I transferred all the grocery bags to my left hand. They were too heavy that way, but my right hand still couldn't handle much weight, even with the wrist brace. I tried to rush up the stairs, hoping to make it at least to my apartment door before all the bags slipped out of my grip.
I reached the top landing and gasped. The bags dropped to the ground, spilling bread and oranges and yogurt containers.
Zachary turned from my apartment door to face me.
He looked like shit. Well, he was still beautiful. He would always be beautiful - but now he was also a wreck.
"Rachel," he said, "I'm sorry."
For startling me or raping me?
It was the first time he'd said my name.
He had a few days' worth of stubble. The stubble was spread evenly across his face, as if he'd shaved his goatee first before letting it grow out again. He was dressed in grungy clothes like before, but now they were rumpled and ... ordinary. Not dirty designer jeans, just dirty torn jeans. And not a leather jacket, just a thin, worn grey t-shirt. His eyes were bloodshot and had thick, dark circles underneath.
When was the last time he slept?
"I'm sorry," he repeated. "Here. Let me help you with that."
He took a step toward me and reached his hand out, and I took a step backwards before realizing what I'd done. He froze. His body remained still but emotions flashed across his face like beacons. I didn't even recognize them all but I knew one for sure -- pain. I'd hurt him.
"I'm not going to hurt you," he said hoarsely. The words must have brought back the same memories for him, because he grimaced and said, "I'm not going to touch you."
I still hadn't spoken. I wasn't sure I could. But I didn't know what to say, anyways. Thoughts were flitting through my mind. I struggled to grab hold of one.
What are you doing here?
Why didn't you come sooner?
"I -- it's okay. You startled me, that's all. I'll just pick these up." I knelt down and began gathering up the groceries into the bags, carefully keeping my body facing him. In my distraction, I used my right hand to pick up a carton of milk. I gasped and dropped the milk. The carton broken open and white milk spilled onto the dirty concrete floor. Then he was beside me, gently holding my arm in his hands.
He was
touching
me. And I let him.
"Your wrist," he said, "it hasn't healed yet."
"Yeah, well, not all the way."
His face was turned downwards towards my wrist that he still held, so I couldn't see his expression. "Can I bring in the groceries? Please." He looked up at me - his eyes dark, murky.
"Uh, sure. Okay. That would be ... helpful. Thanks." I stood and backed out of the way. He swiftly re-packed the grocery bags and carried them to my door.
I unlocked the door and stood aside to let him in. As he passed me the situation hit me -- I had just tacitly invited my rapist into my apartment. I felt like the stupid girl in a vampire horror movie -- he couldn't have come in on his own but once I invited him...
But this wasn't like that, because he wasn't evil. He was one of the good guys, despite having raped me.
Because
he raped me, rather than leave me to the others, if I wanted to believe. And I did want to believe. It was just not that easy to shift someone in your mind from being bad to good.
Zachary found the kitchen and began putting things away. It was simple enough with such a tiny fridge and pantry, but I was still impressed with his resourcefulness. There weren't too many bags nor too much space in the kitchen, so I leaned against the bar and watched him. I'd thought about him and dreamed about him, but I'd wondered if I'd forgotten what he'd looked like. I'd only seen him for such a short time period, and during that time I'd been traumatized and in shock.
He did look different. Not just the goatee or the stubble or the haunted look in his bloodshot green eyes. He looked gaunter, and stood less tall. Even so, he dominated my tiny apartment. I soaked it in, his face, his body, his presence -- not knowing if I'd ever have the chance again.
He put everything away, and then stood awkwardly in the kitchen. The questions came to my mind, to ask him what he wanted, but that would just put an end to this sooner. It was suddenly imperative that he stayed. I couldn't look too deeply into my feelings about him yet, but I knew this much: whatever he wanted, I would give him. And then he would leave.
He cleared his throat, "You didn't press charges."
My eyebrows raised, "No. I didn't."
"Why?"
"Well, they explained it. Why you ... did what you did. So, it didn't really make sense to press charges."
He looked away, "I think you should. You should press charges."
"Um. I don't understand."
"I don't know what the officer told you. Maybe he wasn't clear on your options or maybe he pressured you or something, but I -- I raped you, and you should press charges."
Okay, I was getting that he wanted me to press charges. But this didn't make sense. "Listen," I shook my head bemusedly, "maybe there has been some mistake. Is your name Zachary Kant?"
"Yes."
"And are you an FBI agent?"
"Yes."
"And you were working undercover in a sting operation with the Locos."
"Yes."
Now the hard part, "And when you -- when you raped me, you were doing so to keep cover. And because you thought it would help me. That if you claimed me, then the others couldn't hurt me."
"So that's it," he said flatly. "You feel gratitude towards me. Well, don't. I didn't
protect
you, I
raped
you and I -- God help me, but I
enjoyed