In Another Life

8. Heartbreak

Amlyne came home from college and her world came crashing down. 

College had been great. She met so many people and even dated some nice guys. She got past her first kiss. She couldn't wait to see Jeff.  She had been away for a long time. She took for granted that he would still be there for her when she came home. 

She rushed over to see Jeff. But he was gone. His mother, Beth, very gently explained that Jeff had met a woman and they were living together. Amlyne was crushed. He didn't wait. She didn't think he would find someone else to replace her. Beth explained, "Mary is older. She had grown children. Jeff really thinks he loves her. He moved in with her a few weeks ago. They are coming over tomorrow and you can meet her. I am sure Jeff wants his best friend to meet the woman he loves." Amlyne struggled not to cry. She thought she was the woman he loved.

The next day came. Amlyne, threw on a pair of jean shorts and a t-shirt. At about 4 pm, she saw Jeff's truck in the driveway across the street. She made sure she looked ok. Her hair was loose and shiny. Her make-up was perfect. She had lost about 15 pounds and her legs had become muscular over the summer. She felt confident, but really she just wanted to cry. How could she stand to see him with someone else. 

Amlyne, walked over. Jeff was outside talking to some friends. She snuck inside. There were several people inside. Jeff's mom, nieces, sister-in-law, and various female friends. "Oh, Ami, there you are," Beth oozed. Amlyne was the daughter she never had. Beth loved Amlyne and called her Ami. She always showered affection and love on Amlyne. There was a woman in her 40's sitting over in the corner in Wendall's rocking chair. She looked rough. Someone had rode her hard and put her up wet, as they said. Her hair was stringy just past her shoulder and full of split ends. She had a cigarette in one hand and a beer in the other. That must be Mary, Amlyne thought.

"Oh, Ami, this is Mary," Beth announced. "Hey," was all Amlyne could manage. This woman was trash. Mary replied with a head nod and a frown. She was wearing what could only be described a white trash uniform, a faded Harley Davidson tank top with her wrinkly tits and dirty bra spilling out the top, a pair of dirty, faded jeans, and dollar store flip flops. There were filthy toenails and even worse long fingernails. Her fringed leather purse was hanging from the back of the chair. Amlyne tried to strike up a conversation, but Mary just ignored her. 

At that point Jeff and Mary's son, Jason, came in the door arguing. Amlyne had sat down on the floor next to Beth. She was playing with Jeff's nieces. Jeff stopped in his tracks. "Amy Lynn,"he uttered. Amlyne kept playing the the children. "Oh, hey dude," she managed to coolly reply. The boy was going on and on. He turned to Mary and started firing questions at her. She just sat there with the cigarette dropping ashes on the floor. Mary never took her eyes off Amlyne sitting on the floor with the children. Jeff walked toward Amlyne ignoring the boy rattling on behind him. 

Mary shot up. "Jeff, I am ready to go home." Jeff told her to wait a minute. The boy, Jason was still yelling, "Look you big ass, if you don't have the part, why don't you say so." Jeff turned around and glared at him. "Jason, I will get you the part! My friend is a mechanic and I am sure he can get you the carburetor you need." Mary started to screech, "J, I am ready to go!" Jeff told her that they hadn't even eaten yet. His parents were making hamburgers and hotdogs on the grill. Mary walked over and pushed Jeff. She started flailing, arms swinging, scratching at his face. He fell into the wall. Beth shot up and got between them. She told Mary that it was time for her to go. Jason attacked Jeff punching him in the stomach. Jeff just took it. The men outside heard the fight and rushed in. They pulled Mary and Jason outside. Amlyne was covering the nieces to protect them. Beth was pushed into the TV. Finally, they put Jason and Mary into their car and sent them on their way.

Amlyne jumped up. She checked on Beth who was right beside her. Then, she moved to Jeff who had stumbled into his old room and collapsed on his bed. He was curled up in pain. Amlyne was checking him. "Are you ok? Did he hurt you?" Amlyne asked. Jeff sat up sucking back tears. "Don't touch me," he said. "I'm ok. You need to go." Amlyne started to cry. "Go. " Amlyne got up. She hugged Beth and left. He has pushed her away when she was only trying to help him. 

Two weeks went by. Amlyne went to see Beth on a Sunday. Beth was sitting at the table with a checkbook and statement. She was cursing under her breath. Amlyne noticed there were some boxes outside Jeff's old room. Beth looked up. "You are not going to believe this, " Beth said. " That bitch, Mary, wrote and signed Jeff's checks for her damn son to buy a motorcycle and all kinds of stuff. Jeff started bouncing checks. I just figured it all out. Jeff came home at 3 am this morning with his 4 boxes." Amlyne was not surprised. She knew Mary was trouble. Jeff was sleeping. Beth said Jason and his friends beat Jeff up. He was hurt. "Should I check on him," Amlyne asked. Beth told her to give him a little time. Mary had broken his heart and and his spirit. He would come around. So Amlyne went home.

Amlyne had only been home 15 minutes when the phone rang. It was Jeff. "Hey, " he whispered. Amlyne knew he was hurting, but so was she. "What? " she answered. "Let's go get a cheese burger." Amlyne thought to herself, maybe this was his way of coming around. "Ok, come on over" she said.

In just a few mintues Jeff was in the driveway in his mom's car. Amlyne got in. Jeff was a mess. His face was black and blue. His lip was cut. There was dried blood on the cuts. "Oh, my God," Amlyne sighed. "I will kill that skank!" Jeff backed out and they drove to a local burger joint and got take out. Jeff drove toward the mountains. He turned down a dirt road and stopped behind an old abandoned farmhouse. They sat there for a few minutes in silence.

Jeff started, "I'm sorry, Amy Lynn." Amlyne was crying, "Sorry for what? You didn't do this, Jeffrey." He loved when her called her by his full name. "No, not that" he answered, "I hurt you. She seemed like she cared about me, but she just wanted to use me. " 

Amlyne said she thought he sent her away that Sunday, because he blamed her for Mary's outburst. Jeff explained that he wanted to protect Amlyne. He knew what Mary was capable of. He didn't want Amlyne hurt. She would have scratched Amlyne's eyes out. Jeff told her they drove his mom's car so if Mary was watching, hopefully, she wouldn't follow them. He had found  this old farmhouse a few months ago. He wanted to fix it up and live there one day. Right now, it was a private place that they could be alone.

They ate their burgers. Then, sat in silence for a while. Suddenly, everything came spilling out. Jeff told her everything, all about how Mary pretended to be the victim and convinced him that she loved him. Her son was always a problem. He hit his mom and Jeff ended up in the middle. He got beat up several times by Jason and his friends. But Mary would calm him down and manipulate him into staying. The last straw wasn't that day Amlyne came home. It was the day that Beth started to see bounced checks and a huge bill from Discover come in. She still helped Jeff with his checkbook and bills. When she saw the cancelled checks, it was not Jeff's signature. She went to the bank and reported Mary for check fraud. Then, she called Discover and reported the card stolen. Mary tried to use Jeff's Discover later that day and was furious when it declined.  

By then, Beth called her son and told him there was a problem with his checking account.  He came over and they went over the charges. There was a new motorcycle, clothing, tires for Mary's car, and a ton more charges. 

Jeff flew out in a rage. When he got to Mary's house he exploded. He couldn't believe she did this. She attacked him, hitting , scratching, and throwing things. Jason and three of his thugs came in. They jumped in, pulling Mary off Jeff, and pushing him into the TV. Mary screamed for him to leave and never come back. Jeff got up and went to the bedroom. There were still boxes on the floor from when he moved in. He opened the closet and threw his clothes in. Then, he cleared off the dresser of his things. He emptied socks and underwear into the boxes. He picked up all four boxes and pushed past everyone. Jason was screaming as his friends held him back. Jeff told them not to worry.He was leaving. He also said,"I hope you enjoy that new bike." Jason just stood there mouth open. He threw the boxes into the bed of his truck and opened the door. Just then Jason and his friends came out. They all jumped at the same time beating Jeff. When they finally stopped, he got up and stumbled to his truck. He drove away, blood dripping into his eyes. Mary stood on the porch yelling that this wasn't over. 

Amlyne was crying. She couldn't believe what she was hearing. Jeff was very quiet. Amlyne took him in her arms and held him. "It's ok," she told him. The bank would file charges and  Mary and her son would be arrested. Jeff told her that he thought he had moved on from those type of people. Mary had fooled him. 

Amlyne kissed Jeff on the forehead. He sat up and started the car. "We need to get home," he said. Jeff wanted to take her into his arms and make love to her then and there. He knew she wasn't ready, just like before. So,he took her home and said he needed some time. She told Jeff that she would be there when he was ready. It took a while, but he finally came around.