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We shook hands, and he spoke before I could walk away. “We all know what you did for Bristol.” My jaw clenched because even though I did everything I could, it wasn’t enough that she didn’t get hurt again by Shane. I picked this town for her because I thought she’d be safe from my piece of shit brother. “I know you blame yourself for what happened, but logically, you know that’s not on you.”
“Yeah, sure.”
“I can see it eating away at you, and I know—”
“No offense, man, but you don’t know shit about me.”
He held his hands up and took a step back. “Fair enough. Just a friendly warning that you’re in Warrenville now, so I won’t be the last one who will thank you for looking out for who we consider one of our own.”
Great. I dipped my chin and then got out of there.
After a phone call the next day, I took the apartment sight unseen. The following night, I was sleeping in my new bed. The day after that, my things from back home were delivered, and I was unpacked in a couple of hours.
Now, I was pulling up to a diner called The Pickled Pig to meet Bristol for lunch. I didn’t see her car in the lot, so I went in to get us a table and was greeted immediately by a woman who looked vaguely familiar. “Hey. You’re Scotty, right? I’m Summer.”
“Uh, hey. Yeah, I am. Nice to meet you.”
She laughed at my reaction. “Get used to everyone knowing you. It’s a small town. I’m married to Hunter Ryder whose sister is Molly… Brody’s wife.”
“Ah. I see.”
“You’ll figure out the family trees soon enough. Have a seat. Can I get you something to drink?”
I lowered myself into a booth as I replied, “Just water, please.”
“Be right back!”
Before I could scan the menu, I heard my name being called, and I looked up to see a woman I recognized from the wedding. “Hi.” She waved at me from the kitchen behind the lowered countertop. “I’m Cricket. I was at the wedding.”
“Right. You made the best steak I’ve ever had in my life. How’re ya doin’?”
“Wow, thanks. I’m glad you enjoyed it. I’m great! How are you doing, settling in okay?”
Damn, everyone really did know my business. “I am.”
The bell above the door chimed, and Cricket’s face split into an even bigger smile. “You look fantastic!” She squealed and ran out to hug Bristol.
“You’re lying, but thanks.”
“Oh stop.” She held her at arm’s length. “You feeling all right?”
Bristol nodded and made a weird, dreamy face I’d never seen before. “I’m pregnant with Matthew’s baby. I feel amazing.” I believe it. She was glowing. Her happiness was practically radiating off her… finally.
I met Bristol unintentionally through Shane when I ran into them at a bar, and right away, I knew he was fucking with her head, just like my dad did to my mom.
Bristol was a great woman, and I warned her away from Shane the first chance I got, which was the day after I met her. At first, she said I was wrong because she was dazzled by his charm. She reminded me of my mom, and I felt a connection to her, an instinctive responsibility to watch out for her. I gave her my number and found ways to stay close so she knew I was there if she needed me.
Almost immediately, she could no longer deny what I’d been warning her about, because the mental abuse turned physical. I offered her help, told her I’d get her away from him, but he’d made her believe he was sorry for hurting her and he could change, so she stayed. During that time, we got even closer, being cautious to keep our friendship from Shane.
She vented to me about him, and to cheer her up, I’d sent funny GIFs. That turned into her sending one back, and it became a daily thing. The memes fizzled out, the texts got longer, and eventually, we moved to email and voice messages. Somehow, I found myself telling her everything about me, and I knew more about her than Shane.
Our relationship was purely platonic. I loved her like a sister and felt protective over her, which is why it was so hard to sit back and watch as things got worse. But something I’d learned from my childhood, and what I did for a living, was that you couldn’t force a woman to leave an abuser until she was ready.
And the moment Bristol told me it was time, we came up with a plan that she was comfortable with, and I made her disappear. If it were up to me, Shane would have been the one to vanish instead of her, but she vehemently refused and made me promise not to hurt him. I only agreed because if I did what I really wanted, she’d have that on her conscience, and her heart and soul are so pure, she couldn’t live with that guilt.
Refusing to add to her mental anguish, I supported her how she needed while I waited. And I watched.
But the one time I got lax, the only single time I didn’t keep track of Shane because I was out cold with a hundred-and-four-degree fever, he found her by chance. Of all the fucking reasons he got to her, it was because I had a fucking cold. I will never forgive myself for that.
