Page 13 of The Monster I Loved
“No, it’s fine,” I said through gritted teeth. If Summer wanted the building to remain, then I wanted it gone.
Before he finished, I knew exactly which of the Fitzgeralds would be representing the company in those meetings.
“The woman hates me? The feeling is mutual.”
“Neither of you has to like each other, but eventually, you both must forgive and move on.”
I screwed my face up. “I hate that damn word.” Made me think offorgive and forget. My mother used to champion thatkind of hippie mentality. As if the world was a bubble filled with good-hearted people and endless chances.
Father scanned me, searching for a clue, so I explained. “Forgive.”
After that stressfulvisit with my father ended, I was shown into an office. It was nothing fancy, just a desk and chair; the walls that allowed privacy were the only thing I’d celebrate. I didn’t want to sit out there to be observed. I spent an hour shaking the hands of various employees, many of whom were meeting me for the first time. A few of them looked frightened. The ones who avoided eye contact took my hand with limp, trembling wrists.
Guess they’d never seen a cold-blooded murderer up close before.
Eventually, my father was satisfied, and I settled into my office to oversee my first project, saving Fitzgerald’s reputation while doing what was actually the best for these tenants. Really, they loved that run-down building so much they wanted to crumble with it? Summer championing something so stupid didn’t surprise me; she clearly lacked good judgment.
When the workday finally ended, I went to meet Henry, my best friend. In the car, I drove away from the Fitzgerald building on the outskirts of the town and found my way back to the heart of Tarrytown. The homes on each side of the street had their own individual styles, while remaining identical in size and layout to their neighbors. The yards were well-kept, not that you could see much of them; Halloween decorations already filled their lawns.
I should’ve had Aston decorate the house. I was back, and this was always my favorite holiday. Not that I figured anybodywould allow their children to go trick-or-treating at the door of a real-life monster. I weaved through one street after another until I found Henry’s house. I was out of the car before it hit me. I knew this street. Henry had settled down and started a family since I was away, so I’d never visited him anywhere other than his childhood home. This house had once belonged to Mr. Murphy. I guessed the cranky old man had died. I shook, thinking I could never live there. Frozen in the driveway, I tried to ignore the obvious.
Mr. Murphy lived on Summer’s street.
There it was. The house where I killed that bastard Clive. The house where they took me away in handcuffs. The house where, for one short moment, I debated if I’d done the right thing. The doubt had lasted less than a second as soon as I pictured my mother’s smiling face. Even over Summer’s sobbing, I was adamant Clive had to die. Summer and I be damned.
“Thad, you coming in or not?”
Instinctively, a smile filled my face. I was happy to finally see my main man without a plexiglass panel between us. Henry had visited once a month for years. He was the only damn one who meant it when he promised to stay in touch. Not that I resented the others. They had lives, jobs, and new families. It meant a lot to me, knowing that Henry had all those things, but that it made no difference. He still showed up.
“Of course,” I said. Not surprisingly, as I approached his front door, Henry rushed through it, lifted his arms, and pulled me into a hug.
The first person to hug me in years. Before our little bromance reunion got too mushy, I stepped back.
“Alright, where’s this wife and kid you managed to make while I was away?” I grinned.
“Inside, waiting to meet your ass,” Henry said, stepping aside so I could enter.
When I did, a chorus of voices rang out. “Welcome home, Thad!”
Shit! I looked around at all the faces I hadn’t seen in years, and a new one, with a smile. “You guys didn’t have to.” Warmth spread through my body, and I swallowed hard.
Felix, afriendof mine during high school, although I hadn’t seen him since they marched me off to serve my sentence, rushed forward first for a hug.
“We’re all happy you’re out,” Felix said, pushing a drink into my hand.
Quietly, I studied him and nodded. “Thanks for this, guys. You didn’t have to.”
“Screw that! The whole gang is back together,” Henry said and slapped my back.
A few eyes opened wide, clearly unsure about that, and I knew why. Summer was part of their gang. Maybe she wasn’t anymore...
We chatted, drank, and I finally met Ashley, Henry’s wife, and his seven year old son, Wylie. Damn, for me, time stood still, and I’d been counting down the days to freedom, but Henry, who wasn’t even dating this woman when I got locked away, had an entire family. My father was right, I needed to get on it.
“Thad, what are you gonna do?” Felix asked, as if we had exchanged letters or even a phone call in the past decade.
The room looked at me as Ashley set up the table for dinner.
“I’m back at Fitzgerald. Shit, my father wants me to take over soon.”
