The Ocean’s City

The sun shined through the window, and the birds chirped their merry, good morning song. It took a moment to remember where I was, and when I did, my arms swung in the air, lurching me up to see that the man from last night was nowhere in sight. The comforter fell to the floor as my legs touched the ground to make my way downstairs.

The perfectly placed items sat on the shelves, on the couch, or in the kitchen as if recently set before the show's first act, but there was no sign of Dalton anywhere.

I had just arrived at the dining room when voices resonated outside toward the sliding glass door. The view of the ocean waves danced as if they had been here since the beginning of time. It felt like one big illusion, yet I stared in shock at the pure beauty of it.

Dalton stood on the porch with his back to me, talking to someone a step lower than him. The man wore a plain blue T-shirt and looked like he had just finished a workout. He saw me and waved.

"Good morning, Silvestia," he cheerfully greeted as if we were good friends.

Dalton turned, and our eyes locked together. His smile stretched to the corners of his mouth, and he opened the sliding glass door for me. "Come say hi to Dan," he said, waving me outside as if we were a couple together for many years.

I complied, but I was thinking of Dannie in the back of my mind. The better his mood, the more he will hurry and let me see her.

"Hi, Dan," I said, as if I had known Dan my whole life. I looked up and down at him before my eyes locked back on the sea. My stomach turned, feeling sick. I shouldn't be anywhere near the ocean. I should be in the city enjoying my day off, eating gallons of ice cream because my heart got broken, not greeting Dan.

Dalton and Dan talked about very mundane things. Working out, car problems, borrowing a tool. I stood awkwardly there, staring at the waves moving in and out. The only thing that stopped my trance-like state was the firm hand that landed on my shoulder, giving me a squeeze to remind me to say goodbye to Dan as he went to finish his run.

I waved goodbye and let Dalton guide me back inside. I didn't let him enter before I turned around and asked, "Dannie?"

"We are meeting them at the diner right now. Go get dressed."

I had a random dress on, hair pulled back, shoes on, and in his car before he had time to finish his sentence. He followed behind me nonchalantly, humming a tune as he turned on his car, and we drove silently to the same diner we had been at the previous night.

My door was open before he even turned off his car. He followed on my heel, grabbing my hand, but it didn’t slow me down until I was inside searching for Dannie.

“Silvestia,” he grunted. He was about to no doubtably scold me until his eyes landed on what mine saw simultaneously.

Dannie.

My eyes studied the state she was in. Horror and rage multiplied inside of me.

She had a bandage over her left eye, a fat lip, and wholly black and blue.

I yanked my hand from his hold and noted the just as shocked expression he wore. But I couldn’t care less. He made me be away from Dannie, and this happened.

Despite being beaten up, Dannie still smiled and waved at me. I ran to her and immediately wrapped my arms around her.

“I’m alright, I’m alright,” she grumbled at me, but I wouldn’t have it.

Dalton walked past the booth and, with a cold snap, he called for Hutson to follow. Huston groaned as if he knew this was coming and dreaded their conversation.

Once the men were outside, I loosened my hold on Dannie and inspected her wounds.

“What the hell did he do to you?” I snapped.

“He didn’t. I tried to run and ran into a tree.”

“Did he take you to a hospital?”

“No, he had some creep come by the house an—” She stopped talking as the door opened and the boys entered.

Dalton sat across from me. His expression was unreadable; the veins in his fists budged from his skin as they rested under his chin.

“She needs a doctor,” I snapped, squinting my eyes at him.

Dalton turned to Hutson and asked, “You didn’t take her?”

“He came to her.”

“She’s fine, let’s eat.”

“She needs a real doctor at a hospital.” I glared daggers at him, testing his patience.

“I’m fine, Silvie,” Dannie butted in.

“We can swing by his office after we eat.” He said, picking imaginary lint from his clothes.

“The hell? We aren’t eating first. She needs a real doctor in the city, not some fake ass doctor in this fake ass whatever this is!”

“Silvestia!” He screamed, pure rage emanating out of him. The whole dinner had become absolutely silent as his chair screeched out from behind him, and he was jerking me along with him straight to the bathroom.

Each person we passed diverted their stares at the food as if they were equally afraid of this man and what he could do. The bathroom door swung open, and he pushed me against the wall. The lights flickered with his anger.

“You are the only one I care about,” he spoke, barely containing his rage, tiny bits of spit flying. “I give two shits about your friend. So act your part, or she will be no more.”

I didn’t speak; I just tried to press myself up against the wall more to create a space from him. I timidly nodded my head.

His angry breaths heaved as he twirled his hands into my hair. Suddenly, there was a flush of a toilet. A lady walked to wash her hands. My head tilted to the side to glimpse who it was, while Dalton refused to remove himself from my space.

“Oh, Silvestia and Dalton!” She spoke as if she had just now seen us, which scared her. Never mind the fact he was screaming at me two seconds ago. “You two!” She scolded. “You two are such loved birds, sneaking a private moment in the bathroom! You two amaze me! Well, don’t mind me, I’ll be heading out.”

“Mrs. Hughe,” he greeted as she scurried out of the bathroom. I wanted badly to beg her to stay. He turned to me. “Are you ready to have breakfast?”

I nodded, and he straightened, smiled like nothing had happened, and then took my hand, leading me back through the diner.

Everyone was bustling around again like Dalton didn’t drag me across the restaurant screaming, except for Dannie, who wore a face full of concern for me. I slid into the booth side of the table and instantly met hers with shaking hands, but we didn’t dare speak.

Dalton snapped his fingers, and Mrs. Hughe waddled to our table with menus. “What can I get you all?”

Dalton looked at me, waiting for me to speak. With shaky breaths, I ordered an omelet. The boys ordered their food, and Dannie politely declined.

When Mrs. Hughe left the table, Dalton stretched his arms before himself and put them over his head. “We will eat, take Danniella to the doctor’s office quickly, then spend the day at the pier.”

The boys talked to each other, ignoring the two of us. We didn’t bother to speak, only to give each other hands squeezes now and then. My body was on autopilot, chewing and swallowing food before I could taste anything. I was determined to get Dannie to the doctor to be checked.

The moment I ate my last bite, my throat cleared to speak. Dannie lightly grabbed my arm, silently begging me not to, but before the words came out of my mouth, Dalton glanced at me through his thick eyelashes and interrupted Hutson.

“Enough business talk. It’s the weekend.” He turned to me as if he wasn’t acting at all. “Honey, I’m sorry we boys can’t help ourselves. Come! Today is about you, ladies.” He stated, putting on his classic charm.

My lips crinkled in disgust, but I still stood with Dannie in hand. All four of us walked to Dalton’s car and crawled in.

The ride was short. We pulled up to a small clinic, and the boys helped us out of the car. Dalton’s hand was on my back longer than I had wanted. An exceptionally short nurse greeted us and took us four straight to the back despite the number of people in the waiting room.

A man was standing in the room’s corner preparing some bandages. When he turned, my heart sank. Dannie said he was creepy, but it was an understatement.

He had white hair stained yellow like a rat living in its own piss. His scalp and skin were red, and his eyes were pasty pale blue. He could have been dead.

“Dannie,” he greeted with a warm smile on his face. Despite his friendliness, it still had me creeping back to Dalton, where, although he had kidnapped me, I felt he could keep me safe from this nightmare.

Dannie did as the doctor told her, and he did his check. I reached Dalton, and he welcomed my nearness with a hand playing in my hair. I whispered to him, “This is the guy that checked on her last night?”

“Yeah, Dr. Simmons.”

I looked at the so-called doctor, then back at Dalton, and dared another question. “Is he a real doctor?”

“Of course he is. He runs the clinic.”

“I mean…. Are any of these people real?”

Dalton’s expression darkened, and I stepped back, but his hand caught the back of my neck and brought me closer to him. He spoke with no anger, only clarity.

“Your friend is okay and is getting the help she needs.”

All the real answers were unsaid, but I picked away at his words.

Thanks for reading the fourth chapter of The Ocean’s City. Let me know what you think! Grammar Nazis are welcome!