Seeking a Refuge (25)

It had been just ten minutes and her head felt like a dangerous bomb ready to explode. Her brain was screaming at Stephanie to stop that toxic ride of pain, love and remorse which didn’t help anyone and anything at all. Steve’s and Chris’s faces were running through her mind like a split film she couldn’t nor wanted to make out. She got out of the room, her hair messy and her look showing depression. 1

The girl crept across the hall, hoping to be able to see something in spite of the deep darkness that surrounded the whole house. As she heard noises she interpreted as the other L&U K members going to bed, a hand lay on her shoulder unexpectedly. 2

“Hey,” Steve’s voice sounded like a calmness cascade into her startled youthful soul. 3

“Oh, Steve, you scared the hell out of me,” she pretended to be more relaxed, grabbing his hand. 4

“That was my intention,” the man tried to joke. 5

“Steve, wait...” Stephanie kept him from entering the bedroom. 6

“I need to talk to you... privately... and not via telepathy,” she stressed, looking down where she would have seen the simple floor in the hall if there had been any light at all. “I think I owe you an apology.”7

“No, you don’t,” Steve interrupted her, putting a hand on her breast. Stephanie touched his fingers: it was the farthest they had ever gone. 8

“Look... oh, wow, I can’t even appreciate you enough, anyone else would have broken up with me long ago.” 9

Stephanie groaned as tears made their way out of her tired eyes. She had been trying to hide them all along, but now the sound betrayed her. Steve put his right hand on his lover’s hair, whispering:10

“Don’t cry. You just made a new friend. You have this ONE friend except for us. And you're feeling guilty and crying for that. It’s ridiculous.” The girl’s heart warmed as Steve’s strong arms wrapped around her shivering body.11

“Stop thinking about him... until your next appointment,” Steve said softly as he was holding her tight next to him. 12

“Are you sure?”13

“Of course I am. Now let’s go to bed...”14

“Steve,” Stephanie mumbled, getting away slowly. “hmmm... would you like to meet Chris? I think it would make things fairer.”15

“No, it’s ok. Maybe if he ever comes to us when I’m home...” he answered kindly.16

The two of them went to bed silently. After all, perhaps that night wasn’t going to be as long as Stephanie had expected. 17