Eternity

Chapter Twelve ~ Aunt Sarah, It's Time

"So you're her aunt?" I raise my eyebrows at her proclamation. She nods her head and snuggles into the rug-blanket on her couch. She kind of reminds me of a lost puppy waiting for a loving, caring home. A puppy who has been through hell and might just go through more— because some people bring abandoned animals to shelters that might lead to something worse.

    "Yes, I am her aunt. I was—" she falters, widening her eyes and clenching her jaw before continuing, "I was the sister of her mother."

    My eyes widen as I take in who this woman might mean to Jean. I shouldn't do this. I should let Jeanna talk to me herself. I chew on my lip, but I don't stop her from speaking.

    "Baby Josie... She lost her mother very young— she's what, eighteen now?"

    I shake my head and mutter, "No, her birthday is in October, four months from now."

    She wipes under nose again before she continues. "Josephine lost her mother at fourteen." The woman sniffles, "Her mother was only thirty-nine. But... She never seemed the help she needed. She tried, she really did, but her and Henry had two kids and low-paying jobs; They didn't have enough money to pay for her therapy. And JJ, Baby Josie's mother, she had this fear of medication after what happened to her Best Friend in college, so she struggled to take them.

    "Well... When JJ—"

    I finally blurt out "—Wait." Josie— Jeanna's— aunt pauses. "I'm sorry. I just— I don't know if I should wait for Jeanna to tell me herself. It's her past..."

    The aunt nods her head in understanding and pokes her hand out of the blanket to reach for a mug. She picks it up from the table next to the old couch and takes a long sip of it. I glance at Jeanna, at her head resting on my lap, and wonder about how strong her mother was to go through that for that long, withstanding all of that pain, and how strong Jeanna is to pull through her mother's choice to end it— which is what I've gathered happened.

    I look apologetically at her aunt before caressing Jeanna's cheek and then placing my hand on her shoulder. "Jean, can you wake up?" I brush my thumb over her cheekbone as I whisper her name again.

    She slowly startles awake, her hands lifting to clench around my upper arms. Her eyes are wide open, and her breathing quickens.

    "Shhh, Jeanna it's me, Wayland. I'm here, it's okay. Breathe," I pull back from her to give her space, and she pushes herself up onto her elbows. She maneuvers so she's up and sitting on her legs facing me, and I lick my lips in anticipation as I wait for her response to all of this.

    She cries out in frustration as she shoves her face into her hands.

    "No, no, Jeanna, it's okay." I move towards her to envelope her in my arms, even though I have a feeling she might push me away. However, I'm wrong, and she wraps her arms around me tightly as she burrows her face into my neck. I can feel the tears sliding down my skin, and a frown pulls on my lips at those fallen tears.

    "Jean, please talk to me. It'll feel better once you say everything going on in your head right now. But if you just want to cry, that's okay, too. I'll stay here as long as you need me to." After a minute, she reluctantly pulls away and gives me a small smile. I smile back, allowing my dimple to show, and bring my hand up to cup her cheek. I brush away the tears spilling down her cheeks, and bring my forehead to her own. Then, as I let go, she startles me. She slowly brings her lips to my cheek and pulls away with a small, but stronger smile.

    A short laugh escapes me, but then I'm brought back to reality. Jean turns and faces her aunt, and her face goes white. She leaps off of the couch and runs straight for the door. I immediately follow her and yell her name, "Please Jeanna, please wait."