Your Healing Touch

Chapter 13

It was time to tell Angela everything. This wasn't how I planned our evening to go but I couldn't keep my past from her any longer. She was an incredible friend and deserved to know. I trusted her with my life so I knew I could trust her with my past.

First closing my eyes for a moment and taking a deep breath, I told her everything I experienced with Charles after my mom died. The looks, the touching and fondling, his controlling behavior, and his plan for us to be married before I escaped him. She sat and listened to me without interruption, occasionally wiping away a tear. I had never seen my best friend cry until now. To see her do so for me showed me how special I was to her.

When I was through she held me while I pulled myself back together. I had never shared my story with anyone and it had drained me but at the same time it was a relief to not carry the burden alone anymore.

"You are a fiercely strong woman Jasmine Daniels," she told me after I'd leaned back to look at her.

"Are you kidding?" I scoffed.

"Absolutely not! You suffered all those horrible things with that disgusting creature and still managed to stay focused on your schoolwork, graduate, and become one hell of a nurse. Not everyone could do that, but you did," she encouraged me.

"And don't you ever say you're not good enough for someone again! Do you think what that piece of shit did to you makes you unworthy of Zeke?" She asked.

"It doesn't matter because I'm not telling him," I asserted.

"Come on! He might be able to help. He is a detective."

"No Angela! I tried to go to the police when it was happening and no one believed me. They sent me back to Charles and told him what I'd tried to do. He was a powerful man and I couldn't do anything against him," I shook my head at the memory. "Besides like I said, I'm not telling Zeke."

"Ok, ok," she relented. "I see why you're so scared to jump into a relationship now." I shifted on the bed and inhaled deeply.

"If Zeke and I got serious, I'm sure he'd want to um...you know," I trailed off, too embarrassed to say what I meant out loud.

"Get the goodies," Angela finished casually.

My face warmed, "Exactly. And...I can't do that with him, or anyone. And I would have to explain why I can't. It's just a big mess I want to avoid."

"Well, you know what's best for you," Angela said while squeezing my hand with hers.

I nodded in agreement.

"Have you ever thought about seeing a professional for help?"

"Yes I have and I didn't think I could do it before. Until you, I hadn't told anyone. Now I'm seriously considering it," I told her. "Surprisingly, I feel better after telling you."

"Of course you do," she said as she flipped her hair, eliciting a giggle from me.

Leaning towards her I squeezed her in a tight embrace then told her, "I love you. You know that, right?"

"I do! And I love you too Jas! I got you no matter what," she promised.

My phone suddenly rang on the bed next to us causing me to jump and yelp. Angela drew back and studied me with her brow furrowed in thought. I guess talking about Charles had spooked me. Glancing down at my phone I saw it was the unknown number calling me again. Angela watched me closely. When she saw I wasn't going to answer she snatched up my phone and answered it herself.

"No Angela!" I attempted to stop her.

"Who the hell is this?!" She yelled. Following a slight pause in which I assumed no one responded she forcefully said, "Whoever this is, you need to get a fucking life and stop calling this number!"