Home at Last

Chapter 3: Strange familiarity

Exhausted from her cafe visit and quick swing by the grocery store, Vera collapsed into bed, not even realizing it was only 7:00pm. She awoke hearing a loud and firm knock at the door, drowsily she yelled "one second!" And pulled on a tshirt before walking barefoot on the cold hardwood floor to open the door. She opened the door to see Stephanie standing in her doorway crying. The rain had soaked her dark hair. Vera motioned for her to come in and they sat down on the brown leather sofa where she had been watching tv yesterday. Still crying, Stephanie tried to explain what was going on. Vera touched her shoulder, trying to motion her to catch her breathe but instead was met with a whoosh of thoughts in her mind, it was almost like she had entered Steph's head.

Vera sat for a second and noticed that Stephanie had stopped crying, she looked at her and started to speak "Stephanie.. you know you deserve better than him." Stephanie looked shocked, she immediately looked around frantically "Is he here? How did you know- I haven't told anyone I just came to work and distract myself but I couldn't keep it together so I came here and I-" Vera interrupted, "Listen, I don't know how I know but I do. Are you okay? He hit you pretty hard didn't he. I know you're used to taking those punches but you shouldn't have to. You're worth more than that you know?" Vera explained what she had just seen, when she touched Stephanie's shoulder she immediately had visions of her boyfriend, a tall man with dirty blonde hair which stuck out around his ears and tattoos covering his arms, a man she had never met. She had felt the pain in her ribs as she watched him punch her once, twice, and three times until she was on the ground. She had asked him to take the trash out. All she wanted was a chance to rest after work.

Stephanie stuttered "I know I shouldn't be but- I-I'm used to this. He gets tired sometimes too and I shouldn't expect him to do something he doesn't want to do but this time I think he may h-have broken a-" All the color drained from Stephanie's face and she sighed "I think I need to lie down" she fell back onto the couch with a plop and sniffled. "It just hurts so bad, I just can't stand the pain and it's mental and physical and i-" she stopped mid sentence,

    Vera consoled her, letting her catch her breathe and breath, being sure to let her know she was there for her. She realized in all the commotion she forgot to shut the door. She got up and gently closed the large chestnut door at the front of the hotel penthouse and by the time she got back Stephanie was asleep. Vera got a blanket from the wardrobe in her room and gently draped it over the sleeping lady on her couch. She turned the lights off and returned to her bedroom, leaving the door cracked she went to get a couple more hours of sleep, stunned at what the night had brought her.

Vera was confused as to how she knew so quickly what happened to Stephanie, and how she seemed to know exactly what she was feeling both physically and mentally without having gone through any of it herself. She was also confused as to how her and Stephanie seemed to immediately emotionally connect in a way she had only ever connected with her husband. No matter, she sent Renn a good morning text knowing he'd be up soon. Vera quickly into a deep sleep, her mind letting go of the chaos filled day that she had just had.