  Let’s get you into the bathroom so you can get all cleaned up and then we will reapply the salve and re-bandage your wounds.”

Once in the bathroom
I peed first before Amber and Ruth helped me step into the white claw tub.  The sting of the hot water against my sensitive skin burned.  As Amber and Ruth help me inch deeper into the water the aroma of sweet pea filled my nose.   We all tried balancing to keep my left leg out of the tub.  We didn’t want the stitches getting wet.  I was certain the three of us looked ridiculous.  We all laughed as my big butt finally hit the bottom of the tub.  Water splashed over the side onto the gray tile floor, my left leg resting on the rim of the tub. 

“I don’t know about you Ruth but
I think we should just get Enoc to carry her in the tub next time,” Amber teased. 

Am
ber wiped water off her arms; her t-shirt was marked with drops of water.  Ruth laughed and I blushed. 

“Hey if that’s all it takes to get his arms around me I
just might throw myself down another hill just so it can happen.” We all broke out laughing. 

“
I’ve got to do some things; will you two be okay by yourselves?”  Ruth asked raising her eyebrows.

“Yes
we’ll be fine,” Amber responded rolling her eyes.  “Hey could you also bring some food back for Olivia?”

“No probl
em.  See you both in a while.” Ruth left the bathroom, I heard her open and close a few drawers, moving around in the other room before the front door opened and shut. I let my whole body relax and sink as deep as it could into the tub. 

“No use trying to stay dry no
w, Amber asked while she kneeled by the tub, her jeans soaked at the knees. 

Grabbing a loofa and a bottle of brown sugar body wash Ambe
r started the task of cleaning the dirt and blood off my body. I knew I should be embarrassed sitting here naked with my best friend scrubbing dirt and dried blood off my body but I wasn’t.  All I could think was how blessed I was having her in my life.  I started to reminisce about the past.  You know you have a best friend when you can argue one moment about why your favorite red shirt she borrowed has a grease stain on it.  Then cry and laugh about it because it was for a good cause.  She was trying to impress the guy at the car repair shop by leaning over the counter a little too much.  Or knowing you can call her up anytime for any reason.  I remembered one night I was home alone and I got scared.  I called her up at two o’clock in the morning.  She had me put in my copy of Ever After while she did the same.  We spent the next two hours laughing about the scenes we loved the most over the phone.  My favorite moment was when Amber shook up a can of Dr. Pepper and sprayed it all over my ex-boyfriend’s head because he dumped me for not being promiscuous.  That was priceless.

I let out
a small laugh just thinking about it, Amber’s eyes lit up and she asked, “What ya smiling about Olivia?”

“O
h I was just thinking about you and our friendship over the years.” 

“Oh
I was positive you were thinking about a tall dark mysterious guy, Enoc.”

“What
, uh why would I be thinking about him?”  I asked trying to keep my pink cheeks from showing. 

“Only because I know you
, don’t think I didn’t notice you blushing when you met him today.” 

I looked
into her brown eyes, “I don’t know what happened really.  One moment I was myself and the next it was as if something was pulling me towards him, like I had no control over my own body.  I know it sounds silly but that’s what it felt like.” 

“
I don’t know what it was either Olivia but I could feel the connection between you two. No worries he’s a great guy.  Hey you ready for your hair?” Amber reached for the pink shampoo bottle.  

“Ye
ah,” I said as I rested my head on the edge of the tub. 

Amber mov
ed around to my back dropping a quarter size amount of shampoo in the palm of her hand.  Moving her hands together she formed bubbles and starts scrubbing the shampoo deeply into my scalp.  Then she did what the bottle suggested and rinsed and repeated.

“How do you know Ruth and Enoc?”
I asked. 

“I can’t tell you
too much” she responded as she scrubbed more vigorously. “I am sorry but I made a promise to someone that I wouldn’t say anything to you until they got a chance to explain some things.”  I could hear the regret in her voice.  “However I can tell you that Ruth is like a mother, always taking care of those around her.” 

I am not surprised by what she tells me.
  “Yeah that sounds like Ruth.  Just my short time with her I could feel her compassion towards me, she reminds me of my own mom. And Enoc, what can you tell me about him?”

She
stopped scrubbing to rinse the suds from my hair and off her hands.  “I know that he loves his family and he is very protective of them.” She says it with a smile that lets me know she respects him.

“Oh.
” I whispered as I realized my hopes are crushed.  He already has a family.  I am surprised by the statement. Could I be more pathetic?  Why am I thinking about him as family? I just met him.  Why would I be disappointed that he has a family? 

Disappointment must
pass over my face because Amber quickly rushes to say, “Oh no, you misunderstood.”

I look in her big brown eye
s. “How?  You said that he has a family.”

Amber reached
out to touch my shoulder.   What I meant was he watches over a group of people that he considers family.  He isn’t married or anything.”

She runs
the back of her hand across her brow while I put my head into my hands letting out a breath of relief.

“I don’t understand why I am so emotional
Amber, I mean my goodness I just met him.”  I grabbed the washcloth off the side of the tub, washed my face and took the bandages off my forehead. 

“
Let’s just finish rinsing you off and get you back in bed.  You must be exhausted; you’ve had quite an adventurous day.”  I nodded.  Amber took the shower handle and continued to rinse the rest of me off.  I pulled the plug and watched as the water swirled down the drain by my toes.

I hear
d the front door open and Ruth yelled back at us, “Hey I am back, do you need some more help Amber?” 

“Ye
ah, can you help me get her out of the tub?”

I c
ould hear the laugh in Ruth’s voice, “I thought you were just going to have Enoc do that?” 

Dumbfounded I giggle
d back, “Oh no you’re not Ruth.  Get in here and help me please.”

Ruth came
in with a smile and two large yellow towels in her arms.  “I thought you wanted Enoc to carry you into the tub,” she says. 

“Ruth that’s only in my dreams not in real lif
e; that’s would be embarrassing.” 

“Here you g
o Amber,” Ruth handed her one of the bright yellow towels.  Amber wasted no time wrapping my hair up in it.  Ruth came towards me holding out the towel as I reached out and wrapped it around my body.  It was fluffy and smelled like lilacs.  It fit comfortably around me.  They each took an arm and helped me out of the tub.  Standing on the wet cold tile my arms broke out in goose bumps. 

Once I was s
tanding Ruth headed back into the other room, leaving Amber to help dry me off.  As quickly as she left she was back holding in her arms a light green summer dress and undergarments.  Simple and classic, I was starting to like Ruth more and more.  Amber helped me with my undergarments making sure to avoid my tender ribs.  Ruth had rolled up the dress making it easier for me to slip my head through.  My hands slid into the short sleeves of the green dress. Once it was on the fabric fell to the length of my knees.  I felt like myself in this dress, not gorgeous but simple and pretty.  I loved the feel of the cotton material on my skin and the way it rested against my skin. 

“Here
you go Olivia.” Ruth said handing me a toothbrush with paste already on it. 

I start
ed to scrub my straight white teeth.  After spitting out the suds and rinsing the toothbrush off I set it down on the side of the sink.  I ran my tongue along my teeth feeling the cleanliness

“Oh that feels so much better. 
Amber I’m tired do you think I can rest now?”