If you're loved by someone, you're never rejected, decide what to be and GO BE IT
-The Avett brothers
Recommend Reading Introduction to Unproven
DEFINITELY READ Prologue
Chapter One Chapter Two Chapter Three
Chapter Four Chapter Five Chapter Six
Chapter Seven Chapter Eight Chapter Nine
Chapter Ten Chapter Eleven Chapter Twelve
Chapter Thirteen Chapter Fourteen Chapter Fifteen
Chapter Sixteen Chapter Seventeen Chapter Eighteen
Chapter Nineteen Chapter Twenty Chapter Twenty One
Chapter Twenty Two Chapter Twenty Three Chapter Twenty Four
Chapter Twenty Five Chapter Twenty Six Chapter Twenty Seven
Chapter Twenty Eight Chapter Twenty Nine Chapter Thirty
Chapter Thirty Two
“Jesus,” Grayson said as he sat on the couch with his laptop, “there are some seriously sick people in the world.”
Ary almost didn't ask. The last few days she'd felt like a zombie. A full night's rest continued to elude her and she'd begun to think she was suffering from depression.
He made a whistling noise and she sat next to him in resignation, “What?”
He shook his head as he turned the screen toward her, the headline reading Man Slaughters Whole Family. She skimmed down the article, her stomach turning. Apparently the man in question had beaten his wife then tied her and their five children-ages three to eleven-to their beds, then poured gasoline everywhere and set the house on fire. And why did he do this? Because he wanted to be with his new girlfriend and not have to deal with alimony and child support.
“How?” She asked, her voice thin, “He watched those kids come into the world and grow up and then just…I don’t get it.” She squeezed her eyes shut, “Isn’t there any good news?”
“Hmm, let’s see,” Grayson skimmed through the articles. “Oh, here’s one. Hollywood couple celebrates tenth wedding anniversary.”
She opened her eyes and frowned, “That doesn’t exactly counterbalance the family slaughter.”
He coughed out a laugh, “Oh I don’t know, it’s a bit miraculous for a Hollywood couple to last that long.”
She smiled fleetingly then sighed. “Yeah, from the divorce statistics I’d say it’s becoming miraculous for any couple to last that long. Even couples married during an age where divorce was nearly unheard of are now breaking up, some of them after twenty or thirty years. It’s so sad.”
He glanced at her. “Yeah, it sure is. But it’s life. No such thing as forever anymore if there ever was.”
She wrapped her arms around herself. She wanted to contradict him, wanted to tell him what she’d always believed, but at the moment her faith in those things was shaky to say the least. She could say it anyway, but it would be hollow and that was wrong. The one thing she refused to do is stop being honest with herself.
He shut the laptop and moved it onto the coffee table. “There is unconditional lust, however, and it’s alive and well and living in my pants.” He grinned and she smiled weakly in return.
“Oh come on, I was joking. Lighten up Ary, it’s a big bad world out there and I realize that's come as a shock to you, but you’ll get over it. Let me help.” He pushed her backward onto the couch.
She frowned, “Grayson I’m sorry, I’m not in the mood right now.”
He backed off and stared. “Not in the mood?”
She bit her lip, her stomach squeezing at his expression. “Well I guess if you really want to…”
He shook his head and stood, his face still dark. “Nah. Maybe you should go see your grandma, it’s been awhile hasn’t it?”
She stared at him, her eyes beginning to burn from the edge in his tone. “I’m sorry Grayson, I just…”
“No, it’s okay. We could use a break.” He turned away from her and crossed the room, pressing the button on the call monitor mounted on the wall. “Send a car around front.” He instructed.
She got up, her legs shaky. “What do you mean by a break?” She asked fearfully.
He turned to her and cocked his head. “Just what I said. A break.”
He left the room and she stared after him, her heart sinking. Numbly she went in search of her purse and scooped it up, her lips starting to tremble. Nanna, she thought, good idea.
She made her way down the stairs and out the front door blinking back tears. She climbed into the back of the Teller’s town car and gave the driver the address then let her head rest against the seat. The coldness in his eyes when he’d said his last words was burning a hole in her heart. It wasn’t possible for someone to turn off that fast, was it? He was just annoyed about her turning him down for sex. Then what, punishing her for it? Why, so she wouldn’t do it again? Or was…? She shook her head, deciding not to go around in circles in her mind, there was no point.
When they reached her house she thanked the driver and jumped out, striding toward the door. She hadn’t talked to Nanna other than briefly on the phone a few times, in more than a week, not since the whole Andie and Sonya breakup and it would be great to get some sound advice for everything. She slowed as she realized that as far as her grandma knew she was staying at Andie’s most of the time since her parents were gone for the summer. She thought about it and decided she could tell her she'd been staying with Amanda this past week. It would have to do, she needed to get some of this off her chest.
She peered into the kitchen and living room, both empty, and sighed. Sleeping then. She walked to the other side of the house but her grandma’s door was standing open and she wasn’t in there. Ary frowned. Her car had been in the driveway. Her heart began to thump. No. No life wouldn’t be that cruel, she thought. Not that cruel. She ran outside and crossed the yard to the neighbor’s then knocked on the door.
Mrs. Kelly opened it. “Oh Aryanne, how are you dear? What’s the matter?”
“It’s my grandma, her car’s there but she isn’t, do you know where she is?”
Mrs. Kelly blinked, “Um, my goodness, she didn’t tell you? She went to Florida with the ladies from her bridge club, a much-needed vacation she said. Wait here, I have the information, she asked me to keep an eye on the house, just hold on.”
The woman disappeared inside and Ary stared after her feeling a mixture of relief and confusion. She went to Florida without saying anything? Ary winced, suddenly aware of why she hadn’t. A little taste of her own medicine.
Mrs. Kelly came back and handed her a sheet of paper. “This is the number to the condominium.”
Ary took it, “Thanks, did she say how long she’d be gone by any chance?”
“Three weeks, she left two days ago.”
Three weeks? “Oh. Okay.”
Ary made her way back to the house slowly. Three weeks. When she was inside she dialed the number and a woman answered on the second ring.
“Hi, this is Aryanne Gilson, is my grandmother there?”
“Oh, Aryanne, just one moment…Nancy it’s your granddaughter,” the woman sang.
Ary sighed.
“Aryanne?”
“Nanna.”
“Well I see you finally made your way home. It’s a good thing I didn’t have a heart attack or a stroke,” she scolded. “Now don’t you go giving me any guff about not calling, you deserved it and well you know it.”
Ary bit back a laugh, “Yes Nanna, I did, and I’m sorry. You scared the crap out of me though.”
“Don’t say crap, it’s unladylike.”
“Yes Nanna.”
“Well okay, I suppose Mrs. Kelly told you I’ll be gone for three weeks?”
“She did.”
“I figured since you’re never there anyway, might as well have some fun so I don’t spend my time worrying about you.”
Ary smiled and rolled her eyes. “Well I’m glad you’re doing something fun and you don’t have to worry about me, I’m fine.”
“Well good.”
“I love you Nanna.”
“Mphmm. You’re a good girl Aryanne, I’ll see you in a few weeks.”
“Okay, bye.”
She disconnected and sank down on the couch.
Well one good thing about her momentary scare, it put things in perspective. Fifteen minutes ago she’d felt as though the world was folding in on her, but now not so much. Her grandma was alive and well and partying with her bridge club in Florida. She giggled as she imagined the group boogieing down to the swing music they liked. A room full of brightly colored sweaters and polyester pants. She laughed out loud. An image of the rotund Ms. Grace shaking her booty had her snorting with laughter and by the time she calmed she felt way better than she had in over a week. In fact she felt pretty damn good. Who was it that said, ‘Laughter is the best medicine’? Well whoever it was, they were a genius.
She picked her phone back up and dialed Grayson’s number. It went to voice mail.
“Hi. I know you said we needed a break and you were really cranky about it, but I wanted to tell you that I just had a scare that woke me from my misery. Anyway, Nanna is boogieing down with her bridge club in Florida,” she giggled, “I laughed for like ten minutes as I pictured that. Well, I guess if you still want the break I understand, but if you change your mind I want you to pick me up tomorrow at ten, I need to take you somewhere.”
She pressed end on the phone and sank back against the couch with a smile. The last part had been an inspiration while she was talking. Where she planned on taking him was out behind her childhood home where she’d lived with her parents. It was a ninety-minute drive, but it would be worth it to take him on the trail of her youth, a path that led to the most amazing waterfalls. An ultra-private area, beautiful and peaceful, a place where it was impossible to dwell on the Slaughtering men of the world. Or the traitorous friends.
She frowned slightly over the last thought then shook it off. She didn’t want to think about it now. She would though, she would think of it and maybe see it in a different light, just not yet.
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