The Catalyst | Joanne

Chapter 39

"Hello?"

Joe grimaced. He hadn't realised the time. "Sorry. I didn't know it was so late. I... I'll speak to you tomorrow."

"No", Joe heard the rustle of his sister's bedsheets as she sat up, "tell me what's wrong."

Joe sighed. Every time he spoke to his sister recently, it seemed that all he did was worry. Zoe was very good at knowing how he felt without him having to say anything; she had seen how he had struggled with expressing his feelings growing up and seemed to have developed the ability to get him to talk. Without hesitation, Joe explained exactly what had happened, letting out all of the anxiety he had been holding in.

"What's going on?" Alfie turned over. Zoe's phone had woken him too and, although he had tried to get back to sleep, he was worried that only something serious would warrant a phone call past 11pm.

Zoe turned around in the dark, shaking her head at Alfie. "It's Joe. Let me just... sort this and I'll explain in a bit. Do you want me to go in the other room, so you can sleep?"

Alfie shook his head, laying back on his pillow and trying to make sense of what has happening from the one half of the conversation he could hear.

"Look, you need to try and stay calm. She might have just fallen asleep or something. Don't jump to any scary conclusions, just get yourself home safe."

Joe sighed. His sister was right, there was no point in him worrying until he knew what was happening. However, given everything that had happened over the past few weeks, that was getting harder and harder. "I know" Joe said. "The thing that's worrying me is that, well, the last time she got really upset she just had this huge... thing. I left the room and when I came back she was pulling her hair and hitting herself in the head and calling herself stupid over and over..." he paused and took a deep breath. "What if she's really hurt herself?"

Zoe took a sharp breath. "I didn't realise it was that bad. Joe, why didn't you tell me?"

Joe sighed. "I thought it was a one-off. We had an argument and I think she thought I was going to end things. We're fine now, but my head is going crazy."

"Like I said, don't jump to any conclusions just yet. See how she is first. If... if things are bad, though, she needs help. Professional help. I know you love her, and you'd do anything for her, but it sounds like she might be best off speaking to someone more qualified. I know it might be hard to get someone in at short notice, but if she needs it, push for it."

"Is it bad that I'm still kind of hoping it won't go that far?"

"Of course not. But, at the same time, you need to be realistic."

"Thank you" Joe said quietly, "for everything. Sorry I woke you up."

"It's nothing" Zoe replied, "anyway, give me a call and let me know what's happening when you can."

"I will." Joe took a breath. "I love you, Zoe."

Zoe smiled. "I love you too. Right, stay safe and let me know what's going on when you can, alright?"

"I will."

Zoe ended the call, put her phone back on her bedside table and laid back on her pillow, staring at the ceiling.

"What's happening?"

Zoe sighed. "Joe's worried about Dianne. She didn't accept the food delivery he'd ordered for her, and now she's not answering her phone. He's on his way back to see what's going on."

Alfie rolled over to face his girlfriend. "He's rushing all the way back from Birmingham to check she's OK? God, if I did that every time you'd fallen asleep on the sofa I'd never get anything done."