Perfect Strangers

- 6 -

"Surprise," Lauren said.

Joey looked blankly at her; she'd parked in an unassuming mall parking lot.

"Come on," she smiled, climbing out of the car.

She led him into the department store, navigating to where she knew the Christmas display would be, and sighing contentedly when she saw it.

Joey looked from the display to her, a fond smile on his face.

"Me and Julia would always come here when we did our Christmas shopping," she told him. "But we didn't get a chance this year."

"So you brought me," he said.

She reached out to squeeze his hand. "So I brought you."

She took a few steps forward to look at the display, Joey staying right by her side.

"Look, those reindeer are my favourite. And I love that snowman, but that's new. And-"

She stopped short when he leaned down and kissed her cheek. She looked up at him curiously, resisting the impulse to press her fingertips to where his lips had just touched.

"What was that for?" she asked in a whisper.

He looked up, and she followed his gaze.

"Mistletoe," he said.

She giggled, relaxing. "That's not even fucking mistletoe, dummy."

"Yes it is," he insisted.

"Those berries are red."

"It's a... new species of mistletoe."

She rolled her eyes, tugging on his hand. "Come on, we should get back now."

"Thank you for bringing me here," he said.

"Thank you for letting me," she smiled.

When they got back to her apartment Joey helped her carry the bags in, and she was about to shut the front door behind them when she remembered she left her bag in the car.

"I'll be right back, I gotta get my bag," she told him.

"Do you want me to walk back with you?"

She shook her head. "I'll be fine." And she stepped out the door again and hurried down the path.

That was her mistake.

She'd been making sure Joey was careful all morning, but all it took was a lapse of her own concentration and she was gone, one foot sliding out from under her before she fell down on the other one, it crumpling beneath her.

The surprise and the cold of the ice she was now lying on numbed her for a second, but then she felt the pain. She looked down at her ankle, trying to gauge if it was swollen, and the best she could hope for was that it was badly sprained. There was no way she was standing on it.

She pulled her phone, thankfully unscathed, out of her pocket. With shaking fingers, she typed one word - help - and sent it to Joey, closing her eyes as she prayed he'd see it and understand.

It felt like forever, but she heard his footsteps and heavy breathing and when she opened her eyes slowly he wasn't wearing even wearing his jacket so she knew he'd come as fast as he could.

He looked relieved when she opened her eyes, and he immediately knelt down beside her, cradling her head in his lap.

"Where are you hurt, Lauren?" he asked anxiously.

"Ankle," she winced. He looked down at it and the blood drained from his face.

"Do you think you can walk?" he asked, looking unsurprised when she shook her head no.