Anna

39 - Lansing, Michigan

Content warning: mention of sexual assault

Ellie watched the driveway from the front window, because waiting outside would make her seem too eager. She only half-listened to what Joe and Tessa told her—something about a key to the house for when she got back. Finally, Tessa's voice broke through the white noise in Ellie's brain.

"Ellie, did you hear me?"

Ellie looked at Tessa, embarrassed she'd been caught spacing out.

"Um, keys, phone... got it," she said, patting her jacket pockets.

"And?"

She racked her brain for the third item she was supposed to remember, but came up empty-handed. Tessa jogged her memory when she held up a keychain that looked like a little black handle.

Ellie's neck shrank into her shoulders at the realization that she had forgotten about the pepper spray. It was the one stipulation Joe and Tessa set for her to leave the house alone. Since banishing Ryan from their lives three weeks ago, going out in public did not seem so daunting. Turned out, it wasn't half-bad, especially without someone secretly tipping off their location to photographers.

Outside, a mechanical rattling noise stopped in front of the house beyond the privacy hedges. Joe buzzed the gate open and an old, beat-up car sputtered into the driveway. Through the windshield, a mop of teal hair was visible behind the steering wheel.

"Are you sure you'll be okay?" Joe asked, turning to Ellie. She nodded in response, then stepped outside. Freya slammed the driver's side door with a deafening creak and walked up to Ellie, Joe, and Tessa with a spring in her step.

"Russo, you're alive." Freya's smile traveled up her cheeks and reached her eyes as she approached the front door. At the sight of her friend, Ellie could not contain the grin that appeared on her own lips.

Freya turned to Joe and, with all the smug intent she could summon, said, "Sounds like you owe me an apology."

Ellie blushed; she had not meant for Joe to find out that she told Freya everything, but she would not expect anything else. Joe simply scowled at Freya, though his cheeks turned a light rosy color as well. Meanwhile, Tessa stood to the side, trying not to laugh at her husband's expense.

"Have her home before dark," he said, ignoring Freya's jab. Then, turning to Ellie, he softened. He told her to have fun, then sent her off into the world without him.

Ellie knew Joe and Tessa had reservations about her leaving with Freya for the afternoon, but they did not push back when she told them she wanted to go. They still did not know Freya in the same way she did, but they trusted Ellie's judgment enough to let her make her own decisions.

Freya threw a casual arm around Ellie's shoulders and led her back to the rusted hunk of metal on the cobblestone drive. Having to use both hands to pry the door open, Ellie settled into the passenger seat. Freya joined her, then pointed to the back.

"Ellie, meet Enrique Iglesias. Enrique Iglesias, Ellie Russo."

Ellie's eyes widened. She cautiously turned her head to find the scruffiest, most barrel-shaped dog she'd ever seen sprawled across the backseat. Ellie summoned an unsure "hello," but the dog blinked its beady eyes back at her without a single bother.

"He likes you," Freya said. The car miraculously came to life with a groan after several turns of the ignition, and Ellie watched Joe and Tessa disappear as Freya backed into the street.

Thanks to traffic, what should have been a twenty-minute drive turned into forty. Finally, Freya pulled into a spot in an elevated parking lot overlooking the beach. Ellie marveled at the waves that lapped against sand and rock, ending in small white caps before retreating back into the ocean.