Suddenly Free (CURRENTLY STOPPED 🛑)

Chapter 1

"Willow! Wait!" The man caught up to me, without even breaking a sweat. He reached for my arm, causing me to flinch away from him. My back pressed against the cold brick wall of the hallway. "It's okay, I'm sorry. I didn't mean to startle you." My breathing was short, I could feel my tight chest lessening with his words.

"I, I should be sorry. I shouldn't have come today, at least I took the jump." I half smiled, hiding away the regret and embarrassment that was over coming my body. "You better get back..." I quickly retorted as I moved off the wall towards the front doors, he didn't moved or attempt to stop me. He somehow knew that it would probably make it worse, that there would be no chance of me ever coming back.

~

A week later, after failed attempts of sleep and the constant nightmares I made my way back to the support group. Getting there earlier, I grabbed a paper cup and poured myself a water. I tapped my foot nervously, as the others made their way into the circle. They smiled and greeted one another, as I sat hiding behind my paper cup shield.

"You came back." The man who talked of his dated, smiled at me. "It's Bobby." He extended his hand, I took it and shook it gently smiling back at him.

"Willow. I thought I should at least try again." I whispered, as I watched the man who tried to help me last week enter the room. He wore a button down white shirt, the sleeve rolled up over his bulging biceps. He smiled, lifting his paper cup up to me. Seeing his smile made it worth coming back. The feeling of instant warmth and safeness washing over my body.

"Who would like to go first?" His voice husky, as he looked around the group sipping his water back. No one moved, and the sudden urge to speak overcame me, I lifted my hand from my lap. "Willow, go on. Take your time."

"Hi. I failed last time I came, and honestly I wish I didn't because it was a nice change to talk to other people instead of bottling up." I took a deep breath, and let it just flow out. "You asked me why I was relieved." I looked towards Bobby, who smiled softly. "I was scared, for a long time I felt like every step I took was on broken glass. One wrong move and I would end up dead." His eyes held my face, strong and soft at the same time, helping me open up. "My husband, Blake, was... well, yeah." I took a quick sip of my water to wet my drying throat.
"So when he vanished, I smiled." The group looked at me, eyebrows raised and pursed lips. All apart from him. "I know everyone lost loved ones, people. I did too, but I finally felt free."

"Well at least someone benefited from it." One of the group members remarked, some scoffed and huffed obviously annoyed with my revelation. I felt my throat tighten again, Blakes voice ringing through my head. 'Always fucking things up, you useless piece of shit.' I felt my eyes well up, the blinked back the tears wiping them onto my sleeve.

"Hey guys, stop. Willow, the nightmares? How often do they happen?" I bit my lips, shrugging my shoulders. "Willow, how about we go for a walk?" He stood up, the others looked at him half disappointed and half grateful. I nodded without looking up, holding my arms around my waist as I walked out with the man. The hallway was quiet as we left the building, only the light sounds of birds chirping in the trees as the breeze rustled the dry leaves.

"I did it again, I'm sorry." I sniffed, my nose heavy and my tears slowly stopping. "I don't even know you're name, and you've helped me twice now." I lightly laughed, holding my body tightly as we walked side by side.

"Steve, and you don't have to be sorry." He smiled, his hands lightly swaying as he walked. "You opened up a lot in there, and it's a hard thing to do. I'm pretty impressed of how you did for your second try." Steve looked down at me, as we stopped at a park bench. "You wanna sit, just take a break for a minute?" Nodding, he waited until I sat on the wooden park bench. His body radiating his warmth over to me, the inches of the space between us felt like nothing.

"So Steve, you're really good at this. What were you before all this happened? Counsellor? Motivational speaker?" I laughed for the first time, well with another human being. I looked over to him, this must have been a true smile because it lit up his whole face. His eyes sparkled, and he bared his pearly whites even his cheeks went a light rosy red.

"Something like that." He modestly replied, stretching out his long muscular legs. His chest puffed, the buttons looking as if they would succumb to the pressure of this muscles. "Are you from around here?" He looked across at me, his lashes longer than I expected.

"Yes, Brooklyn girl, born and raised. Honestly, I couldn't think of a more perfect place to live." I smiled, looking over the park. My home, it would never change. "What about you?" I looked back, his eyes reverting back to the park in front of us.

"I'm just your regular guy from Brooklyn." He smiled, proud of where he was from, as he should be. "It's never changes, it is the perfect place. Everything falls into place here." I felt my heart flutter, an unfamiliar feeling to me. "Willow, I really hope you come back to the group." I bit my lip softly, this magnificent man sat next to me, wouldn't even bat an eye if he saw me walk past in the street, yet he made me feel like I was the only person in the world that mattered.

"I'll definitely think about it, Steve." We sat there for what felt like an eternity, as the sun began to set over the city and the light shined from the buildings up the night sky. We said our goodbyes, and walked our seperate ways. I let my arms hang free at my sides, feeling as though I was as free as a bird.

~

That was the first night I slept without trouble. Instead of running, I was sitting on that wooden park bench. A figure sat next to me, I felt it's warmth and the sound of crashing waves. Breaking free from my nightmares, this beautiful dream of watching the sunset over my home with this person that made me feel like nothing could ever break me again. I awoke to the sun beaming into the curtains, feeling refreshed and happy.

I took my time this morning, instead of rushing I lounge the day away until my work shift. The day felt good, I walked my usual route to work. School children laughing with their friends as they left school, like life was going back to normal. As I entered my work, I smiled and greeted the usuals standing waiting for the bar to open. I stood behind the bar, and wrapped my apron around my waist. Tonight was going to be good, as the door opened and the little crowd rolled in.

"The usual Stan?" Before he even nodded I poured in the dark whiskey, his old smile bright. "How is my favourite customer this evening?" I grinned, pushing his glass towards him. The ice hitting the sides of the glass, as he brought it to his lips.

"Oh sweet Willow, it's just beautiful. I haven't seen you smile like that in years." I shook my head, knowing that it was true. I hadn't smiled like this since before I met Blake. The thought of him diminished the smile from my eyes. "Oh sweetie, don't think about him. He was, is a rotten scoundrel. Never deserved you, not ever." I smiled, as I cleaned a glass knowing Stan was right, he never did deserve me.

"You're right, Stan." I turned towards the shelves placing the clean glasses in their row, flicking the rag over my should as I turned. Stan was now accompanied by a rugged man, his tight black shirt showing his god-like body and his Pacific Ocean blue eyes danced as he locked them on me. "Steve?" I piped, my face burning with embarrassment.

"Willow, I didn't know you worked here." His smiled overtook his whole face, Stan smirked next to him. Giving me suggestive eyes, I lightly smiled grabbing the whiskey to fill his drink.

"Oh our Willow here owns the bar, she makes one hell of a drink." Stan drinks, his smiled showing his gold fillings behind the glass. Steve looked back to me impressed, as he looked around the bar. The photos of the patrons lined the back of the wall, the stocked bar, clean and inviting.

"It's very, you." Steve added, as he sat in front of me in my bar. His smirk mesmerising, how could he make me feel so comfortable so quickly. "I might have to come here more often." He pondered looking at me, like he wanted my opinion.

"I hope so." I continued, pouring him a whiskey.