Page 5 of Lost in Her
“Ethan will take good care of you.I know you are scared, but you are safe here, and you are safe with him.If you need me, no matter what time it is, you have my number.Call or text me, okay?”Emory says.I know she wants to stay here and help, but her kids need her.
“Thank you, Em,” Jennifer says softly in a shaky and uncertain voice.
“You’re very welcome, Jenn,” Em states with a small smile.
Emory turns her head and looks at the parking lot as Shawn is pulling in, stopping a few feet away from the security building.
“I will come by and see you tomorrow,” Em assures Jennifer.
I look from Em to Jennifer.I watch her look at me, then back at Em.She slowly nods and gives Em a small smile.
Em nods and quickly turns around and makes her way over to Shawn.She opens the door and slides in, closing the door.Shawn wastes no time stepping on the gas and heading back out of the parking lot.
I know he was worried about Em.We are all always worried about her.She will do anything for her clients, even if that means staying here until 3:00 AM to make sure they are okay.
I take a deep breath as I stand still.Jennifer is standing still in front of me, her arms wrapped tightly around herself.
I slowly turn and make my way over to the table, grabbing my jacket that I left here yesterday.I turn around and make my way back to my spot.I gently reach out my arm with my jacket.
Jennifer stares at the jacket for a moment and then releases her hold on herself.She reaches out and grabs the jacket.I feel her cold fingers brush against my skin as she takes the jacket from my hand.
The touch of her skin on mine makes my heart stop for a moment.
Jennifer looks up at me as she quickly puts on the jacket, once again wrapping her arms around herself.
“Let me show you around.”
She nods and takes several steps back, ensuring that there will be plenty of space between her and me when I step out of the doorway.
I calmly walk through the doorway and stop a few feet away from her.
“What would you like to see first?”
“I would like to go to the apartment, please.I am tired.”
“Yes, of course.I can show you the rest of the grounds tomorrow if you would like me to.”
She doesn’t respond as I slowly make my way over to the gate and begin putting in my code.I can feel Jennifer behind me.She is close enough that I can feel her without touching her.
I take a deep breath and watch the metal gates open wide.I slightly turn and look at her.Her eyes are on me.“This way,” I state as I turn back around and start to make my way toward her new apartment.The apartment complex we have created has two levels.The top level apartments are for those that want more space from the others.We place new people in the bottom apartments in case they need us.She is on the button floor in one of the newest apartments.It was just finished a few months ago.Apartment 615.
As I make my way to her apartment, I can hear her behind me.“Emory gave you your code, right?”I ask softly.
“Yes,” she states with confidence in her voice.The first time I’ve heard confidence from her.
“That will open the gate and your apartment along with the other buildings,” I tell her, looking around at the apartments.Everyone is asleep by now, safe and sound.
“No, keys?”she asks in a surprised voice.
When we started making these apartments, Shawn, Emory, and I talked about the safest way of letting people in and out.Keys are too easy to make copies of, so Shawn thought of the idea of codes, and so far, it has been working.
“Nope.We thought it would be safer with codes.The only people that have all the codes are Shawn, Emory, and me,” I reply, trying to reassure her that her code is safe—safe with me.
“Okay,” she says softly once again.I can hear the confidence leave her, replaced with fear and sadness.
I stop in front of her apartment and put in the code.I open the door and step inside, turning on the living room light.
I turn around and look at Jennifer.She is standing right outside the door, looking into the apartment.Her eyes stop on me.She is fucking terrified.
