Two days later, Chad shuffled through the front door with the help of a cane, unsure how he felt, strolling back into the house. He scanned the corners of the room, on edge, frantic eyes darting all over the place.
"Don't worry, they removed them all," June said as if in answer to his unspoken question as she walked in behind him.
"What?"
"The cameras? That's what you were looking for, weren't you?" She smiled, trying to appear casual, even though the past two days had been anything but. Jo was secretly freaking out and had become an overbearing, protective sister he was not used to. June was treating him like a fragile thing she didn't want to break, and he didn't even want to start on his mother.
The only reason he'd agreed to Jo and June picking him up today was so Marjorie didn't need to. He couldn't handle her today.
Jo was taking her time parking her car, and it gave him a moment alone with June. It was their first moment alone since that morning with the Huntsman.
"How are you?" she asked, caressing his face.
"Look at you two!" Jo squealed, rushing in like a cheerleader they did not need. She threw her arms around them both, squeezing. "I can't get used to you two."
"Jo," Chad called her name as she continued to make ogle-eyes at them. "Jo!"
"What?"
"Let go. I'm tired and I feel filthy. I want to have a nice long shower and sleep in my bed."
She let go immediately, eyeing him up and down. By now, everyone knew Chad had had an 'accident' in a moment of weakness, and the word 'filthy' no doubt made Jo think back to when he'd pissed his pants.
He kissed the top of her head and gave June's hand a squeeze before heading up the stairs. "Make yourself at home."
♡
The women watched him climb, wincing with each movement of his injured leg. Jo sighed beside June. A rouge tear was rolling down her cheek, which she wiped away as if it never existed. The simple action fascinated June to no end. It was an odd thing the Gilligan family did. They cracked jokes like they were standup comedians; they drank like they were teens and alcohol was all the rage, and they hated showing anyone how they actually felt. They kind of reminded her of her dad in a way–he too refused to put his emotions on show. It wasn't dignified in his view.
"Dinner's at mum's tonight, and she expects everyone. Tom and I will pick you two up around five," Jo yelled loud enough for Chad to hear upstairs.
"Yay!" Chad yelled back, less than enthused. "Can't wait!"
June had to smile at this. Even then, they weren't speaking what was on everybody's minds–Chad could have died that day if Cassie held a loaded gun and felt inclined to use it.
"Look after him?" Jo squeezed June into a hug where her belly made it a little awkward. "See you soon." With a last glance upstairs, Jo slipped out the front door.
June heard the shower turn on upstairs and with an enormous sigh, dropped on the couch. She had a shift later that afternoon she didn't want to go. She messaged Ben, 'Can't come in today. We just brought Chad home and I feel bad leaving him while he's injured. Sorry. Hope you understand.'
'Cool beans!' Came an instant reply.
Sometimes, June wondered why Ben had hired her. He had plenty of staff. He didn't mind whenever she flaked out, which had been far too often in the last week, and he didn't even fire her when didn't turn up to a shift at all. But she was thankful for the job. Maybe she could pick up extra shifts after things settled with Chad and her exams for the year finished. She hadn't even told Chad in the chaos that her exams were looming and she would prefer less drama for a bit. And perhaps taking it slow with their thing?
Tiredness swept over her body, and she sunk further into the sofa. Maybe tomorrow they could have a heart to heart chat, see if things could go anywhere, if it was going anywhere. She did not want him to think she was using him. Her heart made a brief flutter, and she smiled. She'd worried about him lately, a little fact that told her she cared for the guy, despite their age difference. She wanted more.
The sound of the shower lulled her into sleep, and she curled up on the sofa, purring. A faint smile playing on her lips.
The loud knock on the front door sent her shooting off the couch, only to stub her toe on the coffee table. She swiped the droll off her face, tidied her hair and straightened her skirt before approaching the door. When she opened it, it was none other than Detective Austin standing in front of the door with a lopsided smile already plastered on his handsome face.
"Tom? What are you doing here already? If you're looking for Jo, she already went home to rest."
Tom shook his head. "Did I wake you?"
"No... yeah, I kind of dozed off. Do you want to come in?"
"I better not. Jo's in the car." He handed her a leather-bound book with a quick glance behind him. "We have a scan today, and I want to see the little fella."
"What's this?" She studied the book.
"It's Chad's, the one Cassie nicked," he informed, rushed by a loud honk. "I figured he'd like it back and not sitting forever in evidence. We have plenty of other things to tie her in this."
"Terry asked you, didn't she?" June laughed. She knew Terry as someone who intimidated the men around her. She didn't blame them. She felt intimidated too. Terry somehow made her feel like she needed to pull up her socks, tuck her shirt in, hitch the hemline down to an appropriate length, and make sure her hair was tidy.
Tom chuckled.
"Thanks. I'm sure he'll be glad to have it back."
Another honk sent Tom retracing his steps back up the path. "See you tonight then?"
"See you tonight! And have fun meeting your baby!" June called out before closing the door.
June had heard a lot about the book in the past week, often from Terry telling Tom how important it was that Chad got it back. From the snippets of conversation she'd heard, Tom and Terry had often hinted that it was the figurative straw that broke Cassie's back, causing her to lose her shit the way she did.
June caressed the smooth leather, her hand running over the writing scribbled at the bottom: Property of Chad Gilligan. In one of the worst handwriting she had ever seen. To think it belonged to an adult was odd. She was, however, curious about the story, even tempted to take a peek at the first page as she climbed the stairs. The few books of his she had read had been great, to her surprise. He was a charming writer who kind of made her feel love was possible, real love, the kinds that Shakespeare wrote about.
I'm sure this is great too. She could no longer hear the shower in the bathroom, and the door was wide open. He was already out. Eager to see that infectious smile on his face when she handed her his book, safe and sound, she knocked on his bedroom door.
"Chad?" She walked in to find him fast asleep. She watched him for a moment, mouth open wide, eyes flickering behind his eyelids, dreaming. It was a relief to see him safe.
She sauntered back downstairs with the book in hand with a mind to leave it on his desk. Surprise him that way.
June was so lost in her thoughts she did not see she was walking into the corner of a table leg yet again. The same toe took the hit, and the book flew out of her hands, splaying open on the floor as she hopped about, toe clasped in hand. "Ow. Ow."
When she hobbled over to pick up the book, something caught her eye. Someone had used a red pen to strike out a name, and above it, scrawled another, as if correcting a mistake. One name crossed out, and another replaced it over the two pages, repeatedly. The name crossed out was, June. The name scrawled above it: Cassie.
"What the hell?" She picked up the book and flipped through several more pages, noting the same pattern. June crossed out. Cassie scrawled in.
She flipped the book to the very first page and saw a titled scribbled in Chad's writing: For June, written by Zachary Eve.
Again, 'June' crossed out in angry red and 'Cassie' scrawled in.
June's stomach lurched, threatening to throw up her breakfast. She could no longer refrain from reading what was clearly for Chad's eyes only.
Why is he writing about me? She pulled up a chair, sat down and began reading.
All but three months ago, he lost his ability to write. Not physical, like losing a limb. Nor had he suffered a stroke that debilitated his body and therefore made it impossible for him to write. No. Chad Gilligan was fine, as fine as someone his age that lived on coffee and no sleep could be. It was his damn heart.
Three months ago, Chad was dumped. Cast aside like a used condom. Not something he wanted to admit out loud, but it had messed with him, bad.
┋
"What?" she barked. "Does the ground have your name on it or the seat? I thought the park belongs to the public, and I am fucking public!" she shouted, hot and angry. She picked up her belongings from under the seat, a simple backpack and a small duffel bag, and walked away muttering loud enough for him to hear. "Mine, mine, mine. Everything is fucking yours. Why don't you declare oxygen belongs to your lot too already? Selfish prick!"
┋
"You were kind, Chad," June Cassie said his name reverently, and it sent his cheeks flushing red hot. "We don't get kindness in such abundance, and he doesn't know how to thank you for the past week."
"I only did it for two reasons." He shifted his weight uncomfortably. "He could do with breakfast, and I hoped he'd show me where you were."
She smiled. "Which was very kind of you."
┋
"They seem so angry..." She sighed, looking around them, anywhere but Chad.
"Let them stare if they must." He rose with his attention solely on her. "Let's get you out of here."
"And go where? Where will you take me?" There was a hint of panic in her tone. "I don't need you to take care of me. That's not why I'm here. I lost someone I cared about..." she struggled with her words. "I needed to see..."
"A friend." He stepped a little closer. His voice tender, "I know."
┋
"After all you've done for me, a little white lie couldn't go amiss." She rubbed his arms as a consolation. He hated it. It felt like he was being friend-zoned. Really friend-zoned.
She straightened his shirt out and grabbed his collar with both hands. Her eyes sparkled as she looked into his. "You should really kiss me right now!"
"What?"
June's Cassie's gaze darted towards the house behind him. "Your dad's still watching us. A kiss would really sell the story."
♡
The more June read, the more she didn't want to read, but there was nothing to stop her. Everything from the moment she'd met Chad, till the outing with Ben and the boys was there. What else was in it? She needed to know. She needed to know how much of what she'd gone through, of their time together had been for the damn book.
Is this what he thinks of me? Her mind kept churning. Is this what I am to him, a homeless girl he saved for his book?
Tears rolled down her eyes as she sat in the quiet. The book closed in front of her. Her heart in a million little pieces she never thought possible. And she had thought it was love. The real thing. What a fool she had been.
She didn't notice Chad heading down till it was too late to run away and never return.
"June, what are you doing there by yourself?" Chad groaned as he climbed down the last step. "You okay?"
She turned her tear-streaked face to him and pushed the book over the table. "So this is what it was about, the book... from the beginning. And here I was, stupid enough to think..." She pushed off the chair, angry at herself for having feelings. She eyed the book with disdain, as if touching it singed her hands. "I don't know what I thought, but not this. Good luck with it. I'm sure your fans will love it once you finish it, as usual."
"June." He grabbed her hand. She slapped it away.
"Don't, don't."
"It's not what this looks like."
"No?"
Chad shook his head. Of all the times to lose words, this was not it. Or maybe he didn't have a good excuse.
"You mean you didn't come to find me in the park and strike up a conversation 'cause, Terry told you to, as material for your book?" She grabbed the book and flipped through, enraged. "You didn't find a girl to write about, this damsel you could save, like some pathetic knight? You even wrote about Bax's accident in here?"
She thrust the book into his chest hard, sending him off balance. "He was my friend!"
"Everything is in there, Chad. Everything since we met. We even had sex the other day. Are you going to write about that too? Was I any good because I'm off the streets?"
She grabbed her stomach, feeling ill. The thought of it having been fuel his book revolted her, repulsed her; made her skin crawl. "Is that all I am to you, a character in your damn book? What happens when you finish it? Do I get kicked out once you're done with me?"
"June." Chad tried to reach for her again and she slunk away from his touch. "It began as an exercise, like a diary to get out of my writing rut."
"I don't believe you."
"Please, believe me. I never wanted to hurt you. I swear. I love..."
"Stop." She held her hand up. "Stop. Before you say something you will regret."
"June."
She stared at the book in his hand. "Cassie had the right idea to change the name." She grabbed her handbag from the lounge as Jo's headlights pulled into the driveway on time. "Your ride is here. Don't wait up." Without a glance back, she left with the door open wide, walking straight past a stunned Jo who was asking her, 'Where are you going?'
♡
Jo stepped into the house, eyeing her brother. "Where is she going?" she asked before she noticed the book in his hand. "She read it, didn't she?"
"How did you?" Chad looked up at her, surprised.
"Know?"
He nodded.
"Terry told me what you were writing," she answered. "How could you be such a fool?"
"I never meant her to find out this way."
"You were going to tell her?"
Chad nodded. "Soon."
"Well, didn't you royally fuck up, then?" She moved further into the room and gently rubbed his arm. "She'll be back, and when she is, you can do this the way you should have done from the beginning, with her consent."
"What if she doesn't come back?" He eyed Jo, worry scribbled all over his face.
"Where else would she go?" Jo scanned the door, even though the same thought ran through both their minds.
"She could always go back..." Chad, unable to finish the sentence–to the street– "Shall we go to mum's?"
"It's a rehearsal dinner, Chad. What are you going to say when she asks about June?"
"That we broke up?"
Jo scoffed. "Fake relationships have breakups too?"
"Let's get this over with." Chad moved towards the door. "She knows I'm a fuckup. She'll believe it."
"And dad?" Jo followed him out the door.
"As long as there is a bum on that paid seat, he won't care. Right?"
"Are you talking about tonight or the wedding?"
Chad didn't answer the question. Part of him hoped his gut feeling was wrong. Part of him wanted to stay home tonight and wait for June, but he couldn't break his mother's hopeful heart either. He hoped June would be there, furious, but there when he got back.
They dropped Chad off around midnight, and as soon as his feet hit the ground, he ran into the house yelling out, "June?" He moved through the gloomy house in search of her, even when his gut was telling him she was not there.
Grasping onto the last shred of hope that she may be in her room, asleep or trying to at least, he hobbled up the stairs.
He didn't need to step into her room to know it was empty. The wide-open door grinned at him like a rival, revelling in his loss. Everything that was hers, her clothes, her books, were all gone. Everything except the empty photo frame she no longer needed, because a woman who loved him and wanted him had taken it from her.
There was, however, a note on the bed in his name. With his heart clenching in fear, he picked it up. It was brisk and to the point, like a severe punch in the guts, and it hurt.
This is where we part, Chad.
Nothing more, nothing less.
She was gone.
Chad crumpled to the foot at the foot of her bed and cried. His heart in a million pieces, all screaming at him, 'What the hell have you done?'
(Image by S. Hermann & F. Richter on Pixabay)