The lock box sat beside him, resting on the seat, hundreds of dollars inside. He thought he needed the money to give to his father, but he couldn't go back to that fucking place. Never again. Going back there was always a choice, and he chose incorrectly. Tired of the fighting, he had to get back on the wagon, push himself to sober up again, as much as he desired a cold drink in his hand. For Maggie. For Beth. For himself.
All his hope lied with Maggie. First and foremost, finding a way to win her trust back took priority. Before he started on the road, he opened the box up, grabbed the money, and tossed the box on the driveway. His cash in hand would be enough to cover gas and food on the four hour drive to Pine Falls, and as soon as he could, he'd mail the rest back to Nelson. He'd re-enter the rehab facility. This time he would do it. He would succeed.
He had to.
Mark's place presented cleaner than the last time Beth visited. He and his roommates kept the house fairly clean, but today the pillows sat in a perfect line along the couch, the curtains appeared ironed, and the carpet vacuumed. She liked having a tidy boyfriend.
"This almost looks like a home now." Beth said to him.
"As opposed to what?"
She didn't mean to offend him. "Um..."
He took her hand. "I'm kidding, Beth. We all pitched in and hired a maid service once a month." He pecked her on the cheek. "I'm going to grab a bottled water. Do you want one?"
"Sure." He left the room to get the water, and she checked out his cute butt again.
The opportunity stood before her. She vowed to be crazy, take risks, and come out of her shell this summer. She knew what she wanted, and she should go for it. As Mark took his time in the kitchen, Beth's heart raced as each piece of clothing dropped to the floor. She stood half naked, unsure of where to put her hands. They started on her hips, then she crossed them over her chest, let them lay beside her. She put them back on her hips when he entered the room.
The bottles hopped across the carpet as Mark returned. Beth's plump breasts tried to escape her decorative bra holding them prisoner. Inviting Mark to join her, she knelt down on the couch.
He moved slowly toward her, before breaking into an almost sprint, pulling Beth into his arms. He planted his lips on hers, wasting no time pushing his face between her breasts, kissing them over and over again. He moved her bra out of the way, exposing her right breast, and took it in his mouth.
Beth arched her back while her hands made their way to his shorts. She unbuttoned them, yanked the zipper down, and allowed him to drop his pants. He did the same for her. "Wait!" he stopped kissing her.
He scooted off the couch and jumped up the stairs. What happened? Had she done something wrong? He reappeared before she ran out in embarrassment, practically skipping across the room, giving her a full view of his manhood.
The next thing she knew he fell onto the floor. "Ow!" he cried out as he grabbed his foot.
She met him at the side of the couch. "Are you okay?" She crouched down next to an obviously flustered Mark. "Are you hurt?"
"Just my pride." He pulled her down on him and began to kiss her again. The setup wasn't perfect, but they didn't care; both were ready for this to happen. He stopped kissing her and rolled the condom on.
Beth wanted to put her hands on her face and giggle. Impatience surged through her body as she waited for him. The right moment, the right person. She ignored the hard floor against her back. She wanted him inside her. Soon.
"Is this uncomfortable?" He asked.
"I don't care. I want you."
His eyes sparkled, a grin owning his face. He reached his right hand under her left leg, pulling it up on an angle so he could enter her. He slid in smoothly and Beth groaned, allowing her body to conform to his. He pulled out and pushed himself back in again, still holding onto her leg. He examined every piece of her face, her open mouth and heavy panting hardening him more. Her fingers tightened around his back, gripping his shirt in her hands. She grabbed the neckline, cuing him to remove it. With as much anxiousness as she, he yanked the shirt over his head and tossed it aside. Reaching forward, Beth outlined his chest with her fingers. Rock hard pecks, yet he trembled. The softness in his eyes spoke to her. His shivering wasn't out of fear, but of unwavering desire finally coming to fruition.
Wet with anticipation, her body screamed inside. When he plunged inside her, she pulled him close, pressing his chest against hers, closing any open spaces existing between their skin. It proved near impossible for Beth to differentiate her pounding heart from his. Their bodies fit, the final pieces of a puzzle. Her muscles relaxed as he rocked against her, nibbling her ear, raising the hair on her skin, the tingling sensation taking over her from head to foot until she shook like an earthquake.
After the pulsating ceased, Beth let out a breath. Mark collapsed on top of her and despite the weight, she was sure she was floating.
Mark laid on top of her, his head next to hers, tickling her ear lobe with his tongue. "I'm sorry."
She wrapped both her legs around him. "For what? That was incredible."
His lips drew a smile against her neck and he pushed himself up so he almost hovered above her. "The trip? Way to ruin a mood."
She looked at his body lying on hers. "You think that ruined the mood? I think we did just fine. I'd call it a success."
They laughed until they were in hysterics. Beth couldn't recall the last time she felt this relaxed and in control of things. She took a deep breath, inhaling the scent of this man making her feel like a woman, exactly what she needed.
The morning sunshine began to peek through the clouds when Harvey arrived in Pine Falls. He didn't realize how much he missed the waves of trees and surrounding lakes. Located in the middle of the tourist town, the rehab facility had close access to most things most cities offered. However, many times Maggie would take him and others on hikes, giving them an opportunity to get away from the city, and enjoy the outdoors. Mother Nature provided an alternative he learned to love in place of the sweet taste of alcohol.
He'd been to Maggie's house only once when he went with her to pick up some food at McDonald's. They stopped off so she could grab her purse, and she was embarrassed to have forgotten it. Her alarm never went off and she rushed to get out the door. If Harvey lived across the street from a lake, he probably would never go to work. He'd just sit on a chair overlooking the lake and take in the scenery.
Five in the morning wasn't an appropriate time to knock on Maggie's door. He hadn't slept, and his mind contained too much clutter to think. He didn't know what to say to her. An apology, of course, but in order to string the right words together, he needed sleep. He parked his car in front of Maggie's house, her curtains closed as she probably still slept. He reclined his seat and dozed off.
The tapping at the window startled him. The clock on his dashboard showed 7:00. He'd slept for two hours? The knocking got louder, and Harvey put his seat back in a straight position while rubbing the kinks out of his neck with the other.
Maggie caused the ruckus. She motioned for him to roll down the window. "What are you doing here, Harvey? Do you realize the police are looking for you?"
That didn't take long. He thought he had a pretty good lead and a few days would pass before they figured out it was him. A full day hadn't even passed. The police probably already had been to his house, possibly searching and tearing the place inside out. Surely his father wouldn't be happy about that. He figured they would make contact with Maggie at some point.
"Did they call you? Has anyone been here?"
Crossing her arms, she replied. "No. Your face is over the news, but I should call them." She opened his door. "Get in the damn house before someone recognizes you."
Maggie turned and headed back to the house, giving Harvey enough time to stash the money in his glove compartment. He'd be stupid to leave so much cash in plain sight. At least in the unlocked glove compartment it had less of a chance of being stolen. He worried about bills falling out of his
pocket if he carried it in.
The house was as he remembered. A cute, two bedroom cottage with tiny rooms, but Maggie had a way to make it feel homey. The decor had the touch of grandmother's love with the class of a sophisticated woman.
"I already brewed my coffee for the morning." She reached into the cabinet and pulled out a mug. "I only have instant. Hope that's okay."
"Got any whiskey?"
"Damn you, Harvey!" She slammed her hand on the counter. "No, I don't, and even if I did, do you really think I'd give it to you?" She turned on the faucet, silent while the water filled the mug. Maggie opened the instant coffee and tossed two scoops in. The beeping of the microwave buttons so forceful, Harvey didn't need to guess at how much anger she held inside. "I can't believe you. You robbed my cousin?" She leaned against the sink while waiting for his coffee to finish warming. "Why?"
He shrugged. "I needed the money."
Maggie stared at him, her breathing rate increasing with every second. This look was different from the other day, filled not with disappointment, but anger. Hot, red, fiery anger. When the microwave beeped, Harvey was surprised Maggie didn't explode. "Are you serious? You needed the money? Well, listen up." She took the mug out and placed it in front of Harvey, who now sat at the table. "You had a job. You had money. Until you dropped all your responsibilities and walked out."
He hadn't come to Maggie for this. His intention wasn't to start an argument or even explain why he had robbed the store. Maggie knew his story. She heard the details every single day while he sat in her office, reliving the tale daily. The scars were never a secret from her. He shared each moment of his damaging past with her. The three words he had to say were so true in his heart, but the most difficult to say. He opened his mouth, but they wouldn't come out. "I ..."
Maggie pulled a chair out and sat down. "What, Harvey?" She crossed her legs and placed her hands on the table and wrapped them around her coffee mug. "Tell me. It's me. I'm so unbelievable pissed at you, but it's still me, Harvey."
He let his eyelids close, the darkness encompassing him, swallowing him with every breath he took. He took three deep breaths. Without opening his eyes, he said. "I need help." He opened them. Maggie was still there, just staring at him.
"I think maybe you left too soon. Yeah, you made so much progress, but finding out about your mom and this girl, I think you lost control."
"This isn't Beth's fault."
"I know, and it's not your mom's either. You weren't ready to handle this yet. I should have been with you when you found out about her. I'm sure we could have somehow come across the information online if we did more research."
"We looked. We tried. I'm not sure why I didn't see it coming. I just wish I had known sooner. A lot sooner. Things could've been different."
Maggie's warm hands folded around his. "They still can be. Once you sober up," she widened her eyes and stressed "again," bringing a smile to Harvey's face, "then we can continue to work on the issues regarding your mom. There are some wonderful therapists I can refer you to."
The first sip of the coffee almost went back into the mug. "Wow. That's bitter."
"That's why I don't drink instant."
"Maggie, I need to go back to the center."
She let go of his hands. "I'm sorry, Harvey, but it's not that simple. You committed a crime. You need to pay for what you did."
"I'm sure if you talk to Nelson..."
She shook her head. "No. Even if I did talk to Nelson, it wouldn't make a difference."
Harvey sat in the chair, numb. How did he let it get to this? His head hung and Maggie stood up. "Where are you going?" he asked.
She stopped. Her face softened. "Harvey, I'm calling the police."
Chapter Forty One
Beth enjoyed waking up next to Mark. They moved from the couch to the bedroom for comfort, and before any of Mark's roommates got home and saw her in her underwear! The two had taken pleasure in one another one more time when they got to his room. Mark, so attractive and gentle, treated her body with respect, and honed into her emotions, and she lost herself in their lovemaking. She didn't worry about what to do or try and anticipate the next move, because she didn't have to. This was how it was supposed to be, the way she imagined. Now they laid, their legs intertwined, her head resting on his chest. She never felt safer. She wanted to giggle at his little snores, which reminded her of Bullet.
Oh, Bullet. Where did he stand in all of this? Who took care of him? She assumed Harvey's dad, or at least hoped. She had no idea where Harvey ran off to, but he loved his dog. Thinking of Bullet she recalled the pet fair, and how much passion he held for animals and their safety. If he'd committed this crime, surely he had left Bullet in safe hands. Right? Who wouldn't love that stocky little build and mushed in face? His tiny tail wagged with such joy whenever Beth was around.
Harvey had gone to significant lengths to keep her from meeting his dad. But it was his dad. She couldn't wait for Mark to meet her parents. They discussed plans when they laid in bed last night before falling asleep. School started in a just a few weeks, and winter break would come along quickly. She didn't want to wait until the holidays, though, for her mom and dad to meet this man in her life, and Mark thought the same. They already had an arrangement in the works to meet each other's families in a matter of weeks. That was what people who had respectful, real relationships did. They brought each other into their worlds, and showed everyone this person who meant so much to them.
Not Harvey. Beth didn't doubt he liked her, but he didn't love her. If anything, he lusted for her. He'd taken the fact she wanted to go to college a woman and took advantage. Despite Harvey's actions, she still thought of him, and wished him to be safe. Trouble had made its way into his life, and it had been present for a long time. Times like this demanded parental guidance, required love. He refused hers, but he couldn't deny his dad.
"Mark," she sat up and rattled him awake.
He smiled as he opened his eyes, leaning in immediately and kissed her. "Hey, babe. Did you sleep well? What time is it?"
She shook her head. "No idea. I've been awake for a bit, just thinking."
He turned onto his side and propped up with his elbow. "About what?" He took his other hand and ran his index finger down her cheek.
She hadn't slept much, her eyes wide open as she thought of Harvey and Bullet. How did she tell her boyfriend she wanted to help her ex? Nerves rumbled in her stomach as she gripped the sheets, the words sitting on her vocal chords. "Mark," she started strongly, moving to a whisper, "I want to go see Harvey."
His smile dropped. "What?"
She pushed herself up straight. "I mean, Harvey's dad. He needs to know what's going on," she explained, hoping the clarification would help.
"Babe, it's all over the news. His dad has to know." He scratched his head. "I guess I'm not sure why you need to go. Harvey's in your past. Leave him there."
"I should, but I have to do this. Harvey, well, he was a big part of my life-"
"For about a minute."
She sighed. "Mark, please don't. He was my first-"
"Don't remind me."
"Are you going to keep interrupting me, or can I talk?" Beth cocked her head, holding the sheet to her chest. She understood why he didn't want to hear her reasons, but she wanted to explain. When he finally kept quiet, she continued. "I'm not the type of person to leave well enough alone because frankly, well enough isn't good enough. It only puts a band-aid on things. It says, 'look world, this is all I'm willing to give, even though I'm fully capable of more.' Harvey can be a good person if he gets the help he needs. That starts with his dad."
Mark scooted closer to her. He put his hand on her thigh. "This means a lot to you, doesn't it?"
Beth nodded, grateful Mark not only seemed to understand, but truly listened to what she had to say.
"Fine. Makes sense." His smile returned. "This is why I like you so much, so I should get used to your heart. I've never met someone s
o willing to help other people."
"It's called kindness, Mark." She touched her finger to his nose.
Mark stuck his tongue out at her. She hit him on the shoulder in jest, and he came in for a tickle. She giggled uncontrollably as he pushed his fingers into her sides, driving her crazy. The tickles turned to kisses, which turned into a wake up call she wouldn't mind every day.
Harvey wasn't an animal. The handcuffs weren't necessary. He sat in her kitchen drinking shitty instant coffee as she made the phone call to the police. It seemed inhumane to cuff a person who didn't plan on fighting. Two officers entered the house, one showing his gun the entire time, like some sort of bad ass out of an equally horrible cop movie. He hadn't realized the news portrayed him as armed and dangerous. He wasn't even the one who held a knife to Nelson. He'd gotten into a few fistfights in his life, most of those with his father. He never would have physically hurt Nelson, nor allowed Ricky to do so. He wasn't a snitch, either, so he refused to give up Ricky's name. "I don't remember the guy's name," he had told them. "I met him the day before at a gas station."
Maggie cried when they took Harvey away. Watching her cry made him sick to his stomach. Only a brave woman could look someone in eye and not only threaten to call the police, but actually follow through. "Harvey, I didn't want to have to do this, but you left no choice."
"Maggie, I'll go back to rehab and straighten up. Believe in me. I can do this," Harvey pleaded. Anything but jail.
She replied as she shook her head, "It's too late. They're already on their way. Not to mention I can't walk into work with you traipsing behind me. You're a wanted man! The police would arrest you anyway. The best thing is for you to turn yourself in. Do your time, and perhaps this will help you sober up and get back on track."
Pieces of it All Page 24