What Connects Us: Jessica and Jeremy

Fragment Four

Why didn't he tell me? What if he already left? When was he planning on telling me?... 

           The amounts of questions she'd been asking herself nearly ripped her mind, but she couldn't stop. With her heartbeats of both fatigue and fear drumming in ears, and her brown hair scattered over her face, she unlocked the door of the loft with haste. Without closing the door behind her, she looked around for him, or any indication of him being here. However, nothing was there. She could sense her heartbeats pace in her ears, but she could also hear some rumbling from the second floor.

             Jessica gasped in relief and ran to the stairs next to the kitchen, clambering up with her heels on. She made a sharp turn in the narrow hallway and opened the door of her bedroom. She stopped at once; there he was, packing his suitcase. 

            "You didn't bother to tell me, did you?"  she yelled, and he gaped at his infuriated wife in surpise.

             His eyes sank to the floor, and he dropped a blouse in the suitcase on the bed. He ran his hand through his hair and muttered incoherencies.   

             "You'd know sooner or later, Jessica, what difference does it make?" he reasoned, and his blue eyes ascended to hers. A cold shiver ran between her shoulder blades. She didn't want to see those blue eyes of his brimmed with remorse, yet she did. 

            "What difference does it make?" Jessica repeated after him with a tremulous tone, almost spitting the words out in disbelief.

            "Jeremy, I am sick of you just leaving without telling me, I rarely get to see you, let alone talk to you!" She took a deep breath before continuing, saying her words softly this time, "I-I just don't want you to leave."

            She sat on the bed and wiped her right eye discreetly. Jeremy followed and sat next to her, he grabbed her hands and turned sideways to see her beautiful, yet mournful eyes. He wiped his thumb across the trail of her tear, and tucked a strand of brown hair, curtaining a shadow of her face behind her ear. He lifted her chin for her to see him, but her impenetrable eyes gave almost nothing away.

            "I promise you I won't take long-"

           "But it's six months." Jessica reminded him.

           "I know it's six months, but I promise they'll go by quickly. I'll talk to you everyday and every night, even if I have to wake up at three in the morning I'll do it. I'm sorry I haven't been around a lot, but I want you to have a better life."

           "I don't want a better life, Jeremy. I just want you to stay, please," she begged, twining her soft fingers around his own. 

             "As soon as I'm back, Jessica. I promise." He kissed her forehead and stood up. She looked at the creases beside her, reminding herself she wouldn't be seeing them anymore in the morning. Wiping her eyes sternly, she regained her reserved stance and took the neatly folded clothes from Jeremy's hands, "I'll do them."

            He smiled helplessly at her while she packed his suitcase for his six-month leave. He noticed her tremulous hands as they folded and placed, and folded again.

            "Jessica?" he asked, alarmed by her unusual haste and impassiveness. He placed a hand on her shoulder.

            "Jessica?" he asked again. The young woman fell in his arms, and he consoled her with a rueful embrace. He ran his hand through her hair, and another against the small of her back. He pulled her  him closer to him upon knowing he wouldn't embrace her nor even see her for a long six months. She buried her face against his shoulder, and spilled her helpless arms around his neck.

         "Please don't go, Jeremy. Please."