You Can Sit Beside Me When the World Comes Down.

”Hey, Del, there is a guy at the door for you. And oh my, he’s a looker,” Marissa said as she passed me, ruffling my hair affectionately with a grin. It was a Saturday afternoon; I was still in my pajamas, curled up on the couch with a book, and definitely not expecting anyone.

I gave Marissa’s back a confused look before pushing aside the blanket I had wrapped around me and headed out toward the front door. I almost groaned out loud when I saw Joseph’s lanky frame taking up the space in the doorway, trust him to barge into my afternoon when I was pajama clad.

“How did you get my address?” I asked him, self consciously pulling my Garfield robe closer to my body as he looked up at me with those deep blues, giving me a smile that made me melt – but I wasn’t going to let on that he had that affect over me.

“Hello to you too, Delainey, and Garfield? That’s cute,” Joe said with a wink, smirking at me as I scowled back at him.

“Seriously Joseph, where did you get my address?” I repeated, glaring at him slightly. I felt I had to be mad at him, not only had his surprise visit caught me looking undesirable, but, as clichéd as it sounded, he hadn’t called after our last date. Being reasonable, we weren’t exactly ‘together’ as per say, but after a few dates, hanging out from time to time and a promise to call, you would think that would mean something.

I don’t even know, I’m no expert on the male species, that’s for sure. I decided to turn my attention back to Joe, who was still grinning at me.

“Well...” He started off slowly. “I may or may not have followed your brother to work, held him up at knife point and promised him sexual favors in exchange for your address.”

“Joseph!” I shrieked, hitting his upper arm as he fell forward laughing loudly.

“I was kidding! I was kidding!” He replied, still chuckling under his breath, as a small smile formed on my face.

“Now seriously, how did you get my address?”

“Seduced your secretary at work for your file,” Joe said causally, shrugging nonchalantly.

I laughed at this theory, it was impossible; Yvonne was a seventy-year old secretary that was a borderline nun. “That’s funny. Now, honestly? The truth?”

“Eh... I wasn’t joking this time...” Joe said, ducking his head in mock embarrassment. I could only gape at him.

“And because of all the trouble it took for me to get here in order to invite you out for ice cream, I think the noble thing to do is to say yes,” Joe said confidently, smirking as I rolled my eyes with a grin and pushed the door open further so he could get inside the apartment.

“Ice cream? Really, Joe? Are you that unoriginal?” I said as I shut the door behind him and followed him into the living room.

“I might even let you get a double scoop...” Joe sung as I began to laugh, making a face at him.

“Whoa, big spender! How can I possibly say no? I’ll just go get... presentable,” I muttered, heading off toward my room, but not before Joe looked up at me from his seat on the couch, giving me his most innocent look, and saying sincerely,

“No matter what you are wearing, you always look gorgeous.”

I hated to say it, but Joe was a definite charmer.

Fifteen minutes later, we were both stationed in a booth at the local ice cream shop with our double scoop ice creams, as promised.

“So, was the girl who answered the door your sister? I thought you only had a brother?” Joe asked curiously, licking the melting ice cream before it dripped.

“Marissa? Oh no, she’s not my sister, she’s my cousin.”

“She lives with you?” Joe pushed and I sighed, knowing he was just going to keep asking if I didn’t it explain the entire fabrication of my life.

“Well, no. I live with her. My family... they just, they do things that conflict with the morals I have. My father drinks a lot, and my mother... it’s just, I didn’t like the environment I had to grow up in. Once I hit eighteen two years ago, I just up and left, and moved in with Marissa. I still keep in touch with my brother, but for how much longer, I don’t know. I mean, he’s old enough to leave but he just won’t, and I fear he’s going to turn out like them if he stays there any longer. I don’t want that, and... I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to give you the entire back story to my life,” I muttered, looking down at the ice cream in my hand, hating how my home life leaves me so vulnerable.

Joe’s hand suddenly came into view and picked up my free hand, squeezing it gently.

“Why are you apologizing? I... I want to know everything there is to know about you, I need to know. I’ve never had anyone else who I could connect with, like I do with you.” Joe wasn’t lying, his face only reflect honesty and emotion.

Then I did what I always do when I start feeling flushed and focused on. I start rambling about things I’d rather keep quiet about.

“That doesn’t make sense! At the end of our last date, you promised me you would call, and it’s been what, a week and a half since then? If we connect so well, why didn’t you call? I just... I wish you were a little more consistent. It’s so confusing,” I rambled and felt like kicking myself in the face for ruining such a peaceful Saturday afternoon.

Joe suddenly looked pained, and squeezed my hand a little tighter. “I’m sorry I made you feel like I didn’t care, or that I forgot because it wasn’t like that... Something, something big came up and I just couldn’t ring you... and I know this sounds like some sort of excuse but...” Joe trailed off when he noticed I had been staring intently at him all through his monologue.

I hadn’t noticed it until just then, under the fluoresce lights in the ice cream parlor, but it was definitely there, the faint yellow outline that circled Joe’s eye, a bruise retreating into his skin.

“Joe, what happened? Are you okay?” I asked out in concern, forgetting my petty whine about his forgotten promise to call. I stretched my hands out to lightly touch the bruise but he ducked and sprouted that smile that seemed to calm me on an instant.

“Del, I’m fine.” I knew, from that moment, that everything was not fine.

“Delainey? Are you okay? If it bothers you that much, we can go back?” Patrick asked, worry weaving itself into every word, making my heart ache once more for the kindness Patrick produced. I gave him a weak smile and shook my head.

“I-I’m fine, just... remembering.” I couldn’t find the words, in my head or in my heart, to make Patrick understand further, but from the look in his eyes, I could tell he knew. We shared a few silent moments, and Patrick looked faded, and I knew I had produced memories that he was now viewing in the privacy of his own mind.

He looked so tortured, that I forced my numb fingers to put pressure on his own and he shook from his reverie. Patrick shook himself, and finally looked up at me, a decision clear in his expression.

“I think... it might just be safer for you to meet only a couple of the people living here. Just the ones that I know for certain will accept you, infection or not. It might just be... easier on you. At least until everyone is aware of the situation. I hope you understand?”

I nodded frantically. “Of course, absolutely.” I scrutinized Patrick’s face again and could see that he was still stuck in whatever terrible flashback he managed to get himself tangled into.

“So, this Jon guy?” I asked conversationally, enough to make him snap out of it completely.

“Oh, yes, Jon. He takes care of all our electricity and plumbing jobs. He is both a legend and a genius to be able to tackle both problems and make them work down here. I think you two will get on great,” He said confidently, and I tried to catch on to his emotions, hoping that confidence will come my way.

Patrick continued to walk, leading me with his hand still tightly intertwined with mine. The light was raw and black spots took over until my vision managed to adjust itself and it was only then that I got a glimpse of where the hell I was.

The walls seemed to be made of some sort of rough cement, and every so often a blue ray of light was produced from the wall, they looked like the type of bulbs kept in an incubator and I realized they were, that was how it was so warm in here. The room I was in resembled a large square, and in the middle were five large tables surrounded with mismatched chairs, and to the side, a long bench that met up with a fridge, then a sink and ended with a large cupboard. Apart from that, there was nothing – and no one – in the room.

What struck me as odd was how normal the room was. Somewhere in the back of my mind I was expecting this place to be odd, different, like a laboratory or something, because of the circumstances we were in, but I was proven wrong. Aside from the bumpy walls and discolored lights, it was just... normal. Familiar. Homey.

“I’ll give you a tour of the entire place once you are feeling up to it,” Patrick explained. And if my fate is decided - by strangers - that I can stay alive, and stay here. I added silently for him.

“Now, I think Jon is fixing the plumbing in the ladies bathroom so that gives us the opportune moment to show you where to go,” Patrick said, flashing me a small smile. My heart was counting the seconds so loudly in my head, I could barely hear him. I wasn’t sure what I was expecting, these people weren’t savages, well, Pete... Well, most of them weren’t and wouldn’t attack me on first sight, and I was with Patrick, I would be fine, I would be fine...

My self-pep talks didn’t seem to make any difference to the pounding in my chest and head, and the more I thought and worried over my current situation, the more ridiculous my ‘what if’s’ became.

“Patrick, I just want to say thanks for what you have done for me so far.” The sound of my own voice startled off all other thoughts and I concentrated on conversation to calm myself down.

“It’s no problem at all. It’s the least I can do, considering Tyson threw a football to your head and Pete knocked you out... Gee, we sound terrible, don’t we?”

“They were just trying to protect their... family,” I whispered, choking up on the last word.

Patrick seemed to be giving me a little privacy as a crack showed through my mask by pretending he didn’t hear the force behind that certain word.

“Ah, here we are, the ladies room.” Patrick pushed the cracked wood of the door open, and the most terrible squeak sounded from it. Before either of us could say anything, a new voice cut through the silence.

“Hellooooooo!”

“Hey, Jon! Want to meet the newest addition to our family?” Patrick asked, walking through the doorway and pulling me after him. In the mid-darkness, I glowed. Could I possibly find a home with these people? If given the opportunity, I knew I would.

“Would I ever!” After these words were released, a man who looked to be only a few years older than me, I’d say his mid-twenties, broke out into sight. He ran a hand through his dirty brown hair, ruffling it up, and grinning with a perfect smile. His dark brown eyes looked thoughtful, and the creases at the edges made him look kind. An instant feeling of both peace and easygoingness flowed through me, and I already liked him.

Jon came up and threw an arm around my shoulder, pulling me into him and giving me a slight squeeze. “I’ve heard all about you, Pete’s been in here, ranting like a teenager who hasn’t got their way.”

“Is he that furious about me being here?” I asked, looking up at the friendly giant that towered over me.

“Pete has the mental age of a three year old, and throws tantrums like one, but he also has a mind capacity of one. He’ll get over himself soon enough and come round, don’t you worry,” Jon replied, his easy going nature rubbing off on me.

“Thank you, I really needed to hear that,” I said with a smile as Jon squeezed me into a hug once again.

“That’s what I’m here for! I’m your go-to guy,” He said, flashing another smile, as Patrick coughed loudly, and pointedly, causing us to look into the door way to see the one guy I was dreading.

“Patrick, Jon,” Pete growled, his glare never lifting off of me. “A word, now.”