Allyson continued to cry as she let the warm water pour over her from the rainfall shower head in JC’s guest bathroom. JC showed her how to get the water temperature right in the shower and the claw-foot bathtub, and let Allyson have the bathroom to herself.
After her shower, Allyson toweled off a bit and then drew a bath and lowered herself into the warm water, closing her eyes.
In that moment, rather than replay what Paul had done, a different feeling from the day ran through Allyson’s body and mind: the feeling of JC’s hug. She knew how good his hugs were – they’d established that in D.C. – but this one was different. This one was more than just a feel-good hug. It felt safe. After what felt like an eternity under Paul, she felt relief as soon as she saw JC’s face and then let her emotions go as she relaxed into his arms.
She closed her eyes and leaned back, living in that feeling.
About 20 minutes later, her phone on the side of the tub buzzed with a text from JC asking if she needed anything. Suddenly she looked at the small clock in the corner of the windowsill and saw the hands at 8:30. Shit, I need to text Liz, she thought.
Hey, she quickly typed out, JC ended up coming to get me, and I’m still at his place. I’m not sure if I’ll have him bring me back tonight or if it’s easier to just stay here for the night.
Oh good, Liz texted back. I’m just watching my Gilmore Girls DVDs. He’s way over in the Hills right?
Yeah, about 30 mins.
Yeah, that’s fine If you want to stay. Can he bring you back?
Yep, Allyson responded quickly.
OK, then I’ll just see you tomorrow.
Allyson let out a deep sigh, thankful Liz was not upset, knowing that calmness will not last for very long once she finds out what really happened.
After another 10 minutes, the water started to get cold, so Allyson took that as her cue to get dressed and venture downstairs.
She toweled off again and walked out to the guest bedroom where JC had left a neatly folded stack of clothes for her to choose from – Michigan basketball shorts, black sweatpants, an MMC white tank top and a large retro TRL logo sweatshirt.
On top of the clothes was a note that read: “Take your pick. Anything else you need should be in the top left drawer of the dresser.”
She turned her attention to the dresser on the side wall and opened the top left drawer to reveal sealed packages of women’s panties and sports bras.
Curious, Allyson looked at the other drawers, finding sheets, sweatshirts, shorts and oversized T-shirts in the dresser.
Allyson smiled as she pulled out the new set of underwear and then slipped on the basketball shorts and TRL sweatshirt. Even though she had just gotten out of a bath – and taken a shower – and it was July in California, she felt cold and found comfort in the sweatshirt.
Taking a deep breath in, she left the bedroom and walked out into the hallway and made her way down the stairs to the living room where she saw JC sitting at the piano. He began playing a little again before realizing Allyson had walked in. The tune sounded familiar but nothing she could pinpoint.
“Hey,” he got up quickly, moving over to her. “How are you? Do you need anything?”
“No, no, you gave me everything I needed. I’m still a little shook up, though.”
“I bet,” he said, leading her to the sectional in the living room. “Do you want to talk about it?”
“No, it’s OK,” Allyson said sitting on the couch with her bare feet on the couch, her knees pulled up to her chest and her arms clasped around them. She did want to talk about it, but she did not know how to put into words what she was feeling at that moment.
JC shifted on the couch to face Allyson more, bringing one knee up on the cushions, his arm resting on the back of the couch. “You don’t have to, but I’ll listen if you want me to.” The sincerity was evident in his voice and showed in his eyes.
She looked over at him, resting her head on her knees and took in a deep breath again. “I was so scared,” she said into the void created between her torso and her legs. “I really didn’t know what he would do. I just knew I probably wouldn’t be able to fight him.” She paused to take a few more breaths to try to control her emotions as tears started to fill her eyes again and she brought her head back up and squeezed her legs tighter. “I just knew I had to try something, so I pulled out my phone.” She started to say something else, but stopped herself. “I’m just glad you picked up.”
“I’m glad I was so close,” he said, his lips moving into a slight reassuring smile.
“I was just so relieved when I saw your face. And your hugs have never felt better than when you got me out of that car.”
Unable to control her emotions any longer, her face scrunched up and she began crying, letting her tears roll down her face. It was not the same type of cry she had in the shower, but one of overwhelming thanks to be safe.
JC scooted closer to her, wrapping his arms around her and pulling her into his chest, letting her lay against him and cry. Neither of them said anything for a few minutes, but nothing needed to be said.
“I don’t know what I’m going to tell Liz,” she said, her tears starting to end but still leaning against JC’s chest.
“I’ll help you if you want,” JC offered. “I’ve never been in that situation, but I know what it means to need support.”
Allyson looked up at JC with what can only be described as puppy dog eyes. “Would you?”
“Always.”
She buried her head into his chest again, listening to JC’s heartbeat. “He was my ex,” she began after a few moments of silence.
“You saw your ex while you were here?” he asked looking directly at her as she sat up on the couch again.
“He reached out, I guess after seeing something Liz posted on Facebook. We dated back in high school and part of college. I ended things, we were friends and then he disappeared and I hadn’t heard from him in years.”
“And he asked you to come out today while you were here?”
“Exactly. He’s out here as an ‘actor,’” she said, putting air quotes around the word actor. “I wanted to see if I could get some sort of closure after he just fell off the face of the earth. I thought seeing him one last time would do it. Then, he got drunk, so I couldn’t let him drive. And, well, you know what happened next.”
She looked down at her lap. She was disappointed in herself that she let what happened happen to her, but couldn’t see another option. There was no way she was going to let his drunk ass get in the car and drive through the streets of LA.
“Yeah,” JC said, reaching his arm around Allyson’s shoulders again. “We don’t have to think about it again for the night.”
“But I can’t forget about it,” she said, her eyes fixed on the black TV screen above the fireplace mantle.
JC moved his arm to rub her shoulder reassuringly and stroke her hair, like he’d done many times before with his younger sister as she dealt with heartbreak. While not the same, that taught him how to comfort.
“I just wish I could forget it,” she said, closing her eyes as she sunk into him a little more.
“Eventually the raw emotions will fade, and it’ll just become something that helped you become who you are,” JC said, kissing the top of her head.
After sitting like that for a few minutes, JC asked, “Do you have your glasses with you?”
“Yeah,” she said, sitting up. “They’re in my purse.”
“I’ll get them,” he said quickly before she had the chance to get off the couch. He pulled out her extra pair of glasses and went to get contact solution and a case for her.
“Thanks,” she gave him a relaxed smile.
