Thirteen
1687 Words
Jerome ran a hot towel on Twinkle's wounded wrists while she sat in her bathtub filled with hot water that couldn't burn her skin. He gingerly pressed the slits on her wrist and kept a worried look on her face. She had stopped crying an hour ago and had not said a word since then. His blue eyes traced her wet locks, her pouted lips and red face then down to the soaked big shirt she wore that made the lines of her breast and stomach visible.
"My husband is the cause of all these," she said softly, making Jerome confused. "James and I haven't been married for two years before he started cheating on me and keeping late nights. Imagine loving someone so much and finding out how inconsiderate he was towards me. When he came home drunk, he would verbally abuse me and it caused me emotional distress. I committed suicide for the first time and he saw me but did nothing but sleep. I bled and passed out. I woke up to him pouring me ice water. Since then, I always fall back to this because he demanded for divorce one day and when I couldn't give him, he hit me."
Jerome dropped the wet towel into the tub as flashes of what he did to Ciara crossed his mind, making him nervous and shocked. He sat down on the edge of the tub and breathed slowly, calming his breath.
"I'm sorry about that," he said. "I understand how you feel and I'm sure you already know about my past life."
"Not really, I only heard the news of Fiona, Mason, Ciara and you. The basic details," she replied and he nodded.
"Promise that you wouldn't judge me?"
Twinkle nodded and he began to narrate everything from last year to her. After an hour, Twinkle got out of the tub, sat on the edge with him and hugged him tightly, Jerome began to cry softly.
"It's okay, Jerome. No one is perfect and we grow stronger from our mistakes when we see how bad it was. You've been given another chance at making your life better," she pulled away and wiped his cheeks with her wet hands.
Jerome stared deeply into her eyes then glanced down at her lips before raising his hand to caress her soft cheek. He nodded and stood up then held her by her upper arm and led her into her room.
"You need to change into something dry and warm," he said and carefully placed her on her bed then walked over to her walk-in closet, took out a black sweat-suit then walked back into the room and handed her the clothes. "Wear these while I go get some hot tea for you."
Jerome left the room and went downstairs to the kitchen. He rushed to the sink and leaned on it then breathed out as his mind went back to the way Twinkle had hugged him and touched his face. He ran his fingers through his hair and exhaled.
"Calm down, Jerome," he whispered and moved over to the cooker.
•••
Mason walked into his company building, nodded slightly to the greetings of people that worked for him then used the elevator to his floor. When he got there, he ignored Elizabeth and noticed that Twinkle wasn't a her spot. He frowned.
"Where's Twinkle?" He asked and Elizabeth shrugged. "What do you mean by that? I hired a personal assistant for a reason and she isn't here? Who does she think she is to-"
"You can lower your voice now," Jerome stated.
Elizabeth and Mason looked over at the elevator where Jerome stood with Twinkle beside him and her hand in his. Mason stared at his PA who looked pale then glared at Jerome who had a blank expression on his face.
"What are you doing here?"
"Let just say I'm here to drop of a friend, that's all you need to know," Jerome replied and walked Twinkle to her table she shared with Elizabeth who was dumbfounded.
"Are you sure you can work today?" Jerome asked her softly and she nodded. "Okay, just call me if you need me, hm? I'll be here on time for you."
He stood straight and walked over to Mason who had been taking in the scene angrily. He looked him up and down for the effect of the fake anger he had towards them then at Elizabeth and back at Mason. He scoffed and brushed past him.
Mason grimaced and looked back at Twinkle who was nervously playing with her fingers.
"Why are you late?"
Twinkle swallowed. "I-"
"You'll be fired the next time such rubbish happens, understood?" He asked harshly and watched her nod before he walked into his office.
•••
"Are you serious?" Ciara asked in disbelief as Elizabeth narrated everything that happened at the office to her during lunch break. "Where is Twinkle now?"
"I don't know but I heard someone say that she left with Mason's permission for something. Well, Twinkle isn't around, so I suppose that's the truth," Elizabeth replied and took bite of of the fry she held.
Ciara frowned as she thought of the sudden friendship between Mason's PA and Jerome. She was on one hand happy that Jerome finally had a female in his life other than the close relationship he had with Nora but on the other hand, she felt something was off with the sudden friendship.
"Are you okay?" Elizabeth asked and she nodded. "Anyways, how's Lex doing?"
"Alex's fine, I'm happy that he's mood from all of these negative things has been lifted up. I was even thinking that Lex and I go on a vacation together. Just the two of us," Ciara said.
"Are you sure it's safe to plan a trip with all these happening?" Elizabeth asked with worry all over her face. "And I don't think Mason would like his family going away until we are sure of what's happening."
Ciara smiled. "It's fine, Liz. Nothing's going to happen. Lex and I will just stay in one of Mason's condo. It has top security and it's serene, so don't worry and please don't let him know. I just want to meditate a bit and talking him into this will make me more stressed."
Elizabeth shrugged. "Okay."
•••
Jerome read through the documents in his grasp as he sat in his office. His hair toselled and face in a frown. He dropped the papers and rubbed his face then stared into space as he began to think of Twinkle. He was still bothered about the fact that he felt worried for her.
"She's literally a stranger to me but I feel like I've known her for a long time. Could it be because of her past? That I understand the pain she's been through? Obviously," he said to himself and relaxed on his executive chair. "But you need to keep your feelings in check. The last thing I want is falling for another person when I have someone that I-"
His office door opened and his secretary peeped into the room. She smiled at him and walked in.
"Yes?"
"Some lady named Twinkle is outside," she stated and he nodded.
"Let her in, please," he replied and arranged his desk then swept back his hair while the woman left and escorted a nervous Twinkle in.
Jerome parted his lips as he took in her tired form. He stood up, waved his secretary away and walked up to Twinkle who had her head bowed. The blonde, placed his hand on her shoulder and used the other to raise her face up by her chin.
"What is it?" He asked and she swallowed hard. "Shouldn't you be at work?"
Twinkle nodded. "Yes, but I took permission from my boss."
Jerome frowned. "Uh, why? Are you feeling okay?" He looked her up and down in worry, then at her covered wrists.
"I didn't cut though but my husband, sorry, ex husband called me and said he wanted to see me. I-I don't know what to do," she whispered in a cracked voice then Jerome pulled her into his muscular body.
"Ssh, it's okay. I'm here for you," he stated in a low tone while rubbing the back of her head and rubbing circles with his other hand on her waist. "What did he say?"
"He wants me to hang out with him," she began to cry. "But with his new wife. Jerome, I don't know how to feel about that. Why does he want to hurt me so bad?"
Jerome felt anger course through his body as he clenched his fists and gritted his teeth. Even though he didn't fully know who her ex husband was, he felt like beating him up. He sighed and held her tighter.
"And I said yes, I said it out of impulse because I didn't want to sound like he was still hurting me and all that. I think I made a mistake and," she pulled away and wiped her cheeks. "I'm sorry for bothering you. I just wanted to talk to someone but I'll leave now."
Jerome watched as the woman turned to leave. He rolled his eyes, grabbed her upper arm and turned her around to face him properly.
"What if we do this," he started. "You still show up but with me. You tell your husband that you've equally moved on. That way, he'll know that you're not the girl he left, hm?"
He watched as different thoughts crossed through her eyes before she looked up at him in hope then cracked a wry smile.
"I can't believe I'm making you carry my baggage but thank you so much," she whispered and hugged his taller frame.
Jerome chuckled. "It's nothing, I'm just helping. When's the date?"
Twinkle pulled away and cleared her throat then smiled.
"I'll fix the place and let you know later tonight but I think I'll head back to work now. Thanks for reassuring me, Jerome. Nora is lucky to have you as a best friend," she said and saw something flash within his eyes for a split second before he nodded.
"It's nothing, you should go now before Mason sues me," he joked and she giggled before leaving the office.
Jerome sighed. "Tsk."
What would you call a Jerome and Twinkle ship?
JeWinkle?
- Writer
