When The Curtain Falls

15 ~Ease My Mind~

She wiped her eyes and brushed her finger over Josh's name in her phone log.

It rang a couple of times and on the third ring she started to get nervous, but then sweet relief rushed over her as she heard Josh's thick, grungy voice.

"Good evening," he said in a dramatic, sophisticated voice.

"Are you busy?" The mood changed to serious as Josh heard her voice.

"No, I'm not doing anything. Why? Are you okay?"

"I need to talk to you, in person."

"Of course! Come right over," Josh said with worry and concern in his voice which was now higher and softer.

Jenna took a thankfully short drive to Josh's place. She knew that if his apartment was longer than a minute away she wouldn't have been able to drive. She nervously knocked on his door and tapped her foot as she awaited him.

He opened the door and his smile dropped as he saw the state Jenna was in. The look on her face broke his heart. Her eyes were wide and slightly bloodshot and her makeup was smudged. Luckily, the lights were low enough where he couldn't notice the bruises forming on her body.

Josh tilted his head.

"What's wrong, Jenna?" He stepped closer to her. She stepped back in response, but then fell into his arms. He stood there for a moment before cradling her head as it rested in the nook of his shoulder.

"shh shh shh," he patted her hair and he held her close to his body.

"You're ok mama. Take your time," he assured her.

After a while, Jenna stood back and looked at him.

He took her head in his hands

"Let's go inside. I'll make us some tea and you can pick a movie for us to watch alright?" He smiled and hugged her again quickly. He knew she would tell him what happened when she was ready.

Jenna stepped through the door and immediately sensed this funny feeling of home. She was safe here. Why had she felt like this? She'd only been here once.

"Is anyone else home?"Jenna asked. She knelt down on the floor to look through the crate of VHS tapes.

Josh poked his head from around the kitchen corner "Nope, we're here alone. Jake went out for drinks with friends."

He came into the living room with popcorn and tea.

"Do you want some comfier clothes to sleep in?"

"I'm crashing here?" Jenna asked confused

"Well, I don't expect you to go anywhere being this upset. And besides, you're already here and it's late. So... clothes?" Josh asked, already starting to walk in the direction of his bedroom.

"No, I'll be okay. I don't want to be a bother," Jenna said.

"I'll get you some clothes," Josh said, ignoring her politeness. "You're not sleeping in jeans and a blouse."

"Anything is fine then." She sighed, accepted the offer.

"Okay, you set up the movie while I'm gone!" Josh called going into his room. She looked through the tapes and landed on Saturday Night Fever. A childhood favorite of hers that always gave her comfort.

Josh came back into the room wearing a white tank top and black joggers with Jenna's clothes neatly folded in his hands.

"Here, try this. Let me know if you want something else." Jenna took the clothes and changed in the bathroom. She had on an oversized tee-shirt that rested off one shoulder, the graphic being Neil Young's Harvest album. She slipped on black basketball shorts that fell at her knees and put her hair up in a messy bun. She quickly washed the smudged makeup off her face before returning to the living room.