Chapter 11: Andrea

“Are you okay?”

I looked up from my computer and forced a smile when I saw Jane watching me from the backroom door. She had a worried look on her face, and even though she tried to look like a tough old bird, I could tell she was ready to turn into the soft mother figure I’d need. I nodded quickly, giving her an exaggerated thumbs-up.

“I’m fine,” I lied.

“You look like you haven’t slept worth shit,” Jane said.

I chuckled. “Let’s just say it was a rough night.” Understatement of the year.

I had been in my room the night before when Bobby came home. I heard him march up the stairs like a man with a mission, and he almost kicked my door down coming in. He was like a tornado on full throttle, shouting so loud I could have sworn the windows in my room shook. He was making absolutely no sense at first, until I was able to make sense of some of the words and realized he was angry about Andy and me.

The fight had gone on for at least an hour, both of us trying to shout over the other. I was crying halfway through, and that seemed to only make him angrier. I lost track of what was being said, at the insults we were throwing at each other, the blame game we were playing, how I accused him of being our father and he accused me of being the little brat who had run away years before.

It was ugly. So bad that I had thrown my book at him in anger, barely missing his head. And still he came at me. I was right about one thing, though. He was a lot like my father, especially when it came to how he used his words. They stung, hit all the right chords, and shattered me from inside the way I had never been hurt when Dennis used his hands. If ever anyone had told me that my brother could kill me with his words, I would have laughed it off. Last night proved just how wrong I could be.

He didn’t even try to stop me when I packed a small bag, took my keys and stormed out of the house. I think he even wished me luck, like he knew that I wouldn’t be able to make it without him. I hated how much I needed him, how safe he had made me feel, how normal, ever since I got to Mansfield. To have that ripped away from under my feet was devastating, and I felt like I had been thrown back to square one, back in the prison I had been trying to escape from.

Straight to jail. Do not pass ‘Go’. Do not collect two hundred dollars.

Thank God for Andy.

He had been nice enough to give me the bed, taking the couch himself while he tried his best to make me feel comfortable. He didn’t ask about what happened, and although I knew he could hear my sobs, he didn’t try to get me to talk. He gave me the space I needed, and I was grateful for that. Grateful for him.

He looked like he had been through hell himself, an ironic turn of events given how the day had started. Bobby had been very vocal about how he felt about Andy, and I was sure the two of them had had a nice little fight of their own back at the station. It was probably why Andy had been drinking. I felt like a total bitch, the reason why my brother and his best friend were fighting, and it didn’t help the shitty night I was already having.

So, no, I hadn’t slept very well. I had hardly slept at all, and driving into work this morning, strung up on coffee and fighting the urge to break down and cry again, had been a massive toil. Still, I had a job, one that I probably needed more than ever now that I had no idea what would happen between me and Bobby. And Jane was counting on me. I couldn’t let everyone I knew down.

“Rough night sounds like you’re underplaying what actually happened, sweetheart,” Jane said.

“I’ll tell you all about it, I promise,” I assured her. “But right now, I’m high on caffeine and a desire to work. I want to get as much of this done as possible while I’m still on a roll.”

Jane looked at me for a beat, nodded, and said, “I’m outside if you need me. And if you need to go home instead, that’s okay.”

“I’m fine, I promise,” I smiled.

“Sure,” she countered with a wink, and closed the door behind her.

I sighed, ran a hand across my face and rubbed my eyes. My cellphone rang, and I cursed under my breath when I saw Karen’s number flashing. I hadn’t called the office since I left, and a part of me had hoped they’d just somehow forget about me and find a more reliable replacement. I braced myself and answered.

“Where the hell are you?” Karen hissed.

I frowned, thinking that it had taken her long enough to even realize I was gone. Then I remembered it was only Tuesday, and for all she knew, I had only missed a day of work without an excuse.

“Hi, Karen,” I replied.

“Don’t ‘Hi-Karen’ me, Andrea. Are you okay?”

I almost laughed at how many people were asking me that today. “I’m fine.”

“I thought the bastard killed you or something,” Karen said. “Which would probably be better than what Karp is going to do to you when you finally show up.”

And you only thought of calling me now?

“Did you send the search party for me?”

“Don’t be stupid,” Karen said. “I’m hoping it’s a black eye that’s keeping you out of the office. Either that, or you’re dying from some rare, incurable disease. Because I’m running out of excuses to cover your ass.”

“I’m in Mansfield,” I said after a brief hesitation.

“Mansfield?” Karen sounded like I had told her I was on Mars. “What are you doing in Mansfield?”

“I ran.”

“Excuse me?”

“I ran,” I repeated. “I packed a bag, got into my car and ran. I’m staying with my brother until I can figure out what to do next.”

Silence on the other line. I waited for Karen to say something, anything, but she was obviously at a loss for words.

“Good for you,” she finally said.

I was taken aback. “Really?”

“Yes,” Karen said, her tone softer, her voice quieter, almost as if she were whispering. “Yes, Andrea, good for you. I’ll let Mr. Karp know that you quit.”

“Karen, wait,” I started, but she had already hung up.

I stared at my phone in complete bewilderment.

***

Jane walked in two hours later, knocking as she pushed the door open and looking very confused. I was almost done with the latest inventory and was getting ready to close up.

“How you are doing in here?” she asked.

“About done,” I said. “I still have a couple of hours left on the clock, and I don’t think I can do much more of this today. Do you need help up front?”

Jane shook her head, looked out at the store, then back at me. “There’s a guy outside, says he’s an old friend of your brother’s. Wanted to say hi.”

I frowned. “That’s weird. No one knows I’m back.”

“My thoughts exactly,” Jane shrugged. “Anyway, I told him that you were busy, but he’s insistent. Want to help me get rid of him? Just say hi and send him on his way?”

“Sure,” I said, pushing my chair back and getting up, stretching my back. I remembered Bobby telling me about a reunion coming up, and I wondered who he had told that I was back in town. I hardly remembered any of his old friends, other than Andy, of course.

I froze when we reached the front of the store. The man waiting by the cash register turned around and flashed me a wide smile.

“Hi, baby,” Dennis said.

I felt my knees buckle and the world around spin out of control. My entire body began to shake, and if it weren’t for Jane grabbing my arm, I would have collapsed onto the ground. I stared at Dennis with wide eyes, my jaw dropping like a drawbridge, and my heart jumping into overdrive. It beat like a hammer in my chest, threatening to break through my rib cage and run like hell, leaving me behind. My breathing quickened, and I suddenly felt very cold.

Dennis’s smile never faltered, but his eyes shot daggers at me. There was a promise of pain and suffering there, that the minute he could get me alone, he’d break every bone in my body, put them back together, and then break them again.

“You’re full of surprises, Andrea,” Dennis said. “I mean, I thought you might come here, but didn’t really believe you would. I mean, who knew Bobby would let you back in? I guess he’s just as soft as he’s ever been.”

“Dennis –”

Jane looked from me to Dennis and then back again. “Dennis Canfield?” she asked.

“Hi, Jane,” Dennis smiled. It was such a menacing look, I almost believed the store would go up in flames because of it. It was like the devil had walked into the supermarket. “It’s been a long time.”

Jane looked at me again, and I met her gaze. She must have seen just how scared I was, because her eyes widened in understanding, and she gently pushed me behind her.

“It has been, Dennis,” Jane said. “It’s always good to see a familiar face, although I didn’t recognize you at first.”

Dennis tried to look past her at me. “Time takes its toll on all of us, doesn’t it?” He chuckled. “Now, if it’s alright with you, I’d like to have a word with my wife. I’ve been away from work for two days, and we really need to go home.”

“Have you talked to her brother?” Jane asked.

“Now why would I do that?”

Jane shrugged, doing surprisingly well at maintaining her cool. I, on the other hand, felt like my bladder was going to go at any minute. “He told me Andrea was staying here for a few weeks. She works for me right now, and I’d hate to think that my expectations were for nothing.”

Dennis’s smile disappeared, and the scowl on his face made him look like a rabid dog. “Andrea’s coming home with me, right now,” he said through clenched teeth. He attempted to smile again, but it did little to make him look less threatening.

“I suggest you call Bobby first,” Jane said.

“Get out of my way, old lady,” Dennis said. “That’s my wife. I don’t need permission to take her with me.”

“I believe you do,” Jane said. “Hank! Charlie!”

The two college kids who had recently taken up employment at Jane’s looked like twin bouncers. They appeared from behind the shelves, towering over Dennis as they approached him. One of them was actually massaging his fists, looking like a character out of a bad mobster cartoon. It would have been funny if I hadn’t been shaking to the core.

Dennis looked at Hank and Charlie, and I could see his mind contemplating whether or not he could take them. Please try, I silently prayed. Please be stupid and give them a reason to beat the shit out of you.

“It’s been nice seeing you again, Dennis,” Jane said. “But right now, I’m thinking it’d be best you leave. Before I call the police.”

Dennis looked at Jane, then at me. “This isn’t over,” he promised.

“Get out, Dennis,” Jane snapped.

Dennis looked at Hank and Charlie again, then shrugged as if it were his decision to drop the issue and walked out of the supermarket.

I lost the feeling in my legs, and I quickly fell despite Jane’s arm around my waist. Hank and Charlie quickly came to our aid, but I held up a hand and stopped them, feeling like I would black out if anyone moved me from where I sat.

“How did he find me?” I mumbled to myself. “Bobby would never have sent him here.”

“I’m guessing he was probably on his way to the house and saw your car outside,” Jane said, quickly adjusting my sitting position so I didn’t fall over completely. “You should have told me the whole story, Andrea. I could have handled this better.”

I tried to apologize, but the breath caught in my throat. My heart continued to painfully race in my chest.

“I’m going to call Bobby,” Jane said, getting up.

I quickly grabbed her arm. “No, don’t,” I stopped her. “He’s get so mad, he’ll do something stupid.”

Jane sighed. “Honey, he needs to know.”

“I’ll call him later.”

“Then what do you want to do?”

I tried to think, but my mind was blank. All I could think about was that Dennis was in Mansfield, and I was no longer safe.

“Andy,” I finally said. “Call Andy.”