Storm and Grace

You Stay With Me

Jen's POV

I held on to my suitcase and took one last look at the place I had stayed at for almost a month. It seemed unreal. I thought about the moments that led to me being admitted to this place. Those memories were painful. I couldn't even explain the reasons behind my actions to myself. It was almost as if those moments didn't happen to me.

"Hey, beautiful," I heard someone call out. I recognized that voice.

I looked towards the entrance of the lobby and saw Ricky standing there with the biggest smile on his face. His smile instantly made me feel better.

"Ricky," I smiled, as I walked towards him. He immediately pulled me in for the biggest hug.

"So great to see you," he said, still holding on to me. His hugs were the absolute best. I felt safe with him. No other human being ever made me feel as safe, except... No. I couldn't go there. Not now.

We pulled away and he cupped my face with his hands. "Look at you," he smiled. "How is it you're even more beautiful now than the day I first met you?"

"Charmer," I laughed. "That's why you're considered such a heartbreaker."

"I was," he laughed. "I'm happily married now."

We both laughed.

"Here," he said, grabbing my suitcase from me. "I got it."

We began to walk towards his car. He opened the passenger seat for me and I got in.

When he got inside the car, he turned to look at me and gave me another heartwarming smile. "You, okay?"

"I'm okay," I smiled.

"Good," he nodded and smiled. "I'm hungry. Let's go out to eat."

"Where?" I laughed.

"Your home," he winked.

"Maybe we should stop somewhere to buy some ingredients," I almost panicked. "I am pretty sure my fridge is empty."

"Relax, my love," he laughed. "After we hung up, I called your chef. She's at home, cooking something up for us."

"You always think about everything, don't you?" I smiled.

"Always," he nodded.

The minute we parked in my driveway, we could smell the food from inside. Ricky grabbed my suitcase and he opened the door for me. The minute I stepped inside, I felt the tears begin to sting behind my eyes. I was back. My home.

Ricky instructed me to make myself at home while he helped set up the table. I sat in the living room and felt a wave of relief. And to think that I had almost ended it all... I felt a tear run down my cheek.

"Food is ready," I heard Ricky call out. I quickly wiped my tears away and walked into the dining room. The table was filled with my favorite Mexican dishes. While Ricky and Antonio were finishing up setting up the table.

"I love you so much for this," I smiled. "I am so hungry."

"Tell me something I don't know," he winked.

We sat and began to eat. It was one of the most peaceful moments I've had in months. I had forgotten how much I enjoyed Ricky's company and how much I had missed him.

"I'm glad to see you so at peace," I heard him say. I looked up and saw him staring at me, with a smile on his face. "When Lin told me you had checked into a facility to get help for severe depression and PTSD, my heart shattered into a million pieces."

I gave him a sad smile.

"It made me realize just how much time we had spent away from each other," he continued. "So, I promised myself that I wouldn't allow myself to go more than a week without calling you to check up on you."

"Thank you," I nodded. "I swear, we could have been soulmates."

He let out one of his most infectious laughs.

"Maybe we were in a past life," he shrugged. "But I'm married and you..." he trailed off.

"Single," I sighed.

"That's crazy," he sighed. "To think that my little sunshine was dating Johnny Depp. I'm still processing that one."

"Yeah," I nodded and looked down.

"What happened?" he asked.

"He cheated on me," I shrugged.

He looked at me and shook his head in disappointment. "How can anyone think of cheating on you?"

"Not sure," I shrugged again. "But he did. And he lied about it."

"So, you confronted him?" he asked.

"I did," I nodded. "We had broken up for months before. And I guess he had dated this blonde socialite before we got back together. Apparently, they eventually got back together and he cheated on me with her."

He didn't respond. His frowned and it seemed as if he was processing what I had just told him.

"Blonde socialite?" he asked.

"Yeah," it was my turn to frown. He had a strange look on his face.

"Was her name Andrea?" he asked.

"Yes," I answered. I felt my heart began to beat faster. How did he know her name?

"I guess you just answered my question I had for you," he nodded. Almost as if he had finally pieced the puzzle he had been putting together in his head.

"What are you talking about?" I asked him.

"Remember when I told you I had something I wanted to tell you?" he asked.

"Yeah," I nodded.

"A couple of months ago, my husband and I went to the Rise lounge bar," he began. "It's a new bar/club like room at the hotel there in LA. We were seated at a private booth. But right across us, there was another private booth. And Johnny was seating there with his security guards. He was drinking alone."

Where was he getting at with this story?

"Then, Andrea walked into his private booth," he continued.

I felt my stomach began to turn. He was there when it all happened.

"I thought it was strange that he was there with her," he continued. "Andrea doesn't have the best reputation. And is known to try to hook up with celebrities for clout. But she was only there for a couple of minutes before she got up and got him a drink. Soon after that, Johnny began to look as if he was about to fall asleep."

I frowned. "Fall asleep?"

"Yeah," he nodded. "It was the strangest thing. He was fine one minute and then falling asleep soon after. He was dozing off."

"That can't be," I shook my head. "Because that night, he and Andrea were busy filming their sex tape. And I know that happened because I had the misfortune to watch it myself."

Ricky's face changed immediately. He looked as if someone had punched him in the stomach. He looked completely shocked.

"That night?" he frowned. "Are you sure?"

"Yes," I nodded. "I told you; I watched it."

"But that can't be," he continued. "Because she tried to get him to touch her but he couldn't even do that. He had to be carried away while she followed. She was gone for less than five minutes before she came back down and then walked right out and left for the night."

"What?" I asked him.

"She never came back," he continued. "And Johnny was nowhere to be found. She left alone."