So Long, and Goodnight

19. Regret

Chapter 19
Regret

POV - John

    Many things happened when the CPS worker announced who she was, and what she was here to do.

    Jodie shifted so suddenly that she fell out of the bed and onto the floor, Scott knocked his chair over when he stood, and I sank to my knees on the floor by my friend; trying to stop her panic before it became a problem.

    "They're going to take me away." She cried, moving into my open arms and crying into my chest.

    "I made you a promise, and I'm going to stick by it." I whispered, rubbing her back and placing a kiss to the top of her head, "They'll have to go through me before they take you away."

    She gave a watery chuckle, before hugging me tighter and murmuring about getting my shirt wet.

    The only thing Catrina did, was watch us. It seemed like she was very interested in how we were acting together.

    "What do you want with her?" Scott asked, moving to stand protectively over us, "What talk are you going to have with her?"

    "Oh God, please don't let it be the sex talk." Jodie groaned, making all of us laugh; except Gordon and Alan who were thoroughly confused by the statement.

    "It's not that kind of talk." Catrina said angrily, killing the cheerful mood of the room, "Miss Greene has been missing for the last three years, and her family has been very worried about her."

    Jodie stiffened in my arms at the mention of her 'family', but she didn't start to freak out; which was a good thing.

    But the thing that bothered me, was Catrina.

    She was being a monumental bitch, had no sense of humor, and seemed to not be able to pick up on the tension and anxiety rolling off of Jodie.

    And Jodie was terrified. She didn't have to tell me what she was feeling, because I could just tell.

    "I don't want to go with her."

    "Why?" I asked, "Do you know who she is?"

    It only occurred to me after asking this, that I didn't really explain what I meant; but Jodie did get what I was trying to say.

    "No." She shook her head, "I just have a bad feeling. You know when something just doesn't feel right, and your gut tells you?"

    I knew exactly what she meant, because I sometimes get that feeling when I meet new people. It wasn't because I had anything against them, it was just the instinct of 'this person can't be trusted.'

    And I was getting that instinct from Catrina right now, but there was nothing I could do about it. No matter what happened, Jodie had to go with her. She had to answer the questions given to her.

    "You know you have to talk to her. There's no getting out of it."

    "Yeah, I know that." She told me, "It doesn't mean that I'm not allowed to think about every possible way of getting out of it."

    "I'll be right here when you get back." I said, before amending my answer, "Well, not right here, right here. I think my legs would go numb if I did that, but you get what I'm getting at."

    She chuckled, using my t-shirt to wipe her eyes.

    "Come on, Skinny Minnie. Let's get you up." Scott joked, hauling Jodie to her feet. He probably sensed that our conversation was over.