Page 7 of Shades of Grey & Gold

“Yeah, that sounds great, where did you say Richard moved the offices to?” I take a couple steps forward, because she’s already almost at the front of the store, and something in my gut twists.

She turns back around, walking sideways, and I see a group of three or four guys in suits ahead of her. “It’s one town over, right on Main, a big brick building at the end of the street—we got a big new sign today, you can’t miss it! I’d say stop by and see me, but then you’d have to see other less fantastic individuals!”

She turns back and I spin in the opposite direction. My heart feels like it’s beating a million miles a minute and has stopped beating altogether at the same time. I close my eyes and try to slow my breathing.

My hands tighten around the plastic bag and my purse. One town over. Main? Main, like… Main Street, Main? My Main Street?

No. Nope. Not Ellison. Not Patrick. Not Patrick in my town with Brenda. No.

“Ma’am, are you okay?” I open my eyes and the kid from behind the counter is standing in front of me. “I’m sorry, I hate to ask, you’ve just been standing here for a few minutes…”

I shake my head and nod. “Yep, yeah, yes. I’m fine, thanks.”

I turn around slowly, suddenly worried about who might be at the front of the store, but the path to the front is empty.

My hand is trembling and I laugh at myself as I climb into my car. I’m being dramatic. First, this isn’t true. And even if it was, it’s not like I’ll have to see him.

I won’t have to see him.

Right?

My fingers shake as I smash my screen on Becca’s number.

“Hey Max, I was just about to lock up and head back to my place, what’s up?” Becca sounds happier than she did this morning.

“Could y—” my voice cracks. “Could you maybe just stay there? I’ll be home in—” my voice doesn’t recover so I take a deep breath. “Like fifteen minutes.”

“Sure… you sound weird, everything okay?” She sounds closer to the phone, and her happy tone has faded.

“I’ll see you in a few.”

“THEY MOVED WHERE?” Becca is standing at the top of the stairs, yelling back at me with a horror-stricken face.

She came out of the upstairs bathroom as I came in the front door and didn’t even make it two feet as I blurted out that Ellison & Parker moved to Abbott on Main Street and now we have to burn the house down for insurance money so we can move far away and get new identities.

I drop my purse and the Target bag. My butt follows the bags as I plop down on the carpet at the bottom of the stairs. My eyes are wide, tears threatening to spill over, but the shock is still holding them back. Every possible emotion is warring inside of me.

I drove down Main Street on my way home and saw the sign and quickly sped off.

It’s an invasion. Abbott was my sanctuary when I found out Patrick was cheating—it’s where I ran away to, my safe place. Patrick is invading my safe place.

Fucking asshole.

“Max, I need more than whatever nonsense you just word vomited.” She is down the stairs, sitting in front of me, grabbing my shoulders with a shake. “What are you talking about?”

I explain the Jenni encounter at Target and somehow make it through the whole story before the blubbering sets in.

“Becca, what—why—why would they move here? They all live in Boston or I guess they’ve been in Wilmington, Richard is in Boston, why would he pick here? I can’t be running into Patrick getting coffee outside with Brenda on Monday morning!” My voice climbs toward screeching, and I realize we have moved straight from shock into panic.

“Okay, okay, take a breath.” She rubs my shoulders. “You didn’t do anything wrong, remember? He did. He’s the one who has to face you, run into you, not the other wayaround. I agree though, I’m surprised. Didn’t he say he hated this ‘dumb small town’? The, what? One time he came with you when you visited?”

I remember that conversation. We were getting drinks about a year after graduation with Becca, and he was going on and on about how Abbott was boring, slow and he was so happy the firm was in Boston. Becca’s eyes rolled more that night than they blinked.

I stare at her face and wonder what I’d do if she wasn’t here—literally, here, in my house to talk through this right now. She is holding the threads, keeping me from totally unraveling. And it brings me a little relief knowing I have someone who loves me right here, right now.

I take a big breath and collect my thoughts.

“You’re right, I know, but this is my place, this is my town. It’s why I left Boston to begin with—to get away from him and his bullshit and the memories of the one-sided relationship we had.” I rub my hands down my face and look back up at her. “I bet I could avoid him successfully if I just go into work early, leave late, and don’t ever leave the building in between.”