by C. Lymari
Rosie smiled. “Yay!”
There was a knock on the door. I picked Rosie up and put Juliet behind me, but before I could warn Jess, she was already opening the door. Guess she felt comfortable in this apartment. She did have a key to the place, after all. Jana rushed in, Rusty right behind her.
“Oh God, Juliet,” she gasped as she took in the place, and then she came and hugged Juliet to her tightly.
“Hey, kiddo.” Russell pinched one of Rosie’s cheeks.
“Rusty.” She threw her hands up at him so he could carry her.
“Look at you. You’re as big as a house now.”
“No, I’m not.”
“Can you guys throw those bags away?” Jess looked at Rusty and me.
“How do you know Rosie?” I asked Russell as soon as we were outside.
“Jameson used to work at the auto shop last year. His shift and Rosie’s mom’s overlapped for about an hour. My dad felt bad for the girls. Jameson’s a mean son of a bitch when he’s drunk. When he started coming drunk to work, we cut him loose.” Russell threw the bags in the garbage can, then turned to me. “It’s a good thing what Juliet is doing for those girls, but…”
“But what?”
“I don’t know… It’s something she said the other day when she was at the house.”
That made sense for why he and Jana were here. Still, the caution in his voice had me worried.
“What’d she say?” I asked.
“It was nothing, but just keep an eye on her. Something about all of this—” He gestured toward the building the building. “—doesn’t make sense.”
Before we could walk back in, my brother and Dex had Jameson and were escorting him to the squad car.
“Was it him?”
Clark shook his head. “He doesn’t like Juliet—he thinks she’s a nosy bitch—but I don’t think it was him. Something doesn’t make sense. Sure, he’s a mean drunk, but vandalism isn’t his style.”
“Well, at least the girls are safe,” I muttered.
Clark shook his head again. “He’s a first-time offender. Dex pulled Jess aside and she said he sometimes gets violent. And when I asked if he hit her, she didn’t say more. We need her to talk, Jake, or else we can’t hold him for long.”
Sometimes the law sucked. They kept making stupid laws that didn’t benefit anyone, while they had weak domestic abuse laws, and they couldn’t find the time to fix those. It sucked when you didn’t have the resources.
“Jake, can we have a minute?” Clark asked.
“I’m going to go check on Jana.” Rusty said, giving me and my brother some privacy.
Once Rusty left, my brother gave me the same concerned look Rusty had given me earlier. “How much are you into her?”
“What? We’re just friends.”
“You fuck all your friends?”
“Jesus. You and Blake have no filter,” I muttered.
“You didn’t deny it…”
I sighed. “It’s complicated.”
Clark placed a hand on my shoulder and squeezed. “Brooke did a number on you, brother. Ma and I never liked that bitch, but you need to let it go. You keep everyone at arm’s length, just waiting for the moment they let you down so you can be done with them. If you’re doing that to Jules, then I suggest you walk away.”
I let a bitter laugh. “So you can slide in?”
“Brother, you both have been skirting around each other since high school. I’m charming, but I don’t think that’s why she helped me pass my classes. Because before her sophomore year, she never spoke to me. Juliet was genuinely worried about me, and I have a feeling it never had anything to do with me. Jules is a cool girl, and something doesn’t add up. She needs someone she can trust, and if that’s not going to be you, Jake, then step aside and let someone who will be there take over.”
I watched Clark walk away, and the heavy feeling I had been carrying for years disappeared as his car faded from view.
30
Juliet
Three Years Ago
The drive back home to Sunny Pines was uncomfortable. It was filled with silence and judgment. If I opened my mouth, I could taste the rage that Chad was emitting. The moment he opened his mouth, a part of me shook, scared he could hear my thoughts, even though I knew that was impossible.
Fear didn’t bother with rationality, I was beginning to discover. With fear, nothing was impossible; things you never thought you’d be afraid of terrified you, like a loose tie and bloodshot eyes after your husband got home from work. The way he raised his voice and you started shaking uncontrollably even though a part of you whispered, You have nothing to be scared of. You are stronger than you think.
All of that didn’t matter because you shrank. You became less than the person you thought you were, and between your husband’s yelling and your shaking hands, you forgot what a typical conversation between the two of you felt like. You became numb to everything but fear.
“I fucking hate this place,” Chad growled.
Even though he was driving and he’d never laid a hand on me, my heart started to race and I felt my blood run cold.
“Your parents should move out of this shit place; they have the means to come live in the city with us.”
I stared at the old wooden sign with the half sun carved, and I felt like I was home. Sunny Pines. Chad never liked it; it wasn’t a metropolis, no one knew who he was, and people in town didn’t care for him. They knew the Dunnetts and the Newtons, but that was as far as their “who’s who in the world” knowledge went.
“Prescott, I can tolerate, but your brother Max is a disgrace. He needs to get his shit together. That little stunt cost us all.”
I laid my hand on the cold window and tuned my husband out. Max was heartbroken, and until he stopped loving Freya, he wasn’t going to get better.
The pit of my stomach was in knots again, but this time it had nothing to do with Chad. I wanted to tell my brother about what our dad had said to Freya, but I could never do that to my parents.
“Next time, decline. I don’t know why you don’t tell your parents I’m fucking busy. They can come to see us if they want us to spend the holidays with them that bad,” Chad spat.
“They wanted to do it at their house.”
“They’re always at their fucking house—what difference does it make if it’s Christmas or not?”
My throat burned with the anger I wanted to lash out and talk back with, but it would be pointless. Chad never lost an argument. Hell, half the time it didn’t matter what I had to say. Only he mattered. I was beginning to think he could have picked any woman, inserted her in my place, and I wouldn’t have been missed.
When we arrived in town, we went straight to my parents’ house instead of the B&B. Looking at my childhood home, I felt longing. I realized how much I missed it. The house was isolated from the rest with a little forest behind it. I used to hate it when I was younger because there was no one around to play with me, but now it reminded me of peace.
“Sweetheart, I’m sorry.” Chad pulled me into a hug as soon as we both got out of the car. “You know I’ve been under a lot of stress lately. I didn’t mean to take it out on you.”
He kissed my forehead, and a warm feeling took hold. It was moments like this that made it all better.
“Juliet, Chad, come on in. It’s cold out!” my mother greeted us as she opened the door.
Chad kissed my hand and led me inside. “Gwen, you look lovely. I swear, woman, you get more beautiful with age.”
My mother laughed, and then my father hugged Chad, and I smiled as I watched the way my parents adored my husband. Chad sent me a wink as my father led him away to the office. I shook my head, ridding myself of those silly feelings I had earlier. Chad was right—I was too emotional at times. My husband and I had it all. I had the life all the girls at my sorority wanted. I had landed the Chad Albrecht, and I was living my fairy tale.
Making my way to the kitchen, I bumped into Max
. The changes in my brother were striking; he didn’t have a hint of alcohol on his breath, his suit wasn’t wrinkled, and his hair looked vibrant.
“Sister.” He grinned at me and gave me a one-armed hug.
I failed to notice that on his other arm was a blonde. The smile I was sporting at my brother’s change dropped when I saw Abigail Newton. If she noticed or not, she didn’t show it. Those big lips curved into a sensual smile.
“Juliet, it’s been ages,” she said in a fake, sugary sweet voice.
Having no other choice, I leaned in to give her a hug. I guessed my brother had finally moved on, and he’d moved on with Abigail. Once upon a time, she was my friend, but I never forgave her for going behind my back and telling my parents I had a date with that Carson boy. But I guessed if she made my brother happy, I could deal with it. After all, I was with Chad now. The rest of the night went great, except when my family announced the factory we had all discussed opening was moving to Sunny Pines.
Maybe no one else in the room felt it, but I did. It made my back go rigid, and I didn’t dare look at my husband as he spoke.
“I thought we agreed we were setting up in Minneapolis,” Chad seethed.
Abigail smiled at my brother, and he to her. I could see my mom swooning across the table all her kids marrying right.
“I found a reason to stay. Besides, I’m here, so is Prescott, and we figured Juliet could do the books from home, that way she would only need to come in about once a month,” Max said, sounding like a healed man.
“You thought of everything, didn’t you?” Chad toasted his drink to Max with an easy smile, but I knew better.
I ate slower, dreading the moment we had to say goodbye, but it seemed time wasn’t working in my favor, and before I knew it, it was time to leave.
“Bye, Mom.” I hugged my mother tighter that night.
She had a smile on her face. She was used to living in my father’s shadow, and I wanted to ask if Daddy had ever had an outburst like Chad did, but I was too scared to find out.
“Gwen, Paul, a pleasure, as always.” Chad led me by the hand back to the car.
When he closed his door, I flinched. I was prepared for him to start yelling, but nothing ever came. The silence was worse than before, and I dreaded the moment we made it to the Lees’ B&B.
Mrs. Lee was waiting for us, since I had called ahead to let her know we were coming. I couldn’t remember what she talked about with us, only that Chad was getting impatient. I knew it in the way his lips curved and the way his fingers drummed against my back to the beat of my heart. Before he opened the door of our room, I turned to look at the empty hall, hoping someone else could save me. The fear and unease I that had chalked up to overreaction came back in full force.
“Does your family not know the meaning of the word commitment?” Chad seethed. “I promised the factory for my campaign. You know how much funding I’m going to have to pull out of my ass now to make that happen? Your fucking brother gets his life together and he has to fuck over my plans.”
“I could talk to my dad about it. Maybe I can get him to change his mind.”
Chad started to laugh maniacally, and I worried that someone could hear him. Oh, God, the embarrassment.
“Don’t be stupid, Juliet,” he spat. “What are you going to do? Nothing, that’s all you’re good for—nothing.”
“Babe, I know you’re stressed.”
“Fuck, how many times do I have to tell you not to call me that? What are we, in high school?” Chad’s voice kept getting higher and higher, and I knew we couldn’t afford a scandal.
“Please calm down.” I took a step toward him, trying to appease him, but that was a mistake.
As soon as my hands made contact with his face, he gripped my wrist in a vice, and then he pushed me back, causing me to fall. My back hit the arm of the sofa, making me cry out in pain. I was mortified. Sure, Chad tended to lash out, but it had never gotten physical.
“Fucking Christ, Juliet, can’t you watch your fucking step? Now I have to go talk to that nosy bitch because you’re having a tantrum.”
My husband didn’t bother to make sure I was okay before he left. Sliding off the sofa, I began to cry. It wasn’t the first time, but it was the first time I was scared that he was going to abuse me physically. The thought had crossed my mind many times, but as bad as his temper had gotten, he had never done it.
Technically he didn’t hit you—you tripped, the weak part of me whispered, and even though I shouldn’t have believed her, I did.
Grabbing my coat, I made my way outside to look for Chad, but when I opened the door, he was outside with a bouquet of flowers.
“I’m sorry, Julie. You know I love you, sweetheart, and I would never hurt you. You know that, right?”
I shook my head, feeling better for his apology, like that somehow made it right. As if that apology would take away the pain in my back.
“I know,” I said through tears, and took the flowers he offered me. “Is it okay if I go ask Mrs. Lee for a vase?”
“Yeah, that’s fine.” He kissed my forehead and then shut our door.
Holding the bouquet with one hand, I wiped my tears with the other and went to the front desk. As Mrs. Lee searched for a vase, I went outside to get some much-needed air. It was chilly, but the breeze felt nice against my overheated cheeks.
Not thinking much about it, I pulled my phone out and put an ad up for managing a business. Max was right; I could do it from home. It felt wrong to do it—a part of me recoiled at what that implied, and my hands shook, but it was also a little liberating. Before my Nana passed away, she always told me that even if I got married, I should make sure to have a separate account for myself, an account my husband wasn’t privy to. Just the thought of it felt wrong, but I promised myself I was going to do it. It couldn’t hurt, right?
As I got up to go back inside, I saw him. Jake Carson. It was brief—he was driving a black truck. I put a hand to my hair, trying to get a loose strand behind my ear, and he mistook it as me waving at him. Jake gave me a grin and wave, then looked back at the road. He was going really fast and it was dark, so I doubted he recognized me, but it still made me feel. For the first time, my heart sped up with something other than anguish and fear; for the first time in years, I felt alive again.
I went back into my room, ready to start fighting. Too bad that sometimes all that is just things you dream about at night. Dreams you make up under the night sky that seem impossible to realize in the morning light. Under the night sky, you see the endgame, but you can’t see the start, and starting is always the hardest.
Things went back to normal between me and Chad until a year passed and things started to get worse. It wasn’t until Max’s failed wedding that things got so bad, I finally had the courage to run.
31
Juliet
Losing everything you own is one of the worst feelings in the world. I woke up this morning happy that the cast that reminded me of the weakest moment of my life was finally going to be gone. I wouldn’t have to wake up every morning having to work my way around it as I showered, dressed, or typed. Chad wasn’t going to be an inconvenience in my life any longer.
Then I came home to my place completely destroyed. To make it all worse, Jake was here, and I didn’t want him to see. Not this. My life was a mess, and I wasn’t as put together as he thought I was. Granted, he still thought I was a spoiled bitch, but that was better than the state I was in now. Now, I had nothing.
“How do you feel about the color yellow?” Jana’s question took me away from feeling sorry for myself.
“Huh?” I asked.
“My mom has a yellow sectional that she doesn’t use anymore. I know it’s nothing fancy and probably not your style, but if you want it, it’s yours.”
“Why are you being so nice to me?”
“You were my best friend growing up,” she said as if that was enough. As if that made up for the last five years we didn’t talk.
>
“You were my best friend too…” I paused, but I couldn’t contain what I had to say anymore. “I’m sorry I never called you after everything with my brother went down. I wasn’t choosing his side. I just didn’t know what to say, and I didn’t want to pick a side, and I’m afraid in staying silent, it seems like I did.”
“Oh God…” Jana fanned herself. “This is going to make me cry. You know I hate crying.”
We both laughed, because she did.
“I missed you. God did I miss you,” she said.
“I’m sorry I couldn’t come to your wedding either. I wanted to be there…”
Jana gave a sad smile. There was nothing we could do about it now. We would always say how we would be each other’s bridesmaids, but that never happened.
“I think the place could use a little color,” I said, breaking off the tension.
“Are you guys done being emotional? Because I swear, I’m going to puke.” Jess peeked her head from my room. “Your clothes are all intact, so that a plus.”
She was trying to lighten the mood, but I knew she was still sad and relieved. Her father was in custody, and even though he was a piece of shit, it must have still sucked.
“Honey, can you and Bear go to my mom’s and bring the yellow sectional?” Jana called out.
Rusty grinned at her, then looked at me. “My parents have their old table—nothing fancy, but it’s good enough for four. Yours if you want it. Dex called and said you could have Emma’s side tables. They’re too girly for his place, so he doesn’t want them.”
“Um… shouldn’t Emma decide if she wants to get rid of her tables?” I asked.
“Girl, Dex has been trying to get Emma to move in with him. If it were up to him, he would donate her whole room and be done with it,” Jana joked.
“Are you feeling better, baby?” Jake came behind me and brought me to his broad chest.
I hated to say it, but I melted, because despite everything, I felt safe.
