The Runaway

CHAPTER 32: Johnny

Several days have passed since I showed Anne that piece of land I had bought and shared with her the secret I have told and shown ONLY her.

It's not that I don't plan to let Tony and them know, I just wasn't sure, to be honest, if whether or not I was going to keep it, but then I met Anne. Now I know I want to keep it for us hopefully in the near future. Of course also I will eventually mention it to the guys but for now, I like the idea it's just Anne and I that knows about it.

Today, while I was in the office, discussing with Tony some plans for getting ready for O'Conner's arrival coming up, we heard a knock at the door and saw it was the guy I had look up Anne's father and his whereabouts.

"Come in." I nodded for him to come and sit.

He took one of the armchairs across from me at my desk.

"I hope the reason you haven't been able to contact me is because you were too sick to pick the phone." I mention.

"Sorry Johnny, for how long it took me but, it was really hard trying to find him." The guy states.

"Really?! And why would that be?" I asked.

"Because not only does he no longer live at the address you gave me but also because I had to double check to be sure I found the right one." He says with a disappointing look on his face.

"What exactly did you find out?" I asked more curious.

"I found out that he was killed in a car crash, a year ago. Apparently he was drunk and ended up driving off the road and hitting a tree. He flew out the windshield and was practically unrecognizable." He mentions while handing me a manila envelope that had proof of his death records and an article he had printed out online to show that he was killed.

My heart dropped to my stomach as I started to right away think about how Anne was going to react to this news. There was nothing more she wanted than to find him and talk to him.

"Oh shit." I heard Tony and a few of my other guys say under their breaths.

"Well, uh, thanks. I'll tell Anne." I replied.

"Sure." He says then gets up and leaves.

I sit in silence for a moment while trying to come up with a way to tell Anne. Normally I would have no trouble in delivering bad news like this but she wasn't 'business'.

"Shit, boss." Gary says.

"Fuck! How in the hell am I going to tell her?" I said frustrated.

"You're just gonna have to. I think it'll be best in the end no matter what since you would tell her and she'll have you there to comfort her." Tony points out. "Not to mention the fact that you didn't kill him."

"Yeah. You're right. I guess either way it's gonna hurt like hell right?!" I mentioned.

Right when I take in a deep breath then let it out, I hear a light knock on the door that was left half opened and in walked Anne.

Judging by the look upon her face right now, I can see she is not in a good mood.

"Johnny? Can I speak with you, in private please?" She asks with much concern in her voice.

"Of course." I smiled at her then swiftly hid the papers in one of the desk drawers.

The guys both left and closed the door behind them while she sat down across from me.

"Johnny, I think we're gonna have a problem here soon." She says.

"What do you mean?" I asked concerned.

"You see, my mom and her boyfriend, they were supposed to return by the end of next month and then she told me the other day that they would extend their stay there and then this morning, I received a text from her stating that she misses me so much and wants to return back to the house earlier." She explained with panic in her voice.

"How much earlier?" I asked.

"As in a few more weeks." She finishes.

"Damnit!" I say.

"Yeah! I don't know what to do or what to tell her. I'm not sure I'm ready to...." She says.

"Hold on. It's okay baby, we'll figure something out, I promise." I try and reassure her.

I got up and walked over to her then bent down to kiss her and intertwined our fingers together.

"But how am I going to explain you and what you do? Plus, how....." she began to panic more so I stopped her again.

"Shh... Calm down. Anne, we'll figure something out. I promise, that no matter what, of you don't want them to know about me or what I do, then don't tell them. I'll go along with anything you want me to." I te her with a smile.

"But Johnny, I WANT them to meet you and see what I see in you. I'm sure they'll like you. It's just, I am more worried about telling them what you do for a living. I mean, I would never ask you to pretend to be someone you're not. I especially wouldn't want you to lie to them about your age. A.d I know this sounds childish and that I'm eighteen and shouldn't be worried about what my mom thinks but, despite how upset I was with my mom about keeping the letters from me for years, from my father, I also had made her a promise, years ago, that I wouldn't leave her until I had finished counseling." She says.

Counseling? Why would she have ever needed that?

"Why would you need counseling?" I asked.

She looks away and I can tell is fighting back tears. Then looks down at her hands on her lap before letting out a breath and removing her thick banded wrist watch that I noticed she hadn't ever removed. I never thought much of it though really.

Then I see what she meant. Right there on the inner part of her wrist was a deep scar.

Oh my god, she has harmed herself. But wait, why wouldn't she have told me? What triggers her?!

I look at her and begin feeling tears form in my eyes as well now.

Next chapter will be posted soon! :)