Chapter Thirty-Five
“When a venomous snake resurfaces, cut off his head.”
~Anonymous
Weeks passed, and life settled into a dull, empty routine. Angel had not returned to school. She worked at the clinic several days a week, took inordinately long walks with Simon, passed Char’s house a couple hundred times, but still could not bring herself to enter the residence or drive the Jaguar stored in the garage.
She ran into Pete one day on campus, he had called numerous times over the past weeks. His approach was conciliatory and concerned, but something in his tone of voice sounded off. Besides, she’d never let him into her life again. A tiger didn’t change his stripes, and Pete didn’t seem the type to undergo an epiphany sufficient to alter his possessive and aggressive personality.
Angel passed a novelty store where a beautifully polished, hollowed out gourd formed a bowl with swirls of resin adding depth, an apt depiction of her hollowed out heart where streaks of scar tissue still bled. The piece reminded her of the beautiful gourds Char had worked and polished, and given as gifts over the years. God, how she missed her friend. Would she ever feel whole again?
“Angel?”
She turned to see Jonas heading her way. “Hey, how have you been?” She shrugged her shoulders in response.
“Yeah, I know what you mean. Have you seen Char lately?” His face held an expression of both hope and dejection.
“Didn’t Char tell you she was leaving?”
“She’d mentioned it a few times, but I didn’t think she really intended to leave. So, I guess she’s gone?” His shoulders slumped slightly at the question.
“Yes, she left shortly after Thanksgiving. I don’t know the exact day. I haven’t been able to bring myself to go into her house to check on things.” Angel shook her head and watched the toe of her boot slide back and forth as if urging her foot to move forward.
“I haven’t seen Brian around either. Last I saw him he was looking for work at MacMurry’s Construction, as I told Char, but Toby’s been doing odd jobs for them and said Brian never joined their crew.”
Angel’s chest constricted so tightly she could barely form a response. “No one has heard from Brian since a few days after the funeral. He seems to have—disappeared into thin air.” Jonas could never imagine how literally she meant that statement.
“Would you like to go out for a few drinks tonight? Maybe the disco? I think we could both use some friendly camaraderie and noisy distraction.” He bumped her shoulder playfully with his.
“Sure, why not. I haven’t been out for a while. I can’t seem to find interest in anything these days. Oh, just listen to how morose I’m being. Sorry.”
“Hey, don’t apologize. Recent events have turned your world upside down. I imagine it will take a long time before you feel normal again—whatever normal is.” He pulled her into an awkward, friendly embrace. “Let’s wallow together for a few hours. I’ll pick you up at 8:00 P.M., okay?”
* * *
When they passed through the double curtain of dangling beads, the noise and flashing rainbow-colored lights turned the crowds’ faces into macabre grimaces. This was a mistake. Angel couldn’t see anything except the faces of Char and Brian from their first visit here. Maybe Brian and Char had decided to run off together. Until this very minute, she’d not even considered that possibility. She quickly dismissed the thought. No, Brian had left weeks before Char, and Char would have told her. Wouldn’t she have?
As they sidled up to the bar, an urge to run out of the place buzzed through her body pounding on her nerves like the heavy base of music that vibrated the air around them. But she remained, sipping a glass of Chardonnay, engaging in mindless chit chat until she thought she’d grind her teeth to dust.
A sudden prickling of neck hairs alerted her to a presence behind her. “Hey gorgeous, it’s good to see you out and about.”
Pete. Damn. He was the last man she wanted to talk with tonight. Roberta Flack’s “Feel Like Makin’ Love” floated over the crowd. “I think that’s our song, babe. How about a dance?” He reeked of alcohol. With a vise-like grip, Pete grabbed her wrist and pulled her onto the floor before she could even set down her drink.
“Stop it, Pete. I don’t feel like dancing, and this certainly isn’t our song. We don’t have a song.”
He pulled her tight against his body, his hard erection pressing into her thigh. In a harsh whisper, he venomously spat her name into her ear. “Is our little Angel still playing hard-to-get? Well, your hunky he-man Highlander, or whatever he was, seems to have disappeared, and Jonas is no match for me, babe. C’mon, I told you I was sorry, and you know you still want me. I haven’t forgotten how hot and bothered I could make you with just a bit of petting and kissing. Give up the frozen Angel act. I’ll bet your Highlander has had a taste or two.”
That was the final straw. Angel threw the contents of her wine into his face and pushed him away. “Don’t you ever touch me or come near me again. Do you understand me? I’m! Not! Interested! Not now, not ever! Got it?” She slammed her foot onto his instep and jumped away.
“You’ll pay for that, bitch.”
Jonas stepped in front of her. “No, she won’t. If I ever see you around her again, you’ll be the one paying.” Jonas put his arm around her shoulder and pulled her off the dance floor as the music turned to “Rockin’ All Over the World” by Credence Clearwater Revival. Pete shouted something to her back, but the music drowned out his words.
“What an ass! He’s as obnoxious as ever. Last week he came up to me all apologetic, offering condolences. Some things never change.” Angel fumed. “How did I ever see one single redeeming quality in that jerk?”
“Just ignore him. Would you like to leave?” Jonas yelled above the deafening clamor in the room.
Yes, yes, I want to leave. Instead, she ordered another drink and moved to lean her back against the bar so she could see anyone approaching. “I wouldn’t give him the satisfaction.”
Pete had disappeared into the crowd, no doubt to molest another unsuspecting female. Though he had scores of them willing to fall into his bed, she had no desire to be around him ever again. His presence made Brian’s and Char’s absence even more painful, but it was past time for her to return to the world of the living.
After another drink, they left the nightclub and headed home. “What are your plans for Christmas?” Angel hated the idea of celebrating Christmas this year. There had been far too many losses and the holiday would only remind everyone of the people not there to share in the festivities. However, she’d put on her best face for her parents’ sake and for Granny M They deserved her cheer, no matter how forced.
“I’ll be hanging out at my apartment. The folks are going to Hawaii with my aunt’s family.”
“Why aren’t you going with them?”
“Eh, I don’t get on so well with Auntie Jen. Long story. Besides, the folks don’t really have the money to take me while covering some of my school expenses, so I bowed out gracefully.”
“Why not join us for Christmas? It’s likely to be a somber affair, but you always add a bit of cheer to any festivity.”
“I don’t know, Angel, I don’t want to intrude.”
“Don’t be silly. The family would love to have you with us, especially this year. It’s settled. We’ll serve dinner at 3:00. Come by around 2:00. You can help set the table and sing a few off-tune Christmas carols.”
“I’m offended. I’ll have you know I participated in several Christmas pageants when we were kids.”
“Yeah, I remember. Thus, my comment.” They continued in a lighter mood, recalling far safer subjects of childhood holiday memories.