Title: Towers
Author: maestra
Chapter 6: "You Got A Friend"
"Ok, sounds good to me." Jarod acquiesced. "Just let me get my gear, I'll met you out front in 5 minutes, Ok?"
After a brief taxi ride to her apartment building through the smoky and hazy streets of New York City and walking up a couple flights of stairs following Tara, Jarod was exhausted. Tara noticed his weariness when she looked over her shoulder at him as she unlocked the door to her apartment.
It wasn't a gigantic loft Jarod noticed, but a modest apartment, sparsely furnished.
"Hey, let's get you situated in my roommates' room. Then if you want to take a shower or a nap, or both, I'll make us some dinner."
"Shower and a nap sounds good," Jarod sighed.
Tara led him to her roommates' room, and then showed him the bathroom and where the linens were kept.
"Well Jarod, you get that shower and nap and I will call you when dinner is ready."
Jarod went into the bathroom, closing the door behind him. He undressed, turned on the steaming hot water and stood unmoving for several minutes under the needle sharp spray, as it beat down upon his weary shoulders. He hoped as he did so that the smell of smoke and ashes would leave his skin. Though he knew as long as he lived he would remember the smell of Ground Zero, as the land on which the World Trade Center towers had stood had come to be called.
A couple hours later Jarod trudged sleepily into the kitchen in jeans and a T-shirt.
"Hey, I was just going to call you to dinner."
"Well the delicious smells were doing that. Very effective dinner bell." Jarod yawned.

" Hope you like casseroles, I am seriously in the mood for some comfort food."
"Comfort food?" Jarod asked.
"Yeah, soups, stews, casseroles, the sort of things our Mom's used to make for dinner for us when we were little."
"Oh, never heard it called that before," Jarod replied vaguely. "The people that raised me weren't into that sort of thing. They served optimal nutritional supplements."
"Health nuts?" Tara asked while she got their plates down from the cupboard.
"Not exactly," Jarod replied dryly.
Tara smiled at him, noticing there were still circles under his mysterious chocolate brown eyes, and that his slightly damp dark hair was in need of a haircut.
"Well, I hope you like goulash, I have made a big pot of it. Just like my Mother used to make. I felt the need to be close to my family now, even if it was just in spirit. You know what I mean Jarod?" Tara asked as she served the goulash up onto the plate and then got down two glasses from another cupboard and placed them on the counter.
"Yeah, I think I do," Jarod acknowledged, "But I was separated from my family at a young age, so even though I am searching for them. I don't know where they are right now."
"I'm sorry to hear that. I'm glad that in this great big city, we connected. And I'm very glad that I don't have to be alone at a time like this. Our friendship has helped to get my mind of the turmoil of what is going on. I don't miss my family quite so much when I am helping others."
"I can definitely understand that," Jarod replied quietly.
"I am going to have a glass of milk with my dinner, what would you like to drink?"
"Milk is fine for me too."
Tara poured them both a glass, and grabbing them headed over to her dining room table. She came back and grabbed their plates of goulash, and Jarod followed her to the table and sat down with her there. Jarod noticed that Tara had already placed a beautiful salad and warm crusty rolls and butter upon the table. She took a remote control placed next to her flatware and asked Jarod, "Mind if I turn on some relaxing music?"
"I don't mind, it might be nice."
She pushed a couple buttons and her stereo in the living room came to life and began to play some ambient music, the notes of which seemed to shimmer in the air.
"Well go ahead, try it." Tara laughed at Jarod as he took up his fork and put one small bite in his mouth, "What do you think?"
"Hey, it's good." he smiled.
Tara just laughed as she shook her head, and passed him the basket of warm crusty rolls nestled in a cloth to keep them warm.
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To Be Continued...