"Oh no. We're not leaving you alone. As soon as Daphne told me what happened, I called Tracy to cover for me."
"And I was scheduled to do some paperwork this morning anyway," Daphne chimes in. "So it's fine. It's more important that we take care of you right now."
Tara holds up her cell phone. "Cooperate or I'm calling your Mom."
* * * * *
I cuddle up on my couch while Daphne and Tara pace the floor. As soon as we arrived, they ushered me into my room to clean up. When I saw my face in the mirror I almost scared myself. Half of my hair was sticking up on the side and my eyes look hollow and gaunt in my face.
"Bastard!"
"Jerk!"
"Neanderthal!"
The insults fly back and forth as they take turns cursing Finn up one side and down the other. Daphne in particular is really getting into it. She rarely curses and never has a harsh word for anyone so I'm surprised to see her so furious. I think she must have some residual frustration built up from over the years that is finally finding an outlet.
"We should sue his ass." That was Tara. I was surprised she hadn't mentioned it before now. Daphne is hurt on my behalf but Tara, she's pissed. I can see it in her tense stance and the way her eyes keep darting back and forth. Her sharp mind is looking for some way out of this situation. She wants to do more than just curse Finn's name. She wants to go after him. She wants blood.
"The contract states that all disputes must go through arbitration."
Tara growls at that. “That damn contract. He's a snake but he's a smart snake. That's a scary combination."
Daphne finally abandons her pacing and sits next to me on the couch. I lean over and cuddle against her. She strokes my hair.
"I still can't believe that he did this. He seemed so nice that day. Now I wish I'd kicked him in the balls while he was standing in front of me." Daphne seems to be taking it hard that she didn't see through Finn's charm. I already told her that she's in good company. There aren't many women who are immune to Finn.
"Are you upset that I didn't tell you about our past?" She hasn't said anything or done anything that makes me think she's mad at me but in her position, I would be a little hurt. After all, I confided the whole story to Tara right away and deliberately kept Daphne in the dark.
Daphne shakes her head. "It's your story to tell. You shouldn't have to share it with anyone if you don't want to. I just hope you don't think that I would have judged you."
"No, that was honestly the last thing I thought." I struggle to find the words to explain. "It's just that you guys know this version of me. The one who has herself together. That girl that I was before, well I like to leave her in the past."
Daphne sits on the other end of the couch and tucks her feet beneath her. "I understand that."
The doorbell rings and I immediately tense. I took a risk coming back here knowing that Andrew has been sniffing around. I glance over at Tara. "Can you get rid of whoever that is? And if it's Andrew, I'm calling the cops."
Tara looks slightly guilty. "It's not Andrew." She jumps up and walks to the door. After peering out of the peephole, she pulls the door open. My mom sweeps in with her arms outstretched. "There's my baby. What did he do to you?"
Normally my mother's interference would drive me crazy but right here and now, I find that she's exactly what I need. She sits on the couch next to me and when she opens her arms again, I lean into her embrace.
She wipes away my tears with her thumb and then squeezes my shoulders. "Let's get you into bed, sweetie."
"Okay." The events of the morning are catching up with me and I let out a huge yawn. Being tucked into bed by my mother actually sounds like heaven.
The girls walk ahead into my room. Daphne turns back the covers and I slip beneath fully dressed. I can't seem to get warm enough. Mom tucks my covers beneath my chin the same way she used to do when I was a child.
"Go to sleep, sweetie. It'll all look better after you've had some rest."
* * * * *
I wake up a few hours later. Mom is still downstairs but the girls left. Slowly the whole story comes out and she holds me as I sob. She doesn't say anything or offer any advice but just tells me to get my things.
"I don't want you staying here alone."
Even though I really want to stay in my own bed, I agree that it would not be a good thing if Andy were to show up here when I'm in this frame of mind. It took everything I had to stand up to him the last time and part of me knows that I'm not that brave. I was only able to do that because I knew Finn was there. So I pack a bag and we ride over to my mom's modest three-bedroom rancher.
She ushers me into the second bedroom right across the hall from her room. When I helped her buy the house, we decorated this room with my favorite colors, soft lavender with hints of yellow in all the accent pillows. It's a very cheerful room and even though I didn't grow up in this house, my mom's warm presence makes it feel like home anyway.
"I'm sure you just want some time alone to think but I just want to say this sweetie. I never liked Andrew. He's one of them my-shit-don't-stink types. But Finn, he was always a good boy. I don't know what's going on with him but I think we should find out."