Changing Roles

We stood in what was left of my kitchen. Dishes, glasses, and cutlery were smashed and thrown everywhere. A couple of cupboard doors had been torn off their hinges, and even the glass on the table was cracked. I hated that table anyway. I walked into the den and stood in shock. It looked like a tornado had blown through. The biggest insult—my Oscar that was planted in the middle of my beloved flat screen, which was still sparking and smoking. My collection of movies and music had been tossed everywhere, the sofa knocked over with a few cushions torn. My desk was destroyed as well.

“She didn’t take it very well,” I mumbled.

Everett snorted. “You could say that.”

“Maybe I should have offered her a payoff?”

“It’s called a severance package here, Liam. Maybe you should have walked away and called me to tell me what was going on, and I could have handled this the way we agreed. Professionally.”

I sighed. “That was another option, I suppose. Certainly not as exciting as this one.”

“Good thing you’ve been thinking about redecorating.”

My lips twitched. “Yeah, good thing.”

His phone rang and he grabbed it, turning away. I walked over to the TV and stared at the Oscar protruding from the center of it, uncertain if I should try to pull it out. I looked around, unsure where the bloody electric was for it and gave up. I heard Everett’s worried voice speaking low into the phone.

“It’s okay, Shelby. We’ll figure it out. Get on the flight I booked for you, and come to me. I’ll take care of you. Promise.”

I looked at him curiously. I knew Shelby was his older sister who lived in Sacramento with her husband, Malcolm. Everett wasn’t fond of Malcolm and had no qualms expressing his feelings, but I had never met either of them. Why was his sister coming here? I caught his eye and raised my eyebrow in a silent question, and he shook his head at me

His voice lowered further. “Don’t cry, Shelby. It’s gonna be fine. I’ll look after you. Don’t worry about that stuff. Your flight gets you here at six, and I’ll be waiting. We’ll figure it out together. The car should be there for you any minute. It is? Okay, good. I’ll see you soon. Love you.”

He hung up with a sigh and cleared his throat of emotion.

“Problem?”

He nodded, his usual jovial face serious. “Big-time. Between the two of you, it’s been quite a day.”

“Your sister is coming for a visit?”

“Something like that.”

I knew not to push. He’d tell me when he was ready. “Okay.” I looked around. “Bugger. I hope Marie didn’t get to my bedroom.” I shuddered, thinking of what she might have done in there.

He clapped his hand on my shoulder. “Let’s go look.”I poured myself a good shot of whiskey. Thank God the bitch hadn’t made it to the living room and the bar. The den, kitchen, and dining room were disasters, although a crew had come in and cleaned the mess away. Things still had to be replaced and fixed. She hadn’t made it to my bedroom either by the time Everett had arrived.

He had left last night to go pick up his sister, and I hadn’t heard from him again that evening, but he had texted a short time ago to say he was coming over. A few minutes later, he let himself in and helped himself to a glass of whiskey before sitting down heavily across from me.

“Marie’s been charged with destruction of private property, and I got a restraining order against her. You said you wanted it kept quiet. She agreed to leave the city and keep her mouth shut if we don’t add theft or any other charges.”

I nodded. “Yeah, it’s fine. I don’t want the publicity. I just want her gone. I certainly don’t want my stuff back that she touched.” I grimaced into my glass. “She was bloody mental.”

Everett lifted his eyebrows. “She asked if you’d give her a reference.”

I gaped. “Not bloody likely, mate. What the hell was Jack thinking when he hired her?”

“I don’t think Jack was thinking with the head on his shoulders, which is why he got his own ass fired. They were sleeping together, you know.”

I paused with the glass partway to my mouth. “Well, that explains a lot.”

Everett nodded. “You should have let me handle it sooner, Liam.”

I shrugged. “She kept the place clean, and at least there was food in the house. I didn’t think it was that big a deal. I didn’t know she had a business on the side, selling my stuff.”

He sat back and smirked at me. “Admit it. She scared you.”

I snorted contemptuously. “No, she didn’t.”

“You had a deadbolt installed on your bedroom door.”

I was sure I had seen her in my room one night when I woke up, although she had denied it, insisting I must have been dreaming. I’d had the lock installed immediately.