We Just Need Us (Second Generation Book 5)

Chapter 21

CLEMMY

By the next afternoon, Dad has already sent some of the guys over to board up the windows at my place. My landlord was going to have to order new ones, which really sucked and I would need to reimburse it, but I guess it is just one of those things.

The police looked over the video feed from the security cameras and they couldn’t find anything more than a few feet in some of the frames. There wasn’t anything identifying and when the police spoke to Patrick, he said he was home. I have zero doubt that it was him. With the information I had, there was enough to get a restraining order.

The officer called me and let me know when it was delivered to him. We live in such a small town that I’m sure we’ll see each other eventually, but part of the restraining order is that if we end up at the same place, he has to leave. I hate that it came to this, but all his little behaviors were escalating.

I kept Vivienne home from school the day after, mostly because we were just exhausted after the middle of the night activity. Robbie took us back to the house in the morning to pack clothes for a few days so we could stay with him until the windows get replaced. The studio apartment may not be the ideal location, but we’re right next to my work and most importantly we get to be close to Robbie. I’d be lying if I said my feelings for him has increased tenfold in the last few days. We’re different people than we were last time we dated and I don’t want to rush things too much, but there was always a part of me that was still in love with him and that part is showing herself more often lately.

“Tilly, what do you think about painting in here and doing a little redecorating?” I sit in my chair and twirl around. I just finished my last appointment before lunch and Tilly was doing an inventory of products.

“Hmm, I don’t know, it has been like this for years. What were you thinking?”

“I think it would look cool if it was like a slate gray or something. Maybe instead of the shelves you currently have, you could get some metal racks, like the kind you see in garages for storage.”

“Is this a millennial thing? Am I not cool enough for you?” Tilly kids.

“Well technically I’m Gen Z, so I mean, that probably means you’re even less cool than if I were a millennial.”

“I could fire you, ya know?” She points her pen at me.

“You could, but then who would you have around for this amazing conversation?”

“You make a valid point. It was a bit lonely when I had no customers. Having somebody here to chat with has livened things up. And I like teaching you the craft. I’m so proud of you, you know that Clemmy, right?”

“Well shit, now you’re going to make me cry.”

“I don’t mean to do that. I’m sorry, I got sappy. How are you doing though? We didn’t really talk about what happened. You took your time off and then you’ve been back to business as usual.”

“I’m alright. It’s only been a couple of days. I did see his dad at the gas station this morning, that was weird. He didn’t look angry or anything, just...I don’t know.”

“He’s probably realizing he raised a psycho and is rethinking everything.”

“Tilly!” I chastise her. “Don’t say that about him.”

“Don’t you date defend him, girl.”

“I wasn’t talking about Patrick, I was talking about his dad.”