Saving Little Jenna by Ruth Kennedy

Chapter 2: Clark

I was right behind the beautiful stranger who said her name was Jenna. She spoke in a low voice so she must’ve been embarrassed about the situation she was in. I didn't mean to intrude but I happened to overhear her conversation with the cashier.

I knew what it felt like to be in Jenna's shoes. My mother kicked me out as a boy when my father had left. She chose to start over and remarry a rich man who didn't want to raise another man's son. My mother's decision didn't come as a surprise. Of course she chose a rich man over her own son. Some people just weren't meant to become parents because they couldn't love anyone but themselves.

Being homeless at such a young age meant starting my life with a huge disadvantage. I asked around for food in exchange for work. I was lucky enough that kind strangers helped me along the way. It was still unbelievable how I’d managed to beat the odds years later and become one of the city's most successful entrepreneurs. The journey wasn't an easy one but I wouldn't be where I was if not for the kindness of strangers.

I always wanted to do something in return now that I was well off. I donated a large portion of my earnings to several charities that worked on ending homelessness and hunger, two of the most important issues to me. Most millionaires worked hard to make themselves richer, but my motivation had always been to help the needy. The harder I worked the more likely it was that hundreds of people didn't have to go to bed hungry. It was why I got out of bed each morning and pushed myself to work harder.

While I didn't involve myself directly with helping the needy, I knew my efforts were best put elsewhere. But when I saw Jenna run out of the store crying, I knew I had to do something. Maybe money wasn't the only way I could help the needy.

When it was my turn at the cashier who looked at me with a forced smile, I gave her a sour look. She didn't have to be so rude to Jenna. She made the poor woman cry. I abandoned my shopping carts and rushed towards the exit, hoping I didn't lose her. Jenna was probably the most beautiful woman I'd ever seen despite her messy hair and sweaty clothes. What I was about to offer her was only going to be out of kindness, but why did she have to be so pretty? It was only going to make things harder for me.

My last relationship had ended poorly. I didn't want to grow overly attached early on and fall for another woman after what happened last time. It was stupid of me to keep making the same mistakes and expect a different result, but I couldn't help who I was. My failed relationships had brought me to the conclusion that I was different from other men and no woman was compatible with my personality. I recently made the hard decision to accept that no matter what I did, I'd end up alone.

I liked the idea of coming home to someone and waking up next to someone for the rest of my life, but sometimes you can't have it all. I had a successful career and I should be content with it. Maybe if I tried hard enough, I could derive all my happiness from my career and ignore this deep desire I had to take care of someone. All my problems would cease to exist if only I was like some of my friends, who only needed one-night stands with strangers to keep them happy. But no, the heart wanted what it wanted.

The moment I stepped outside the supermarket, I felt a wave of emotions take over me at the sight of beautiful Jenna in the distance, sitting on the ground and wiping tears running down her cheeks. I had this immense urge to throw my arms around her and tell her everything was going to be alright, that I'd take care of her no matter how hard her life was. I took a step towards her before stopping. Wasn't this the reason all my relationships ended? I got attached too soon. I was too caring and protective to the point that my exes felt suffocated. If I tried to help Jenna now, I wasn't sure I was strong enough to resist her. I would grow too attached too soon and she'd find it suffocating too. I would get my heart broken again and it would be painful, but at least this time I would help someone in the process.

I ran towards Jenna and sat on the ground next to her, placing a hand on her back and gently rubbing it. She almost jumped when she turned her head and our eyes met.

"Are you quite alright, Jenna?" I continued rubbing her back in small circles. "I couldn't help but overhear your conversation. She had no right to be so rude."

When she tried hard not to sob from embarrassment, I threw my arms around her and instantly felt her shoulders relax against my chest. She hesitantly put an arm around me and let out a loud sigh of contentment.

"Don't you worry now." I broke the hug and smiled at her, glad that she had stopped sobbing. "I have some leftovers back at my home. You're more than welcome to come with me and have them. Do you have a place to stay?"

She found it hard to look me in the eyes, looking away in the distance instead and sitting there in silence.

"You can trust me if that's what you're wondering." I crossed my legs on the ground and waited for a reply, but she put her head down and continued to sit in silence. "At least let me buy you some food. I'll be right back."

Just as I stood up to head back into the supermarket, she grabbed my hand. She tried her best to look me in the eyes and nodded before standing up, still shaking as her stomach rumbled loudly from hunger. The fear in her eyes was the most intense I'd ever seen, which didn't make any sense. Was she in trouble with the law? Was she running away from someone? Or was she just scared of strangers?

"So you'd like to have some leftovers then?" I asked, to which she nodded.

As I began walking towards my car, Jenna continued to hold my hand in a tight grip, keeping her body close to mine which I somehow found adorable. I was such a hopeless romantic, fascinated by a woman who hadn't even talked to me yet. I had to stick to my original plan, though. No more falling for women because it all ends in heartbreak. I just had to accept that I'd end up alone. Hopefully, Jenna would end up being a good friend, an exceptionally beautiful friend.

I was glad Jenna decided to trust me. Physical contact such as a hug was an easy way to show someone you meant them no harm.

When I opened the door to my car for her, she got in and collapsed into the seat. When she let out a sigh of relief, she looked like she was beginning to relax.

When I got in the driver's seat, I decided to clear things up before I started the car. It was important to communicate my intentions.

"If you're wondering why I'm doing this," I began as she sat up straight, the fear and sadness in her eyes swiftly returning. "You reminded me of myself. The world would be a much better place if we all helped one another instead of being so self-centered. Decades ago, I asked around for food too in exchange for work. Let me tell you, it’s nothing to be embarrassed about. Everybody needs a little help every now and then. Back then, I couldn't have survived if I wasn't helped along the way. So now whenever an opportunity arose, I tried to help however I can."

She looked at me astonished with her mouth half open and when she spoke, it was so quiet I could barely hear her. "Decades ago? How old are you?"

When I chuckled, she nervously looked down at her fingers and began fidgeting with them.

"Oh, no." I shook my head. "It's alright. I'm thirty-six and my name is Clark Scully. How old are you, Jenna?"

"Twenty," she said in a low voice, her head hanging low.

"Do you have a place to stay?" I asked.

She had a backpack with her, which she clutched close to her chest. So I guessed she was new in town.

She shook her head slowly and looked at me sadly. I could tell she was rethinking the decisions that led her to ask around for food.

"Listen," I said, starting the car. "You're free to live at my place for as long as you need, no questions asked."

When she looked at me with a grateful smile, I couldn't help but admire her beautiful face. She looked so adorable when she smiled. If only she did that more often.

She'd clearly been through a rough couple of days since she looked like she'd been sitting out in the sun for days and her hair was a tangled mess. The exterior didn't matter to me. She seemed genuine, kind, and innocent, all of which were qualities I liked.

As I drove her to my home, we sat in silence. When you met someone for the first time and liked them, there's usually this immense desire to know everything about the person. I had a similar urge to know everything about her, but I wasn't sure if she felt the same way.

"So," I said when we stopped at a red traffic light, causing her to suddenly look down at her hands nervously. "Are you new here?"

She nodded, looking into my eyes for a good few seconds before looking back at her hands.

I wished there was a way to make her realize she didn't need to fear me. Did she have a general fear of men? Did she think they were all bad because maybe she had an abusive ex?

"Have you had a chance to look around the city yet?" I asked, to which she just shook her head. "I know it's hard to trust a stranger, but trust me. I'm one of the good ones."

I wished I could hear more of her sweet voice, but I could wait until she got comfortable around me.

When the signal turned green and I took a left turn, she finally looked up at me with a smile. "Thank you for helping me, Mr. Scully. I knew the world was kinder than the world I was used to living in."

I smiled at her before quickly turning my head back to the road. Every time she smiled, it made me happy knowing that I was the reason for her happiness.

When we reached, she stepped out of the car and gaped at my house in surprise.

"Wow, I've never seen such a big mansion before." She followed me as I walked up to the porch. "Do you live all alone, Mr. Scully?"

I nodded as I opened the door. "I know it's way too big for me."

When we stepped in, she looked around in all directions before walking up to the TV. "I didn't know they made televisions this big."

I chuckled and walked up to her. "They sure do. Do you like watching TV?"

She shook her head. "We didn't have a TV growing up, but I loved watching films on the computer secretly because it was the only way to know about the outside world."

I looked at her in surprise. What did she mean by that? Why wouldn't she know about the outside world?

"I mean…" She began to panic. "I was homeschooled is what I meant. Never mind. Pretend I didn't say anything."

"Well, you must be starving." I walked into the kitchen and she followed me, her stomach rumbling in agreement. "Have a seat. I'll whip something up in no time."

When she took a seat at the table, I reheated the leftover steak. I made a simple capellini dish with garlic and tomato sauce to go with it. I plated it up beautifully in hopes that it'd look better than it tasted.

"Here you go." I fixed her a plate and took a seat at the table. "I've been trying to learn cooking over the past few weeks. You're the first person who gets to taste my cooking."

She smiled at me expectantly and I realized she was asking for permission. When I nodded, she dug in. Halfway through she forgot to use the knife and fork, using her hands instead to take big bites of the steak. Some would find it rude, but I was just glad one less person in the world had to go to bed hungry today.

"Careful now," I said. "We don't want you to choke on your food. It's always good to chew food before you swallow."

When she suddenly remembered she wasn't alone, she put the steak back onto the plate.

"I'm sorry, Mr. Scully." Her cheeks turned red as she picked up the fork off the table. "I didn't mean to be rude."

I instantly regretted telling her to go slow. I didn't wish to come off as controlling. I was a perfectionist but this wasn't the time for it. She must've gone without food for who knows how long.

I was relieved when she began eating at a slower pace this time, but not for long. Soon she was back to what looked like gulping down food seconds after it went into her mouth. When she was done, she let out a sigh of contentment and washed it all down with a tall glass of water.

"I can't thank you enough, Mr. Scully." She stood up and washed her hands. "I should be on my way now. It's kind of you to let me stay here, but I can't be a burden on someone."

When she sat back at the table, I put my hand on hers and she drew a sharp breath in. Was she aroused or just scared?

"Please, call me Clark," I said. "Trust me, you won’t be a burden. The truth is, it's been quite lonely here. You’ll be helping me by making this place feel less lonely. So please, stay."

It was hard to admit to anyone you were lonely, let alone a complete stranger. However, Jenna didn't feel like a stranger to me, maybe because of the similar difficulties we had to go through.

She thought for a moment before nodding.

After cleaning up the dishes together, I showed her around the house and she was fascinated by everything, touching everything as if for the first time. She decided to take a shower and when I saw her in the living room soon after, I was taken aback by how stunning she looked. Her long blonde hair complemented her big blue eyes.

When she blushed and looked away, I realized I'd been staring at her for a good few seconds. Just as I wondered how hot she'd look naked underneath those clothes, I shook my head slightly to push away the thought.

She put a hand on her mouth to stifle a yawn, so I decided it was nap time.

"I'll let you have a quick nap before we go shopping." Switching the TV off, I got off the couch and walked over to her. "You'll need new clothes-" I interrupted when she opened her mouth to protest- "I won't take no for an answer, Jenna. You don't have to worry about the money. It's always better spent helping someone."

She wasn't a Little but when I led her upstairs to her new room for a nap, I couldn't help but feel like her Daddy.

"Whoa!" She looked around in all directions when we walked into the bedroom. "This room is big enough for twenty people."

I chuckled as I watched her climb into the bed. "Twenty people? I doubt that."

I covered her with a blanket and resisted the urge to kiss her on the forehead. She just looked so cute as she tried her best to keep her eyes open.

"I’ll see you in a bit." I switched the lights off as she closed her eyes.

Out in the living room, I could hardly wait for her to wake up. I badly needed to see that sweet face of hers again. Her presence had given off a strong vibe of innocence and kindness. She looked like she needed someone to protect her and I wanted to be the lucky one. If my doubts were true, then no matter what danger she was running away from, I promised myself to keep her safe.

As hours passed by, I found it hard not to check up on her, but I didn't want to come off as overprotective. When she finally woke up late in the evening and walked into the living room, I couldn't help but smile ear to ear. Her mere presence was giving me such joy.

"So there's no way I could convince you out of shopping?" She asked as she took a seat on the couch next to me.

"Nope."

"I've never owned more than two pairs of clothes, you know," she said. "So you don't have to do this."

Was this another sign of her having a bad childhood? So she wasn't allowed to go outside and she only owned two pairs of clothes all her life. Looked like her parents were just as bad as mine, or even worse.

"But I want to." I smiled, hoping she’d reciprocate so I'd get to see her smile again. When she did, I was overwhelmed by the happiness I hadn't felt in a long time. I didn't ask much out of life except for such small moments of joy.

It was late in the evening so there wasn't much traffic. When we reached the mall half an hour later and went into the apparel store, I could see she was trying to contain her excitement.

"You don't have to do that." With my hands in my pockets, I walked up to her checking out the price tags. "I knew you wouldn't let me take you to an expensive store. Everything here is reasonably priced. Just take everything you need."

She looked at my hands in my pockets and drew a sharp breath in. My long sleeves were rolled up and my shirt was too tight for my thick arms, but that's just how I liked wearing shirts. She seemed to find my masculinity intimidating and arousing at the same time. Looked like she wasn't used to being around men, since everything I did and said made her blush.

"Thank you, Clark." She looked at me as we stood in line at the cashier. "I'll start looking for a job starting tomorrow. I'll pay you back, not just for this but for all the kindness you've shown me."

I shook my head and talked quietly so the others wouldn't overhear. "It's too soon. I have a good instinct and I can tell that you need to recover from whatever trauma you've gone through. Just know that if you ever want to open up to someone about it, I'm here."

She was stiff for a brief moment, probably memories of her past rushing through her mind all at once. I made a mental note not to bring it up too often.

With a shopping bag in each hand, we headed outside and towards the stairs. When we passed by a toy store, she almost jumped in excitement, swiftly pressing her hand up against the glass and looking at a row of stuffed toys.

"Do you want to go in?" I asked.

"Yes, please!" She said in a high-pitched voice, instantly regretting it and clearing her throat to speak in a normal voice. "I mean, sure. If you insist."

I knew Jenna wasn't a Little, but she'd make a great one, especially with her big inquisitive eyes and an ever-present look of innocence.

When we went inside and walked up to the first aisle, she watched the long row of stuffed toys in awe. She walked over to a stuffed dog and picked it up before giving it a tight hug. Her shoulders relaxed as if she was entering her safe space, one where she didn't have to care about whatever problems she was running away from. The row behind us had all kinds of barbies, which she then proceeded to check out with her mouth half-open.

I wondered if Jenna was a Little without herself knowing it. Or maybe it was just wishful thinking on my part. She probably didn't get to play with toys as a child. That would explain her fascination with toys. Besides, a lot of women liked cute things like stuffed animals.

"Why don't we take home a couple of things from here?" I asked, picking up the stuffed dog she hugged earlier and handing it to her.

She looked at the stuffed toy longingly for a few moments, as if enchanted into a trance by its cuteness, finally shaking her head to dismiss temptation. "No, Clark. I can only let you buy me bare necessities. I'll feel guilty if I make you spend even a penny more than you need to. Besides, stuffed toys aren't for adults. I've just always liked dogs in films but I never got to see one."

She had slipped up once again. The panic in her face was apparent as my eyes widened in surprise. How could anyone live their life without ever seeing a dog? Was she one of those runaways I occasionally saw on news? The ones who manage to escape after being locked up in a basement all their lives? Why would anyone want to mistreat such a gentle soul as Jenna?

"I've never touched a dog is what I meant," she corrected nervously. "Because my parents are allergic, and so are my siblings. Yes, yes. That makes sense. Of course, I've seen plenty of dogs before. I mean, who hasn't?"

Her shoulders relaxed when I smiled. I wished she didn't have to lie to me, but it was understandable since it was hard for her to trust strangers. Hopefully, with time she'd tell me everything about her past, but I was afraid it would turn out to be horrific.

"Fine," I said and shrugged. "But next time we're here, I won't let you say no."

I made a mental note to remember everything she touched in the store. That way I could buy her everything she liked and gift them as a surprise. She couldn’t refuse a gift.

As I drove us back home, I noticed her checking me out from the corner of her eyes. She was trying to hide it but was failing. She probably didn't get to socialize a lot. When I turned my head to smile at her, she shifted her eyes from my muscled arms to my face before smiling back.

"You should smile more often, you know." I swiftly turned back to the road. "I like your dimples. You look very cute when you smile."

She giggled and her cheeks turned red as she blushed. Could she get any cuter?

"That came out wrong," I corrected. "I didn't mean it like that. You have a nice smile is what I meant."

"I like your smile too," she said quietly.

Now her ears were turning red too.

"So what do you do for a living, Clark?"

She was trying to change the subject. That or she was trying to get to know me, which was a relief. I wanted to know everything about her life but she hadn't asked me anything about mine.

"I'm an entrepreneur and I own a couple of businesses." I looked at her to see if she was genuinely curious, which she was. "After my last breakup, I realized there was more to life than work. Growing up in poverty meant I worked hard to get out of it, but I kept working long after I was making more money than I'd ever need. So I decided to go public and cash out while I still could. Now I can focus on important things in life and live the life I've always wanted."

She gaped at me as if I was speaking gibberish.

"In other words, I arranged for others to take over most of the responsibilities and control while I get to relax."

"Yes, yes." She nodded knowingly. "I think I've seen something like that in a film once."

I didn't want to fall for Jenna. Just like my previous relationships, I knew I'd ruin things by being overprotective and controlling. It wasn't my fault that I had these instincts to protect and take care of someone. It was simply who I was as a person. I had to at least try to stay busy until she stayed at my place. I didn’t trust myself to not make a move. Resisting her would be a hard task considering how sweet she was. She was a lost and hurting soul, and it only made me want to take care of her more.