As Annie stepped down from the stoop, she stopped, turning to face him. “I know you said forget the book, but,” Annie chewed on her lower lip, her eyes lowered. Mustering her courage, she looked up at him, determined. “It’s just that in the book, Rick tells Max that Jade is in love with him, and Max should just forget her. Was that true? Is that what really happened?”
“They’re characters in a book Annie, that’s all.”
“Oh that’s just horse-shit and you know it, Chris!” Annie stomped her foot and then winced. All the pain meds were clearly out of her system now. Deep breath. OK. “Listen buddy, I am a 35-year-old spinster recovering from a near death experience and you are just messing with the wrong person here. You took my whole freaking life and put it out there for the world to see in a book. You know it. I know it. So fess up. Now!” Annie didn’t really feel quite that sure of herself but after what she’d been through putting her heart on the line didn’t seem quite so terrifying.
Chris looked confused. “Your life? That was my life Annie. Mine.”
“Soooo you’re saying none of it was about me? Maybe you don’t think so but those were my memories you stole and wrote about.”
“Well of course it was about you!” Chris was practically yelling now. The tension between them was palpable and neither seemed to have any control over where this was headed. “How could it not be Annie. My life, your life, it’s all one isn’t it? How about they were our memories. They belonged to both of us. Look. I’m sorry I twisted it all around to suit the story. But it wouldn’t have been much of a story if Jade really was in love with Rick, so that’s why I made a few changes. I say let’s just forget about that and move on. I mean really, it’s just a book. Fiction. It’s called creative writing for a reason.” Chris winced at his own rambling and how dishonest and cowardly this all was. The old fears still lingered. He knew he needed to tell her the truth, but he couldn’t.
Annie just stared, open mouthed, not believing what she was hearing.
“Annie. Please, let’s just start over. Friends?”
“But. I. Well,” Annie could do nothing but stammer. Staring into that sea of emotion in his eyes, seeing an earnest plea. Wait, a plea for her to be his friend?
“Nope, not yet.” She closed her eyes for a moment and shook her head. “Ireland. We need to put that to rest here and now. You left me sitting on a curb, bags packed and ready to go. Might as well have sliced a hole in my heart. When you came back, and came to see me, I asked you then. You said you didn’t want to talk about it. It wasn’t important, you said. But it was to me.”
“It was all there in the note, Annie. I basically bared my soul to you, remember?”
“What note, Chris? There was no note. No phone call. I left you a zillion voicemails.”
“That’s not possible. Sam would have told me. He had my phone, I had to take a different one overseas. You’re telling me he didn’t give you the note?”
She paused, took another deep breath. “No, he didn’t. He told me you’d gone, to just let it go and move on. So I packed the rest of my things and came home to NY. I don’t know how you really felt back then, between the book and reality it’s all a bit blurred.”
Annie looked away distantly.
“I did tell you Annie, I did write you a note. I told you to be happy with Sam. Which looking back probably wasn’t the right thing to say, was it?”
“Considering it was all a lie, no, it wasn’t.” There. She’d said it. No taking it back.
“I don’t understand. What was a lie?” he sounded curious now.
Annie closed her eyes and one more time, breathed deeply. This is it, now or never.
Opening her eyes, she gazed at him. Every emotion she’d ever felt for Chris came swimming through her eyes. “Just so we’re on the same page here, Rick is Sam, and you’re Max…”
Chris nodded. “Yeah, kind of obvious.”
“In your book, Rick asks Jade how she feels and she lies. Afraid to let Max find out how she felt. Now you didn’t include what happened next, but, if you had, you would have made that your excuse to leave without her. Am I right?”
Chris nodded, but remained silent. Watchful.
“Thing is, if Jade is supposed to be me,” Annie hesitated then. “If Jade is me, Chris, then you got it wrong. I did NOT tell Sam I had feelings for him. It was Sam that lied to you. And so you left me behind.” Annie smiled bittersweetly, and shrugged her shoulders lightly, lowered her gaze, and waited for his reply.
“Son of a bitch!” he exclaimed as it dawned on him.
It seemed they stood there, silent, for a long long time. She could hear him breathing softly, and then just a mumbled curse. She spoke up again, almost rambling. Panic setting in.
“Look Chris, I get it. I do. For you it wasn’t real. It was just another book. But for me, well,” Annie turned away, hesitating, then took a few steps away from him. Distance. She needed distance.
“Jesus, Annie, what have I just been telling you?” Chris was getting frustrated. He combed his fingers through his hair and took a deep breath. “Seriously. Why can’t we just have an honest conversation for once? What the hell is wrong with us?”
Annie stopped, and turned, just as he appeared in one quick step next to her. She looked up but couldn’t move. She was frozen. Chris’s gaze roamed her face, looking for something, anything to spur him on. His stomach muscles tightened and he felt like he was about to step in front of a speeding train. If what Annie said was true she loved him. Annie loved him. The realization came over him so resolutely he stiffened with rage. At Sam. At himself. For being so damn stupid. All these years wasted. And worst of all, he’d hurt her. Deliberately. He’d abandoned her. Just the image of Annie, sitting alone, waiting, heartbroken. He hadn’t had the guts to face her then, and he’d put his trust in the wrong person. He knew now he had only one chance to get her back. And if he blew it, it would be over. There’d never be another chance. He’d been afraid back then. Too scared to admit his feelings. Well not now. He’d have to step up this time and leave no room for doubt.
“Come with me,” Chris was suddenly abrupt as he grabbed Annie’s hand and began to pull her down the sidewalk. He was going so fast she had to skip a few steps to keep up. Breathless, she tried to slow him down. “Chris where are we going anyway? What’s going on? You’re pulling me like a rag doll, Chris. Broken Ribs, remember?”
“Damn Annie why didn’t you say something!” Chris was angry mostly at himself now, but it didn’t matter. “Bruised not broken, but hell I’m so sorry, Annie.”
Chris slowed down, relaxing his stride and his grip, but said nothing as he gently pulled her along. “Where’s your car?” he asked abruptly. She silently pointed, her chin quivering nervously. “Give me the keys, and stop chewing on your lip.” Annie looked up in surprise. Her eyes wide, she handed him the keys. Chris opened the passenger door. “Get in” he said as he firmly guided her into the seat. He strode around the front of the car, and slipping in next to her, he grabbed the seat lever and pushed his seat all the way back. “They don’t make cars any smaller than this do they, huh Annie?” Annie looked over in disbelief. All this chaotic drama surrounding them and he’s cracking stupid short jokes.
At this point Annie was simply overwhelmed by swirling emotions. She had no idea what he was thinking, or why they were in her car, or why he seemed so suddenly different. One minute charming, the next ferocious. Glancing up at him, she could see he was in ferocious mode again. Clenched jaw, the angry eyes. It was just too much. She felt every nerve ending in her body. Her breaths became shallow, her heart racing.
“Where are we going, Chris?” Her voice was shaky, barely a whisper. Chris said nothing. Not a word. He wasn’t sure whether to laugh or cry or scream. All this time he’d been desperately waiting for the chance to make Annie see that he was the one for her. He’d planned on how to slowly rekindle their friendship, and from there, take that next step. Tread lightly. Don’t spook her. Especially with the horror of the last few weeks. His jaw clenched tighter as he realized not only had she been in danger from an old jealousy, he’d been a victim as well.
Never did he once suspect he’d been played for a fool for so long. Though Sam had never come close to putting him or Annie in danger, what he’d done was unforgiveable. He’d known Sam all his life. They’d been inseparable. And he’d betrayed him. Just as he’d betrayed Martha. Annie loved him. He saw it in her eyes just moments ago. He hadn’t imagined it all those years ago. His memories weren’t distorted. He had simply been too afraid to face his own feelings and grabbed at any straw to back off. Sam had given him a good reason, and he’d jumped on it. He wouldn’t make that same mistake twice. He was older, maybe a little wiser now, but most certainly more confident. And this time he would take control, and Annie would be his. OK maybe not his, and maybe he’d never have control, it is Annie after all, but he’d at least try.
“You’re not on drugs are you?” Annie gave a nervous laugh, because at this point, she had no idea but she was in fact just a little terrified.
“No, oh my god Annie, no, oh crap I’m sorry,” Chris reached over and took Annie’s hand. “I’m not on drugs and I’m not angry at you and I haven’t lost my mind even though I’m acting like a lunatic. So bear with me just a little longer and you’ll see. Okay?” Chris sounded sincere, and Annie just quietly nodded.
“They’re gone!” Luce yelled from the living room. Running into the hall, she grabbed Andy’s arm. “Did you hear me? They’re gone! Her car’s gone. He’s got Annie and he’s taken her somewhere. Maybe we were wrong. Oh god!” Luce was panicked.
Andy shook his head and taking Luce’s hand off his arm gently, he held on firmly. “Luce, they have things to talk about. They need some alone time.”
“What if he was behind all this?” Luce persisted. He saw the pleading look in her eyes, knew she needed reassurance.
“Luce, we have the perp. She confessed. I’ve spent a lot of time with Chris. Listen to me, Luce. It’s okay.” His voice was soothing, none of the sarcasm usually present. He knew right now she needed him to comfort her. He wasn’t sure how.
“It’s called love, Luce.” He couldn’t stop the cynical tone from creeping back in. “Have you ever actually felt anything Luce? For a person, not a bank account?”
He knew it was the wrong thing to say, and quickly apologized. “Sorry, out of line. I know you’re worried. But there’s no need. Did you see the way he looked at her? The way she looked at him?”
“Kind of the way you guys ogle each other, eh?” Bill’s voice boomed behind them. “She left a note for you Luce,” Bill added with a grin. “They went for a drive,” he continued on. “Sorry had to read it.”
They both turned to him, startled. Looking back at each other, their expressions horrified, they backed away from each other.
“I’m going home now,” Luce stammered out.
“Me too,” Andy muttered and gave Luce a shuttered glance. “After you?”