Play Nice

Concern Grows From Ross

Ross and Lucy had become great friends. Through his friendship with her, he noticed a few small things. There was a behavior forming. There was a theory brewing. She would jump if he raised his hand suddenly. Mean words were accepted and expected, but nice ones were not expected, and often perceived as lies. She was eerily used to people being rude or harsh to her. She was forgiving to everyone. She refused to cry. She couldn't believe that anyone would want to show her off to their friends. Worst of all, the absolute worst of it all, was a craving of physical confirmation. She craved hugs, and would apologize when she took one from Ross, as if it was a burden to him.

She had outright confessed earlier that she was in an unfavorable relationship. "I know he's cheating on me," she said calmly, "I've even met the woman in the hallway of the apartments."

"Why stay with him?" Ross asked, munching on the coffee shop's coffee cakes. He had gotten one for Lucy as well.

"I'm not an idiot, Ross." She took a long sip and said something completely idiotic. "I know I have nowhere to go."

His face distorted with his disbelief.

She continued. "I told him I knew he was cheating on me, too. He told me I was crazy," she said. "I may be crazy, but I know damn well when my fiance is sleeping with another woman." She sipped her bitter coffee.

"Lucy," he pleaded her name.

"I may be crazy," she said suddenly, "but I'm not insane!" She was desperate to justify herself to Ross.

Ross couldn't think of the right words to say. He only just learned that if he spoke too loudly with her, especially when alone, she would freeze. He couldn't think of the right words. The scooched closer to her, their legs touching. His arm rested behind her on the top of the booth seats. He welcomed her to seek cover in his side.

She swung her legs on top of his one leg. Her head fell onto his chest. Her coffee was sat down on the table, and she plucked his arm off of the chair to further wrap around her. She hugged him into her. "How did everything become like this?" she asked.

Ross began rubbing circles on her shoulder. "You should leave him," he said.

She nodded. "I would love to," she said. She nodded again, "I would love to if I had anywhere to go, but I don't."

Ross could think of a million other places she could go besides staying with her fiance. He frowned, his stomach smoothing a bowling ball as it rolled about. He wanted nothing more than to free her from where she was at this moment. He tried to speak, but his mouth dried.

He couldn't help her, It was the worst.

He talked to his friends about it, keeping her name anonymous and her condition vague. "What do I say to help her?" he asked Suzy as he rested his head on her shoulder. They had turned to a therapy type talk on the couch. Arin slowly pacing the floor before Ross and Suzy, who sat on the couch. At some time, in a classic mother move, Ross kept his hands in his lap as Suzy held his head to her shoulder, petting his head, rubbing his back.

"You just have to be there for her," Suzy said wisely. "You can't force her to rely on you, but you can easily show yourself to be a sturdy shoulder to lie on."

Arin continued to pace. His hands seemed to search for answers in his beard. They came empty handed. Suzy's words seemed so suffice, but in reality, her answers were just as confused and lost as his would be.

Nobody knew what to do.