Chapter 14

Laynie

I look at Anna as both detectives leave. I don't know exactly what Stephanson meant by his last comment, but I feel completely guilty for my earlier laugh at his attire. When I look to Anna she has tears in her eyes and hasn't looked away from the door. I glance at Jared who shrugs, having no idea what that was about either. I look at Alan next and he just stares down at Anna with a look of sympathy. Seems he might know something we don't. Anna's past was not a friendly one. We met when I moved from New York to Minneapolis and started going to the same elementary school. It was just dad and me and I had no siblings, so I wanted to make friends. A girl named Mina came up to me at lunch and started picking on me. She made fun of my clothing, my hair, my shoes, everything. According to her and her cruel words, I was just too plain looking to sit at her table. Anna walked right up to Mina and slapped her in the face. We have been best friends ever since.

Anna was always the pretty girl next door. Long blonde hair, green eyes, and lashes as long as her legs. She was the cheerleader, the academic, the everything, but I knew better. She joined all those after school activities because she didn't want to be home.

"Fuck him Annabelle." Alan says randomly. "So, he did a little research on you, so what. He probably also knows that when me and Jared got wasted on my birthday six years ago, I peed on his toothbrush and never told him."

"What the fuck?" Jared says laughing with a disgusted look on his face.

That seems to wake up the Anna that we all know and love. She laughs right along with us, gets up, pats Alan on the shoulder in a grateful manner and walks to the restroom. I get up and walk over to Alan and kiss his cheek. He really is a good man. I walk over to Jared and he holds his hands out to me. I nervously take them in mine. What he told me earlier has not left my mind. He told me he is going to try. That he isn't going to give up on us. This is going to be hard and terrifying and I'm petrified Jared is going to turn into my worst nightmare again, but I want to try too. I have to. He is it for me.

Anna comes out and tells us that we should get out of the house for the day. We agree and decide that us girls will get a pedicure while the men go do, whatever it is men do when they are together. I decide to take Anna to a regular salon of mine, before we walk in, I look into the visor mirror and check my makeup one more time. My bruises have almost completely healed but I just didn't want anyone staring. Usually when Jared disciplines me I just don't go out for a few days, but with Anna here and needing some space I knew I had to oblige. Jared looked a little shaken by me wearing makeup. He wouldn't stop staring at me when we left the house. I noticed he had a clean white tee on and some jeans. He looked edible. I think if it weren't for Alan joking about us needing to be hosed off, we may have done something we would both regret.

"You know I'm here if you need anything right?" Anna says in a sad tone pulling me from my sexual thoughts of Jared.

"Ditto." I say back to her, not forgetting the earlier confrontation between her and Stephanson.

I want to ask her what it was about but I know Anna. When something is truly wrong she will tell me. I just think she needs space and time. With a sad smile to each other, we get out of the car and head into the salon.

Jared

Alan and I leave the hardware store and head to get the surveillance equipment. I am just getting back in the car that Alan rented, passenger seat this time, when he starts.

"You know if you really loved Laynie, you would have never moved her to New York."

He says what I have been telling myself for days. Why are we in New York? I know that Laynie was born here, I also know that her mother was emotionally abusive to her. Her father was trying to get his own firm at the time, so he was oblivious to it all. When he finally caught on he left her and took Laynie to Minneapolis, where he grew up. Laynie's mother fought for partial custody and won. She visited her mother every summer and when Laynie would come back in the fall, she would be miserable. One summer when Anna, Alan and I wanted to waste the summer away like most teenagers, she told us about everything her mother says to her. How she is failing as a daughter, how everything she tries to accomplish is pointless. Laynie has always figured her mother hated her because her father never loved her mother. They got married simply because she was pregnant. That was why Laynie has always hated the city, too many panful memories with her mother.

"I'm not sure man, I wish I could erase her ever being here for more reasons than one, but I can't." I say to him truthfully.

If Laynie wanted to move back to Minneapolis, I would move mountains to move her back. There is nothing here for me. Which is why it's so strange to me that I would take whatever job they offered me here. I was making enough money in Minneapolis, and with Laynie working as a sous chef, we were doing alright together. Something else dragged me down here, I just don't know what.

"I don't know man, there has to be something keeping you here, something that pushed you here in the first-place, other than a job opportunity. Your house was paid for, you had a good job, you guys were getting married. Then all of a sudden poof, I hear you sold your home, you quit your job, and you took Laynie to a damn courthouse."

My mind is reeling. What the hell does he mean courthouse? I assumed that the reason why Laynie didn't have any of our wedding pictures up was because she was angry with me. I give Alan a look that I'm assuming, after twenty years of friendship, he understands as shocked and confused.

"Shit man, sorry, I didn't mean for you to find out like that." He says confirming our friendship and blowing me away all in one breath.

Oh my God. Laynie's one big dream besides owning her own restaurant was to have a big wedding. Her mother told her often that she was going to end up just like her, married in a courthouse by a man that didn't love her. She always vowed that she would get married to a man like her father, and have a wedding that she deserved. She wanted something to tell our children.

"Fuck!" I scream, punching the glovebox, I am so sick of this. We have been home for two damn days and I already feel like an eternity has passed. What the fuck am I going to do. I vowed I would make it up for her, but is it enough? Would it ever be?

"Let's go man. Let's hook this stuff up and order in some Chinese for the girls. There is nothing you can do about the past. Laynie loves you something fierce. All you can do is make sure she is happy from this day on." Alan says in a mature manner. I sigh loudly and nod my head in his direction.

On our way back home, I glance at Alan and build up the courage to ask him something that has been bothering me.

"Alan, you want to tell me about the car accident?" I ask.

Alan glances over at me, then quickly looks over at the traffic. He sighs then pulls the van over. Apparently, we need to be still for this conversation.

"I found out some news about someone I care about and it changed me. I felt like I didn't know myself any longer. I started drinking and sleeping around, hoping it would help ease the pain. It didn't though, quite the opposite actually. One night I left a bar, it was like two in the morning, and I was completely wasted. I drove there and in my mind, I was sober enough to drive home. I was a mile away from my house when I ran a red light. The car I slammed into had an eighteen-year-old girl in it. She was on her way home from college to surprise her mother." He says.

I am stunned into silence. I cannot believe Alan would ever go that far for a girlfriend. Alan has always loved hard but for someone to mess his head up that bad, she must have been really special to him.

"When I woke up the next morning, Anna was right by my side. She told me that the girl survived, but that she was in a coma. I prayed man, I prayed for God to save her. He could have me instead. I just couldn't live with the fact that she may be gone because I was a jackass. She woke up four days later. I promised myself that since she was alive I would change. I served my time, did my community service, changed my record around and applied as a youth counselor. Eventually they allowed me to get my teaching credentials." He finishes.

I'm amazed at his story. I hear about crashes like that on the news all the time but I never thought my best friend would be behind one of them. I look at him, shocked but proud of his turn around. Part of me wants to kick his ass for being an idiot, but another part of me is so happy he is even here to tell me about it. That night could have ended way worse.

"So, what's her name?" I ask.

Alan smiles and closes his eyes. "Edith, she is a sophomore now at the University of Minnesota. She is going to school for business and she loves the new dog I just bought her."

We both start laughing. I knew from the end of Alan's story that he had this young girl become his saving grace. He saw what he could have done, and used it to turn his whole life around. It's inspiring really. I'm glad that Edith and Alan have become somewhat of friends.

"I'm proud of you Alan." I say, then put my head down. "I'm sorry I wasn't there for you. You would have been there for me if the roles were reversed. Hell, you're here now. I appreciate you. More than you know."

Alan looks at me and lifts his hand up to pat my shoulder. He nods his head and with that we pull out and head home. My head is down and I'm lost in my thoughts when my phone rings. It hasn't rung since we were in the hospital and Laynie answered it while I was resting. I'm almost nervous about who it could be when it shuts off and rings again. I look at Alan who shrugs, then looks back at traffic.

"Don't look at me man, I'm not grabbing anything near your dick." He says crudely.

I roll my eyes at him and reach into my pocket to grab the phone. What I see on the screen has my heart pounding. What the hell? I answer before it stops ringing and my voice sounds shaky

"H-Hello?"

"Where are you? I'm at the cite but James has told me your out for a few weeks. What the fuck are you doing? I'm not paying you to sit around and get your fucking nails and hair done." He shouts.

I have to look down at the phone in my hand to make sure I'm speaking with the correct person, then resume the strange conversation.

"You stupid son of a bitch. Those stupid inspectors came to look at the site yesterday and you weren't there. What am I supposed to do with that?"

Alan looks at me strangely. I'm sure he can hear someone yelling at me. I feel the car stop and glance at my surroundings. We are back home; the girls must still be out doing their spa day because I don't see Laynie's car.

"Are you listening to be boy!" My father shouts in my ear startling me. I feel like I'm ten years old again getting ready to piss my pajama's because he caught me getting water after my bedtime.

"You better not have hung on me you little shit! I will fuck up your life if you fuck me over." I can't speak. I can't breathe. I don't know why he does this to me. I don't know how at thirty years old, how he can still make me feel so small and insignificant. How does he have my number? I work for him? I can feel the darkness trying to come through. He has always done this to me. I try to say something but nothing comes out. I open my mouth and try again. I cannot let this man control me any longer.

"Look dad." I see Alan in the corner of my eye turn towards me. "I'm not sure what you're talking about. I don't know what James told you, but I had someone break into my house and beat me and Laynie up. I lost my memory. They told me I have short term memory loss. I didn't even know I worked for you." I explain.

I look towards Alan for confirmation. Maybe he knows something about this. Alan shakes his head and continues to study me, answering my silent question. I see in the corner of my eye Laynie's car approaching. Maybe she would know why I work with my father.

"You have got to be fucking kidding me." My father says dragging me from my thoughts. "You expect me to believe that. Where the hell are you right now." I look around and give him the answer. "Meet me at my office in ten minutes." With that he hangs up.

I'm floored. I just keep looking at my phone wondering what the hell that was about. I never speak with my father. He basically calls every year around my birthday and that's it. Past few years he hasn't even done that. Now I work for him? What the actual fuck?

I hop out of the van and march right over to Laynie's car door. Her and Anna are still sitting in the car chatting and laughing. I open Laynie's door and lean into her. I don't want to scare her but I can't seem to see past the conversation I just had with my father. "Laynie, baby can we talk, privately." I say glancing over at Anna whom is getting out on her side with Alan's assistance.

"Sure. Is everything okay?" She says looking a little startled. I want to tell her yes, so badly. I want to lie to her and tell her that everything is fine so that she can keep that smile she just had on a few seconds ago, but I can't. I need her right now. I need to know what the hell is going on.

I lead her to the front door, down the hall, and into our bedroom. I hear Alan and Anna talking in the living room, so I'm assuming he is telling her what transpired just now.

"Laynie, I need you to answer me truthfully." I say in a panic. This can't be true. I work for him? Granted he is in the same business and is the reason why I wanted to be a contractor in the first place, but I wanted nothing to do with him for so long. Why would I let him in my life now? Oh God, is he the reason we are in New York?

"Jared your scaring me, what's happening." I know I'm scaring her. I don't want to be, I just can't help being frantic. The darkness is spilling over the edges of my fragile mind and it's making me extremely uncomfortable. I promised her I would never hurt her again but what if this is my nature? What if I'm destined to break this woman?

"I just got off the phone with my father. He expected me at work yesterday?" I say in a questioning tone. I don't want to be upset with her but I can't help it. If she knew about this, then why would she keep it from me. My relationship with my father is just like her and her mother's. Or was I suppose, now.

"Jared, what are you talking about. You and your father haven't spoken in years." She says giving me a bit of relief. Good, I'm not the only one that is confused by this news.

"Laynie, my father's name is in my phone as dad and he just called me when Alan and I were leaving the shop. He started cursing me out, yelling at me for missing work these last few days. I told him about the amnesia and he thought I was lying. He wanted me at his office a few minutes ago. Laynie, I don't even know where that is.

"Okay, lets calm down. Getting worked up, can't be good for you right now. Why don't you go meet with him and see what he is talking about?"

She makes it seem so easy. I give a slight nod. Surely, I can go meet up with the old man and see what light he can shed on this shit situation. One thing worries me though, If I have worked for father for the past twelve months, then why the hell didn't my wife know?