Page 7 of Zale's Little Girl
“Eat!” Aspen encouraged.
She waited for Pippa to take a big bite before answering.
“That’s how I met Jerico. He stepped in to save me when he was threatening me at a restaurant. Then he found out where I lived and came to rescue me before my neighbor was released from the police station. I don’t know what would have happened if he hadn’t come to help a total stranger and an abused dog. My door was already damaged from other attacks. It wouldn’t have held.”
“That’s awful. Okay, I think Jerico is incredible now,” Pippa said after swallowing the delicious food. “Thank you for this. I don’t think I’ve ever been so hungry.”
“Of course. You can have two or three if you want them. Jerico keeps the house stocked, especially when the team’s in town. They have a lot of barbecues and informal gatherings.”
“Thank you.” Pippa took another bite and savored it. Funny how not having food could make you appreciate even the most ordinary of dishes.
“Good, huh? How long has it been since you ate?”
“I’m not really sure. I woke up zip tied to the car door. It was scary,” Pippa shared, shivering.
That word, scary, didn’t come close to how terrified Pippa had felt. If not for the accident that freed her, she knew the final destination would have frightened her more. She set the sandwich down as that memory triggered panic inside her.
“Pippa, it’s okay. You’re safe here. I promise.”
She shook her head, unable to free herself. Pippa cringed back in her chair when she sensed Aspen moving.
“It’s just me, Pippa. Aspen. I’m going to go get something. I’ll be right back.”
Unable to respond, Pippa sat frozen in her chair. Feeling a slight movement in the air, she whipped her head around to stare unseeingly toward the disturbance. A metal jingle reached her ears before a warm body pressed against her side. The massive beast comforted her with his sheer presence.
“Good job, Rexy. You’re helping, aren’t you? He helps me when I’m anxious. Pippa, I brought you a friend. This is a stuffie that my daddy bought for me. He’s too fierce for me, but I think he could battle anyone who menaced you. You’ll feel his fur.”
A brush of softness over her hand made Pippa flinch. Aspen repeated the process until Pippa focused on the object. Relaxing her grip on her own arm, Pippa wrapped her fingers around the stuffed creature. Unable to resist, she petted it with her other hand, and the panic eased.
Pippa pulled the soft object to her chest and hugged it tight. She dipped her head to rub her face in the fur. The air trapped in her lungs eased out as she relaxed. A large weight draped over her thighs, tethering her attention to the present.
“Pippa? This is Zale. You’re having a panic attack. I can’t get to you fast enough to help, but you are safe. Aspen and Rexy are there with you.” The familiar masculine voice helped erase the fog from her vision.
“Zale?” she asked, focusing on the phone screen in front of her.
“Yes, kitten. It’s me. Take a deep breath with me,” he requested and audibly inhaled with her. “Good girl. Now exhale out all those bad thoughts.” He blew out his breath in a gust that made her follow suit.
“Again, kitten. You’ve got this.”
By the fourth repetition, the band of terror that had wrapped around her slowly unraveled. “Thanks, Zale. Oh, Aspen. I’m so sorry I freaked out. You must think I’m a basket case.”
Aspen set down the phone and hugged her close. Pippa couldn’t believe how good it felt to have human contact with someone who genuinely cared. She basked in the warmth of Aspen’s embrace and hated when it ended.
“Ahem!”
The two women’s gazes met before each focused on the phone that Aspen had turned face down to the tabletop. “Oh, Zale. I’m sorry,” Aspen said quickly as she snatched up the phone. Giggles spilled from her lips as she turned the phone back to face them.
“You’re forgiven, of course, Aspen. Thank you for being there for Pippa.”
“I’m okay now, Zale. I don’t know what happened,” Pippa said, feeling embarrassed.
“You’re human, kitten. Now that you’re in a safe spot, your brain is processing what happened to you. It’s okay. It’s important to remember that you’re a survivor. You won.”
Pippa nodded her head. She could feel the weight of those words etching themselves into her psyche. He was right.
Her hand lifted from the stuffie to pet Rexy’s head lying heavily across her lap. The animal’s calm presence continued to reassure her. “Thank you, Rexy.”
“He picks up on more emotions than a lot of dogs, I think—because of his background,” Aspen said.
