The Maureen Persona

Chapter 6

Chapter 6

Jonathon was sleeping on Megan's couch when a bone-curtailing scream awoke him. Fearing the worst he dashed into Megan's bedroom and found her curled up in a fetal position with the covers held tightly around her trembling frame.

“Megan?” Jonathon carefully approached her. He didn’t know what was going on but it was clear that Megan was in distress.

"I can't get it out of my mind," Megan cried as she pulled the light blanket tighter causing the fibers to tear.

“What,” Jonathon sat on the edge of the bed and cautiously touched her back, only to have her arch away from him.

“All the memories,” Megan covered her face with her hands as she started to wail. “They just came flooding back.”

“What memories,” Jonathon urged.

"It happened ten years ago," Megan pulled the blanket over her head. "I went to a high school homecoming football game. I went to the restroom, and when I stepped out someone grabbed me from behind, and they..." Megan started shaking her head and the tears began to flow. "I can't relive it again," Megan cried as her tremors became more violent.

Jonathon was at a loss of what to do. He had no idea that anything like that had ever happened to Megan. A part of him got so angry and he wanted to make the person pay for what they had done to Megan, but now was not the time for that. He had to think of Megan and do what was best for her. With a careful hand, he touched her head.

“Does anyone else know?” Jonathon inquired.

“The only people I’ve ever told were Lenore and Amy,” Megan confessed.

“I’ll call Amy,” Jonathon stood.

“Don’t leave me by myself,” Megan pleaded.

"I'll stay right here," Jonathon sat back down and reached for Megan's phone on the bedside table. Pulling up Megan's contacts Jonathon called Amy and to his relief, she answered on the first ring.

"What's up, girl?" Amy's cheerful voice resonated from the phone.

“Amy,” Jonathon spoke in a serious tone. "Can you come over to Megan's place?" Jonathon turned to look at Megan who still had the blanket over her head.

“What’s wrong?” Jonathon recognized the concern in Amy’s voice.

“Just come over,” Jonathon bit his lower lip. “She needs a friend right now.”

“I’ll be right there,” Amy disconnected the call.

*

In less than fifteen minutes Jonathon heard an insistent knock on Megan’s door. He opened the door to a worried Amy who bombarded him with an onslaught of questions.

“Last night while you and Jackson were having the first couples dance Salvador cornered Megan.”

“And,” Amy urged him to continue.

“I don’t know exactly what he said but it triggered something,” Jonathon looked at Megan’s open bedroom door. “She said only you and Lenore knew about it.”

“Not again,” Amy’s hand flew to her mouth as she slumped and sat down on the sofa worry creasing her brow.

“As upset as she was I didn’t feel comfortable leaving her alone. I slept on the couch last night,” Jonathon shook his head.

“What happened?”

“When she woke up she was screaming and in tears,” Jonathon pinched the bridge of his nose. “I’ve never seen her like this.”

“Where’s Mr. Whiskers?” Amy asked in a serious tone.

“I put him in the bathroom,” Jonathon pointed to the closed door beside Megan’s bedroom. “I didn’t want him jumping bothering her in the middle of the night.”

"Mr. Whiskers isn’t just her cat,” Amy opened the bathroom door and immediately picked up the feline as he sauntered out of the bathroom. Plucking the cat from the floor Amy held him and looked him in the eyes. “It’s time for you to go to work. Megan needs you right now.” The cat meowed and nuzzled Amy’s cheek in understanding. Amy quietly placed Mr. Whiskers on the floor and watched as he made his way into Megan’s bedroom.

Jonathan watched in amazement as the cat jumped on the bed and nuzzled himself under the covers. As he wormed his way toward Megan's arms his loud purrs echoed in the small room bringing comfort to his mistress. Megan curled her arms around the feline and her shaking started to subside.

Amy then quietly closed the door. “She should be better in a few hours.”

“I thought Mr. Whiskers was just a pet,” Jonathon said sitting on the sofa.

“He is, and he isn’t,” Amy shrugged. “I take it Megan told you what happened?”

“Not exactly,” Jonathon tilted his head to the side. “But it didn’t take long to figure it out.”

“Well when Megan has an episode it’s hard for her to calm down,” Amy smiled. "Her therapist suggested getting an ESA, an emotional support animal. You have no idea how much Mr. Whiskers has helped Megan."

“How often does she have episodes?” Jonathon asked.

“Not often, it’s been almost three years since she had one,” Amy looked at the closed bedroom door. “Whatever it was that triggered her my advice,” Amy gave Jonathon a serious look. “Steer clear of Salvador Hunter.”

“Don’t worry,” Jonathon agreed. “I plan on calling his office before lunch and terminating the agreement.”

“Can you?” Amy asked. “What about the contract?”

“There was no formal contract, just a verbal agreement,” Jonathon smiled. “If Salvador tries to say otherwise he won’t find anything signed by Megan or Maureen for that matter, it will be a he said, she said situation, and that won't hold up in court if he takes it that far which I doubt especially of Penelope had anything to say about it.”

“She is the one that holds the purse strings,” Amy shook her head. “Penelope isn’t as clueless and naive as Salvador thinks she is.”

“Megan was going to keep the girls next weekend,” Amy looked at her phone as a text alert sounded. “But it might be best if she was out of town for a few days,” Amy suggested.

"She was planning on going to a friend's wedding in a few weeks," Jonathon thought out loud. "If she left a few weeks early I don't think it would raise any eyebrows."

“Are you going with her?” Amy asked.

“I wasn’t planning to,” Jonathon said as he looked longingly at Megan’s closed bedroom door. “But after last night, I’m thinking I should.”

"I think it would be best if you went with her," Amy stated matter-of-factly. "You are one of the few people that Megan trusts completely," Amy placed a comforting hand on Jonathon’s shoulder. “It’s pretty obvious how you feel about her,” Amy said with a smile. “How you’ve always felt about her.”

“I thought I hid it pretty well,” Jonathon’s cheeks turned crimson.

“You have,” Amy’s s gaze met his. “But only from Megan. Every time you look at her I can see the love you have for her.”

“I don’t think she’ll ever see me as anything but a friend,” Jonathon lowered his head. “I’ll forever be in the friend zone.”

“I wouldn’t be too sure about that,” Amy gripped his hand and gave it a slight squeeze. “Megan’s problem is trust, it has been for years. You are the only man she trusts completely, if she didn't there would have been no way she would have been able to have you in her apartment last night. You made her feel safe, which is saying a lot knowing her the way that I do.”

“She does keep most people at arm’s length,” Jonathon thought for a moment.

“Because of what she has been through you’ll have to be patient,” Amy informed him.

“I can do that,” Jonathon smiled. “Megan is worth the wait.”

“The best things in life always are.”