Treacherous (Andy Barber)

Chapter 15

Aurora's POV

"Andy! I'm back!" I shouted as I entered the home. I set my purse on the kitchen counter and smiled when I saw dishes in the sink...Andy's attempt at cooking...and then Chinese takeout boxes. There was an untouched box and I knew Andy had ordered it for me. "Andy?" I called out again. It was quiet for a moment but I soon heard Andy's footsteps emerge from the home office. His hair was slightly messy and he looked tired. "Hey, what's wrong?" I asked, walking towards him. "Just a long day." Andy sighed and wrapped his arms around me, resting his head on my shoulder.

"Wanna talk about it?"

"Jake got into a fight at school." I gasped and pulled away to look at Andy, "Is he okay??"

"He's okay. Just some asshole kid making comments." I laid my head on his chest and listened to his heartbeat. It was slightly elevated but still calming. "Are you gonna tell me why?" I asked softly as I traced circles on his abdomen. Andy pulled back and took my hand, guiding me towards the couch. We both sat down and I draped my legs across Andy's lap and started eating the takeout. His hand rested on my thigh and he rubbed it gently.

"Apparently some other kid, he's a senior, saw you drop off Jake's lunch. He made...comments...about you being young and 'hot' to Jake." Andy said. Oh. He looked upset. I reached forwards and intertwined our fingers. "What kind of comments?" I asked, though I kind of already had a gut feeling. Being around Nate and his friends, I was exposed to a lot of derogatory comments already. Andy took a deep breath and looked at me, "one of them being, 'every porno starts with a hot young step mom' or how if he was in Jake's shoes he would have already tried to...um...you know. So, Jake punched him. Can't say that I blame him though."

I sighed and looked at the ground before setting the takeout box on the coffee table. "I'm sorry, Andy..."

"Hey, it's not you're fault." He said, resting his hand on my cheek and making me look at him. "I shouldn't have offered to take him his lunch..." I mumbled, keeping my gaze away from him. "Aurora. Look at me."

My eyes flickered to his blue ones. "It isn't your fault. I'm going to tell Jake's principal first thing tomorrow morning. But of course being Jake threw the first punch, he got suspended."

Andy sighed again and ran a hand down his face. "Andy-" "Don't try to apologize to me again, Rory. I'm not Nate. I won't make you feel like shit for things out of your control." I wrapped my arms around him and relaxed against him. "I know." I whispered.

We laid there for a while quietly until I eventually fell asleep against him. I woke up to him carrying me into his room and gently laying me on the bed. "Andy?" I watched him as he turned back around and looked at me on the bed. "Hey, go back to sleep, sorry if I woke you." Andy whispered, kissing my nose. "I have to go reply to a few emails, I'll be back and in bed with you in no time." I glanced over at the time and saw it was 1am. Why would he be replying to emails at 1am. "Andy..."

"I'm fine, Rory. Promise."

"Andy it's 1am...please go to sleep." Andy sighed and climbed into bed. "I'm sorry you're stressed." I said, turning around and wrapping my arms around him. "I'm just trying to move everything around so I can do some work from home while Jake is home." I felt him kiss my head and I sighed. "Andy, he's a teenager, he'll be okay...plus I can be here and help him with his school work on days I'm off."

"I know, I know. I'm just nervous to leave him alone...after everything." He whispered. I ran my fingers through his hair and let out a content sigh. "Do you trust him?" "Of course." He replied quickly. "Then why are you worried." "I just- I trust him I do." He reiterated. "I'm not saying you don't, Andy. Let's just get some sleep." I cuddled closer to him and felt him squeeze me tighter. "Goodnight, Aurora." He whispered with a kiss to my head.

Andy's POV

"Goodnight, Aurora." I whispered and kissed her head. Soon I felt her breathing even out and I knew she was asleep. I signed and ran my fingers through her hair. I trusted Jake. I know I did. He was cleared of all charges. I knew my son and I knew he was innocent. Leonard Patz confessed...

Then why couldn't I just leave him alone for the day while I went to work?

Was I just in denial? I looked at Aurora sleeping peacefully and gently moved her off of me. I made sure she stayed asleep before walking downstairs and into my home office. I grabbed a bottle of whiskey on my way and sat down at my desk, opening my computer.

Teenager Jacob Barber Named Primary Suspect in Ben Rifkin Murder Case

ADA, Andrew Barber's, Son Under Scrutiny as Key Suspect in 15 Year Old, Ben Rifkin, Murder Trial

Leonard Patz Confession Shakes Ben Rifkin Murder Case but Questions Remain Surrounding Jacob Barber's Involvement...Is He Truly Innocent?

Unearthing Dark Secrets: Does the 'Murder Gene' Haunt the Barber Men? Inside Billy Barber's Shocking Trial and What This Could Mean for Jacob Barber

I took a long pull from the bottle and leaned back in the chair. Article after article populated my screen. I zoned in on them, my eyes never leaving the screen. I kept drinking as I got lost in my own thoughts. I know my son, and I know he didn't do this. But I'd be lying if I said him getting into a fight didn't worry me. It did worry me and I don't know why. Jacob isn't a killer.

"New Start, Andy." I mumbled to myself and shut the laptop. I looked up and saw Aurora standing in the doorway. "Shit." I jumped slightly. "Sorry, I didn't mean to scare you." She whispered. She walked into the room slowly until she was directly in front of me and taking the bottle from my hand. I watched as she set it down behind her and lean against the desk. "Andy, why are you in here?"

"Couldn't sleep." I mumbled and reached out to pull her towards me. She sat down in my lap and wrapped her arms around my shoulders. "What's the real reason Andy?"

I sighed and leaned forwards to open up the laptop. Her eyes roamed across the screen for a few moments before she looked back at me. "You think he did it?"

"No! No, no...I don't. I just... Jake he promised me. He promised me he had nothing to do with it." Aurora rested her head on my shoulder. "But I'm terrified of the unknown. I trust him I do, but I'm scared, Aurora. I'm terrified something bad will happen and I hate myself for thinking that about my son."

Aurora nodded sympathetically, "I understand, Andy. But you've always trusted your instincts right?" I nodded. "And deep down, you trust your son, don't you?" And I did. She was right. But the evidence pointed to Jake. They would have found him guilty if Patz didn't write that confession. "Aurora, there's something I need to tell you." I mumbled. I couldn't keep this in. The guilt was eating at me.

"My father, Billy...he killed someone. He's been in jail for as long as I can remember. That came out in the case and all of a sudden they needed his DNA. I went to see him and then after that he had us followed by someone. He knew about the case and all of a sudden, the suspect that we cleared wrote a whole confession and killed himself. Now, I think he had something to do with that. Somehow. He had that confession forced and I don't know if it was real or not because everything else...it pointed to Jake, Aurora."

Aurora reached over and shut the laptop. "Andy, don't let this eat away at you. Jake, he's a great kid. I know he is. Deep down you know he didn't do this." She whispered, pressing her forehead against mine. "I know."

And I have to be okay with that. I love Jake. He was a good kid. Aurora was right, I couldn't let this eat away at me anymore.

"Come back to bed." She whispered, standing up and holding out her hands. I took them and she pulled me up and we walked back towards my room.

"You smell like whiskey." She whispered as she laid down next to me. "I'm sorry." I mumbled. "It's a good thing I like whiskey." She smiled and kissed me gently. I stared at her, her face being perfectly illuminated by the moon shining through the window. "Aurora?" I whispered. "Hmm?" Her eyes met mine and I smiled at her. I knew in that moment I loved her. Everything about her. Not only was she beautiful but she had such a kind heart. I didn't care how soon it was.

"I love you."  I whispered. Her eyes sparkled for a minute and I pulled her into a kiss. "You don't have to say it back yet but just know, I do love you."