Runaway Love

Our ride was quiet, but not uncomfortably so. I watched out my window at the trees blurring by, as it occurred to me that so much had happened over the last few days. I bit back tears as it hit me that I had left my home, best friend, and family behind. Josh had kept me isolated from most of them, but I still talked to them quite a bit. I left and never gave them my phone number or a heads up I was leaving. I was worried what they would think. Would they think I left them, or worry that something worse had happened to me?

"Josie, are you ok?" I heard from beside me. I realized then that I had sniffled a few times and he had heard.

"Fine." I replied, wiping my eyes and clearing my throat. I sat more straight in my seat and looked out the windshield instead.

"In my experience when a woman says 'fine', it's usually the opposite." He said with a smile. I felt a small smile on my lips at his attempt to pull me from my tears.

"You are right, but really I don't want to talk about it." I said, I wasn't comfortable sharing my feelings with someone who I barely knew, and already knew far more about me than they should.

"Does it impact your safety?" he asked glancing at me before turning his eyes back to the road.

"No." I felt the truck slow as he pulled over. Panic seized me, I knew that I wouldn't be able to hold it together if he pushed and made me talk. "I really don't want to talk about it. Talking leads to tears, and we are heading out to be in public, and the last thing I want to do is be in public with red puffy eyes on top of my bruised complexion." I rambled as I turned back to the window.

"Josie, if you are upset, or have concerns we should talk. I'm here for you just as much as Oliver is." He said, turning toward me in his seat. "Spill it, now." he said as his voice deepened and became more commanding. It gave me goosebumps, but the good kind of goosebumps.

"I just realized that I up and left everything. My family has no idea what happened, or where I went. I'm worried that they will worry I left THEM, not Josh. Or worse that they will worry that something really bad happened to me, like worse than being a punching bag for my husband. I left my phone so he couldn't track me, so they have no way of reaching out to them. Who knows what Josh is telling everyone, and they have no way to verify what he's saying is true or not. I don't even know if I can call them, without putting them in danger. I've been such a bad daughter and friend these past few years, so who know if they are even missing me." I snapped my mouth shut as I realized just how much I had said. I shrunk back in my seat and looked out the window, tears falling down my face, sniffling.

"Oh, darling." Sean responded as he lifted the middle console of the seat. He unbuckled both of us and slid me to him. I felt him lift me and set me on his lap, with my back against his door and me legs over his into the passenger seat. The close contact made me loose it and I started to sob. He just held me close, and comforted me.

"Those are all valid concerns and fears. I'm sorry you are going through all this. There have been a lot of changes and pain you've endured the last few days-physically and mentally. Just know that Oliver and I are here for you no matter what. Nothing that your feeling is unexpected in a situation like this. As for contacting your family, we have a phone you can use that can't be traced. I wouldn't tell them where you are, but you can let them know you are safe and away from the danger." He said as he rubbed my back. I had stopped sobbing, and was just leaning into his chest. My ears perked at the knowledge I could call my mom and Gina.

"Really I can call?" I asked, excited. He smiled and nodded. "Can I call today?" I asked sitting up so fast I hit me head on the window. I winced and grabbed my already sore head.

"Only you're more careful and I don't have to take you back to Oliver more injured than when we left." He joked as he moved me back to my seat. I was so excited, the time nearly flew as we finished driving to town and I got a few more outfits and some essentials.

On the way home we stopped at his office, and I called home.

"Hello?" I heard my dad answer.

"Dad, it's me, Josie." I said into the receiver. Sean had left the room so I could have some privacy, after a firm reminder to not tell where I was.

"Oh, thank goodness. We've been so worried! Martha, it's Josie!" my dad yelled into the background I heard some rustling and then my mom came on the line.

"Josie? Are you ok, where are you? Josh said that you had a breakdown and just disappeared." She babbled into the phone.

"I'm fine, I can't tell you where I am. I didn't have a breakdown. I left Josh, and he can't know where I am. For my safety and yours I can't tell you where I am. But I'm safe, and I'm with people who can help me. I'm going to divorce Josh, but I had to leave quickly for my safety." I explained. "I can't really say much more right now, but I wanted to let you know that I'm safe and ok." I said, tears streaming down my face. "I have to go, but I love you."

"We love you, too, honey." they both responded back at the same time. We said our good-byes and hung up. I leaned back in Sean's office chair and covered my face.

"Sugar, are you ok?" Oliver asked as he closed the door behind him. "Sean said you were calling your parents."

"I'm fine, relieved, and sad, but ok. There's just so much we don't know right now, and it's a little scary. I don't know when I'll be able to go back, if I'll be able to go, or if they will get to see me as I grow bigger with my baby." I said as I wiped away tears.

"We'll work it out. We can't make decisions until we see what Josh does, and how we have to handle everything more. We have secure phone lines and internet, so you can talk to them more often, and update them with your pregnancy." He said as he pulled me into his lap. He just sat and held me for a while as I calmed back down. "Want to go home?" he asked as I pulled away from him. I nodded, and we walked to his car. Someone had already put my things in it from Sean's truck.

We headed back to his house and just had a quiet afternoon and evening watching movies on the couch together. It wasn't until I was bed that I realized that Sean and I had such an intimate moment in his truck. The odd thing was I didn't feel bad or guilty, and it didn't feel wrong. In fact, it felt right, like I belonged there. Before I could think too much more on the subject, my busy day caught up to me and I was pulled into a peaceful sleep.