Johnnie opened her eyes and jerked. The room was unfamiliar. She blinked. Snoring came from next to her.
“Jolene?”
Gail turned and tried to spoon her. Johnnie, recalling her dream and the past, shoved her away and rose. She walked to the fridge where she found a Naked Juice and took a few cold sweet swigs before she collapsed on the couch. She looked down at her panties and her thin tank. She hadn’t been able to wear pajamas since the night she’d seen the other woman in them. Gail had just let her take over everything, including everything that was Johnnie’s.
She held out her hand, opened and closed it. It still popped, but thankfully, Jolene knew someone on the street who knew an underground doctor. He serviced patients with no questions, cash only. He’d taken care of her hand as best he could.
Johnnie had had to spend months rehabilitating it on her own. Learning how to write, turn keys, everything. And she’d never thought it would lead to a career in art. Who knew she could draw? Paint? Maybe in some strange way she wouldn’t have been able to had she not injured it and had to do it all over again.
She lay down and covered herself with a throw blanket. Gail snored on, and Johnnie had half a mind to wake her and kick her out, but she didn’t want to fight. She just didn’t have the strength. And she knew what it was like to be on the street and she couldn’t do it to her. Not even Gail.
She closed her eyes and was just about to sleep when she heard her phone ding with a message. Normally, she’d ignore it or silence it, but something told her to rise and check it. The light illuminated her skin as she checked it. Her heart jumped to her throat when she saw it was from Elaine.
She called her. Elaine answered quickly.
“Are you okay?” Johnnie asked, worried about her heart.
Elaine was silent. “Not really. Can you come over?”
“Now?” She checked the clock. It was after midnight, but she didn’t mind.
“Yes, is that okay?”
“Of course. Do you need help? Should I call someone?”
There was a pause.
“You’re the only one who can help.”
Johnnie swallowed with difficulty. When she spoke her voice was strained. “Okay. Give me your address and I’ll be right there.”
“I’ll text it. See you soon. And, Johnnie?”
“Yeah?”
“Thanks.”
Johnnie ended the call, tossed her phone down, and dressed.
Gail shifted and sat up. “What’s wrong? Where are you going?”
Johnnie pulled on some lose jeans. “Out.”
“Out where?”
“It doesn’t concern you.”
Gail threw off the covers to reveal her nude body. “The hell it doesn’t.”
Johnnie pulled on a soft tee sans bra. She wanted to hurry. She was worried about Elaine. She’d sounded different. Soft, worried. She’d barely recognized her voice.
She hurried to the bathroom, brushed her teeth, and ran watered down fingers through her hair. She sprayed on some cologne. Then she crossed to the counter, grabbed her keys, made sure she had her phone, and slid into her work boots.
“When will you be back?” Gail asked with her hands on her hips.
“I don’t know.”
“You’re going to her aren’t you?”
Johnnie hesitated. There’s was no telling what Gail might do to her place if she was ripe with jealousy.
“A friend needs me. Go back to bed. I have to hurry.”
She unlocked the door, looked back at an angry, crestfallen Gail, and then closed the door behind her. She didn’t give Gail a second thought as she hurried down the stairs.
The only name in her mind was Elaine.