The Day Sara Lost Everything: Chapter 15

Sara woke up slowly as light flooded into the room. It was barely after daybreak. When she rolled over she saw that Anthony was laying awake in bed, staring at her. His eyes shone with confusion.

“Sara, listen. I understand that you don’t like to talk about your problems but I really think that we need to. How can you expect us to have a healthy relationship if I can’t touch you?”

“I…I…I…don’t know. So many people in my life that I THOUGHT I was close to have hurt me. I just, I can’t go through that again, I just can’t.”

Anthony scooted closer to her and cradled her in his arms, “Shhh, it’ll be ok. I have an idea.”

“And what might that be?”

“We’ll ease you into physical contact. We’ll take it slow, but we can do our best to get you used to me touching you.”

“Promise you’ll go slow?”

“Promise.”

“Then I guess its ok,” Sara’s eyes were downcast as she said this. Anthony put two fingers under he chin and lifted her gaze back up to his.

“First of all, don’t look down when you talk to me. You are entitled to your own opinions and beliefs and nothing should embarrass you around me. Nothing.”

Sara’s eyes started to water and she began to sob uncontrollably onto his chest. She had never felt this loved before. Someone she had met only days ago was being kinder to her than anyone else in her life had ever been.

“Well, are you ready for breakfast and our day of painting?”

“Actually, I’m not very hungry. I think that I’ll change and just get started.”

“Are you sure?”

“Of course. Meet you in my room?”

“See you there,” said Anthony as he gave her a quick peck on the cheek and took off downstairs.

Sara got up and put on a pair of denim overalls and a pink tee-shirt. She swept her hair up into a messy bun and headed down the hall.

When she got to her room, the door was off the hinges leaning against the wall. The paint cans were sitting against the wall to her right along with a wide variety of brushes and rollers. First, she poured the pale yellow paint into the roller tray. Then she went over and grabbed a large brush.

Getting up on the ladder, Sara began to paint around the edges of the room. She finished edging and moved on to actually painting the walls. Just as she was getting ready to make her first roll on the wall, she felt something against the seat of her pants. She turned around to see Anthony holding a paint brush, laughing like there was no tomorrow. She glanced around in back and saw a giant streak of yellow paint.

“Oh my goodness! I can’t believe you just did that,” said Sara as she took her roller and ran it down Anthony’s entire body from hair to feet. He looked like he had a thick yellow racing stripe dividing him in half. He just chuckled and set to work painting the wall after he smeared the paint away from his eyes. Sara shot a warning look and then too, went back to painting.

Finally, about 3 hours later they had painted the entire room and headed down to lunch. Roast beef sandwiches with salt and vinegar chips. Sara had already downed her diet coke and was working on the sandwich when the doorbell rang. Sara looked over at Anthony when no one answered the door. He gave her the same look back.

“Oh allow me,” said Sara, bowing out of the room. She stuffed one last bite of sandwich in her mouth before she got to the door. She checked the peephole before opening the door. And boy was she glad she did. The person standing on the stoop was none other than her father.