***COMPLETED*** Around the World and Back [A Patty Walters Story]

Chapter 5: "Always have, always will, Avery. I promise."

June 25, 2018
A hotel in California

Patty and I had fallen asleep while having a Law & Order SVU marathon. He didn't particularly care for the show, but let me pick what we watched. Instead of playing on his phone, he actually paid attention and got quite invested into a few episodes.

I woke up facing away from him, but his arm was draped around my waist and I could feel his breath softly hitting my neck. I smiled to myself before grabbing my phone off the nightstand.

There were a few messages and missed calls from Josh, as per usual, but my mom had also texted me.

Mom: Hi Avery. Please call me.

Mom: Avery, your stuff is here, Josh shipped it

Mom: Is everything okay on tour?

I turned my head and looked back at Patty who was still sleeping. Very carefully, I picked up his arm and moved it off of me and quietly got up out of the bed. How I managed to not wake him up, I'll never know.

Quietly, I shut the door behind me as I stepped in the hallway to call her.

"Avery!" My mom said happily after the first two rings. "I was getting worried about you. Josh shipped all of your stuff here. Is everything okay?"

"Yeah," I said quietly as I walked a little bit down the hallway, stopping to look out the window. "We broke up a few days ago over the phone while he was drunk, and he's been calling ever since."

She sighed quietly into the phone.

"You know, I've never liked Josh," she admitted. "I always felt like he was hurting you and taking you away from your friends and family. Is that true, honey?"

I bit down on my lip.

"Yes," I said softly. "The abuse really didn't get physical until towards the end of our relationship. But he was mentally abusive and controlling. But I'm okay now."

"Oh, honey," she said softly. I could hear her voice crack. "I'm so sorry that I never flew out to check on you. I can't believe I didn't notice."

Hearing her voice crack made me tear up.

"It's okay, mom," I said as I tried not to cry. "The people here on Warped have been doing a great job with being supportive. I even got a burner cell phone to use...which reminds me, can you cancel this phone number so that I can get a new phone? I can send you some money-"

"Of course, Avery," my mom interrupted me. "I'll cancel it today, but you'll have to come with me to the store to set up your own phone bill...are you able to do that?"

I hesitated for a second. We have a few days until the next show, but I'm not sure if Patty would be able to come home with me.

"I'm able to, yeah," I said as I leaned against the window. "But I'm not sure if Patty would be able to come with me. I know it's been years since you've seen him, too."

"That's okay, honey," she said with a hint of a laugh. "If not, you can always bring him by when tour is over. I got the pictures you sent me, he looks different with that hair and makeup."

I laughed, shaking my head.

"He's still the most handsome guy I've ever seen," I said with a smile. "I'll talk to Patty today and see if he's able to come home with me. I'll text you later on my burner cell phone, mom."

"Okay, honey, I love you," she said sweetly. "I'll be working from home today, so I'll respond right away."

"I love you, too," I grinned. "Bye, mom."