Claustrophobic Mind

Chapter 21

Later that day while Mike was making dinner, the phone rang. Mike looked up from the stove and saw that the phone was out of his reach. He turned the burner off and left the dinner behind to answer the phone. He answered it just before it went to voicemail.

"Hello?"

"Mike...it's Adrienne," Mike heard. She was sobbing and her voice was shaky.

Mike frantically looked around wondering if he should tell Adrienne about Billie. He peeked into the living room where Billie Joe sat swaddled up in millions of blankets.

"Uh, hey."

"I don't know who else to turn to. I'm just so worried. I had no idea it had gotten...this bad," Adrienne choked out.

Mike's heart was shattered at the sound of Adrienne in so much pain. He could tell just in her voice that she was genuinely worried about Billie.

"Look, Adrienne? I need to tell you something," Mike said.

Billie Joe peeked up from the covers at the sound of Adrienne's name. He loved her dearly and he has been missing her lately. He didn't expect to talk to her, but it was still nice to hear that she was on the other line.

"What is it?" Adrienne asked, quieting her tears.

Mike choked up. He was truly hesitating on telling Adrienne. He honestly didn't know if her could trust Adie, as crazy as that sounds.

"I'm at risk of going to jail at the moment," Mike whispered. It was basically hopeless, considering Billie was eavesdropping to the extreme.

"I don't understand," Adrienne spoke.

Mike took in a deep breath in an attempt to calm himself. He didn't know why it was so hard for him to tell Adie that he had Billie Joe.

"I...I am hiding Billie Joe. He's here with me," Mike blurted out before he could stop himself.

Billie whimpered from the other room and shoved the blankets off of him.

Adrienne gasped from the other side of the phone. Mike assumed that she sat the phone down because her cries sounded distant. She sobbed, not sounding to be stopping any time soon. Mike anxiously wondered if Adrienne was against what he was doing.

Suddenly, Mike heard the sound of Adie putting the phone back to her mouth. She coughed a few times and sniffed back some sorrow before she spoke again.

"I...I-"

"I couldn't let him go to jail Adie. I found him in an alley the day after they lost him. He was beaten up and...he was raped-"

"Dear lord!" Adrienne screamed in pity for her husband.

"I couldn't just call the cops on him. He's my best friend," Mike whispered, tears leaving his eyes. He wondered just how much he had cried since he found Billie.

Adrienne let a few more whimpers out before she turned back to the phone. She sounded devastated.

"You can't hide him forever. He...He needs help Mike," Adrienne reasoned.

Mike nodded with his eyes closed. He soon realized that Adrienne couldn't see this and quietly responded.

"I know, but I can't bring that up right now. He's been hurting himself and having panic attacks. I don't think we should rush him," Mike stated.

"You're right," Adie said.

"I'm so sorry Adrienne," Mike sighed.

Adrienne let out a long, shaky sigh. For the time being, her cries have subsided.