Cruel Trust

Thirty-One

When we got to Andrew's truck, I leaned against the warm metal, my face in my hands, and burst into fresh, real sobs. He wrapped both arms around me and pulled me to him.

"I know, babe," he murmured. I appreciated that he didn't tell me that everything was okay, because it wasn't. This was not okay.

"How—how could she? She's supposed to be my best friend," I sobbed against his chest.

"I don't know, Char, I really don't. I don't understand it either."

"She must've been having a mental break. But I can't excuse this, Drew, I can't. She messed with our child. Our future."

"We should tell Detective Sherman about this," Andrew murmured.

I nodded. He was probably right. But would it get her into legal trouble? I clenched my teeth. Why did I care?

When Andrew and I got back downtown, I was physically and emotionally drained. I just could not seem to process everything Julia said to me. It was almost too much to stand; my whole body was prickling with the sting of betrayal.

Andrew pulled the car to the curb, and I jumped out before he could even put it in park. I didn't even get my purse. I slammed the door and started stalking down the sidewalk.

"Charlotte, where are you going?" he yelled.

I turned around and looked at him, angry tears running down my face. "I need to be alone; please, don't follow me," I called, turning around and walking toward downtown before he could stop me.

I stomped down the sidewalk, aware that I probably looked ridiculous. I pulled my hair down out of the bun and slipped the hair tie around my wrist. I felt a raindrop hit me on the forehead, then another, and suddenly it was pouring. I picked up the pace until I was running, my clothes getting soaked and my hair flying behind me. I didn't stop running until I had reached the top of Capitol Hill. I dropped to my knees on the wet grass and bowed my head, letting the rain wash over me. How did this happen? How did everything get so fucked up? I closed my eyes and sat there for a long time, just thinking. Eventually, it stopped raining, and I stood, looking up to the sky.

"God," I said out loud, "please. What do I do? Where do I go from here?" The sun peeked out from behind a cloud and I felt the warmth on my face for a moment. I sighed. Is that supposed to be a sign? One could only hope. I turned around and walked toward the sidewalk, cold and alone.

When I got back to the condo, Andrew was sitting on the stairs in front of the front door. He stood when he saw me walking toward him, surely looking like a drowned rat.

"Babe, where did you go?"

"I went and sat up on Capitol Hill," I said, plopping down on the steps. He sat next to me, draping his arm around my shoulders.

"Are you cold?"

I'm fine." I laughed. "No...I'm not fine. What in the hell is happening to my life? My best friend set me up with a psycho just to watch me suffer and the aforementioned psycho is still out there," I was ranting, and Andrew put his hand over mine.

"Babe, I don't know what's going to happen next, I don't understand Julia, and I can't predict Liam's next move, but you know what I do know?"

I bit my lip and shook my head.

"I know I love you, and I know that in thirty-three days, we'll be in Florida, and you will be my wife. No matter what happens, that's endgame," he murmured into my ear. I smiled even though I was soaking wet, despite the fact my best friend had deceived me and that right now Liam could be watching us. I turned my face toward his, kissing him. He put his hand on my cheek and ran his fingers down until they were under my chin. I met his eyes and he smiled.

"I love you too, Drew." I shivered. He put his arm around me, tighter this time. "I lied; I'm freezing," I confessed.

He laughed, and we headed inside.

Our trip to Florida is creeping closer and closer, and I still had come no closer to working things out with Julia. She hadn't called, and I sure as hell would not be the first one to reach out. What she had done was inexcusable...unforgivable. I had no desire to see her because I could think of nothing she could say that would make this okay. She didn't just put me through a breakup; too much had been lost. A piece of me was lost that could never, ever be found or replaced. The only good thing that had come out of the last ten months was Andrew. That's it. And it was all her fault. It didn't matter that she didn't know he was a sociopath; it mattered that she set this whole thing up to hurt me.

Andrew was out of town for some banking conference until Wednesday, and I had to admit I was nervous about staying at the condo alone. I asked him if he thought I should go to my house, but he thought I'd be safer here since there were so many people in the building. After much consideration, I decided he was right.

When I left the school, it was already lunchtime, so I swung by Chick-fil-A on the way back to the office. I was sitting at a table near the window eating my nuggets when my phone chirped. I pulled it out, thinking it was Roberta telling me if she wanted me to bring her something to eat, but it was an unknown number. I stopped breathing for a moment as I opened the text.

Watch your back, princess.

I whirled around and looked behind me, but there was only a little old lady and a Chick-Fil-A employee.

Ping.

LOL. I meant that metaphorically.

I sprang to my feet, almost knocking my chair over. "Come off it, Julia!" I yelled, startling every person in the restaurant. "Or is it Liam? Either way, leave me the hell alone!" People started whispering to each other, and my face turned scarlet. I grabbed my tray and purse. "I'm sorry," I mumbled, tossed my unfinished lunch into the garbage can and ran to the car, humiliated.

When I got in the car, I had to stop for a moment to catch my breath. This was out of control; I just made an absolute fool of myself in public. Those people probably thought I was a basket case. I started to go to Julia's, but then I realized I needed to at least go back to work and finish out the day.

But this ends tonight.