“Yes,” Janella said matter of factly. “Exactly. Except I haven’t ratted him or his family out, so I don’t have their protection right now.”
“Why haven’t you?” Ellen asked.
“I was afraid he’d find out. Then he’d really come after me. I didn’t want to bring that on. But Leah tells me it’s still an option and the FBI would help.”
No wonder Janelle is so quiet and gets so many migraines. That’s a lot of pressure. I hope she stays safe.
“Are you going to do it?” Ellen asked.
“The thing is,” Janelle said, “If I do, then more people will know where I am. His family has a lot of money. Plus, they would expect me to do that, not this. I must do the opposite of what they think I’ll do, not hide where they think I will. And right now, only one person and the people here at the center knows where I am. I’m not even in their computer system here.”
“Wow,” Ellen said.
“The secretary back home deleted everything on me right in front of me,” Janelle said. “And then she drove me to the bus stop herself. Leah did the same thing the day I arrived. I’m not even in the computers here. We’re counting on that to keep me safe. Leah takes handwritten notes during all our sessions. I am the invisible woman and that’s the way I’ll stay.”
How sad and how lonely.
“Well, you’re not invisible to me.” Ellen said. “I see you.”
I’ll bet she’s been going through this all by herself.
“Thank you,” Janelle said with a smile.
“It sounds lonely,” Ellen said. “Thank you for trusting me. I won’t tell anyone.”
“I appreciate that,” Janelle said. “It is lonely. There’s been no one I can talk to about it, except the counselor back at the old shelter and Leah.”
“And now me,” Ellen nodded. “Thank you for being my friend. It’s nice to have a friend here.”
Janelle nodded her agreement.
“I’ve been lonely too,” Ellen said. “I hope we can stay in touch after we leave.”
“Maybe,” Janelle said. “We’ll see.”
“Is your headache gone?”
Looking surprised, Janelle said, “Yes. It is.”
“Fresh air, a walk, and a talk.” Ellen smiled. “Does it almost every time.”
Janelle grinned. “I’ll have to try that more often.”
“You just look for me, girlfriend, and I’ll go walking with you.” Ellen smiled.
It’s nice to have a girlfriend to talk to. Everybody needs someone.
* * *
Ellen and Janelletook to sitting or standing next to each other as the weeks progressed and they became closer, which was good for them both.
Though Ellen still missed her best friends back home.
Home wasn’t home anymore. It couldn’t be, because Mortimer might find her, and until he was caught and locked away, she’d never be safe back in Ohio.
The ladies had watched a movie about two women who were best friends one night and afterward Janelle turned to Ellen and said, “Would you like to go into town with me tomorrow? I need to pick up a few things and we could have lunch afterwards.”
The women had started taking someone with them, if they had to go to town for anything, after Chyna’s ex had come after her in the grocery store parking lot. No one could figure out how he’d found her in a remote part of Montana, and it made Ellen and Janelle nervous to go anywhere alone.
