THE DRY CLEANER'S MESS

CHAPTER 5

"Are you sure you have everything?"

"Yes."

"Are you sure?"

"Bro, leave me alone."

Andrew scowled and sat on the couch. He grumbled under his breath. "So much for being a caring friend."

"Right now, you're just distracting me."

He pouted. "Have you reminded your grandpa about your return?"

Arielle snapped her fingers. "No, I haven't. Thank you. I'll do that right now."

She took the laptop she borrowed from Andrew two weeks ago. She quickly sent him an email.

Chouchou,

Je reviens aujourd'hui. Mon vol est à 11h00 et je suis sur le point de partir pour l'aéroport. Je devrais arriver à Paris vers 22h. Viens me chercher à l'heure. J'ai hâte, j'ai tellement hâte de vous revoir. Je vous aime.

She put the cash in the little purse she asked Andrew to get her. He looked at his watch and hurried her up.

"It's 8:30. Move your ass."

"I'm moving it, okay?" She raced upstairs to her room and glanced around at the empty room. Under one of the pillows, she pulled the gun that had given her a sense of security for close to a month. Although she'd feel better if she took it along with her, she knew it wasn't a plausible option. She can't pass the security with that. What would she do with it now?

"Andrew!" She called to him. "Please come up here for a minute."

His hurried footsteps up the stairs resounded and in a few seconds, he appeared at the doorway.

"What are you holding?"

"Shhhh, just come closer." He eyed her wearily before walking towards her.

She took his hand, put the gun in his hand and held it there. "I can't use it to travel so you should have it. Take it as a parting gift. My ex boyfriend gave it to me and he's dead now so it means a lot to me. You should have it."

She saw the struggle in his eyes before he sighed in resignation. He nodded and drew her into a tight bear hug. Behind her, he kept sniffling and Arielle fought to keep her own tears at bay. The days she'd spent with Andrew would forever burn in her memory. She saw him beyond a friendship level, he was like family now. Like a brother.

"Bro, I gotta go. You're wetting my back." She said in mock sternness.

"I don't think it's wet enough though." She smiled sadly and jerked her head towards the gun in his hand.

"You gotta be careful with it. I don't have time, I would have taught you how to use it. Once I get to France, I'll get a phone and communicate with you."

He nodded and she led him downstairs. She took his laptop from the table and returned it. "Thank you for the laptop. And every other thing too." He shrugged it off and pulled her into another hug. This one was tighter.

"Andrew, you're going to strangle me." She joked and he released her amidst laughter.

"I'll just miss you. A whole lot."

"Me too, big man. We'll talk when I get there. I've given you my email so text me by 11pm. Not a second earlier or later."

He nodded and pulled her into yet another hug. She felt the exact same way he felt. In the past three weeks, they've bared themselves to each other and became each other's confidant. It'd be hard to move away from that. Finally, he released her and patted her shoulder.