Tina stood up and joined Holly, who had begun to pace around the foyer and wring her hands. She grabbed Holly’s forearm to halt her as she passed and spoke calmly. “Whoa. Holly, relax. It wasn’t all that late when he left here last night. Trust me; no one is coming to get you. They know.”
Holly stopped pacing and looked at Tina with wide frightened eyes.
“Come on, we have about fifteen minutes before our pickup. You need to hold it together for just a little while longer,” Tina said gently in an effort to get Holly refocused. “Do you have our tickets?”
“They’re in my pocketbook,” Holly replied, worrying her lower lip. She went over to a small table next to the door where her purse was sitting and pulled them out, showing them to Tina.
“Keys to the house and the car?” Tina asked.
“With the Realtor,” Holly replied. The real estate agent had frowned at the suggestion that the car could be part of the deal for the house, but Holly had asked anyway. If she had to, she would make arrangements later to ship the car once Holly was situated. “What would I do without you? You’re a lifesaver. Along with being so bright eyed and bushy tailed at the crack of dawn.”
“Are you kidding?” Tina laughed. “I’m always up at five in the morning. I have three kids; it’s the only time I get any peace and quiet.”
Together they took the time to quickly look around, making sure Holly hadn’t forgotten anything. The refrigerator was empty, the cupboards bare. The lights were all on timers to give the appearance that someone still lived there. All papers were gone, shredded and disposed of, with the exception of the important ones that were tucked away within one of her suitcases. She had done every single thing she could think of to avoid making any return to Jersey that would require more than the briefest of stays.
It had worked; Holly was once again composed. Tina was probably right; if there were going to be any repercussions, they would have happened already. Still, she wouldn’t be able to completely relax until she was in the sky, and she never in a million years would have thought she would feel safer at thirty thousand feet than she did on the ground. She really had come such a long way. And she had already begun to view the house as nothing more than a shell. Bruce’s ghost had long since departed. Wherever he was, he was probably laughing his ass off, proud that she had stood up for herself, and in such a grand fashion. She shook her head and swallowed any lingering sadness. She didn’t have to worry about being that pliant, accommodating girl anymore. She was steady, focused, and in control. Bruce had seen to it that she could have any sort of life she wanted. Logan had seen to it that she was strong enough to know how to make the most of it. If she could just get to the airport and on the plane without a felony assault charge, she’d be home free. She heard the faint sound of a car horn outside and breathed a sigh of relief.
A kindly gray-haired gentleman in his early sixties was waiting outside when Holly opened the front door, and he wished them a good morning, introducing himself as Gus. He took their bags to place them in the car’s already opened trunk. Satisfied that both the suitcases and the passengers were secure within the car, he took his position behind the steering wheel and shifted the nondescript black Crown Victoria into gear. The car began to stealthily make its way down her driveway.
“Would you like me to stop somewhere so we can pick up some coffee?” he asked politely, glancing at her reflection in his rearview mirror.
“No, thanks,” Holly told him. “I’m a slightly nervous flyer to begin with. No point in adding octane to that mix.”
“Understood,” the chauffeur replied, chuckling. “Then let’s get you two to the airport.”
Tina and Gus engaged in small talk, leaving Holly to her own thoughts. She watched from her window in the backseat as she passed by the streets that used to be her neighborhood. It was like she was seeing much of it for the first time. Sort of a shame, she mused; so much had happened in the relatively short time she was here that she never got a chance to really explore all the state had to offer. She had never even gotten to go to Atlantic City or the beach. By the time they hit the highway she felt a lump start to form in her throat. In the distance, with the sun only just beginning to rise, she could see from her window an overly bright glow reaching out. She had little doubt it was the glow of the spotlights shining from the front of Bodyssey. There were people in there she would actually miss. She childishly refused to turn her head in the direction of either Logan’s gym or his apartment.
Logan. She’d never expected him to search her out so soon. And he hadn’t even been angry, just contrite. Beyond contrite; he was downright wretched. He had ruined the final part of her plan, the getaway, with his sad soulful eye and his apologetic declaration. It left a rotten taste in her mouth.
Tina broke into Holly’s thoughts. “Are you feeling any better? I brought your Xanax.”
Holly turned to her with an absent smile. “I’m fine. You know I’m not going to take them.”
“It looks like it’s going to be a nice day for flying, if that makes you feel any better,” Gus commented.
“It does,” Holly replied. “I was hoping it would be. Every little bit helps. Let’s hope our Portland landing is as cooperative.”
“Well, I can’t speak for Oregon, but the weather in Maine is probably similar,” Gus said, taking a quick look up into the sky through the windshield.
“If we were going to Maine, I probably would have tried to get a later flight, but thanks for trying,” Holly told him. “We’re going to Oregon.”
“Oregon, huh?” he remarked. “Been there a few times fishing. Some beautiful country out there.”
“There sure is,” Tina replied, full of pride, then laughed. “Although I can only imagine what sort of ‘beauty’ awaits me in my house after being away all week.”
“How long are you staying?” he politely inquired, making eye contact with Holly in the mirror again. “Did you schedule a pickup? I can do that for you if you need me to.”
“My ticket is one-way,” Holly said. “And Tina already lives there.”
“Had enough of the East Coast rat race, eh?”
“Something like that. I have family there.” Holly closed her eyes tight for a moment, to keep out of her mind the implications that came with the word “family.”
The conversation was minimal after that, with Gus returning his attention to the congested traffic on the New Jersey Turnpike. Holly and Tina were quiet also, each lost in her respective thoughts. He pulled up to the front of their terminal, opened the trunk, and handed over their bags to a porter, who accompanied Holly and Tina to the checkin counter. Holly confidently handed their coach boarding passes and both her and Tina’s driver’s licenses to the ticket agent. There would be no disputes this time about how many asses she had or how many seats she would need. But Holly’s confidence began to falter as the agent took several long, drawn-out moments looking from the ticket to the identification to her computer screen to Holly.
“Is something wrong?” Holly asked nervously.
“No, Mrs. Brennan, not at all,” the agent said amiably while typing out several keystrokes on her computer. “These tickets have been upgraded.”
“Upgraded?” Tina piped up. “Did I just make it to the big time?”
“Both of them?” Holly asked, her shock evident. “I didn’t think I had enough flyer miles for that.”
The ticket agent handed Holly back the licenses and the newly printed boarding passes with a smile. “I’m sorry; I don’t know anything about that. If you’re a frequent flyer and you have the most miles of any of the ticketed flyers, they upgrade you automatically. If you want to wait a minute I can confirm that’s what happened.”
“No, that’s fine. You don’t need to go through the trouble,” Holly said quickly, noticing Tina’s thinly veiled excitement and the line of people gathering behind them. Even if they ended up charging her, it was the least she could do to repay Tina for all she had done to see her through t
his past week. Still, she was mildly disappointed. She had actually been looking forward to sliding smoothly into the smaller seat. It would have been another victory in her life’s story. No matter, she thought as they made their way to their gate. Surely she would have to return for the finalization of the house sale; she could try out her new ass then. Today she would consider it a stroke of luck, a positive omen that she was indeed heading in the right direction. She should have thought of treating Tina to the upgrade in the first place.
Holly let Tina have the window seat and took her seat beside her, leaving the aisle seat empty. There was still plenty of room. The early-morning flight wasn’t crowded and business class was nearly empty. Maybe she would move around later. For now it was comforting to have her best friend right beside her. She buckled herself in and began her mental preparation for takeoff. The new Holly was not going to be afraid to fly and she wasn’t going to assuage that fear by gorging herself on whatever junk food was offered to her. The new Holly was going to placidly nap and enjoy the royal treatment. She leaned her head back and closed her eyes, considering whether or not she should ask for a blanket.
“Whew! That was close! I thought for a minute there I wasn’t going to make it.”
Holly didn’t need to open her eyes. Her pulse raced with the immediate recognition of the voice. But she did open them, speechless, just as Logan Montgomery slid into his seat beside her. He was scruffy from not having taken the time to shave, and it was the closest to disheveled she had ever seen him. He was smiling at her, his beautiful captivating smile, which offset the horror that was his eye. Everything around the socket was painted various shades of purple, and the white of his eye was tinged red. What she could see of the white, anyway. His eye was approaching the state of what looked like a permanent wink.
“Good morning, gorgeous,” he said to Holly before leaning past her and adding, “Hi, Tina.”
“Morning, Logan,” Tina said, way too friendly for Holly’s liking.
“What are you doing here?” she sputtered incredulously when she finally found her voice.
“What does it look like I’m doing here?” He smiled while buckling himself in. “I’m flying to Portland.”
“B-but why?” She continued to stammer. “How?”
He released an energized rush of air. “You didn’t really think I was just going to let you go without a fight, did you? At first I was just going to show up at your house early this morning with flowers and a boom box playing some goofy love song, John Cusack style. But then I had a little chat with your friend here.”
Holly turned her head away from Logan long enough to level a cold, disbelieving glare at Tina.
“Traitor,” she hissed.
Tina grinned apologetically and gave a small shrug. Holly shook her head, her mouth a thin tight line, before turning back to Logan, and he continued. “She told me everything I needed to know in regard to your flight. Then I called and switched your tickets, and booked the seat next to you. We figured it was a much better idea. Now you’re a captive audience. And I have witnesses in case you decide to go all ninja on me again, not that it would really stop you. The way I see it, I have six hours to win you over. I hope it’s enough. I know just how tough you are.” His smile grew so wide the bloodshot eye completely disappeared within the swollen purple flesh surrounding it.
“I’m not doing this. I’m switching my seat,” Holly replied hotly. She unbuckled and rose, climbing over him, careful not to make contact with him and failing when he grabbed her around the waist to help her safely into the aisle. His hands were warm and strong and she could feel them through her clothing. She gave Tina one more furious glare. “You and Benedict Arnold here can compare some more notes.”
Holly went to the other side of the plane and several rows down, taking a window seat. A minute later, Tina arrived and took the seat beside her. Holly crossed her arms and stared out the window, refusing to look at her. The plane began to taxi to its runway and the flight crew went through the emergency procedures protocol. She seethed. The audacity, the unmitigated gall of him to merrily announce his arrival and reveal his plot and think she’d be anything other than incensed. And then to incorporate her best friend into the plan! She was too irate to be afraid. As the plane took off all she could think about was how good it would feel to push both Logan and Tina out of it—with anvils strapped to their chests. It seemed only minutes later when the flight attendant appeared, asking them if they would like some coffee or anything else to drink and whether she could take their breakfast orders. Holly could feel her skin start to crawl when she overheard the distinct giggle and syrupy quality of the attendant’s voice once she got to Logan. Typical. She added it to the list of crap she wouldn’t miss when she finally was rid of him. She rounded on Tina.
“I can’t believe you did this,” Holly said fiercely. “I can’t believe you did this to me. I don’t think I can ever forgive you. I hope you’re proud of yourself. And that you realize that all you did was fall under his spell, like all the rest of the women who get in his crosshairs. I really thought you were made of stronger stuff.”
Tina waited patiently while Holly ranted and then asked, “Are you done?”
“No, I’m not done. Thanks for letting me spend the last two hours freaking out about how I’d look in an orange jumpsuit with numbers on the back!” Holly snapped. Once again, she felt utterly alone. Only yesterday Tina had detested Logan on her behalf; now she was his co-conspirator. It was overwhelming, too much to bear. It was impossible to comprehend the betrayal. She shook her head, running a hand through her hair. “There. Now I am. I just need to know why. Why would you do this?”
“Because I was there,” Tina said by way of explanation. “I heard you. And I heard him.”
The way she said it made Holly pause. She felt her shoulders loosen from up around her earlobes as the tension began to drain out of her. “All he did was play you, Tina, like he played me,” Holly said dispassionately, resuming her gaze out the window. “It’s his specialty.”
“I don’t think so. And if you can stop being pissed off for a second, I’ll tell you why,” Tina said. When Holly remained staring out the window, she continued quietly. “I’ve heard that sort of voice before.”
What was Tina getting at? Her quiet confidence was unexpected. Holly turned back from the window.
“I was so jealous of you the day you left for college,” Tina said. “Jealous that you were actually able to do what you always said you were going to do: escape our small insignificant town. It didn’t matter that I knew all the reasons you were desperate to get out. Every time I got an e-mail from you, it got worse. There you were, across the country, beginning a life I could only dream about. I was determined to save up my money and try to apply to college the next year. Maybe not the likes of Brown, ’cause you were always smarter than me, but someplace where I could live in a dorm room, really be on my own, have a college experience.”
“I never knew you felt that way,” Holly murmured, her defenses starting to slip. “I was miserable that first year, just so you know.”
Tina chuckled a little. “Trust me, you weren’t nearly as miserable as I was when I found out I was pregnant with Danny. I saw any hope of college or even a good job passing me by with that stupid EPT test. And then I realized I didn’t have to let it stop me. It was the twenty-first century. I could solve the problem with one trip to a clinic. I could have an abortion without anyone even knowing about it.”
Holly stifled a gasp. She remembered holding Danny right after he was born that first summer she was home from college. He was so small and pink and precious. It had been nearly impossible to wipe the beaming smiles off Tina and Tommy’s faces. It was hard to believe that Tina would have even considered termination an option.
“But I knew I could never keep what I was going to do from Tommy. He was already suspicious. He had seen me get sick a couple times and I was acting strangely in general. I figured he would be happy anyw
ay since I was letting him off the hook and everything.”
Holly nodded, saying nothing. Tina’s voice became softer.
“But he wasn’t happy. In fact, he started to cry. He begged me not to go through with it. He told me that he’d loved me since the second grade. That he had a prayer answered the first time I said I loved him. He told me that he wanted to marry me and have a family, and if I would just give him the chance, he would spend the rest of his life making sure I didn’t regret it. And he’s lived up to that promise.” Tina smiled. “So far.”
Holly found herself smiling as well. The Blakes’ relationship was as strong as it ever had been. Tina had spoken with Tommy and the kids every day while at Holly’s. Those conversations were full of affection. It was the same sort of rapport they’d shared back in high school.
Tina continued, her eyes bright. “The point of this story is that until the day I die, I will never forget the look on Tommy’s face or the raw emotion in his voice that night. Some people go a whole lifetime and never see someone act that way over them. My heart still skips a beat when I think about it.”
Holly stared at Tina and began biting into her lower lip. This story was certainly leading up to something. Something Holly didn’t think she wanted to face.
“Holly,” Tina said quietly. “My heart skipped a beat last night, only this time for you.”
Holly continued to stare, only now with her mouth slightly agape and fresh tears starting to burn her eyelids. Damn it, she thought. She had been sure she didn’t have any tears left.
Holly began to protest. “I don’t think you know what the hell you’re talking about.”
“I know what I saw. And what I saw last night was a man who would do anything to keep you from leaving him. And has.”
Holly closed her eyes and leaned her head back. It felt like the world was spinning around her and she didn’t know how to make it stop.
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