Food for the soul

There's no other way than forward ♥ (Part 3)

With the food in front of them, Cassandra felt a slight tug on her stomach. She unknowingly stared, drooling a bit at the feast in front of her. She was pulled back to reality when she heard that Dominic chuckled and warmly looking at her.

"Well someone is hungry." Dominic chirped.

"Yeah, I can see her slightly drooling." Jazmine joked staring at her.

"Th-that's so not true." Cassandra said, flushed from the slight teasing they gave her. Unconsciously she moved her hand to cover her mouth and the slight blushing she was beginning to have. She felt happy and distracted from the reality that was waiting her. For that she was thankful.

"Okay, enough teasing now. I should get back to work. You ladies take your time. No need to hurry. If you need anything, you just holler, okay?" Dominic said as he heard his name being called to attention for work. He gave them a wink and walked away.

"If any other girl saw him wink, he would have been naked immediately." Jazmine said staring at Dominic's back.

"True..." She agreed with her friend, slowly picking at the food that she knows that gives her comfort.

The first few minutes they ate in silence, Jazmine had given her the space she needed to collect her thoughts. The silence was also a form of urging, for her to speak up when she is ready. Jazmine knows that only by not rushing her to tell her what happened she would be able to completely open herself. That by patiently waiting she will be able to tell the story behind the tears she had shed.

"Jaz..." Cassandra softly called out after a few more minutes. Breaking the silence.

"Yeah" Jaz answered as softly looking at her.

"Last night, Sam..." She started to say, fighting back the pain of reliving the memory of last night. She told her friend what happened, as bravely as she could. A few times she choked on her own words, stopping every now and then to fight back the tears. Every time she stops, she would look at Jazmine to see her friends face. And every time Jazmine would just patiently stare at her, quietly urging her to take her time and continue when she is ready. Every now and then Jazmine would offer a tissue for her to wipe away the tears that have not been stopped.

As she finished her story, her reality had finally sunk in. That on the days to come, there is no more Sam to be around her, and with that thought, her hard work of trying to push back the tears had fell in an instant. In that moment, everything she fell last night came charging back in. The cold sweat, the difficulty in breathing, the pain in her chest and the non stop tears. She broke down crying in front of Jazmine. 

Her friend had not said anything. Not a word from the start of her talking down to her crying. Instead, she heard Jazmine's chair moved, and felt arms wrapped gently around her. She was pulled in a tight long hug. She felt herself shaking in the arms of her friend who had lend her an ear and support by letting all her feelings out. She was not judged, was not told what to do and was not abandoned. She gave herself to the feeling of safety and reassurance that no matter what happens, no matter what her decision, Jazmine will always support her.

They stayed like that for minutes, not caring if people are starting to look at them. Jazmine had shielded her with the hug from the prying and judgmental eyes of the crowd. She was protected the looming questions that have started to murmured from the crowd as to why a grown lady is crying like a child. She had not felt Jazmine's hug loosened, but instead tightened around her, encouraging her to let her pain out regardless of who sees or hear her.

She felt another set of arms wrapped around her and looked as to who it belonged too. It was Dominic's. Dominic had asked someone to take the burden of his work for him to be around her. He was as quiet as Jazmine too, and only offered his silent encouragement.