Chapter 5
“I see you found the safe place to be,” a voice spoke into her ear.
Maureen turned around; it was Tom. “Oh, yes, Red Cross station.” Maureen gestured behind her. “Always the best place to be.”
Tom grinned, his bright blue eyes twinkling. “I’m glad to see you’re playing it safe.”
“Safe is my state of mind,” Maureen quipped, making Tom chuckle. “Are you finally done volunteering for the day?”
“I am just on a break,” Tom told her. “Too many people need help right now.”
Maureen sighed, nodding. “You’re right, I should be helping too, since I was lucky enough to be rescued by a wonderful knight.”
“I’m not sure about all of that.” Tom blushed. “I am glad to see that you got checked out.” He pointed to the bandage on her head. “How is your leg?”
“It’s better.” Maureen smiled. “Did I thank you for saving me?”
“You did,” Tom confirmed, smiling.
Maureen nodded, feeling silly in the moment, but this man made her feel nervous and fluttery. He was so handsome, and obviously a good person—he volunteered to rescue people after all.
“Have you eaten?” she suddenly thought to ask.
“I, well, no, but I should probably get back,” he answered, feeling like a complete oaf at that moment, standing with this pretty young woman.
“Nonsense!” Maureen shook her head. “You need to eat something,” she exclaimed, taking his hand in hers and leading him back into the Red Cross tent.
Tom smiled softly, finding the bossy side of this young woman quite enchanting.
Maureen proceeded to procure a sandwich and a bottle of juice for him, and then made him sit at one of the tables in the tent to eat and drink under her watchful eye.
“There, isn’t that better?” Maureen asked, sounding very much like his mother used to.
“Yes, ma’am,” he answered obediently.
“Ma’am? Oh my, I don’t think I’m old enough to be a ma’am, just yet.”
Tom pressed his lips together. “I don’t know your name…”
“Oh my! That’s true, isn’t it? I’m Maureen. Maureen Prescott.”
“My name is Tom Palmer.”
Maureen stuck her hand out to him; he took her hand in his, his hand was twice as big. Maureen couldn’t help but notice how large his hand was, but also how gentle his hands felt against hers.
“I think we’re going to be friends, Tom Palmer,” she stated.
“I’d like that, Maureen Prescott.”
Morgan woke, sighing again. Charlotte smiled. “Who was it this time?”
“His name was Tom Prescott…” Morgan said dreamily. “So handsome, brave and those eyes!”
“The blue eyes,” Charlotte nodded. “So, where was this?”
“He found her in the park, at the Red Cross tent.”
“On purpose?” Charlotte asked.
Morgan considered the question, then shrugged. “I don’t know.” She went on to tell Charlotte the story of what happened.
Later, as she left the therapist’s office, she felt a little melancholy. It was obvious that Maureen and Tom liked each other—she could feel Maureen’s heartbeat increase and trip when he’d taken her hand. She missed that feeling. That rush of excitement upon meeting someone new and just knowing that they were the one. Not that she’d ever found the one. She’d found a lot of not the one , but still, the feeling of something new, someone new. That giddy feeling of wanting to know everything about someone, and excited about them wanting to know more about her in return. Wondering what that someone special was doing at that moment in time, hoping they were wondering that about her too.
Driving home, Morgan sighed loudly, feeling sad, suddenly. Reaching out she turned on the music from her phone on the car stereo. She found one of her favorite standbys; Fleetwood Mac, the song ‘Everywhere’ flowed through the speakers. It seemed to echo what she was feeling: Christine McVie sang about being with someone everywhere. She listened to Fleetwood Mac all the way home.
***
“Hey, I know we just moved in here,” Raquel began as she and Jaims set down the couch they’d just dragged up the stairs to their new apartment, “but would it be okay if my brothers came to visit?”
Jaims dropped down on the couch, still breathing heavy. “You have brothers?”
Raquel laughed, nodding. “Yeah, two, they’re younger.”
“How young?” Jaims asked warily, she really wasn’t up to dealing with little kids.
“They’re like fourteen and fifteen.”
Jaims shrugged. “Where do they live?”
“In LA with my parents, I’m lucky they’re letting them come.”
“Why lucky?”
“My parents don’t approve of my ‘lifestyle.’” Raquel used air quotes on the word lifestyle.
“Aw, they are those kind of parents,” Jaims said, nodding.
Raquel canted her head. “What are your parents like?”
Jaims shrugged. “They’re totally cool with who I am.”
“Wow, lucky you.” Raquel sighed.
“You’ll get to meet them, trust me.” Jaims chuckled. “They’ve already invited you to Saturday night dinner.”
“Uh…” Raquel looked quizzical.
“They host dinner for our family and any random misfits that need every Saturday.”
“Oh, and I’m invited?”
“Yep, anytime you wanna go.” Jaims grinned. “My mom is Italian, so she likes to feed people.”
“You’re Italian?” Raquel was shocked, they had really only been friends for a few months. They’d never really discussed family before. Mostly just movies and current events.
“Half,” Jaims told her. “My dad is like German and English, so I’m a mishmash.”
“Aww, one hundred percent Latino.” Raquel grinned. “Well, I dunno, could be some juera in there somewhere.”
Raquel laughed, so did Jaims.
“So, if your parents don’t approve of you, how come they’re letting your brothers come visit?” Jaims asked.
Raquel gave a snort of annoyance. “’Cause my aunt won a cruise, and she’s taking my mom and dad with her. They got no one else to watch the boys.”
“Aw, so necessity,” Jaims surmised.
“Yup.” Raquel curled her lips. “Whatever. I get to see them; it’s been a couple of years now.”
“Cool.” Jaims nodded. “Well, let’s go get the rest of our crap,” she said, standing up from the couch.
“Yeah, sooner we’re done, the sooner it’s—”
“Beer thirty!” Jaims crowed.
“Damned straight!”
Raquel disappeared for a full week. Jaims was beside herself with worry. She was worried that their aborted intervention attempt had driven Raquel to more desperate acts. On Monday morning, when she left her room to go to work, Jaims noticed Raquel’s bedroom door was closed, whereas it had previously been open.
Nodding to herself, Jaims made her coffee and left for the day. When she got home that night, Raquel was gone again. Jaims peaked into Raquel’s room to see if she’d done anything drastic like move out. Her possessions were still there. It took Jaims a couple of minutes to talk herself out of going through her friend’s dresser and bathroom to see if there were any drugs in evidence. She knew that would be a complete invasion of privacy. Even if it was only with Raquel’s well-being in mind, it wasn’t her place.
Later Jaims met up with Shayne, Flynn, and Jayden for dinner.
“So she is back?” Jayden queried.
Jaims shrugged. “I guess…she didn’t make a sound when she came in, so I’m figuring she’s still all-time pissed at me.”
“Hey, she’s the one being uber-bitch,” Shayne commented sourly.
“Right?” Flynn replied, her lips curled in derision.
“She’s my best friend,” Jaims offered sadly.
The other three nodded in agreement, realizing that Dax or Zion would knock their heads together for making Jaims feel bad.
“She needs to get help,” Jayden offered.
“I know, but I’ve heard over and over again that people won’t accept help until they’re ready.” Jaims let out a sigh.
“I hope she gets ready soon,” Jayden said, feeling bad for Jaims.
Jaims was the one in the group that was always trying to help everyone. She helped Jayden when Ariana had been interested; she had also accompanied Jayden back to her childhood home when her father had a heart attack. She was helping Dax keep an eye on Zion while Dax was out of town. Whenever anyone needed help, Jaims was the first to step up. It sucked that no one seemed to be able to help Jaims with the problem she had.
Jaims smiled softly, she knew Jayden was trying to help and she appreciated it. To avoid making her friends feel worse, she changed the subject. The rest of the meal proceeded happily.
***
“Any word on Rock?” Dax asked Zion on the phone that same night.
“L Word texted me to tell me that Jaims said Raquel came home, but avoided her,” Zion told her.
“Great, so now she’s going to start that?” Dax grimaced in response. “Jaims is gonna be wrung out, you know that.”
“I know, she takes everything to heart.”
“Who she is, dude…” Dax replied.
“Yeah.” Zion shook her head. “I’ll try to keep an eye on her, since apparently she’s been doing that for you when it came to me…”
Dax chuckled unapologetically. “Hey, that started when Fancy breezed into town and I was out of town.”
“Well, Fancy ain’t here now, is she?” Zion commented dryly.
Dax muttered under her breath. “Not today.”
“Can it.” Zion grinned.
“Yeah, yeah…” Dax quipped.
It was their way of communicating, it worked for them, it had for years. It was their way of showing each other that they cared. It was a comfort.
“I got Jaims’ six,” Zion confirmed.
Dax blew her breath out. “Roger that.”
“So, this is the famous Raquel?” Celeste exclaimed, as she held Raquel’s face in her hands. “Bellisima!”
Raquel almost blushed at the compliment. “It’s good to meet you.”
“Welcome to our home!” Daniel, Jaims’ father put his hand out to Raquel, remembering that Jaims had told him that Raquel was more of a handshake than a hug kind of girl.
Raquel shook Daniel’s hand, looking him square in the eye. “Thank you, sir.”
“No sir here,” Daniel replied with a quick smile. “Just call me Danny, or Dan, or Daniel, or Dad…whatever works for you!”
Raquel smiled, nodding. Jaims’ family was definitely friendly.
“Rock, this is my sister Teresa, she’s three years older than me.” Jaims introduced Raquel to a woman who resembled Jaims in coloring only. Teresa was dressed to the nines and had long flowing hair that curled attractively at the ends. She also wore just enough makeup to enhance her looks, but not too much.
“It’s lovely to meet you.” Teresa smiled warmly at Raquel.
“You too…” Raquel covered Teresa’s hand in hers, smiling her sexiest smile.
“Don’t even think about it,” Jaims murmured to her friend as they walked into the living room. Raquel simply laughed. “This is my brother, Carlo, he works at the bakery with my parents, one of the best pastry chefs in the city.” Jaims smiled.
Carlo was a nice mix of Celeste, with his dark brown eyes, and had the same sandy brown hair as Daniel, that had just a bit of a wave to it. He clasped Raquel’s hand, smiling at her.
“Good to meet a friend of Jaims,” he told her.
“Good to meet a guy who makes great desserts!”
Daniel leaned in close. “I’m also an excellent cook,” he said, grinning. “But don’t tell my parents, they’ll start a restaurant next!”
There were laughs all around.
Dinner was a loud, but entertaining affair. Raquel sat watching the interaction and felt sad. Her family had once been close, but when she’d come out, things had just gone up in smoke overnight. She missed having a family.
It was another week before Jaims actually ran into Raquel late at night in the kitchen of their apartment. She’d gotten up to get a bottle of water. Raquel was in the kitchen heating up a can of soup.
“That’s where all the soup is going…” Jaims observed lightly, grinning.
Raquel didn’t respond initially and Jaims worried she’d sounded like she was accusing her roommate of stealing.
Finally, Raquel shrugged. “It’s easy.”
“I can pick more up next time I hit the store, if there’s something specific you like,” Jaims offered.
“That would be cool, my mom used to make me tomato soup and grilled cheese when it got cold like this.”
“Tomato soup, bread, cheese,” Jaims listed with a nod and a quick smile. “Check!”
“American cheese?” Raquel queried, giving Jaims a sideways look.
“Is there any other cheese?” Jaims arched an eyebrow.
“Some other yucky kinds.” Raquel laughed softly.
“Right?” Jaims countered, feeling relief that her friend seemed to be back for the moment. “Just a waste of cooler space at the grocery store.”
“Yeah, they could use that space for important stuff, like pickles and deli meat.”
“Pickles?” Jaims queried, making a horrified face.
Raquel shrugged. “Their juice is good in chicken salad.”
Jaims looked like she was weighing that reasoning, and finally nodded. “Accepted.”
Raquel chuckled, then glanced down at the bottle of water in Jaims’ hand. “What’s up with that?” Her tone was serious.
Jaims shrugged and let out a deep sigh. “Getting another migraine, trying to head it off. Need the water to take my pills.”
“You’re getting them a lot?” Raquel sounded concerned.
“Lately, yeah.”
Raquel grimaced. “That sucks.”
“It is what it is,” Jaims replied. “I’m gonna go take the meds.”
Raquel nodded, watching Jaims leave the room. In her heart of hearts, she knew that she was probably to blame for Jaims getting migraines again. She knew that things were all messed up at the moment, and she knew it was her fault, but she just couldn’t seem to stop the fury when it came over her. When she got mad, things just came out of her mouth, or she threw, hit or destroyed things. Unfortunately, those things seem to be prevalent most in her relationships lately.
Half an hour or so later, Jaims was lying in bed, staring out her window at the clouds moving past the moon. There came a light knock on the door.
“Yeah?” Jaims called softly, not wanting to make her head hurt more by being loud.
The door opened. “How’s your head?” Raquel asked, her voice equally soft.
“Hurts,” Jaims replied.
Raquel stood halfway in the room, still holding the doorknob. Then she stepped inside, closing the door behind her and walking over to the other side of Jaims’ bed. Getting in behind Jaims, laying down, she reached out, putting her thumbs to the base of Jaims head.
“Here?” Raquel asked.
“Mmmhmm,” Jaims murmured, indicating that her fingers were placed in the right location of where the pain was.
Raquel began massaging with her thumbs, moving over the back of Jaims’ skull and neck. Jaims sighed. “That feels so good.”
“Good,” Raquel whispered softly.
“Thank you,” murmured Jaims.
Raquel put her hand to Jaims’ cheek, it was her way of apologizing for the turmoil of the past few weeks. Then she went back to massaging Jaims’ head, until Jaims dropped off to sleep.
Later when Jaims got up to go to the bathroom, she noticed that Raquel had fallen asleep on the bed next to her. She smiled in the semi-darkness of the room. Even if it was temporary, it was times like this that she remembered exactly why they were friends.
***