A NEW Beginning - Book 2

Chapter 8 - Day 1 - Lex

I pulled up to the curb outside the flat and steeled myself to go inside. All the emotions that I had been hiding were slowly creeping up on me. 

I took a deep breath and counted to ten. I knew he wasn't in there, but the little voice in the back of my mind was telling me otherwise. What if he had come back, what if he was in there, waiting for me to return.

I got out of the car and noticed that the next door neighbour was sitting in his usual spot on the front porch. If anyone knew whether he had come back, it would be him.

"Hi, Tyler!" I called out.

"Hey Lex, having a good day?" he asked.

"Fairly good," I replied casually, "I'm having dinner with some friends tonight, do you have any plans?"

"Yeah, the dudes are coming around later for some drinks!" he laughed "Maybe watch some movies, Alan's got this movie he's been wanting to show us, some dudes versus evil or something."

"Sounds great!" I replied, "You'll have to tell me if it's any good!" he tipped his trucker hat at me. "Hey, do you know if Scott's in at all?" I asked, "He doesn't have his phone, so I haven't been able to get on to him."

"No, haven't seen him since last night, and no body's been in since you left this morning."

"Oh, okay, thanks, I might try his friends, see if they know where he is," I said walking up the stairs and letting myself in.

I tried to avoid looking into the living area as I made my way to the bedroom. I grabbed my suitcases out of the wardrobe and started piling all my clothes and belongings into them.

I hadn't intended on taking everything with me, but I knew whatever I didn't take with me today, I may never see again. I knew I should have told Curtis what was really going on, and brought him with me. I knew he wouldn't judge me and would do anything he could to help me out of this. But I wasn't ready to talk.

I don't know what I would have done, or where I would have gone if Curtis hadn't brought up me staying there tonight. He was my saving grace, without realising it. There was no way I could have stayed there another night. I shivered at the thought.

My suitcases were full, so I zipped them up, and put them by the front door. I went back into the bedroom and took his suitcases down. I didn't care if they weren't mine. I needed out, and if he was so desperate for them back, I'd get one of the boys to drop them off.

I was glad I hadn't been in the States long and had not brought much with me from Australia. I finished in the bedroom, and continued on to the bathroom, sweeping all my belongings into one of the garbage bags we kept under the sink. I grabbed my towels and linen from the closet and added them to the suitcases too.

It was only a small flat, and I only had the kitchen and living room to go.

I stood in the hallway, just outside the doorway, willing myself to go in.

I took a big step, and I was in. I choked back a sob as I looked at the shards of blue and green glass that covered the floor, remnants of my favourite vases that he had thrown in a rage last night.

I looked around at my books and trinkets that lay around the room. There was no way I was ever going to fit this in my car, and there was no room at the boys anyway. What was I going to do?

I walked back to the front door and stuck my head out.

"Hey, Tyler?" I called. He never threw anything out, I'm sure he could help me.

"Yeah, what's up?"

"Have you got any boxes? And can I store some stuff at your house for a couple of days?" I asked.

"Sure," he replied, a questioning look on his face, "Should I bring them over now?"

"That would be great!" I said, "Thank you!" he nodded, and I made my way back inside, locking the door behind me. Not that that would stop Scott if he came back, but it would at least delay him a little.

I pulled my towels and linen back out of the suitcase and started wrapping some of my more breakable items, before laying them on the couch, ready to go in the boxes.

***

"Careful where you walk!" I said as I opened the door for Tyler and we walked into the living room.

"Whoa! What happened here?" he asked, taking in the scene before him, "Are you okay, Lex?"

"It's over now. I'm out. It doesn't matter."

"It sure as hell does matter!" he replied. "I should have known something was going on, I could have stopped this!"

"No, you couldn't," I confessed. "I wouldn't have let you. I wouldn't have listened," I paused, "I haven't listened."

"Okay then," he said, hesitantly, putting the boxes down on the floor, "The most important thing is we're getting you out now. Where should I start?"

I directed him to the bookshelf under the window seat. "They're all mine if you could start with those?"

He took the cushion off the window seat and used it to kneel in front of the bookshelf, placing the books in the boxes, as I headed to the kitchen, and took my special mugs, glasses, and vases. The rest could be easily replaced.

I returned to the living room and began putting my trinkets in the boxes, and Tyler began taking the boxes back to his house.

It wasn't long before we were done, and my belongings were in my car or piled up in the corner of Tyler's bedroom.

I looked longingly at my armchair. The winged back piece that I had painstakingly refurbished in colourful patchwork squares. It sat in the corner and was the perfect place to curl up with a book. I sighed and turned to walk out of the room. There was no room in my car, and I didn't want to take up more room at Tyler's.

We stood out in front of my car. "I'll leave my keys with you," I told him, "Can you give them to Scott whenever he comes back?"

"Sure," he answered, "Are you going to leave a forwarding address? Should I collect your mail for you? You know I'll catch it before he gets home."

"That would be great," I told him, "At least for the first few days until I can get it redirected."

I took my notebook out of my bag, and wrote the boys address down on a piece of paper, and tore it out. I handed it, and the keys to him, and gave him a hug.

"Thank you so much, Tyler. For everything. I'll try to get back for the rest of my stuff as soon as I can."

"Take your time," he reassured me, "It's only a couple of boxes, and they aren't taking up much space. You make sure you're safe first, and then give me a call, and I'll bring them around. Don't want you coming back here if he might be around."