Down to Business (Business Series)

by Alexander, J. C.

Even as disappointed as I was in him, I still thought he was the most gorgeous guy I had ever met and there would never be another Vinny for me.

  He stepped closer to the bed and looked down at me with a sad smile. I closed my eyes when his fingertips grazed lightly over the side of my face, pushing some hair away from my cheek. “I’m sorry I hurt you, Autumn.”

  His words caused my throat to tighten and I gave him a weak smile. “I’ll be okay.”

  He nodded. “I know you will… sleep tight.”

  “You too,” I whispered.

  He turned off my light and I heard the soft click of my door closing behind him. His footsteps carried down the hall, and moments later, the front door closed. I buried my face into my pillow and sobbed, letting all of my pent up tears and emotion flow out.

  The next morning I woke to the sound of my phone ringing on my bedside table. My head felt like a boulder had smashed it. I reached out to grab the phone off the nightstand, but instead I knocked it onto the floor. Groaning, I leaned over the side of my bed and squinted at the name lit up on the caller ID.

  It was my mother.

  I snatched the phone up and suffered the head throbbing aftermath of my hangover. I groaned in agony and waited for the pounding to stop before I answered the phone.

  “Hi Mom…” I rasped. “Is everything okay?”

  “No. Grandma’s test results came back. She’s—” her voice cracked, “I don’t want you to panic, but she has some intracranial hemorrhaging…”

  “What?” My hung over brain fought to process her words. All I could comprehend was that hemorrhaging was bleeding.

  “She has some minor bleeding in her brain from the fall and they have moved her to the ICU.”

  Panic seized my heart and I sat up suddenly, making my head feel like it would explode. “Is she…ow! Going to be okay?”

  “I hope so…” she said with a sniffle. “I feel so bad, Autumn. I should have been watching her.”

  I slid out of bed, grabbed my jeans off the floor, and shoved one leg inside them. “Mom...I’m coming.”

  “You don’t have to come. You need to focus on school and you just got that new job.”

  “I don’t care. This is a family emergency and I’m coming. I’ll meet you at the hospital,” I hung up pulled my other leg into my jeans. My head pounded again and I cursed as I tripped over my backpack on my way to Lindy’s room. I threw open her bedroom door to find Tyler asleep, half-naked in his boxers.

  “Tyler. Where’s Lindy?”

  He lifted his head and squinted at me. “What?”

  “Where is Lindy?” I demanded.

  “I dunno…she was just here…”

  “What do you mean you don’t know? Did she come home with you last—”

  I paused as I heard gagging sounds coming from the bathroom down the hall. I hurried there to see Lindy kneeling before the toilet with her cheek resting on the seat. Her face was as white as a sheet of paper.

  “Lindy? Are you okay?” I asked, frowning.

  “No. I’m dying Auti…help me.”

  “I can’t. I need someone to take me to Hamilton. My gram has a hemorrhage in her brain.”

  She blinked twice at me, her lips pale and dry. “I have alcohol poisoning.”

  “Did you hear what I just said? My grandma might die!”

  She frowned at me, lifted her head, and spewed more vomit into the toilet. I gagged and closed my eyes, covering my ears.

  She wiped at her lips with a wad of toilet paper and started to weep. “Oh my God, this sucks so bad…I think I need to go to the hospital…”

  I grabbed my aching head in helpless frustration. What was I going to do? There was no way she could drive me. I sighed and fought the tears of despair that burned my eyes. There was only one other person I knew could ask for a ride. But after last night, I doubted he would want to. He was probably hung over. I’d just have to wait for Lindy to feel better and maybe we could leave in the afternoon.

  I left Lindy in the bathroom and went back to my room. I tried to call my mother to let her know I might not be able to make it, but she didn’t answer. I left a short message on her voicemail and laid back down on my bed with a sigh. My headache was irritating, but at least I wasn’t throwing my guts up like Lindy.

  My phone began to ring again and my heart leapt into my chest. I was so worried it was more bad news from my mother that I answered it without checking who it was. “Hello?”

  “Hey, how are you feeling?” Vinny asked.

  I paused, too surprised to answer right away. “I feel like shit.”

  “Hung over?”

  “A little…”

  “I didn’t expect you to be up so early, I was going to leave you a voicemail.”

  “I wouldn’t be up yet…but my mother called and—” I paused as my throat tightened. “My gram is in the ICU with a brain hemorrhage.”

  “Jesus. Is she going to be okay?”

  “We don’t know yet,” I said, as tears invaded my eyes.

  “Are you going to go visit?”

  “I want to…but Lindy is hung over and puking her guts out so I don’t have a ride.”

  “I can take you.”

  “What?” I sniffled.

  “I’ll take you. Just let me get a quick shower and I’ll be right over, okay?”

  “Vinny, you don’t have to.”

  “I’ll be there in thirty minutes.”

  “But—”

  He hung up before I could argue anymore.

  I pressed my phone against my heart and smiled through my tears. Vinny might have been many things, but today, he was my savior.

  I went to the bathroom to check on Lindy, but she was gone. I figured she was back in bed and I didn’t want to disturb her, so I texted her my plan to go home with Vinny and told her I’d call her later. Afterwards I took some aspirin and a fast shower, then I threw on my Adelphi hoodie, jeans, and sneakers. By the time I was done getting ready, thirty minutes had passed.

  I stepped out of the apartment under a sky the color of fresh cement and spotted Vinny idling in the parking lot. I hurried down stairs and got into his car just as the rain started to pelt the windshield. I glanced over at him and he leaned over, giving me a hug. I closed my eyes and squeezed him back.

  “Are you okay?” he asked before letting me go.

  “Yeah. Thanks for doing this for me.”

  “I told you, it’s not a problem.”

  He reversed out of the parking spot and turned on the windshield wipers before we headed out of the parking lot. He wore a plain white t-shirt with a grey hooded zip up jacket over it and jeans. He looked clean and refreshed, but the dark circles under his eyes were a dead giveaway that he was hung over too.

  I put on my seat belt. “I’m really sorry about last night, Vinny.”

  He shook his head. “Don’t worry about it.”

  I frowned at him. “Did anything happen after I left?”

  He shifted gears. “It doesn’t matter. I’m just glad we got things cleared up between us.”

  We did? I wasn’t so sure.

  I sat back in my seat and watched him change radio stations.

  “How much did you have to drink last night anyway?” he asked.

  “I had a cup of beer and three shots of tequila.”

  He looked over at me in surprise. “You drank tequila?”

  I rolled my eyes and looked over at him. “Yeah.”

  He smirked. “You were completely wasted. Do you remember telling me off then puking in front of a crowd of people on the lawn?”

  My cheeks burned. “Unfortunately.”

  “Well, one thing is for sure,” he gave me an amused smirk, “everyone knows the freshman Autumn Malone.”

  I sighed and closed my eyes. “Great.”

  He pat my leg. “Don’t feel bad. You’re not the first freshmen to humiliate yourself at an Alpha Tau party.”

  “You’re not helping.”

  He laughed. “You should
have seen me my freshmen year. I was wasted all the time, puking on myself, on peoples lawns, on my friends…in my car. It’s the reason I got this new car, because the old one was wrecked inside. The smell just wouldn’t go away. I called my old ride, The Barf Bucket.”

  I looked over at him and laughed. “That’s disgusting.”

  He laughed too. “I was building tolerance. I never partied a lot in high school because I played football, so when I got to Adelphi I made up for it.”

  “I had my first drink when I was in junior high, then I drank often after my parents divorced. I was so screwed up over it. My mom was always crying and I hated my dad because I knew he was the one who wanted the divorce. I needed an escape from the drama, so Lindy and I would sneak down to her basement where her Mom kept their liquor and we’d take shots of everything.” I laughed a little. “Sometimes we’d get so drunk we’d pass out. Lindy’s mom was a nurse, so she worked at night a lot and she’d come home in the morning and find us passed out on the sofas in the basement. We’d just tell her we were having a sleep over, and I can’t tell you how often we didn’t go to school due to hangovers. My mom believed my stomach bug story every time.”

  He chuckled. “Bad girl.”

  “I know. Lindy’s Mom caught on and grounded her after she noticed the liquor bottles getting low. She never told my mother though…her mom was really cool like that.”

  “Cool. My mom would have killed me.”

  “Yeah, mine too, but drinking lost its appeal after it got me into that rape mess.”

  “Yeah, I can imagine it wouldn’t be so fun after that,” he agreed, sounding sympathetic.

  I looked over at him. “By the way, thanks for saving me from Richie. I don’t know what I would have ended up doing if you didn’t.”

  He glanced over at me. “I knew you were drunk and I couldn’t stand by and watch you get used after what you told me about your past. Richie would have used you up and left you for some other guy to have after he was done. They treat women like trading cards.”

  I frowned and folded my arms over my stomach. “So why do you want to be in Alpha Tau if you don’t approve of what they do?”

  He rubbed his palms over the wheel. “Actually, after last night, I decided I don’t wanna join anymore.”

  I blinked. “Really?”

  He shrugged, keeping his eyes on the road. “I’m thinking maybe I need to take life a little more seriously than they do. I might just rent my own house or apartment next semester.”

  “That would be nice.”

  He half-smiled. “Yeah it would be. I need a quiet place to chill so I can clear my head. I wouldn’t have it there.”

  I was glad that he decided not to join Alpha Tau. As far as I could tell nothing good came of them or their partying, and living in that environment would definitely bring your grades down.

  Once we were speeding along the interstate, I closed my eyes and let the hum of the road soothe the anxiety I felt over my grandmother.

  The next time I opened my eyes, we were parked at a gas station. I looked over the seat and saw Vinny at the rear of the car, pumping gas. I wondered how long I had been asleep.

  Once he got back into the car, he passed me a plastic bag. “I got you a drink and some snacks.”

  I smiled at him. “Thanks. Sorry I fell asleep.”

  “It’s okay. You needed it,” he said, starting the ignition.

  I peeked into the bag to find Reese’s cups, two rolls of lifesavers, and a bottle of water.

  I smiled at the fact he remembered what kind of candy I liked. “Thanks.”

  “Do you need to use the bathroom?”

  “No, I’m fine.” I offered him some of my Lifesavers.

  He took one and smiled at me. “Are you trying to tell me that my breath smells?”

  I laughed. “No, I was hoping mine didn’t.”

  “It doesn’t, but damn can you snore.”

  I blinked in shock, almost choking on my candy. “I snored? Really?”

  “No,” he laughed and pulled back onto the road, “I’m just teasing you.”

  I swatted his arm. “Jerk.”

  He leaned away laughing. “Hey! Easy! You can’t beat up your chauffeur.”

  His phone vibrated in his pocket and he pulled it out. I couldn’t see who it was, but from the serious look on his face, it wasn’t someone he wanted to talk to.

  “Hey. What’s up?” he asked. “I’m driving to Hamilton.”

  I ate another Lifesaver and made out the voice on the other end was female.

  “Autumn’s grandmother is in the hospital and she didn’t have anyone else to take her home.”

  It was definitely someone that knew me. When the voice suddenly escalated, I recognized it immediately. Vivian. She ranted for fifteen seconds straight before he could get a word in.

  “Okay, Viv. I gotta go, I’m driving. I’ll call you later.”

  He hung up on her with no goodbye and dropped his phone into the cup holder between us.

  “Everything okay?” I asked and uncapped my water, drinking some.

  He raked a hand through his hair and shifted gears as we got back onto the interstate. “Yeah everything is good. I just hate when people try to tell me what’s best for me because it’s not in their best interests.”

  “Vinny, you know you didn’t have to do this…”

  “Stop saying that. I don’t care if I didn’t have to. I wanted to.” He glared at the road. “I needed to get out of town anyway, to clear my mind.”

  To clear his mind of Vivian’s bitching?

  I decided not to let my negative feelings get the best of me. I might as well enjoy my time with Vinny while it lasted.

  We made small talk for the rest of the ride. I told him about what it was like growing up in a small town like Hamilton. He couldn’t believe that we had less than five thousand residents, only one grocery store, and one high school. Hamilton’s rolling green hills, clean lakes and small town feel made it a picturesque place to raise a family. Having Colgate University down the road is the only reason why we have been able to keep Malones afloat for so long. College kids love to drink and grab a cheap bite to eat while doing it.

  When we finally pulled off the exit for Hamilton, I felt relieved to be home. Once we reached the main street, I called my mother to let her know we arrived. By the time we reached the hospital, the sun was breaking through the gray clouds, letting patches of sunshine through. We parked close to the main doors and the moment we walked into the lobby, my mother greeted us.

  She threw her arms around me and squeezed. “I’m so glad you’re here.”

  “Me too.” I squeezed her back. “How is she?”

  She looked me over with watering eyes. “She’s stable. She just got out of surgery two hours ago. The doctor said she did great.”

  I smiled and glanced over my shoulder at Vinny standing nearby with his hands in his pockets.

  “Mom, this is Vinny. Vinny, this is my mother, Lori.”

  She mustered a smile and extended her hand to him. “Nice to meet you Vinny. Thank you for bringing Autumn all this way.”

  “Hey, it was no problem at all.” he shook her hand with a sympathetic smile. “She needed to be here.”

  Mom smiled at him then back at me, giving her silent approval. She knew all about Vinny from our phone conversations.

  We followed her back to the elevator and got off on the second floor. Grandma’s room was 233C. I had been to the hospital to visit family members countless times, but this time I wasn’t prepared for what I was about to witness.

  I stepped into the room to see my grandmother propped up on pillows in her bed with tubes in her nose and her mouth and a sling on her arm. A white bandage was wrapped around her head where the surgery had taken place and her skin was so blanched she looked near death…a far cry from the woman I knew my whole life.

  Tears sprung to my eyes as I stepped over to her bedside, wishing I had some flowers or something to offe
r besides sympathy. I took her limp hand in mine and squeezed. “Grandma, it’s Autumn. I’m here.”

  Her cold fingers closed weakly around mine and tears immediately invaded my vision. I looked over my shoulder into my mother’s watering eyes. “She looks so sick…”

  She squeezed my shoulder. “They said she should make a full recovery…it’s just going to be slow going due to her age.”

  I sniffled and brushed my fingertips along Grandma’s cheek, watching her chest rise and fall in shallow, rested breaths.

  “Where’s Josh?”

  “He’s at Malones. We are short-handed.”

  “I can help out while I’m here, Mom. I’ll go relieve him.”

  “No, don’t you worry about it. You came to see Grandma.”

  “Sitting here isn’t going to change anything. I’d rather be doing something productive instead of worrying.”

  She frowned at me. “Well if you really want to help out...we are short handed on servers.”

  “It’s Saturday. It’s going to be busy.”

  “I know.” She said frowning.

  “I’m going to head down there. I’ll call you in a little bit.” I kissed Grandma on her cheek and turned to Vinny who was standing near the door. He exchanged his goodbye with my mother before we left.

  Once we were safely inside his car, he looked over at me. “You okay?”

  “Yeah, why?”

  “That was a pretty intense scene.”

  “Yeah, but she’s a fighter. She will be okay.”

  “Kind of like someone else I know.”

  I half-smiled at him. “If you want to drop me off and head back, I don’t mind. I’ll find a way back home.”

  “Actually, I was going to see if you needed me to help you.”

  I blinked. “You want to help out at Malones?”

  “Yeah, it could be fun.” He gave me a half-shrug.

  I rolled my eyes and laughed. “Vinny, you know working on Saturday is never fun. It’s busy and this crowd isn’t like the one at Mazzolas. They are cheap and obnoxious.”

  “I know that, but I want to help out. It’s for a good cause.” He smiled some. “Will you hire me for a day or not?”

  I smirked. “I guess.”

  “Just like that huh? No interview?” he teased.

  I shrugged playfully. “What can I say, we’re desperate for help.”