04-15-2025, 11:57 AM
Nox came in and left and then Hayden left too. The room felt less stifling then. It wasn’t that Rachel didn’t like them - she hardly knew Nox - and had a feeling she wouldn’t remember Hayden later - but she was having trouble keeping everything in check. She was feeling overwhelmed.
Elyse was helping. Her voice was calm and soothing as if there was an understanding between them. A beep caused Rachel to jump and she realized it was a microwave. Elyse moved and Rachel followed, not letting go of the other woman. Elyse got the food from the microwave, then led her to a table and led her to sit.
Elyse let go, and Rachel immediately pawed for her. ”Its okay, Rachel honey, I’m just getting a chair so I can sit right next to you.”
Soon Elyse was back at her side and held her hand. Rachel began to eat the food in front of her. The first thing she noticed was that the food had flavor. That seemed strange. Why would that matter? The first bite reminded her that it had been a long time since she had a meal. She began to eat faster.
”Slow down. Don’t want to get sick,” Elyse’s voice was sweet and Rachel listened.m, seeing the sense in it. She also got to enjoy the food - which also seemed foreign to her.
Rachel noticed Elyse wasn’t eating. ”Do you want some?” she said, her voice almost a whisper.
Elyse shook her head, but smiled. ”Im good, ate already.”
Rachel felt herself smile and even the muscle movements felt weird. ”Its really good, you should have a bite.” Rachel said extending her fork with some food on it.
Elyse smiled and took a bite. ”It is really good.”
Then suddenly, it hit her. Lucio had always gotten her food. Lots of it. She had needed the food - for sex. That’s it. It was always for sex. She hadn’t enjoyed food since she had met him, and now she was eating with a woman she hardly knew. Rachel started to cry as she put her fork down.
”Elyse - what’s wrong with me,” Rachel said through tears. ”I love him. I don’t want to, but I do. It hurts.”
She felt Elyse’s arm around her. ”I know. It’s a lot.” she heard Elyse sigh, gathering herself. ”I’ll tell you some, but I don’t want to overwhelm you. Lucio - he was a person with the abilities to influence people’s emotions. He wa doing that to you. It’s why now you’re having trouble regulating yours. It’s why you’re confused and scared.”
Rachel let that sink in. A lot now made sense. She had remembered shortly after meeting him when she had panicked. She had known then something was wrong, but quickly had forgotten that. ”I was so stupid…after Cruz and I broke up.”
”Not stupid. Hurting. He could feel that. He took advantage of your pain. I’m very sorry, Rachel.”
Rachel nodded. It made sense. ”So what happens now,” she said, her voice worried.
Elyse squeezed her tight. ”Nox has spoken with your sister and brother-in-law about how to handle it - im sure. I’m sure they have a plan. It’s not going to be easy. You’re going to want him even as you don’t.”
Rachel shook her head. ”I can’t do it. It’s too hard.”
Elyse let go and Rachel almost scrambled until she felt Elyse’s hands on her face. Rachel looked into those bright golden eyes, but she wasn’t afraid. Not then. ”You can. And you’re not alone. You have your sister and her husband. You have another sister too right? You have your friends. We will help you get through this.”
”I don’t have friends! And I lied to my family! They can’t help me!
Rachel’s voice held more venom than she intended, but Elyse wasn’t phase by it. ”Your family loves you. I saw it. They will help you. That’s what family does,” Rachel saw something in those eyes then. Something had happened to Elyse in that moment. As for friends,”[/color] her voice softened. ”You have me. And you’ll get to meet Anna soon. You have Nox and Hayden. So many who want to be there for you. You can do this. Maybe not alone. But you’re not alone.”
”I can do this?”
”You can do this.”
Rachel smiled through the tears. ”I can do this.” and as she returned to eating, she actually began to believe it.
Elyse was helping. Her voice was calm and soothing as if there was an understanding between them. A beep caused Rachel to jump and she realized it was a microwave. Elyse moved and Rachel followed, not letting go of the other woman. Elyse got the food from the microwave, then led her to a table and led her to sit.
Elyse let go, and Rachel immediately pawed for her. ”Its okay, Rachel honey, I’m just getting a chair so I can sit right next to you.”
Soon Elyse was back at her side and held her hand. Rachel began to eat the food in front of her. The first thing she noticed was that the food had flavor. That seemed strange. Why would that matter? The first bite reminded her that it had been a long time since she had a meal. She began to eat faster.
”Slow down. Don’t want to get sick,” Elyse’s voice was sweet and Rachel listened.m, seeing the sense in it. She also got to enjoy the food - which also seemed foreign to her.
Rachel noticed Elyse wasn’t eating. ”Do you want some?” she said, her voice almost a whisper.
Elyse shook her head, but smiled. ”Im good, ate already.”
Rachel felt herself smile and even the muscle movements felt weird. ”Its really good, you should have a bite.” Rachel said extending her fork with some food on it.
Elyse smiled and took a bite. ”It is really good.”
Then suddenly, it hit her. Lucio had always gotten her food. Lots of it. She had needed the food - for sex. That’s it. It was always for sex. She hadn’t enjoyed food since she had met him, and now she was eating with a woman she hardly knew. Rachel started to cry as she put her fork down.
”Elyse - what’s wrong with me,” Rachel said through tears. ”I love him. I don’t want to, but I do. It hurts.”
She felt Elyse’s arm around her. ”I know. It’s a lot.” she heard Elyse sigh, gathering herself. ”I’ll tell you some, but I don’t want to overwhelm you. Lucio - he was a person with the abilities to influence people’s emotions. He wa doing that to you. It’s why now you’re having trouble regulating yours. It’s why you’re confused and scared.”
Rachel let that sink in. A lot now made sense. She had remembered shortly after meeting him when she had panicked. She had known then something was wrong, but quickly had forgotten that. ”I was so stupid…after Cruz and I broke up.”
”Not stupid. Hurting. He could feel that. He took advantage of your pain. I’m very sorry, Rachel.”
Rachel nodded. It made sense. ”So what happens now,” she said, her voice worried.
Elyse squeezed her tight. ”Nox has spoken with your sister and brother-in-law about how to handle it - im sure. I’m sure they have a plan. It’s not going to be easy. You’re going to want him even as you don’t.”
Rachel shook her head. ”I can’t do it. It’s too hard.”
Elyse let go and Rachel almost scrambled until she felt Elyse’s hands on her face. Rachel looked into those bright golden eyes, but she wasn’t afraid. Not then. ”You can. And you’re not alone. You have your sister and her husband. You have another sister too right? You have your friends. We will help you get through this.”
”I don’t have friends! And I lied to my family! They can’t help me!
Rachel’s voice held more venom than she intended, but Elyse wasn’t phase by it. ”Your family loves you. I saw it. They will help you. That’s what family does,” Rachel saw something in those eyes then. Something had happened to Elyse in that moment. As for friends,”[/color] her voice softened. ”You have me. And you’ll get to meet Anna soon. You have Nox and Hayden. So many who want to be there for you. You can do this. Maybe not alone. But you’re not alone.”
”I can do this?”
”You can do this.”
Rachel smiled through the tears. ”I can do this.” and as she returned to eating, she actually began to believe it.