Page 41 of Love in Pieces

?CHAPTER 15

Abby

Meredith disappeared. She met a blonde-haired girl while we were dancing and slipped out with her after the last call. So here I stand, looking for Dallas to ask him for a ride home. There’s no way this is going to go well. I’m sloshed. Coherent, but sloshed. The other bartender enters behind the bar from a door to the kitchen. She looks upset like she’s trying to hold back tears. Dallas pushes the same door open with force only a few seconds after her, his hands in tight fists. He’s shaking his head, his jaw clenched tight. Now is not the time to add to whatever he’s stressed about, but I have no other way to get home. Walking could be an option, a stupid one, but it could be if it weren’t pouring rain outside. Here goes nothing.

I approach the empty bar that Dallas is now wiping down and place my hands on the edge, feeling more like a toddler than an adult. He looks up, smiles a little, and drops his head. “Let me guess. You need a ride?” he asks, a small amount of annoyance in the question.

The other bartender looks over at me and we make eye contact. Brows raised, arms folded, and she waits for my answer. I look back to Dallas and nod slowly. The girl huffs a laugh before turning around to finish her duties.

I stifle whatever drunken, uncalled-for response to her I’ve formulated in my head, which, granted, it's much right now.

“Okay,” Dallas starts. “Take a seat by the front door and wait for me. I should be done shortly.”

Ten minutes pass as I slowly slump further into the wooden chair. Keeping myself from falling asleep has been the easy part. The problem is every time I close my eyes, I spin, and stars blur my vision. So, I keep my head forward, focusing on the art hanging on the wall. It’s an old-timey blueprint of a keg.

Dallas cuts into my intense focus on not throwing up. “All right, let's go home.”

Thank God.I smile, following him out the door and to his car. He moves his baseball bag into his back seat before holding the passenger door open for me. “Thank you.”

He’s quiet on the drive home, and I don’t dare say anything as the liquid in my stomach threatens to come up. When we pull into the parking lot, I quickly make my way toward the front door and whip it open, hands grappling for whatever wall I can to hold me upright.

“Woah,” I hear Dallas say behind me. “Hold on.” He fumbles with his keys to get the door open. What feels like ages is likely only seconds before the lock clicks and the door glides open. I run to the bathroom just in time for what feels like the entire night to force its way into the toilet. A soft hand rests on my back as another one takes hold of the hair I’m trying, and failing, to keep out of the now-tainted porcelain. When I finally think I’ve finished, I sit back, resting my head against the wall.

“I’ll get you some water,” he whispers before disappearing from the bathroom. Everything still spins with each tiny movement. When he returns, he offers the cup to me. “Swish and spit before you actually swallow.”

“That’s what she said.” I bark a laugh but do as I’m told. Dallas looks in shock but shakes his head and chuckles.

“Right, okay. Drink the water and then you need to go to bed.”

“With you?” The question is out of my mouth before I realize what I’ve said. I laugh, trying to play it off as just another drunken joke, but secretly, I think I might be lying to myself if I said I didn’t want exactly that. For now, I’m blaming the alcohol. It's definitely the alcohol.

Something darkens in Dallas’s eyes before he tries to laugh it off, too. But I caught that look he couldn’t hide in time. He waits for me to finish the water before placing the glass on the bathroom sink. He stands, offers me a hand, and pulls me up slowly, helping me walk to my bedroom, which still only consists of an air mattress right now.

I don’t bother changing before I climb into bed as is and hope sleep takes me quickly, which, thankfully, it does.

***

Waking up in the morninghungover is well-deserved. The apartment is quiet. I switch on the coffee pot and notice a note hanging off the front of the glass container.

Abby, I’m at work this morning but will be back around 12 to get ready for graduation. You’re welcome to join me if you want. Logan went home with some girl last night so if he’s not home already, I don’t know when he’ll get home. Call me if you need anything!

Dallas

A quick check in the boys’ rooms confirms they are both gone. My first instinct is to panic. I haven’t been this alone since that horrific night a week ago, and for good reason. But, to my surprise, I feel oddly peaceful. The low hum of the refrigerator, the quiet mumbling of the neighbor’s TV, and the drips from the coffee pot. All things I’m used to, but today, these normal things are serene. The cold tile floor under my feet sends a shiver through me, but the heat from my coffee mug seeps into my hands and up my arms, slowly soothing my soul.

As I look around the apartment, I try to let it sink in thatthisis my new home, at least for a little while. The blank white walls are fitting for two college bachelors. Although, I’ll admit, they have more furniture here than Sam had in his place before I moved in. I wonder what Sam is doing right now. Would he be in a meeting? Or sitting alone in his hotel? No. If he wasn’t physically working, he’d likely be out at a bar or nightclub, hitting on some girl, taking body shots, and tallying up his body count. Honestly. Did it really have to take me this long to realize that relationship wasn’t good for me? I knew he wasn’t faithful once before, but I also wasn’t exactly forthcoming with his “needs” at every waking moment. Not that that’s an excuse.

And just like that, the peace I feel is pulled from my fingertips in a split second as a wave of fear overcomes me. I’m sitting alone in this apartment with no form of protection other than the pepper spray in my purse. I move quickly to the front door, checking to make sure the locks on the front door are set. When I feel the resistance of the deadbolt, I allow for a small amount of relief. Even though we are on the second floor, I head to the windows to make sure they are locked as well and breathe a heavy sigh as I find them all in the correct position. I check the time and find that it’s already eleven o’clock.Only one more hour. I can do this.I shouldn’t have to rely on someone else to take care of me. I’m not a child. I just need a distraction. I have some work I can do for Dr. Kraus.

To my delight, I bury myself in my work and time passes quickly. The front door unlocking sends my heart racing. I check the clock quickly, hoping it’s time for Dallas to come home but find that it’s still twenty minutes until noon. Maybe he got done early? I relax when Logan’s face appears through the crack.

“Oh, uh, hey,” he says awkwardly as he sets a few things on the counter. “I think Dallas is working this morning. He should be home soon, though.” He’s fishing for literally anything to say to me. We’ve barely talked since I moved in. He’s been pretty elusive with me.

“Hey. Yeah, I know. He left me a note.” The air feels thick.

“Oh, okay. Well, I’ll be in my room getting ready for graduation.” He picks up his things and starts toward his room.

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