Denzel
"Are you sure you don't want me to go with you?" Janet packed up her and Eissa's stuff.
"It's fine, Denzy. I'll be fine going back to my apartment."
"But you don't have to. You can stay here." She sat one bag down and packed another one.
"I know, but I want to be in my own space. I miss it. I've been living in someone else's for too long."
"But how can I know you'll be safe?"
"Joey checks in on me all the time and I have excellent security systems."
"Okay, what if you order something and they hurt you when you open the door."
"People are not allowed to come up to the residents' doors without a security check."
"Okay, well what about..."
"Denzy, I'll be fine. Wissam and his girlfriend are in jail, my lawyer is working for my divorce which is almost finished, and my scars and bruises have healed. I feel better than ever. I want to be me again."
"I just want you to be safe."
"I will be. I promise." She kissed me. "I love how protective you are though." I held her waist.
"I guess I'm on guard, you know. Plus I'm so used to Eissa being around. I'll have to get used to not seeing him everyday."
"I know, and you can come over. It's not like I'm moving out of the country." She held my shoulders and laughed.
"You promise?"
"I promise. You're already coming to help me move my stuff. We'll hang out when we're done." She kissed me again. "Feel better?" I held her tighter.
"Much. You almost done?"'
"Two more bags, but can you take those down to Joey for me?" She moved from my arms and finished packing.
"Sure." I picked the bags up and took them outside. Joey was by the car, strapping Eissa in and putting some other things in. "Got more bags." He looked up.
"Cool. Bring them to the back." He opened the trunk and I put the bags in. He rearranged them so that they fit. "Is that it?"
"She has a couple more."
"Okay." He looked at me. "And calm down. She'll be fine."
"How'd you..."
"I can tell. You worry about her more than any of us, but she'll be fine."
"How do you know that?"
"Because I remember Janet before Wissam. She was different. Stronger, and not so....mmmm.....weary."
"Really?"
"Yeah. This Janet is too hurt right now. She'll be back to herself and this is the first step. Give her some time."
"I'm just...ugh...so worried about her. I don't want her to be alone. I just want to protect her."
"I get that, but you notice how everything you said is what you want? Everything was, "I want..", "I want..", "I want.." I thought for a second and he was right.
"Yeah.."
"Exactly, as much as we want certain things for her, we have to remember that those things may not be what she wants. She wants her life back and to be free. We want her to stay sheltered away. We can't force her into anything she doesn't want to do. It may be irritating and she's very stubborn, but she's strong.
Nothing will stop Janet from doing what she wants. She always gets what she wants." He smirked. "Just wait and see." I was confused.
