Winston Sherwood

“An alarm system? No one broke into my house. I was mugged, Winston. I don’t think an alarm system is going to help. Unless I can get an alarm system for life.” She insisted, softly. “Alright, if you say so. I just never want to be a burden.”

He was right. A scar was better than being dead. Even though, she’d rather be alive and without a scar as an option. “You’re right. It’s definitely better than being dead.” Worrying means we love you. She blinked for a moment. Did that mean he loved her? They had never really discussed that before. “I never though of it that way before. But you’re right.”

“You can’t be too careful. Just because you got mugged this time doesn’t mean someone couldn’t break in next time. You have to take precautions.” Maybe he was being overprotective, but he couldn’t help it. “You? A burden? Never.”

“I don’t know. Just wait til I get released and I’m home alone.” She replied, offering a small smile when she felt him kiss the back of her hand. “I know I am. I just also want you to be able to work, as well.” 

“I bet I’ll end up with a really sexy scar on my stomach from what happened.” She mumbled, not even wanting to know. “You’ll never stop worrying. Then again, neither will my friends I assume.”

He groaned. “In this city? You know, I think we should look into getting you a whole new alarm system. Just to be safe.” He then shook his head. “Belle, I’m a music tutor. I set my own hours. It’s totally fine.” He reassured her.

“You’re right. I know you are right.” She said, softly. “I think I have pretty good friends. I just tend to get wrapped up in their lives more than my own.” Belle admitted, with a sigh. When it came to Adam, she was always dealing with whatever was going on in his life, and she let her own take sort of a backseat. She needed to make her own life a priority these days especially after what had happened. “I know, I’ll listen. I promise.”

She felt him squeeze her hand and she smiled softly. “I can’t blame you for being overprotective, sweetheart. I would be too if I were in your position. I’ll let you walk me to work and home and anywhere else you want to. Not that I think I’ll be going to work for the foreseeable future.” She paused. “Only if rearranging your schedule is okay. I don’t want to be a pest, Winston.”

He smiled and brought her hand to his lips, pressing a kiss to the back of it softly. “You could never be a pest.” He reassured her. “And as far as my schedule goes, it’s flexible. You’re my priority.” Belle had changed his life. She had given him a renewed sense of purpose.

“I know that you’re right. No one can ruin what we have. I guess I was just worried if I let my friends in that it’d turn into a lot of drama.” She admitted, softly.  It was already a lot of drama and the only one who really knew for certain was Adam. Adam who had pretended to be her fiance to be there when she woke up. It still irked her. “But, I know that we’re above all of that.”

“I am going to listen to the doctors. I promise. I may be stubborn. But I am not stupid. At least, most of the time I’m not.” She insisted, with a gentle shake of her head which was all she could manage. “You aren’t going to lose to me. I’m right here. I’ll be fine. I’m sure in no time that I’ll be able to recover in my bed at home and we’ll be thinking about happier things.”

“I get it, I do. But, don’t you think if they’re really your friends then they’ll be happy and supportive.” That was how friends were supposed to be anyway. “And if they’re not, then maybe they’re not very good friends to begin with.” At her next words, he nodded gratefully. “Good. Because listening to the doctors is the only way you’re going to recover.”

“I’m glad you aren’t upset with me. Though, you probably should be. I should’ve let the purse go and let the mugger have it. I could’ve avoided this entire situation. I just had to fight for it.” She commented. Adam had pointed out that she hadn’t been making good decisions that night. “I didn’t think that you would like Adam very much. He’s sort of an acquired taste to most people.” She admitted, as she looked over at him. “It’s not his business at all. I wanted to keep us to ourselves because I was finally happy and I didn’t want outsiders to ruin that. I mean, he’s my friend. But it’s so complicated.” She sighed, heavily. “I know you are and I appreciate that.” 

“I’m as okay as can be expected. I’ll be happier when I get to go home and recover there.”

“Hindsight.” He replied. She was right, she should have. But, often in the moment people reacted on instinct. “Well, for the record, I don’t think anyone can ruin this. But, I know what you mean.” He understood how she felt and he agreed to an extent. Winston was fairly reserved and liked some aspects of his life to be personal. 

She gave his hand a weak squeeze as she looked over at him for a moment. “I can only imagine what going through the nurse was like.” She said, softly. A fiance? She sighed heavily at the mention. The fight with Adam playing in her mind as she shook her head for a moment. “Adam told them that he was my fiance because he didn’t want me to wake up alone. He didn’t know you existed which is my fault. But, I gave him an earful about what he did. He and I sort of had a fight. It was pretty bad.” She admitted, softly. “But I don’t have a fiance. He had no right to tell anyone that I had one. I have a boyfriend and that’s you and I only want you.”

“I figured it was something like that.” He reasoned. “I’m not upset, not with you, anyway.” It wasn’t her fault that Adam had done that. “But, I really don’t like this Adam guy.” He then shook his head. “Hey, it’s okay. I get it. The whole him not knowing I existed thing? I mean, it’s not like it’s any of his business. Still...I’m sorry you had a fight. If you need to talk, you know I’m here.”

Belle had been through a lot in the last little while. She’d been mugged, shot, and had what could only be described as a horrible fight with Adam. She had been trying to relax and regain her strength for the last little while. She had been trying to get a hold of Winston. But, she was afraid to tear her stitches. Adam had yelled at her about potentially doing that, too. She stirred from her thoughts as she heard a knock at the door and the door opened. She let out a breath of relief when she realized it was her boyfriend. “Hey.” She said, softly. “I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to scare you.” She said, as she felt him kissing her temple. “I was trying to get you. But the guy who mugged me took my phone and I can’t reach the hospital phone.” She said, quietly.

The woman was sitting in the lobby typing away at her computer. She had been doing a lot of admitting and discharging throughout the day and quite frankly, she was ready to go home. It was then that she spotted the man run into the lobby like his life depended on it. 

Well, he was surely in a hurry. Isabelle Cherie? That Belle girl was certainly popular. She’d sent a bunch of people up there when she’d first arrived and now another man was here for her.

“Are you family?” She asked, peering over her glasses as her long fingernails typed away on the keyboard of the computer. “Because, her fiance is already up there with her, and a bunch of other people.” Far too many people in her estimation. She was almost on the edge of her seat. She wondered who this was? Her brother? He certainly didn’t look like her brother.

Fiance? What the hell? “What the hell are you talking about? I’m her boyfriend. I think I would know if she had a fiance’.” The annoyance in his tone was evident. “I want to see Belle and I want to see her now.” Winston’s normally calm and polite demeanor had vanished. He was done. He was far too concerned and also now slightly irritated to worry about manners.

He had been going crazy. At first, he had just thought that Belle was super swamped with work and hadn’t been able to return his messages right away, but he hadn’t been able to shake the feeling that something was very wrong. As the hours ticked by, the feeling continued and Winston had always been one to trust his gut.

When Belle’s phone went straight to voicemail for the fifth time, he decided to swing by her office. He was alarmed to see police tape, and what appeared to be a crime scene not far from it. Fearing the worst, he continued to her building and hurried inside. There was no sign of his girlfriend, but he recognized one of her co-workers from his visits and approached her.

She instantly recognized him but the look on her face was not her usual cheerful greeting. Instantly, she confirmed what he had feared. Something was wrong. Pulling him aside, she told him what had happened to Belle. Winston didn’t even let her finish. As soon as the words hospital left her mouth, he was out the door.

“Okay – I think I’m about ready for the warm weather to come back.”

“Yeah, me too. I’m over the winter.” Not that he didn’t appreciate it, but it had been dragged out for too long, in his opinion.

[SMS; Belle 07:16 p.m.] Hey.  [Sent. Unread]

[SMS; Belle 07:18 p.m.] How was work?  [Sent. Unread]

[SMS; Belle 07:26 p.m.] Belle?  [Sent. Unread]

[SMS; Belle 07:30 p.m.] You’re starting to worry me.  [Sent. Unread]

[Belle has five missed calls and three voicemails]

“It is very confusing to begin with,” Brit said gently. “You just need to start simple - Make sure you understand everything about star signs, before you move onto sun and rising.”

“Well, I will keep that in mind.” Winston wasn’t sure any of it would ever make sense to him, but perhaps one day he’d get it?

“It’s Aquarius season, actually. At least, that’s the tropical zodiac,” Britney didn’t like to interrupt people but after hearing a nearby stranger get it all wrong, she had to jump in. Especially seeing as it was about star signs. “If you’re thinking about sidereal zodiac, it’s actually Capricorn season.”

The whole thing just went entirely over his head. He was trying to learn it all but he still didn’t quite get it. “It’s confusing. I’m trying to figure it all out, star signs and seasons and all that.” He replied. “I usually just end up confusing myself more, to be honest.”

“Definitely. We won’t be bored.” She insisted, with a smile. “I have a book or two.” She nodded, as they headed out of her office. She led the way towards where she had seen the supply closet. They stopped and raided it for supplies before heading down to the break room. She then got herself settled in the break room where they seemed to be the only two people there. “I really appreciate you coming to check on me. But you really didn’t have to, you know.”