Back To Me (22 page)

29

Heather

              Billy had gone to meet Blake and I was alone.
Again.
The thought riddled me with fear, but I reminded myself it was just for a little while. He’d be back soon and all would be right again.

              I cleaned the kitchen and put away our dishes from breakfast.
What to do now?
I thought. It seemed all I ever did was clean, but I had promised Billy I wouldn’t leave the house, and that meant not even for a quick jaunt outside. Besides, I was too much of a scaredy cat after the whole electrical situation the other night. Realizing I would go stir crazy if I didn’t do
something
, I opted to do housework. Billy would have the cleanest house in Montana by the time I got through. I sighed and grabbed the mop and bucket, making my way into the living room. I cranked up the radio and set about tidying up the house….again.

              I had just finished cleaning the hall bath when a knock on the front door startled me. I jumped, dropping the mop and sloshing water all over myself and the floor; it was becoming a habit. I leaned the mop handle against the wall, careful not to make a sound. My heart raced. Should I answer or not? The front door had a glass pane so I knew my cover would be blown as soon as I walked past. There was nowhere to hide.

              I moved cautiously, positioning myself so I could see around the corner. The shadow was too small to be a man, which helped to calm my nerves somewhat. My curiosity got the better of me, and I soon found myself inching closer and closer to the door. Whoever this was had their back turned and they were looking out across the field. Was it a neighbor? Had something happened to Billy? I knew the age old expression ‘curiosity killed the cat’, but I couldn’t help myself.

              I flung the door open before I could change my mind. “Can I help you?”

              The petite woman turned suddenly. “We need to talk.”

              She sashayed around me and into the house, while I stood in shock and utter amazement. Who did this chick think she was?

              “I think we’ve had a bit of a misunderstanding, and we need to clear that up right now.”

              “Lauren, there’s really nothing to say. I know you hate me.” I closed the door, realizing she wasn’t leaving until she got her way.

              “No, Heather, I don’t hate you. Hate is a strong word. I may not particularly care for what you did to Billy, but that’s in the past. I don’t have any reason to hate you now, do I?” Lauren asked, tossing her purse on the couch.

              “I don’t know. You tell me,” I replied.

              “I just don’t want to see Billy hurt. That’s all. He’s in love with you. I don’t think he ever stopped. I knew when he mentioned you years ago that he wasn’t over you. You
never
get over a love like that.”

              “No, you don’t,” I agreed. “So what can I do, Lauren? What can I do to prove to you and everyone else that
I love him
just as much? That I want to be with him.”

              “You don’t have to prove anything, Heather. That’s just it. I came to apologize for the other day, at Sam’s birthday party. You didn’t deserve to be put on the spot like that, and you didn’t deserve my attitude. I’m normally not such a ……”

              “A bitch?” I finished.

              “Yeah,” Lauren laughed. “A bitch.”

              We both chuckled which helped to break the ice. I finally relaxed enough to join her on the couch.

              “Have you heard anything from him?” she asked.

              “No, but I’m texting him every fifteen minutes like he said. Guess I’d better send another, or he’ll be worried.”

              I pulled my phone from my pocket and sent Billy a message.

             
*
I’m ok. Lauren’s here & we r talking. B saf
e
.

             
A few minutes later I got one back.

             
*
good to hear, angel. Love u. 15 min!

             
“He’s a worrier,” Lauren surmised.

              “Yeah, he is, but even more so now. This Raul guy is creepy. I don’t know how to explain it, but he just makes my skin crawl.”

              “Well, Billy’s the best,” Lauren offered. “He’ll take good care of you. I have no doubt about that.”

              “I know.” I took a deep breath and leaned back. I wasn’t concerned about Billy protecting me. He’d told me more than once he’d do whatever it took to keep me safe. My worry was Billy protecting himself; that I didn’t distract him to the point that he was blindsided. It was a guilt I would carry until this whole nightmare ended.

              “You want something to drink?” I offered. “We finally went to the store yesterday so there’s plenty to choose from.”

              “Oh, so you got to meet Lila, huh? And a water would be great. Thanks,” Lauren responded.

              “I did. She’s a piece of work, isn’t she?”

              “No doubt. That girl caused some major trouble for me and Luke, but we got it straightened out. Lila stares me down every time I go shopping, but she won’t say anything. I guess she knows better.”

              “Yeah, I kinda put her in her place yesterday, too,” I laughed.

              Lauren’s eyes lit up and an evil grin plastered her face. “Do tell!”

              I fetched us both a bottle of water and proceeded to tell her the whole story. She was laughing hysterically, and in no time we were past the barrier that had stood in our way of developing a friendship. Lauren wasn’t so bad once I got to know her, just like Billy had said. In fact, I liked her quite a bit and learned that we had a lot in common.

              “I don’t mean to bring up anything unpleasant,” Lauren said, “but Luke told me what happened. About the baby.”

              I gave her a puzzled look, not understanding how
he
knew.

              “Oh.” It was all I could manage.

              “Yeah, Billy told the guys at the party. I don’t mean to dampen your good mood,” she continued, “but I just wanted you to know that I’m here if you ever need to talk. I’ve been where you are and it can be the loneliest feeling in the world. No one can truly understand until they’ve walked our shoes.”

              “No, I guess not,” I agreed.

              “Well, we don’t have to talk about it at all. I just wanted you to know that you can come to me. You can cry, scream, yell; whatever you need to do.”

              Lauren reached over and gingerly placed her hand over mine, giving it a gentle squeeze. I looked at her with tears in my eyes. Perhaps one day I would talk to her about it, but I just wasn’t strong enough yet. It had only been a few days since I’d revealed it to Billy. He’d been the first and
only
person to know, and I just wasn’t ready to share the pain with anyone else.

              “Thank you,” I said, sincerely.

              I wiped a few stray tears away and we picked right back up where we’d left off; laughing about Lila and silly things that Luke and Billy had done throughout the years. No. Lauren wasn’t a bad person at all.

              It had been a few hours into our conversation and Billy still wasn’t home. I had continued to text him every 15 minutes, but all I got in return was
‘
k- still her
e
’. I was growing more anxious with each passing minute, but Lauren hung right in there with me; keeping my mind from running wild with the endless possibilities about what was delaying him.

              “He’ll be alright,” she said, giving me comfort.

              “Yeah. I just don’t know what I’d do if something happened to him. I almost lost him once. I can’t go through that again. I’m not as strong as I used to be,” I confessed.

              “Oh, sweetie,” Lauren said, “the bad things that happen in life make us stronger. It may not seem that way right now, but believe me. One day you’ll wake up and see that all of this was just a bump in the road.”

              “I hope you’re right.”

              About that time we heard a loud
thud
on the porch. I jumped up quickly, thinking Billy was home and possibly hurt. I darted for the front door when Lauren grabbed my hand.

              “What time did you text him last?” she whispered.

              “A few minutes ago,” I answered back. “Why?”

              “Because he was still with Blake. He hasn’t had time to get home.”

              She was right. I was about to react very foolishly. It was starting to get dark and opening the door would have been a stupid, careless thing to do.

              Lauren and I crawled, literally, across the floor to the front window where we could peer out. If we hadn’t been so damn scared, I’m sure it would have been hilarious.

              “What’s that?” Lauren whispered again.

              “What’s what? I don’t see anything.”

              She pointed to my left. At first all I could see was the end of the porch swing and a whole lot of bushes, but then movement caught my eye. I couldn’t make out who or what it was, but it was definitely something.

              “What the hell?”

              “I don’t know, but stay down. Are all the doors locked?”

              “Yes,” I murmured. “I’ve checked each one no less than ten times today. I’m petrified to be alone.”

              “Billy’s gonna freak.”

              “No he won’t because I’m not telling him,” I responded. “He’ll never leave my side and that’s no kind of life for him
or
me.”

              “Heather, take it from someone who has been stalked to unbelievable depths. Whoever this is, Raul or someone else, they won’t stop until they have what they want. I’m assuming that’s
you
, and you can’t keep this from Billy.”

              She was right and I knew it, but I sure didn’t want to be the one to tell him.

              “I’m staying with you until he gets home,” she continued. “For one, there’s no way in hell I’m going out there. Two, I know you need support and that’s exactly what I’m gonna do.”

              I looked at Lauren, dumbfounded and shocked. This morning I couldn’t stand her. I would rather have hanged
myself than spend time with her, but now? I wanted to lean over and hug her, so that’s exactly what I did.

              “Thank you,” I whispered.

              “You’re welcome, sweetie. C’mon, I think they’re gone. Let’s get off this hard floor.”

              I agreed, as my butt and legs were protesting with a tingling numbness. “Should we check and see if they left something?”

              Lauren shrugged her shoulders. “I don’t know. I think whoever was out there is long gone.”

              I nodded my head and again crept to the door.

              Lauren was hot on my heels as I grabbed for the door knob and turned it slowly. I was shaking; petrified of what was on the other side, and yet too curious to not want to find out.

              “What the hell is that?” she shouted, loudly.

              I gave her a look that said
be quiet
, and she shrunk back, covering her mouth with her hand.

              “I don’t know.”

              Sitting on the porch was a
gift
. A perfectly wrapped package, tied with a red bow. I knew it wasn’t from Billy. For one, Lauren was right. He was still a long way from home, and two, he wouldn’t have scared the shit out of me to deliver a present. Even if I was wrong about reasons one and two, Billy would have put ‘
angel
’ on the tag. 

              I grabbed it hesitantly, afraid something would jump out at me. I tucked the box under my arm and shoved Lauren back so that I could get the door shut and locked.
Quickly
. It wasn’t the smartest idea to have opened it in the first place.

              “What if it’s a body part?” Lauren chortled.

              “A body part? Who the hell sends body parts?” I was flabbergasted, but I’d be lying if I said the thought hadn’t crossed my mind.

              “Or a bomb,” she amended.

              Shit, Lauren really wasn’t making me feel any better about this.

              “I’m just sayin’,” she explained. “If this Raul guy is as bad as you say, you never know. Sounds eerie to me, and something that’d be right up his alley!”

              “Yeah, I know,” I conceded.

              She was right, but my trembling hands stroked the ribbon anyhow. My curiosity was getting the better of me and I could no longer stand it. I tugged on the bow, pulling it lose and letting it fall to the table. Next to go was the lid. I threw it unceremoniously to the side and stared at the wad of tissue paper balled up that concealed what was underneath.