Because of You

by Megan Nugen Isbell

  “No need for apologies, Miss Everly,” Officer Torres said.

  “Please call me Sam,” I reminded him and he smiled again.

  “Alright, Sam,” he began and then looked at the man next to him. “This is Detective Blanchard. He’s been assigned to your case.”

  The man extended his hand, which seemed to be the first show of human emotion I’d seen from him.

  “It’s good to meet you,” I said to him and he nodded.

  “Likewise,” he added in a much deeper voice than I’d expected.

  “Do you want to sit down?” I asked, walking quickly over to the couch to gather the wadded-up blanket. “Again, I’m sorry about the mess.”

  “Please don’t apologize on our behalf, Sam. This is nothing compared to the places we’ve seen.” I looked up to see Officer Torres smiling in a comforting way that told me he wasn’t judging me.

  I sat down in the chair while Gabe and Detective Blanchard took a seat on the couch.

  “How’re you feeling since you’ve been home?” Gabe asked and his eyes drifted down to my sling.

  “I’m feeling a little better,” I told him, but before he could respond, the door opened and I turned my head to see Rachel standing there holding the bag of Chinese take-out we’d ordered.

  Her eyes widened at the sight of all of us sitting around the living room and she slowly closed the door.

  “What’s going on?” she asked, her words coming out slowly.

  “You remember Officer Torres from the hospital?” I asked and she nodded, her eyes drifting to the detective then. “This is Detective Blanchard.”

  “Is everything okay?” she asked, setting the bag down on the table and walking over to us, standing next to the chair I was seated in.

  “We’re just here to talk to Miss Everly,” Detective Blanchard began.

  “Sam, please,” I interrupted and the detective glanced over to me, obviously not caring what I preferred to be called.

  “I wanted to update you on the progress of our investigation,” he said.

  “Have you spoken to Tyler Reeves?” Rachel’s voice was hurried as she looked between Officer Torres and the detective.

  “We have. It took some time to contact him, but we’ve spoken to him…”

  “What do you mean it took some time?” she interrupted. “His spoiled ass lives at the damn frat house on Perkins, just like I told you.”

  “Calm down, Rache,” I said softly.

  “No, Sam. It’s been four days. It shouldn’t take four days to find someone.”

  “It does when that person is out of the country,” Detective Blanchard added defensively and I felt my head whip around to look at him.

  “Out of the country?” I asked, my voice heavy with confusion.

  “When we went to speak with Mr. Reeves, his fraternity brothers informed us they hadn’t seen him in a few days and when we spoke to his father’s law firm, we learned he had to take an unexpected trip to Toronto,” Detective Blanchard said.

  “Toronto?” I asked softly.

  “His grandfather was in the hospital. A suspected heart attack we were told. His family made a trip up to be with him. He returned yesterday.”

  “I didn’t know Tyler had family in Canada,” I said softly, feeling even more confused than I already did.

  “Apparently, they do,” Officer Torres added and I looked up to meet his eyes. His jaw was slightly clenched, but he continued to hold my gaze for a moment before my eyes moved to the detective.

  “What did Tyler say about everything that happened with Sam?” my sister asked, her voice hurried and strained as she reached for my hand.

  “He seemed surprised to hear you’d been injured,” Detective Blanchard said and I heard Rachel scoff loudly.

  “Like hell he was surprised! The bastard’s the one who did it!” Rachel exclaimed and I didn’t think the detective appreciated my sister’s outburst.

  “Excuse me,” Detective Blanchard said, turning to Rachel, a look of annoyance on his face, “I should’ve asked earlier, but can I ask who you are?”

  “I’m Rachel Murray, Sam’s sister,” Rachel said defensively. “What else did Tyler say?”

  The detective’s annoyance didn’t go anywhere, but he looked over to me, ignoring Rachel.

  “We will continue to follow up with Mr. Reeves, but according to the charter jet and his passport upon arriving in Toronto, Mr. Reeves was not in Boston at the time of the accident.”

  “What?” Rachel exclaimed. “This wasn’t an accident! He pushed my sister down the stairs!”

  “Miss Murray,” Detective Blanchard said, his voice stern now as he looked at my sister. “We followed the lead you gave us and regardless of what you may believe, that lead proved to be unfounded. Unless there is any other evidence, we believe what happened was exactly what you don’t want to call it.” He looked to me now. “It appears to have been an accident. Has your memory returned at all, Miss Everly?” he asked and I shook my head, relieved in a way that it appeared to be my carelessness that resulted in my injuries. Tyler was a jerk, but he hadn’t done this to me, and in a way, I felt it redeemed me some, to myself anyway, that I wasn’t completely stupid for falling for him.

  “So, that’s it then?” Rachel asked, her voice heavy with exasperation.

  “Unless something new comes to light,” Detective Blanchard said, standing up. “I wish you the best, Miss Everly.”

  I stood up and shook his hand with mine that wasn’t in the sling.

  “Thank you,” I said quietly and followed Detective Blanchard to the door, letting him out and watching as he walked down the hall. Officer Torres remained by the door though and my sister stayed on the couch, still fuming. “Thank you for stopping by,” I said to him and he smiled.

  “How’re you doing, other than the obvious?” he asked me and I met his eyes, taken aback at how dark they were, like a cup of black coffee.

  “I’m fine…I think,” I said softly.

  “If anything changes though, anything at all with what you remember about that night, let us know.” The way he looked at me told me he cared. He wasn’t as cut and dry as the detective. Something told me he thought there was more to this. I hoped he wasn’t right.

  “I will. Thank you again, Officer Torres.”

  “Gabe, remember?” he said and I smiled.

  “Thank you, Gabe.”

  He smiled and held his hand out to me. I took it with mine. It was warm and soft and he held it tightly for a moment before letting go.

  “Keep an eye on your sister,” Gabe said to Rachel over my shoulder. She stood up and came next to us.

  “I plan on it, Officer Torres.”

  “Like I told Sam, please call me Gabe,” he said and Rachel nodded.

  “Gabe,” she said softly, looking directly at him. “I know that detective thinks I’m crazy, but everything’s not always what it seems. I just can’t believe he didn’t have something to do with this.”

  “Rache, it’s okay,” I said softly, urging her to let it go, but I knew it wouldn’t do any good.

  “I know you’re worried about your sister,” Gabe said to her. “Our top concern is for her well-being and I promise you that’s what we’re here for. If new information comes to light, we’ll look into it. I promise.”

  Rachel didn’t say anything for a moment, but then she nodded.

  “Thank you, Gabe,” she said softly and then linked her hands with mine. Gabe looked down at our hands and then up to Rachel again.

  “Would you mind if I spoke with Sam alone?” he asked and I could see the surprise on my sister’s face.

  “Um…sure,” she said, looking over to me and then letting go of my hand and excusing herself to the bathroom. Gabe watched the whole way until Rachel had closed the door. He looked back at me then and I could feel the nerves brewing in my stomach when his dark eyes met mine.

  “Why did you ask my sister to leave?” I asked him.

  “Because sometimes pe
ople are hesitant to say what’s really on their mind if they’re afraid of what others might think,” he said and it grew quiet for a few moments until he spoke again. “Your sister is convinced Tyler Reeves has something to do with what happened to you. I can tell she believes it. I can see her disdain for him whenever she talks about him, but,” he said and paused for a moment as he collected his thoughts, “I also see how guarded you get whenever his name is mentioned. I can see the apprehension in your eyes.”

  “No. I’m fine,” I said defensively. “Rachel exaggerates things. She fixates on her ideas whether they’re founded or not.”

  Even as the words left my mouth, I couldn’t believe I was saying them. Tyler was a problem and once again, I was trying to minimize what he’d done to me because I didn’t want to admit what I’d allowed him to do to me.

  “I’m not here to judge anyone,” he said in a kind voice that made me feel better. “I’m here to help. If you’re scared or afraid, if you don’t feel safe for any reason,” he began as his eyes drifted down, settling on my arm where the bruises from the night at the frat house were still visible. “If there’s anything you need to tell me, I want you to know you can.”

  “I’m fine,” I said again and he nodded, raising his eyes back to mine and smiling. It was a forced smile and then he put on his hat that had been tucked under his arm.

  “If anything changes, please let me know,” he said.

  “Thank you,” I said softly and then he nodded again before walking out. I shut the door behind him, his words echoing in my mind. If you’re scared or afraid, if you don’t feel safe for any reason

  …if there’s anything you need to tell me, I want you to know you can. I felt my eyes growing warm with tears and shame overtook my body. I wanted to open the door and call out to him, telling him I was terrified, but I kept my mouth shut, just liked I’d learned to do from the moment Tyler Reeves walked into my life.

  Nine

  My first day back to class was a blur. I hadn’t kept up with the assignments my professors had sent me while I was recuperating and I felt like a total slouch when I walked into the classrooms and they asked me how I was feeling. I’d simply nodded and smiled politely telling them, “Much better, thank you,” even though I still donned the sling. I told them I’d get the assignments to them as soon as I could. They assured me it was fine, but I still felt like a slacker since I could’ve kept up if I’d wanted to.

  I only had three classes on Mondays and by the time the last one was over, I was grateful to be heading home. It was cold for November and the sling made it even worse since I couldn’t wear a jacket properly. The freezing air kept getting in no matter how hard I tried. I’d checked the weather in the morning and a possibility of snow had been mentioned. By the looks of the sky and the feel of the air, I knew the weatherman was probably right for once. I just wanted to get home into the warmth of the apartment and start working on the assignments that should’ve been done a week ago.

  I quickened my pace, pulling my scarf closer and making my way towards the T until I was stopped by a grip on my arm. I turned quickly and I froze when I saw Tyler’s eyes looking back at me. It only took me a second to yank my arm away and jump back.

  “Sam, please,” he said quickly. “I just wanna talk to you.”

  “We have nothing to talk about,” I said, hoping my voice sounded stronger than I felt on the inside.

  “Wait, please,” he said when I turned and started walking away. I ignored him though and kept walking. “Just give me a chance. Just talk to me for one second.” I could hear the desperation in his voice. I told myself not to stop. I kept going and then I heard his voice again. “Please.” I stopped in my tracks, sighing loudly before turning around. Our eyes met and I couldn’t help but notice how different they looked from that night in the frat house…the night I’d finally had enough.

  He waited a second, but then he started towards me slowly, almost how one would approach a frightened animal. Even his hands were out as a gesture of peace. He stopped when only a couple of feet separated us. His eyes moved down to my sling and then back to me.

  “I heard you were hurt, Sam. I didn’t realize it was that bad.”

  “Yeah,” I said, praying the tears wouldn’t fall. “It was pretty bad, Tyler.”

  “Shit,” he whispered, shaking his head and then meeting my eyes again. “I’m sorry I wasn’t here for you. I would’ve come to the hospital. I would’ve taken care of you.”

  He stepped closer to me, resting his hand on my arm for a moment before I stepped back again.

  “Please don’t touch me, Tyler,” I said, mustering what little courage I had around him, especially after everything that had happened.

  “You’re not afraid of me, are you?”

  “Should I be afraid of you?” I asked and our eyes locked for a few intense moments.

  “I know we’ve had some issues, but that’s the past, baby.” He reached for me again and when the weight of his hand met my arm, I don’t know why, but I let him keep it there.

  “My sister thinks you did this to me,” I said softly, trying not to sound afraid. “She thinks you pushed me down those stairs.”

  “No!” he exclaimed, squeezing his eyes tightly for a second. “Your sister hates me, Sam. She’s always hated me and she’s trying to get into your head. She’s trying to push you away from me.”

  I closed my eyes for a moment, thinking back on all of the times I’d been afraid of him…of all the times he’d put his hands on me…touching me in ways he shouldn’t.

  “Part of me,” I began quietly, almost afraid to go on, “part of me thinks you might’ve done it too.” My voice was soft and shaky as he sighed, pinching the bridge of his nose.

  “The cops told me you don’t remember what happened. Why would you think it was me?”

  “Because,” I said, my voice still timid, “it’s what you do. You hurt me, Tyler. You always have.” A tear streaked down my face and I wiped it quickly.

  “Baby, no,” he said, his voice desperate as he came closer to me, pushing his hand deep into my hair and pulling me to him as he looked me in the eyes. He was looking at me the way he had when we first fell in love, with kindness and concern. “I know I’ve been an asshole. I know I haven’t treated you the way you deserve to be treated. I know that and I’m working on that, but never, Sam, I would never hurt you like this. You could’ve been killed and I can’t imagine a world without Samantha Everly in it. So, whatever’s happened in the past or whatever Rachel says about me, I love you, even if you don’t love me anymore.”

  I was shocked to see the tears in his eyes. Tyler Reeves didn’t cry and certainly not over me.

  “Why were you in Canada?” I asked softly.

  “My grandfather. He had a heart attack.”

  “I didn’t know he lived there.”

  “He doesn’t. He was on vacation. They weren’t sure if he was going to make it. We had to go.”

  “You just disappeared though.”

  “It was an emergency and you made it clear you didn’t want to talk to me so I didn’t tell you. When I got home and spoke with the cops I wanted to come see you. I wanted to come right away, but I knew I couldn’t. I knew where we stood. I knew you wanted me to stay away, but Sam,” he said, pulling himself closer so our lips were so close I could smell the mint from the gum he was chewing, “I couldn’t stop thinking about you, knowing you were hurt. I had to see you. I had to.” He breathed in deeply, coming even closer. “Dammit, Sam, you drive me mad I love you so damn much. Don’t push me away anymore. We can make this work. I can take care of you. The past is the past. We can move on. I need you.” His voice cracked then and another tear fell down his cheek.

  “Tyler…I can’t anymore…” I whispered, but before I could finish my sentence, his lips were on mine, his tongue easing into my mouth and kissing me hard. For a moment, I remembered how it was when he was the Tyler I loved. The Tyler who made my knees weak. The Tyler who mad
e me laugh and put me first. That Tyler wasn’t the real Tyler though and I felt that sick feeling in my stomach again, remembering all the ways he’d hurt me. I was afraid of Tyler. Deep in my soul, I knew I was.

  “Sam,” he moaned as his mouth continued to move on mine.

  “Stop,” I said, pushing him away. He was breathing hard when I pulled back.

  “I’m sorry. I couldn’t help myself. I’ve missed you so damn much. Can’t we please just get past this? Let me take you to dinner.”

  I wondered if my jaw was on the floor because that’s how I felt. After everything he’d done to me, he thought it could all go back to the way it’d been.

  “No,” I whispered and I saw the confusion on his face.

  “C’mon, Sam. Don’t do this.”

  “I need time. I need time to myself…on my own…without you,” I said, looking into his eyes. “We’re over. I can’t do it anymore.” My heart started to pound because I didn’t want to see his reaction or hear the hateful words spew from his mouth how they had before when I’d told him that. They didn’t come though and he remained quiet and surprisingly calm.

  “I get that,” he said in a level voice. “When you’re ready though, I’m here.” I simply nodded because I didn’t want to provoke him anymore. “And remember no matter what, I love you.”

  He reached for my hand and squeezed it before turning and walking away. I couldn’t get my heart to stop pounding though or the fear from riling in my stomach. He’d been the Tyler I’d fallen for, but I’d never been more terrified. I turned quickly, wiping at the tears in my eyes as I rushed to the T then, completely forgetting about the cold air. All I could think about was getting home, but even then I wondered if I’d feel safe. I wondered if I’d ever feel safe again.

  ~~~

  “Are you okay?”

  My sister looked up when I walked through the door. I knew I was breathing harder than she expected, but I’d walked quickly to the apartment after getting off the T. The run in with Tyler had freaked me out and I just wanted to get home.