The man behind the wheel makes an angry gesture and then speeds off. I'm too shaken to pull out right then so I wait a few minutes with my head on the steering wheel. Then I look both ways carefully and make a turn in the opposite direction.
At first my thoughts were just go home but that’s not what I need right now. I don’t want to sit alone in my house worrying that Andrew might show up. I could go to my mom's house but she'll ask too many questions, things I’m not ready to talk about yet. Right now I just need my girls.
I arrive at the office and let out a small sigh of relief to see the lights are on. Someone is here.
As soon as I walk in, Daphne looks up. Her mouth forms an O. “What happened to you?”
I look down. It’s only then I realize that I’ve walked through the rain and am now dripping on the floor, my hair plastered to my head. "Finn … I had to get out of there."
Daphne jumps up and helps me to her chair. I sit, shivering while she bustles around me. She produces a sweatshirt from somewhere and helps me pull my soaking wet T-shirt over my head. Once I have the warm sweatshirt on, she leaves briefly to bring me a cup of tea. When she returns, Tara is with her.
"What did he do?"
"He was screaming at me and he was so angry. I've never seen him like that." I take a sip of the hot tea and the warmth slides down my throat and spreads through me.
"I knew we should have refused that contract. Who the hell does he think he is?"
"Tara, he was so angry. I just can't go back there. Not again." Our eyes meet and I know she understands that I'm talking about a lot more than a cleaning contract. I raise my hand to my head, feeling through my hair to the raised scar a few inches back from my temple. I threw away years of my life thinking that if I just held on, if I just forgave Andy one more time that things would be better. I can't go back to that. Not for anyone.
Not even for Finn.
Her eyes linger on my damp hair. "We need to get you home, honey." She helps me out of the chair and Daphne follows behind us. She locks the door as we leave. Then I realize what time it is. It's early morning and they both have clients. In fact, they're both late.
"You guys don't have to babysit me. I know we're stretched thin. You can go and we'll talk this evening."
"Oh no. We're not leaving you alone. As soon as Daphne told me what happened, I called Tracy to cover for me."
"And I was scheduled to do some paperwork this morning anyway," Daphne chimes in. "So it's fine. It's more important that we take care of you right now."
Tara holds up her cell phone. "Cooperate or I'm calling your Mom."
* * * * *
I cuddle up on my couch while Daphne and Tara pace the floor. As soon as we arrived, they ushered me into my room to clean up. When I saw my face in the mirror I almost scared myself. Half of my hair was sticking up on the side and my eyes look hollow and gaunt in my face.
"Bastard!"
"Jerk!"
"Neanderthal!"
The insults fly back and forth as they take turns cursing Finn up one side and down the other. Daphne in particular is really getting into it. She rarely curses and never has a harsh word for anyone so I'm surprised to see her so furious. I think she must have some residual frustration built up from over the years that is finally finding an outlet.
"We should sue his ass." That was Tara. I was surprised she hadn't mentioned it before now. Daphne is hurt on my behalf but Tara, she's pissed. I can see it in her tense stance and the way her eyes keep darting back and forth. Her sharp mind is looking for some way out of this situation. She wants to do more than just curse Finn's name. She wants to go after him. She wants blood.
"The contract states that all disputes must go through arbitration."
Tara growls at that. “That damn contract. He's a snake but he's a smart snake. That's a scary combination."
Daphne finally abandons her pacing and sits next to me on the couch. I lean over and cuddle against her. She strokes my hair.
"I still can't believe that he did this. He seemed so nice that day. Now I wish I'd kicked him in the balls while he was standing in front of me." Daphne seems to be taking it hard that she didn't see through Finn's charm. I already told her that she's in good company. There aren't many women who are immune to Finn.
"Are you upset that I didn't tell you about our past?" She hasn't said anything or done anything that makes me think she's mad at me but in her position, I would be a little hurt. After all, I confided the whole story to Tara right away and deliberately kept Daphne in the dark.
Daphne shakes her head. "It's your story to tell. You shouldn't have to share it with anyone if you don't want to. I just hope you don't think that I would have judged you."
"No, that was honestly the last thing I thought." I struggle to find the words to explain. "It's just that you guys know this version of me. The one who has herself together. That girl that I was before, well I like to leave her in the past."