“Is she asleep now?”Sean questioned when J left the bedroom her shared with Zeba.
“Yes,finally.The poor thing is so shaken up she just wasn’t able to relax.”J replied while he followed Sean to the livingroom.The doctor had already left earlier but luckily Zeba only had a few bruises and a black eye.The doctor had ordered her to take a few days off to calm down and relax a little and that was it.J also had informed the police about everything but they were coming by the next day.
“I wish I knew who did this to her.”Sean stated while he sat down facing J.
“Yeah,me too.I wish I had picked her up tonight,though.”
“You didn’t know something like this would happen so don’t blame yourself.”
“I just care about her.”
They sat together in silence for a while,both of them smoking a sigaret,when Sean decided to finally ask J about his true feelings for Zeba.
“What’s going on between the two of you anyway?”he asked.J looked up at Sean and sighed.
“Is it that obvious?”J questioned and Sean nodded his head in reply.
“I think I’m in love with her,Sean.”
Sean raised an eyebrow.Of course he knew about J’s reputation with girls and he couldn’t really believe what J had just said.
“In love with her?”
“Yeah.She’s very special.”
“But are you sure you wanna start something serious?You aren’t the type of guy who would want to settle down already.”
“Perhaps that’s because I never met the right girl.”
Sean sighed.He hoped J wasn’t making a mistake cuz that would definitely break Zeba’s heart.
“Alright,if you’re sure about this I think it’s great.”Sean finally said,not wanting to ruin J’s happiness about having a girlfriend after looking for so many years.
“Thanks for your support mate.”J smiled.At that moment a soft voice behind them said”Can I join you?”
The two men turned around and saw Zeba standing there,dressed in a huge t-shirt.
“Babe,why are you not in bed?”J asked sternly.
“I can’t sleep anyway so why not join you here?”she replied while she sat down next to J and cuddled up close to him.
“Well,we called the police.They will come by tomorrow morning.”J told Zeba while he wrapped his arms around her shoulders and Zeba smiled and replied”You mean in a few hours?”
“Yeah,I didn’t realize it’s already that late.”
Sean looked at his watch also and decided it was time to go to bed.He got up and stated”I’m going to bed now,mates.If there’s anything wrong,just wake me alright?”
Zeba nodded at him and softly said”Thanks for saving me,Sean.”
“No need to thank me for that.Just try to get over it now.”
“I will.I have good help,though.”
Sean smiled,noticing the loving looks she and J were sharing,then left the room.
As soon as the door to Sean’s bedroom had closed Zeba turned to J,her facial expression very nervous and worried.
“I know who it was,J.”she whispered.
“What?”
“I know who tried to take me away.”
J stared at Zeba in shock,then asked”Who was it then?”
She took a deep breath,then mumbled”Someone from my past.He was one of the men,I recognized his voice.”
“One of those bastards that..!?”
“Yes.”
J shook his head wildly.”You need to tell the police about it,Zeba!They can protect you and put them into jail!”
“J,don’t you understand!?They will kill me if I tell the police about everything they did to me!I don’t know how many people Paul told me about my disappearance!”
“So his name’s Paul?”J questioned.Zeba nodded quietly.
“Yes,it is but please J,promise me you won’t tell anyone about it!Not Sean,not the other lads and definitely not the police!”
“But they will get arrested if you confess everything and…”J began again but Zeba shook her head in anger.
“I said ‘no’!I know what I’m talking about,J!Please,just promise me!”
J sighed deeply.He just wanted to make sure Zeba was no longer in any kind of danger but at the same time he knew he couldn’t force her into something.
“Fine then.But only if you promise me not to go out by yourself ever again.”
“I promise you,J.I promise you…”