Amy

by Deborah A. Price

  Nate watched his sister with concern, standing and walking over to where she was. “Let’s calm down, Amy. I’ve never seen you like this.”

  “How do you think I should react? I need,” Amy glanced at the back of the apartment. “I need some fresh air. I don’t want to hear any more of this tonight.”

  Kyle glared at Randy and shook his head. “I had her calmed down, Randy. What is your problem?”

  “My problem?” Randy pulled another envelope out of his pocket and tossed it in his direction. “That was sent to my office. My place of employment. Now I don’t know how calm you would like your girlfriend to be, but you might want to put that on hold. I know Amy. She’ll see that I’m right.”

  “You think that you know Amy,” Kyle responded while he unfolded the letter and skimmed over it. “How do we know that you’re not the one that’s after her?”

  “I’d like to think that Amy and I have remained friends.” Randy answered, looking around the room. “This person still thinks that Amy and I are together as a couple. By the way, Kyle, she didn’t sleep last night. Maybe you could give her something else to think about other than the threat on her life. Man up and take that chance. She has a meeting tomorrow and needs to have her thoughts in order so we can figure out how many men actually have a reason to go after her.”

  “What do you mean?” Kyle glanced over at Nate, looking very puzzled. “Randy?”

  “I mean we have a meeting with the agency, and they promised to compile a list of the men that had visited Amy’s profile page along with the other information that she requested.”

  “How many names do you think is on that list?” Nate asked, watching his sister lean against the wall just outside the sliding door. “Well?”

  “Let’s just be happy that she had only been there for a little over a month.” Randy frowned when he glanced at Kyle. “You should be out there with her, Kyle.” Randy closed his eyes before turning to Amy’s brother. “I’m glad that your sister met someone like him.”

  “I’m sure that you are. So why did you send Kyle out?”

  “Because it’s time to cut the bull. Amy is in some very serious trouble, and before you blame it on the dating service, this isn’t typical. You know, I wish that she had looked at me the way she looks at Kyle, but I’m okay with it. At least, I don’t feel awkward when she’s kissing him.”

  “And here I thought you were just playing cool.” Elaine stepped over to where Nate was standing. “Are you really okay with all of this?”

  “One day I’m going to discover what Amy has. I don’t doubt that at all. Amy- she’s a great person, but there were things that she just wouldn’t discuss with me. If she had a problem, she’d deal with it on her own and that was that. But now,” Randy smiled, “I think that she’ll be happy with your friend. I hope so anyway.”

  “This is why you wanted Kyle out of here?” Nate asked.

  “Yesterday, while I met with her, she was so stressed that sketching was a problem. Kyle brought her ice cream and chips. You would’ve thought he delivered a dozen red roses and a box of chocolates.” Randy stood. “Maybe, there was really nothing between the two of us because I’m not jealous of Kyle. I am, however, very happy for Amy. I hope that we can get past this.”

  Stepping towards the door, he turned. “Tell Amy that I will see her tomorrow. Maybe we can find out some new information.”

  Nate and Elaine stared at each other, dumbfounded.

  Chapter 15

  Amy sighed while she watched Kyle step out of the apartment and slide the door closed behind him. Quickly, she dabbed at her eyes and sharply inhaled. “It was getting a little weird in there.”

  “I wouldn’t have called it weird.” Kyle stepped to her and took her hands. “It was enlightening.”

  “If I had known this was going to happen, I would’ve just done the advertising by hearsay. Do you know what I wanted to do when I thought there was a chance that I might have to look forward to having that disease? I wanted to take some time off from work and paint. Paint what I know would make me happy. Not because I want to sell my stuff, but because it’s something I’ve always enjoyed. When I found out that I wasn’t sick, I started thinking about how I could improve the artwork for the campaigns. I put the dream on hold. Something I can do when and if I retire. Now,” Amy turned away from him, “I just want to wake up in the morning with a possibility of not having that threat over my head.”

  “There’s nothing wrong with wanting normalcy.”

  “But there must be something wrong with me to keep having life bite me in the butt.” Amy fumed. “It was alright when it was just me, but now he or she has dragged Elaine into it, and that was after involving Randy. Who’s going to be informed of what’s going to happen to me next? You? Nate? I didn’t want to reply to those stupid letters, and now because I made that choice, my friends are going to be drug in the mud.”

  “We can handle this, Amy.” Kyle stepped to where she would have to look at him. “But we need to make sure that you actually rest. I could tuck you in.”

  Amy chuckled, feeling some of the stress lift away from her shoulders. “And how would you do that?”

  “I was thinking about telling you a story after tucking you securely underneath your blankets. . .”

  “Just me under the blankets?” Amy teased. “Gee, Kyle, I think that I should be able to tuck myself in and read a book.”

  “You’re going to read me a book?”

  “No, you’re going home.” Amy answered.

  “I was actually thinking about spending the night.”

  “You were?”

  “Yes, Amy, I’m still thinking about it. Randy has made it a point to tell me that you didn’t sleep last night.” Kyle pulled her towards him and glanced up at the sky. “I’m in charge of making sure that you don’t spend the night thinking about notes, letters, phone calls, and the threat. So, yep, I guess I’m going to be staying with you.”

  “Because Randy suggested it?”

  “Because I want to if you would like to have my company.” Kyle whispered before focusing on her. “So this is up to you now.”

  “I’d love for you to stay.” Amy sighed with relief. “But only if you’re not doing this because it was a suggestion.”

  “That’s settled,” Kyle hugged her towards him. “I guess we should tell Nate.”

  “That’s up to you.” Amy pushed away and stared at him. “Kyle, I don’t want to rush into anything right now. I know that I have feelings. What woman wouldn’t if a man was thoughtful enough to call her roommate to figure out her food cravings? That was the sweetest thing anybody has ever done for me. The thing is,” she closed her eyes before continuing. “The thing is that right now, I’m scared to death. I’m petrified that something might actually come from everything that is going on in my life right now. I’m scared to death that I might disappoint you and. . .”

  “Stop, Amy.” Kyle placed a finger on her mouth. “I’m not seeing anything that you can do that would ever disappoint me. And if it makes you feel any better, I’m scared, also.”

  “Why?”

  “I’m scared that you won’t be able to return my feelings. Yes, we both feel the attraction, but I want the whole nine yards. That’s why it was so easy for me to understand why Elaine was pissed off at your brother. I love you.”

  “Thank God,” Amy laughed at his expression. “I was wondering why you brought me ice cream.” She stepped back into his arms and tilted her face up towards his. “Kyle, I’m not sure if I’m ever going to be able to say those words, but I do like you- a lot.”

  “We can work on that,” Kyle whispered before kissing her. “So why don’t I tuck you into bed?”

  Amy nodded and walked with him to the door. “How sure are you that your story is going to put me to sleep?”

  “Dear, I’m the dullest story teller ever. I’m very sure.” Kyle opened the door and looked into the apartment. “Where’s Randy?”

  Nate glanced
up from the television program he was watching with Elaine. “He left twenty minutes ago.”

  “Kyle is going to spend the night.” Amy walked to the kitchen in search of the bag of potato chips she kept. Grabbing a full bag, she stared in her brother’s direction. “That means, Nate, that you can leave.”

  Nate stood and stared at Kyle. “Call me if anything happens.”

  “Of course,” Kyle narrowed his eyes. “Okay, Nate, this isn’t what I expected. You threatened everybody on the court if they so much as looked at your sister.”

  “Well, I get it, Kyle. Everybody gets it. Hurt her and your dead. That’s all I’m going to say.” Nate glanced down at Elaine and frowned. “You have no idea of how much I really understand.”

  Elaine ignored Nate and turned up the television to drown out his voice. She stood after Nate left and walked over to the door to lock it behind him. “He really thought that I would talk to him about us. I’m turning in. You two have fun.”

  Kyle watched Elaine after sitting down on the couch and waiting for Amy. “Nate is trying.”

  “No, not really,” Amy muttered while reaching behind her in the refrigerator for two water bottles. “You have to understand, Kyle. After our mother passed away, Nate and I were pretty much left to ourselves until Dad took us to Granny. Even after that, whatever we did wasn’t supervised. We never felt what other kids took for granted. Nate- he was the one person that looked out for me. I can’t stand being unable to help him like he has for me for the better part of my life. He’s struggling with what he wants with Elaine and the mess I’ve made at the same time. All I had to do was click on cancel instead of submit.”

  Kyle watched her sit on the opposite end of the couch. “And what if we can help them?”

  “How? Convince Elaine to get a different job that doesn’t require her traveling to Paris or should we just tell Nate to grow a pair and tell her what’s really eating him?”

  “Both.”

  “Not that I don’t need another headache, Kyle, but I’ve already told Elaine that I feel guilty every time that she leaves and that isn’t a lie. Somehow I keep getting a feeling that I’m in the way. That for some unseen reason, Nate has a hard time wanting to make a commitment to her because he’s worried about what might happen to me. That part is true. Now I’m in a pickle, and there’s no telling what that’s going to do to them. I’ve learned to accept that, but Elaine deserves better.”

  “It really bothers you.”

  “Yes, it does.” Amy threw the bag of chips at the table in front of them. “There’s nothing that I want more than to see them happy.”

  Kyle slid over to where she was sitting and pulled her to where she was resting her head on his chest. “We’ll work on that, too, Amy.”

  Amy had no idea how long she had slept before she heard the phone ringing beside her. She thought that it was part of her dream until she heard the voice speaking from the answering machine beside her.

  “He. Can’t. Protect. You. Amy.” The voice was spoken in staccato to make his point, and Amy sat straight up while listening. “Randy wasn’t able to protect you. He was a problem. He shouldn’t have been digging to find me. I saved him the trouble. Tell them. Tell them that I don’t like people getting in my way. I always get what I want. Are you listening to me? Your brother should be the only man with you. You whore. Are you making love to him now?”

  Amy stood, wide awake and noticed that Kyle was still sleeping while Elaine was standing at the edge of the hall. Amy was shaking her head in denial, trying to calm her breathing.

  Elaine stepped over to Kyle and slapped him on the head, waiting for him to stir. “Didn’t you hear the phone ring?” She asked after he looked from one to the other. “Why exactly did you stay?”

  “The phone?” Kyle watched Amy bite her lip before walking quickly to her bedroom and slamming the door. He leaned towards the machine and pushed the play button. “I don’t understand that.”

  “What? You can’t understand what he meant? Randy is gone. No longer a threat.” Elaine glanced down the hallway. “You go to her now, and don’t let her push you away. I’m going to call Nate. Randy agreed with you about calling the police; I think that I agree now.”

  Kyle stood and walked down hall, knocking on the door after he realized that Amy had locked it. “Amy, open this door.”

  “Go away, Kyle!”

  “No, I won’t. Either open the door or I’m going to knock it down.” Kyle waited until he heard footsteps and saw the doorknob turning before he stepped inside and hugged her. “I’m sorry.”

  “Randy can’t be dead, Kyle. I won’t believe it.” She sobbed on his chest. Amy glanced up when Nate pushed them further into the bedroom.

  Nate paced around the room, rubbing the stubble on his face while he watched Kyle lower Amy to the bed. “Just like that, Randy is dead. Why?”

  Elaine was standing in the door watching him. “Because he was investigating what Amy was going through, that’s why.”

  “The creep involved Randy when he sent him that letter.” Kyle mumbled. “How are we going to protect Amy?”

  “Call your stepfather.” Nate stared at Kyle. “Call him and explain what the meeting was going to be about,” he glanced at his watch, “today. Tell them that there is a list of questions on Amy’s desk. One of us can go in with Amy if she still wants to attend.”

  “Stop talking over me,” Amy snapped. “I will be there, and there’s no need to involve Sonny in this. Kyle, you don’t have to stay.”

  “I’m going to stay, Amy.”

  Elaine studied Amy before closing her eyes. “That would be a good idea. Randy was safe while he was here. The minute Kyle leaves. . .”

  Amy stood without thinking, bumping her head against Kyle’s jaw and scowling from the pain. “You think that he’s still here? Watching us?” She asked holding her head while watching Kyle place a hand over his jaw. “Nate was able to make it here.”

  “The caller only wants your brother here,” Elaine reminded her. “This guy has a fantasy about you.”

  “Elaine,” Kyle closed his eyes, “Nate. Why don’t the two of you go fix us coffee? I need to talk to Amy- alone.” Waiting until he was alone with Amy, he sat next to her on the bed and looked around at the art boards that were propped on the wall. “Talk to me, Amy.”

  “About what?”

  “You’re scared. You’re scared that I might become a victim.”

  “One of many things,” Amy admitted. “Randy’s parents are going to have to be told. If it’s true, then yes, I am scared because I don’t want to lose you, too. Not like that.”

  “You’re not going to lose me, Amy. I’ll be around to irritate you for years and years.”

  “Promise?”

  “Yeah, Amy. I promise.” Kyle lifted her chin and studied her eyes. “I’m sure we’ll find out something concrete about Randy, but until then- do you think that you can sleep?”

  Amy shook her head, “That’s a stupid question, Kyle. Why would I even try when all I’m going to do is hear that voice? Randy’s death? If it hadn’t been for me, he’d still be alive to go to that meeting tomorrow.”

  “We don’t know for sure that he’s dead, Amy.”

  “Don’t we?” Amy covered her face with her hands. “I think the coffee’s ready, not that I need anything to keep me awake.”

  “Amy.”

  “I’m fine, Kyle. Absolutely. There’s nothing for me to be afraid of now. There’s no sick creep killing my friends or making demented calls. I haven’t received any letters explaining the specifics of what he wants to do with me. I can rest easy.”

  Kyle stood and pulled her up with him. “Are you finished?”

  “No, I want to be able to close my eyes and not see letters or threats. I never want to see red sharpie or get those phone calls. I want somebody to tell me that Randy is alive.” Amy started moving her hands while she talked. “The police are going to be involved now.”

  “Yes, they are.�
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  “What’s that mean, Kyle? This creep instructed me not to involve the police and then he involves them himself. I want to know why.” Amy turned away from him and focused on the single painting she had made for herself. “What does he expect me to do?”

  Kyle studied her and sighed. “He’s in your head now. Push him out.”

  Amy turned towards him, shaking her head. “And just how would you suggest I do that? For years, I managed to hide what happened because everybody thought the shock I was in was because of Granny’s death. That was easy enough to do. I can’t hide from this.”

  “Hey,” Kyle stepped to her and held close again. “You have people around that aren’t going to allow anything to happen to you.”

  “You don’t know that.” Amy pushed away from him and walked into the kitchen where Elaine handed her a cup of coffee.

  “Amy,” Kyle stepped into the kitchen after her. “Why are you giving up? You did the same thing last week.”

  “This is different,” Amy mumbled. “Kyle, you don’t know what’s going to happen in the next twenty minutes let alone what will happen next week or the following week. Nobody is this room can guarantee that they’ll have a tomorrow, so just back off.” Amy placed the mug on the counter and frowned. “Leave me the hell alone.”

  Kyle watched her storm out of the kitchen before glancing at Nate. “We need to find out some information.”

  Nate nodded and picked up the phone.

  “Why don’t we just wait for the police to come out, Nate? They’ll know whether or not the caller was telling the truth.” Elaine stepped around them and patted Kyle on the back. “Amy is trying hard not give in to what is happening, but it’s tough going right now.”

  “I understand more than you think, Elaine.”

  “And after everything clears up, she’ll realize that you’re not going anywhere. But until then, maybe you should give her some space.” Elaine sighed before walking through the living room and down the hall to where she thought she would find Amy.

  Amy glanced up from her desk when Elaine cleared her throat. “I don’t want a lecture about how I’ve acted.”