Page 10 of Guarding Glenda

I pulled the blanket up over her and adjusted her pillow. I wrapped her head to get her hair off her neck, then asked, “Want me to lower this?”

“Yeah, but not all the way. I don’t know if I can handle lying on my back.”

After adjusting the bed, I made sure her pillow was in a good spot and moved the tray back so she could grab her water and nibble on the cheesecake.

“Alright. Well, I’ll be in the living room. If you need me, just bang on the tray or something. Otherwise, I’ll pop in before I go to bed.”

She laid her head back, her eyes closed. “Okay. Thanks.”

Heading to the door, I stopped and patted my hip. “C’mon Bruce.”

But instead, Bruce circled three times, then plopped down on the floor.

“Fucking traitor,” I said.

But before I turned to go, I caught a glimpse of a small grin on her face and her dimples deepened. It was for my dog, but I’d take it.

Chapter 5

Glenda

I slept like shit. My ribs and gut were sore. And to my absolute horror, I had to get Leigh to help me go back to the bathroom after eating for the first time in days. He acted like it was no big deal, and I shouldn’t care what the fuck he thought, but it was mortifying.

When Linny popped into the room in the morning, I was relieved. “Thank God you’re here.”

Leigh still came in to bring me some oatmeal and coffee.

“How can you drink it like that?” Linny asked as she stood by the bed.

“That’s the way I’ve always had it. It’s good,” I said as I looked down at my black coffee before taking a sip. “Plus, it’s still piping hot.”

Linny visibly shook. She had to have her sweetened creamer.

“I feel bad having you sit here all day. There’s not even a TV.”

Leigh walked out of the room and Linny’s eyes went wide. “He’s intense.”

“He’s something,” I said as I stirred the oatmeal. I took a bite and asked, “Did you make this?”

“Nope. Why, is it bad?”

Looking past her to make sure he wasn’t there still, I answered, “It’s pretty good.”

Linny giggled but held up a bag. “I brought you some stuff. I got you bathroom stuff, clothes, some panties and bras, but not sure how you’ll do with the bra right now.”

“I need to shower for real. I feel gross.”

“Well, eat and I’ll help you shower, or I can draw you a bath.”

After swallowing my bite of oatmeal, I said, “I think shower for now. I’m so gross I don’t want to sit in my own filth. A bath later may be good though.”

Bruce had been by my bedside all night. He only left to go outside for a few, and promptly returned once he was back inside. But once he saw Linny, he seemed unsettled.

“I think he’s waiting on Sofie,” Linny said. She leaned to pat his head. “She’ll be here later to play, Brucie.”

“He’s a good boy.”

Leigh came back in, holding a TV. “He’s a damn traitor is what he is.” He put the TV on the dresser, plugged it in, then did a few other things as I watched.