Please Don't Make Me Beg
Chapter 11: Westbound Sign
*Andi's POV*
I couldn't believe she would keep repeating the same lie over and over. I couldn't believe she would make it sound as if all this were somehow my dad's fault because he's not here anymore. That's the part I don't think I can forgive. I loved Dad so much, and it would kill him to know what she's doing.
Evan met me at the Circle K store down the street, and I told him everything. He's really upset with my mom, and kind of shocked, too. His sister said I could stay with her until we hit the road next week.
I'm so incredibly angry at her. This is just such a slap in the face, after she was so "parental" about Evan not staying too late at our house. What a hypocrite! While I'm sending him out the door, she's rolling around bombed, fucking a guy ten years younger than her. I feel like I don't even know her right now...
The only good thing in my life right now is Evan. I'm living for next Tuesday. I can't imagine how good it will feel when we get to Berkeley and get settled in his brother's house. I just want to be away from all this for a while and figure out what's going on.
***************
She leaned her head against the window of Evan's car, watching the trees streak past as he took the curves gently.
"You okay, babe?" he asked softly, reaching over to brush a stray curl from her cheek.
"Yeah, I guess so." She felt numb, empty. Part of it was fatigue, certainly, but her emotions had run riot over her, and she was completely drained.
"You want to get something to eat before we go home?"
She shrugged. "Are you hungry?"
"I'm fine either way. You're probably pretty tired, too. Just tell me how you feel and I'm with you." He was so comforting, so sweet. Just what she needed right now.
"Could we maybe just head to your house for now? I might be hungry after I take a nap. Is that okay with you?" Her eyes were heavy, and the drone of the engine was hypnotic.
"Sure, that's fine. Don't worry about anything. I'll take good care of you." His voice was so soothing, low and hushed, and as her lids drifted closed, she felt as if he were the one safe thing in her life right now...
"We're here, Andi," he whispered, his hand gentle on her cheek, but she jumped anyway. "You were really sleeping, weren't you? I'm sorry to have to wake you." He pressed a light kiss on her forehead and cupped her chin to brush her lips with his. "Let's go inside and you can finish your nap."
She nodded obediently, and stretched as he circled the front of the car to open her door. He had already retrieved her duffel bag from the back seat, and held out his hand to help her out of the car.
He led her to his sister's room and put her bag in the closet. When he turned back to her, she was sitting on the foot of the bed, head in her hands, and he could hear her quiet sobs as her shoulders shook uncontrollably.
He sat slowly beside her, and folded her into his arms, rocking her gently as he stroked her hair, humming softly against the top of her head. Little by little she relaxed against him, and finally he pulled a pillow closer to her and lowered her drooping head into its softness.
He stretched out beside her, arms around her waist, and pulled her closer to his body. She could feel his breath on her neck, and the steady rise and fall of his chest against her back. Her hand slid slowly off the pillow, and she fell deeply, dreamlessly asleep...
Evan watched her breathing become heavier and more even, and when he was certain she was asleep, he carefully slid his arm from under her limp body. Downstairs in the kitchen, he sank onto a bar stool and watched his sister, Stevie, putting dishes in the cabinet.
"How is she?" she asked.
"Sleeping. She's totally wiped out. She was up almost all night and then all that stuff this morning with her mom...man, I can't believe someone I thought was so cool would do that.
Andi's really hurt by it."
Stevie finished the dishes and was wiping the counter. "And you're sure it happened the way Andi said?" she asked cautiously.
"She doesn't lie!" Evan said emphatically. "You know she's always been honest, even when it got her in trouble!" He was annoyed that she would even suggest otherwise.
"I don't mean that she's lying, Evan. But do you think there might be a chance that she's gotten the facts wrong? I know it looks bad and all, but her mom's pretty cool, too, and like you said, this isn't like her."
"How else would you explain it? She admitted she was drinking, and maybe she just got so toasted she didn't care. Either way, she was making out with this guy, and it wasn't innocent, that's for sure." The disappointment in his voice was so thick it was audible.
"Maybe so, I wasn't there. But I don't know...it just seems like everybody's assuming a lot, and she hasn't gotten a chance to tell her side." She reached into the pantry for the broom and dust pan, slowly and methodically sweeping long strokes as she spoke.
"You can think whatever you want," Evan snapped, "but I believe her. And please don't go grilling her trying to find out all the details. She'd probably rather not talk about it any more for a while."
Stevie raised her eyebrows at his irritated tone, but she didn't argue. "Sure, no problem. I was wondering, though, are you still planning to head out to Craig's house Tuesday? After all this, I mean." She had been helping them keep their plans quiet for over a month until they had everything worked out, and knew that Andi had planned to talk to her mother about it tonight. It would be too bad if they had to pack it in so close to the big day.
"Absolutely. The band is ready, and with Craig working at the studio now, this is the best chance we'll ever have. How many people do you know who have a brother who's a sound engineer for a record label?" Now that he was thinking about the future, the clouds had lifted and he seemed less agitated.
"True, it's a great opportunity. Most people say unless you know somebody, it's almost impossible to get any kind of break. What's the name of the company again?" Stevie wasn't as familiar with the punk scene as her brother. She enjoyed all kinds of music, but was particularly fond of metal.
"Ever heard of Adeline Records?"
I couldn't believe she would keep repeating the same lie over and over. I couldn't believe she would make it sound as if all this were somehow my dad's fault because he's not here anymore. That's the part I don't think I can forgive. I loved Dad so much, and it would kill him to know what she's doing.
Evan met me at the Circle K store down the street, and I told him everything. He's really upset with my mom, and kind of shocked, too. His sister said I could stay with her until we hit the road next week.
I'm so incredibly angry at her. This is just such a slap in the face, after she was so "parental" about Evan not staying too late at our house. What a hypocrite! While I'm sending him out the door, she's rolling around bombed, fucking a guy ten years younger than her. I feel like I don't even know her right now...
The only good thing in my life right now is Evan. I'm living for next Tuesday. I can't imagine how good it will feel when we get to Berkeley and get settled in his brother's house. I just want to be away from all this for a while and figure out what's going on.
***************
She leaned her head against the window of Evan's car, watching the trees streak past as he took the curves gently.
"You okay, babe?" he asked softly, reaching over to brush a stray curl from her cheek.
"Yeah, I guess so." She felt numb, empty. Part of it was fatigue, certainly, but her emotions had run riot over her, and she was completely drained.
"You want to get something to eat before we go home?"
She shrugged. "Are you hungry?"
"I'm fine either way. You're probably pretty tired, too. Just tell me how you feel and I'm with you." He was so comforting, so sweet. Just what she needed right now.
"Could we maybe just head to your house for now? I might be hungry after I take a nap. Is that okay with you?" Her eyes were heavy, and the drone of the engine was hypnotic.
"Sure, that's fine. Don't worry about anything. I'll take good care of you." His voice was so soothing, low and hushed, and as her lids drifted closed, she felt as if he were the one safe thing in her life right now...
"We're here, Andi," he whispered, his hand gentle on her cheek, but she jumped anyway. "You were really sleeping, weren't you? I'm sorry to have to wake you." He pressed a light kiss on her forehead and cupped her chin to brush her lips with his. "Let's go inside and you can finish your nap."
She nodded obediently, and stretched as he circled the front of the car to open her door. He had already retrieved her duffel bag from the back seat, and held out his hand to help her out of the car.
He led her to his sister's room and put her bag in the closet. When he turned back to her, she was sitting on the foot of the bed, head in her hands, and he could hear her quiet sobs as her shoulders shook uncontrollably.
He sat slowly beside her, and folded her into his arms, rocking her gently as he stroked her hair, humming softly against the top of her head. Little by little she relaxed against him, and finally he pulled a pillow closer to her and lowered her drooping head into its softness.
He stretched out beside her, arms around her waist, and pulled her closer to his body. She could feel his breath on her neck, and the steady rise and fall of his chest against her back. Her hand slid slowly off the pillow, and she fell deeply, dreamlessly asleep...
Evan watched her breathing become heavier and more even, and when he was certain she was asleep, he carefully slid his arm from under her limp body. Downstairs in the kitchen, he sank onto a bar stool and watched his sister, Stevie, putting dishes in the cabinet.
"How is she?" she asked.
"Sleeping. She's totally wiped out. She was up almost all night and then all that stuff this morning with her mom...man, I can't believe someone I thought was so cool would do that.
Andi's really hurt by it."
Stevie finished the dishes and was wiping the counter. "And you're sure it happened the way Andi said?" she asked cautiously.
"She doesn't lie!" Evan said emphatically. "You know she's always been honest, even when it got her in trouble!" He was annoyed that she would even suggest otherwise.
"I don't mean that she's lying, Evan. But do you think there might be a chance that she's gotten the facts wrong? I know it looks bad and all, but her mom's pretty cool, too, and like you said, this isn't like her."
"How else would you explain it? She admitted she was drinking, and maybe she just got so toasted she didn't care. Either way, she was making out with this guy, and it wasn't innocent, that's for sure." The disappointment in his voice was so thick it was audible.
"Maybe so, I wasn't there. But I don't know...it just seems like everybody's assuming a lot, and she hasn't gotten a chance to tell her side." She reached into the pantry for the broom and dust pan, slowly and methodically sweeping long strokes as she spoke.
"You can think whatever you want," Evan snapped, "but I believe her. And please don't go grilling her trying to find out all the details. She'd probably rather not talk about it any more for a while."
Stevie raised her eyebrows at his irritated tone, but she didn't argue. "Sure, no problem. I was wondering, though, are you still planning to head out to Craig's house Tuesday? After all this, I mean." She had been helping them keep their plans quiet for over a month until they had everything worked out, and knew that Andi had planned to talk to her mother about it tonight. It would be too bad if they had to pack it in so close to the big day.
"Absolutely. The band is ready, and with Craig working at the studio now, this is the best chance we'll ever have. How many people do you know who have a brother who's a sound engineer for a record label?" Now that he was thinking about the future, the clouds had lifted and he seemed less agitated.
"True, it's a great opportunity. Most people say unless you know somebody, it's almost impossible to get any kind of break. What's the name of the company again?" Stevie wasn't as familiar with the punk scene as her brother. She enjoyed all kinds of music, but was particularly fond of metal.
"Ever heard of Adeline Records?"