Chapter 16
After helping Maureen out of the shower, and dressing her in warm clothes, Joanne led her over to the bed and laid down with her. Maureen sobbed some more as Joanne pulled her into a snuggle, letting her girlfriend cry out her feelings.
"I'm sorry I'm acting like this Joanne…I hate crying…"
"Shhh…" Joanne soothed while running her hand through Maureen's damp hair. "You don't have to apologize for anything, you've been through a lot, just let it out."
Maureen let even more tears fall as she buried her face in Joanne's chest. "Why are you being so nice to me? I don't deserve this! I wasn't supposed to happen, I deserved what my father did to me, I don't deserve being in your arms. I'm a mistake! You're dating a mistake Joanne!"
"Listen." Joanne said cutting Maureen off from her little rant, her hand forcing Maureen to look up into her eyes. "You're not a mistake, if anything you're the best thing that has ever happened to me, and nobody, and I mean nobody deserves to be treated the way your father has treated you!"
"But he didn't want me…I wasn't planned, I ruined their lives!"
"Who cares what he wanted he was an asshole. Your mom wanted you, and I hate to bring this up, but even Mark wanted you, and I want you, I want to be with you forever…I want to hold you in my arms and never let go, I love you Maureen…you weren't a mistake, there was a reason you were born, it was to make me happy…and to make the boho's happy…we all love you, you're loved!"
Maureen stopped crying at that moment, her face streaked with tears. She sniffled a little, her eyes holding onto Joanne's warm gaze. "Tell me again that you love me."
Joanne's face softened, her hand tracing gentle circles on Maureen's back. "I love you."
"Again." Maureen whispered. "Please…"
"I love you Maureen." Joanne said as she pulled her closer, but was still able to look her deep in the eyes. "I love you so much; I can't even explain how much I love you. You mean everything to me…I'd die without you…"
A weak smirk hit Maureen's lips, her body relaxing into the lawyers, as she let her eyes close. "Say it again…"
"I love you." Joanne said with as much affection as she could.
Maureen moved closer to Joanne, her arms wrapping tightly around her waist, her legs intertwining with Joanne's, and her head resting on her chest. Joanne slowly rolled on her back, with her arms securely around Maureen.
"I love you Maureen, I love you so much." Joanne repeated, and felt a sigh leave Maureen's throat, a good sigh, a sigh of relief.
Feeling comforted by the words, and by Joanne's protective embrace, Maureen surrendered to her exhaustion and finally fell into a deep sleep.
Later that night while Collins and Angel prepared to get ready for bed, Angel wondered back to Maureen, remembering her gloomy state, and sad eyes.
"Collins?" Angel asked while he turned down the bed, and began to climb in it. "How do you think Maureen is doing?"
Collins shrugged with a hint of a smile. "Well Joanne just put her perverted father in jail, my guess she is probably thanking Joanne with a lot of sex…you know how Mo is."
Angel smirked wanting to believe what Collins had said was true, but after the trial was over, the time Maureen should have been happy because they had won, she wasn't, she was still in her scared and nervous state of mind.
"But did you see the look on her face as she went home?" Angel asked. "Something doesn't seem right…"
"She was probably just tired…" Collins said. "Jo said she was up at six that morning."
"True." Angel nodded and snuggled under the blanket, with Collins quickly by his side.
"So…" Collins smirked. "Want to do a little celebrating of our own?"
Angel couldn't help but giggle as he felt a strong hand sneak up his thigh.
Joanne took the next day off of work so she could stay home with Maureen, since the once outgoing drama queen, was emotionally drained.
"Maureen?" Joanne called while she entered the living room to bring Maureen some lunch. "Lets talk honey."
Maureen sat up on the couch so she could eat the soup Joanne had made her. "Talk about what?"
Joanne reached out, her fingers running through her hair. "You, everything that has happened to you, I think it'll make you feel better if you talk about it, you can't bottle it up again…it's not healthy."
"I didn't know you were a physiatrist." Maureen bitterly responded.
Joanne sighed. "Please Maureen…"
"Talking is not going to do anything…you already know what happened anyways." Maureen said. "Just give me a week and I'll forget about everything and then I'll be back to my old self."
"Maybe you can go to a group meeting or something…" Joanne tried again. "You're not the only one who has gone through something like this-"
"Joanne just let it go!" Maureen scolded
Joanne quickly went silent, and with out another word she slowly stood up and walked away.