Summer in France || 𝖩𝖤𝖭𝖫𝖨𝖲𝖠 ✔︎

five

It was pitch-dark when Jennie bent over her steering wheel, struggling to see the bends as she drove back home after a long day of sightseeing. Early afternoon, she'd driven to Grasse, where she'd walked for hours, visiting the perfume museums and the historic city center.

After that, she'd treated herself to a three-course meal in a family-run fine dining restaurant. Feeling accomplished, and strangely independent, she was on her way home with a boot full of souvenirs, all windows wide open and the radio on. The only thing missing, was light. The lack of street lights in the valley hadn't bothered her before but now, she was wondering if she'd ever be able to find her way home. She drove slowly, checking each bend and corner. She saw the gate to the Major's house and thanked her lucky stars for the sign that she was still on the right road.

Almost home now. She stepped on the gas, suddenly more confident, when the car drove over something, bounced up, and came to an abrupt halt. She instinctively checked her nose and her forehead, both having been smashed into the steering wheel on impact. She wasn't bleeding, and apart from a throbbing pain between her eyebrows, she was pretty sure she was alright. What was that? Her heart raced as she tried to catch her breath, opening the door with a trembling hand. I didn't hit anyone, did I? It took a while for her eyes to adjust to the dark, but she realized what had happened soon enough as she stepped into a flower bed. Jennie sighed in relief. She was on a roundabout.

The back wheels of the car were off the ground, still spinning. Using her phone as a torch, she stepped down and walked around the car to inspect the damage. The car seemed fine, apart from the fact that the back had been lifted off the ground. She took a stance behind it and tried to push it up onto the roundabout, so she'd be able to drive it off, but it was too heavy. Out of breath, she sat down on the stoop, hoping for another car to pass. Ten minutes passed, then twenty. Damn it. If only I could get some help... When she tried to call the roadside assistance number on her keychain, she got an answering machine with menu options in French. After listening to it five times, and trying every available option without success, she gave up. Looking down at her phone, she sighed as she dialed Lisa's number again.

"What happened here?" Lisa laughed as she stepped out of her car.

Jennie shrugged. "Honestly, I have no idea how I got up there. It was so dark and I..." She shook her head. "I'm sorry for calling you this late. I feel incredibly stupid and I hate it that you have to see me this way. I've never needed help, not from anyone. And now I'm calling you for the second time this week."

"Hey, it's not a crime to need help from time to time." Lisa held up a hand. "We all do, sometimes."

Jennie grimaced. "I know. But I feel incapable and silly, and it's so frustrating."

"You're not incapable." Lisa closed the distance between them and took her into a tight embrace. "Come here."

Jennie sank into Lisa's arms and closed her eyes. It was an instant comfort that seemed to mellow her mood within seconds. It wasn't like her, allowing someone she barely knew to take care of her. In fact, apart from her parents, people rarely attempted to hug her. It felt so good.

"It's only a roundabout," Lisa continued. "And you're okay. That's the most important thing, right?"

Jennie bit her lip, looking at the crushed flowerbed. "Was that one of your creations?" she asked, assessing the damage.

"Yep." Lisa chuckled. But they'll grow back. They always do. She let go of Jennie and bent down to look underneath the car, before inspecting the back. "Shall we try and lift it together?"

Jennie took a stance next to her behind the car and rolled her shoulders, still sore from her previous attempts. "Sure. Let's do this." She watched Lisa roll up the sleeves of her shirt and marveled over her muscular biceps. It wasn't the first time she'd noticed Lisa's arms.