Break, page 6
She opens her mouth and closes it when she looks at us, hesitant to say what’s on her mind.
“I got a question,” Max calls out from behind me. Mina flicks her eyes at him quickly, swallowing down her nerves. “Why the fuck are you marrying him? Just money? You need someone to take care of you?”
“I-I…” she stutters, but isn’t able to give him an answer. Instead, she’s got eyes wide as saucers in the face of his accusations.
“‘Cuz I’ve got to say Mina, it’s a pretty shitty thing to do. Marrying someone just because it’ll make your life a little easier instead of being a goddamn adult and growing up. What are you all gonna do, pretend you’re happy? Push out a few kids so they get to live in a house run by a loveless marriage?” Max goes on, and I’m shocked at his vitriol. It seems personal for him, like he’s dragging in shit from his own life before he moved out.
Danny’s drunken laughter rings out into the still, breezeless night. “No way. She’s gonna fucking love me. She does love me, don’t you, Mina?” He moves forward like he’s going in for another kiss and, again, she leans away from him.
“Fucking bullshit,” Max growls out after watching her cringe away, then turns and storms back to the car.
“Don’t you, Mina?” Danny asks her again.
Her eyes aren’t on him, though. They’re watching where Max just disappeared into the car. She’s frowning at where his silhouette now sits in the back seat. Whether it’s because of the way Max spoke to her, or because she’s unhappy, I’m uncertain.
It’s only because I’m standing as close as I am that I hear Danny’s next words. “Stop fucking embarrassing me.”
“S-Sorry,” she whispers, then stands up on her toes to give him a quick peck on his cheek. When she pulls away, my eyes are drawn to the movement of her hands and I notice she’s messing with a piece of paper, twisting it in her fingers. Throwing me another quick look, she forces a smile up at her fiancé. “And I d-do love you, Danny.”
“Better start showing me you do,” he snaps, then gives her a calculated smile. “You’ll be a great wife, won’t you, Mina?”
Giving him a wobbly smile, she gives him a slight nod. This entire interaction is so fake and fucked up, it’s enough to convince me that I can’t be around here to support this shit.
“Danny,” I call out to him, my voice devoid of any emotion. “Let’s go.” Turning away from them, I walk past Vincent, who’s still staring at them like he doesn’t understand what’s going on. “I want to get out of here, now,” I hiss under my breath to him as I pass.
“Yeah…” he agrees, and then, I assume, grabs Danny and pulls him back to the car.
I’m silent on the drive back to the hotel. Danny is passed out in the back seat, while Max stares out the window. Vincent must be processing, but I’m not. I’m fucking done with this shit.
There’s no sticking around for a goodbye. I leave them to get Danny to his room while I make my way to mine. It only takes me ten minutes to pack my shit into my suitcase, and I’m dropping my room key off at the front desk within half an hour.
I refuse to stick around for this charade of a relationship while they make a mockery of marriage. There’s also a weight lifting from my shoulders as I acknowledge to myself that I really don’t like Danny. I’m done with him and his bullshit.
Chapter 8
2 years ago
Vincent
God, my back is going to be so fucking sore tomorrow.
Bending over, I pick up another musty smelling box that looks as old as my grandpa. I fight off the tickling in my nose from the dust and mold that’s wafting up from whatever is stored in here. Clothes most likely. That’s what they have filled all of this shit in this godforsaken basement with. Clothes, dishes, random decor, and photos. Most of this will have to be junked. It’s not salvageable, and I truly don’t think Max wants to keep the bulk of it, anyway.
“Here’s the next one to go through,” I say as I drop the box down on one of the foldout tables we’ve set up outside on the lawn of Max’s childhood home. Pulling the flaps of the box open, I peek inside. “Mmm. This one looks like some mice nested in it. It’s got a wonderful aroma of urine and death.”
Wrinkling his nose, Max eyes it like it’s filled with the plague and sneers. “Just throw the whole thing away. Even if there was something in there worth keeping, it’ll be ruined.”
“Agreed.” I take it over to the dumpster that he rented and toss it in, enjoying the sound of it crashing into everything else we’ve already junked.
As I head back inside, Max calls out, “I really appreciate you helping with this shit show.”
“Of course. I’m glad that I’m in town. Otherwise, you’d be paying someone to do this with something other than pizza and beer.” I flash my teeth at him, trying to keep the mood light. It’s been a long three years for him, and I’m relieved that he’s finally able to get some closure on the mess his father left him in.
After that bastard was arrested for killing his mom three years ago, he went to trial a year and a half later. Then Max had to get a lawyer involved to transfer the deed of the home over to him. His father fought him every step of the way, but eventually it got done. Now we’ve got to get this place ready to put up for sale. First step is emptying it of the junk his parents packed into this place for the last thirty years.
After bringing another half dozen boxes out, I take a break to rehydrate and stretch my muscles. “Where the fuck is Danny? I thought he was going to come help with all of this.”
“I shouldn’t have even called him. It’s been a few weeks since the last time we spoke, and that was nothing but him complaining about his wife and all the things going wrong in his life. Did you know he got arrested two weeks ago?” Max asks me, taking a long pull from his bottle of water.
My eyebrows raise at that piece of information. “Umm, no? What the hell for?”
I’ve been a cop for the past two years, but not in our hometown. After I went to college on a full-ride scholarship to play football, I tore my ACL in my second year mid-season. There was no coming back from that, so I went in a different direction career wise. I dropped out of college and went to the police academy, then was hired closer to home. I’ve never regretted my decision, and it works really well with Max’s business.
He didn’t share with us what was really happening in his home while we were younger. It turns out his dad was a piece of shit who liked to beat the hell out of his mom on the regular. Once Max left home, his mom decided she had enough and ran. That man hunted her down and went into a demon-possessed rage. The beating she received was so severe that she didn’t pull through and passed away the next day in the hospital. Ever since, Max has been filled with an immense amount of guilt that he didn’t do more to help her. So now he helps women in similar situations, and their families, relocate. He’ll also set up protection details if needed to ensure they stay safe until everything has been filed and processed legally.
“According to him, he and Mina got into an argument outside. He said they were just yelling back and forth and she was making some sort of scene. It went on long enough that the neighbors called in a noise complaint. They arrested him because, according to him, ‘they always arrest the man first and ask questions later’. He spent the night there to cool off, and then they let him go. I think nothing came of it, though. I did text asking him to come help with this and he said he’d be here.”
“I’ll text him and get his ass moving because this is going to take forever with only me hauling out boxes,” I say, tossing my empty bottle into the dumpster. Pulling out my phone, I quickly type one out.
Me: Hey fucker, where you at? Max and I are working on cleaning his folks’ place out, and we could really use an extra set of hands.
Danny: Nah man, I can’t come out today. Got some shit going on at home.
Me: Seriously?
Danny: Yeah, seriously.
I release a noisy growl of frustration. We’ve been friends for years, since before I even remember. The fact we’re still friends is something I’ve been questioning a lot over the past few years. In all honesty, he’s a selfish prick. “This asshole.” I complain, showing my phone to Max. “He’s not planning on coming.”
Max reads the messages quickly, pressing his lips together in irritation at Danny’s nonchalance over bailing on us. “Christ, he’s an asshole.”
“Truth. I’m going to piss him off. Do you care?”
“Nope. You do you.” Max snorts, then turns back around to keep working his way through the never-ending piles of boxes.
Me: So, you’re too busy getting arrested for fighting with the ol’ lady instead of helping a friend?
Danny: Man… you don’t know what I’m dealing with over here. She’s been causing me problems from day one and I’m trying to sort shit out with her. It’s been nothing but a goddamn headache for real.
Me: I still don’t understand why the hell you two even got married. You’ve been complaining since your bachelor’s party about her. Just divorce already and save both of yourselves future problems.
Danny: hahaha… like she could survive without me. I promised her dad I’d look after her. I’ll be honest, it’s been a full-time job on its own. She doesn’t do anything to help herself and she’s too fucking stupid to get a damn job.
Me: She’s not working at all? I thought she had a job.
Danny: Fuck no. Working isn’t really a thing she’s good at.
Me: Can she not work or just doesn’t want to?
Danny: It’s not that. Not really. She’s asked before if she can work, but there’s enough shit to do around the house that she shouldn’t. We agreed I make enough to support us, so I provide as long as she takes care of the house. She sucked ass at the last job she had anyway, so I had her quit.
Me: How’s that working out for ya?
Danny: Fuck off, you don’t need to be a dick about it.
Me: Pretty sure it’s not me who’s the dick…
Darkening the screen on my phone, I pocket it. It takes another hour of fast-paced heavy-lifting for me to work off my frustration with Danny and his self-absorption, let alone the way he speaks about people, including his wife. Growing up, I never heard my parents disrespect each other in front of other people. They rarely used words they would later regret with each other during the few arguments I remember. My parents are pretty badass like that. Not perfect, but healthy.
Carrying the last box from the basement out into the yard, I hear Max on the phone. “…able to right now. The dumpster is being picked up Monday morning and then a cleaner later that afternoon, so everything has to be gone before then. The realtor is showing up to do photos Tuesday before we list it.”
Sending him a questioning look, he mouths ‘Danny’ to me before closing his eyes and pinching the bridge of his nose. “I can’t. I don’t know what to tell you. I don’t know what he’s doing, we haven’t talked about it yet.” He sighs, listening to whatever the hell Danny is saying, then answers, “Hold on.”
Taking the phone, I ask, “What does he want?”
“Needs someone to drive by his house,” he answers, keeping his voice lowered.
Putting the phone to my ear, I keep my words clipped. “Danny.” I decided over the afternoon that it’s time to distance myself from him. There have been no good interactions with this guy for years. The more I think about it, the more I recognize that he’s been a thorn in our sides for a lot longer than we realized.
Loyalty has ways of blinding you to the truth.
“Look, I really need you to do me a favor. I need you to swing by my house and just let me know what’s going on over there.”
“I thought you were spending all day at home so you could deal with your wife,” I state bluntly.
I swear I can hear Danny’s teeth grinding through the phone. It gives me a small sense of satisfaction that I’ve got something he wants, so he’s forced to be polite.
“I was over there, but needed to leave before we had another throw down.”
“What do you mean, throw down?” I snap. His wording grates on my conscience and I need to make sure that he doesn’t mean an actual physical fight.
Danny’s smooth words are quick to answer me, but nothing he says eases my growing concern. “Just a phrase, man. We were arguing a bit, so I left. I just need someone to drive over there and make sure she’s home and not doing anything crazy like keying up my other car or inviting anyone over.”
“Since when is Mina Bardot-”
“Reed,” Danny interrupts, snapping out their last name.
“Since when is Mina Reed crazy? That girl was nervous around her own goddamn shadow.”
I won’t lie and say that I knew the woman well while she lived next door to Danny, but he’s acting like she easily lashes out in anger. It doesn’t connect, but I also haven’t spoken to her since their wedding, which was a goddamn nightmare. Ethan was so pissed that he dipped out and disappeared in the middle of the night after the bachelor party. Danny was livid, but I didn’t blame Ethan. I wish I had done the same.
The point is that I don’t know her anymore, so maybe she is quick to anger now. I certainly would be if I were married to this guy.
Danny snorts incredulously. “You’d be surprised. Look, I’m sorry for earlier with the texts and shit. Would you please just take a quick drive past the house, make sure nothing looks out of the ordinary? Call me when you’re done?”
I want to tell him no. I really do, but instead I find myself promising I’ll take a drive out that way on my way home. That niggling feeling in my gut is telling me it’s important I check, if for no other reason than to make sure she’s alright.
Saying goodbye to Max after assuring him I’ll be back first thing in the morning, I hop in my truck and make the ten-minute drive over to Danny’s house. The two of them didn’t move far from where they grew up, only three blocks over from the street we spent so many years racing our bikes.
It’s early evening now, but the sun is still bright enough for a few residents to be milling about outside. I ease off the gas, slowing down as I creep by Danny’s house.
Nothing looks out of the ordinary. The Corvette he bought a few years ago is parked in the driveway with a tarp over it with no signs of being disturbed. There are no lights on inside, so I’m unsure if she’s still at home. Since the only vehicle in the driveway is the Corvette, I suppose it’s possible that she took off in her car.
Just as I’m about to press the gas again to speed up and make the drive to my apartment, I catch some movement on the side of the house as it comes into view.
And there she is.
Mina Reed, on her knees and frantically pulling weeds out of the flower bed that stretches the full length of the side of their house.
I’m too far away to see her face, but her body looks tense as she yanks weed after weed out of the ground. She’s wearing dark leggings and a long-sleeved shirt, even though it’s still close to 90 degrees outside, and her skin looks flushed. Her shirt is plastered to her skin, likely saturated with sweat with how hard she’s working. I hope she’s got water with her.
Letting my eyes roam over the rest of the house, I notice that it’s immaculately kept up. The grass is perfectly cut with straight lines, the flower beds are all weed-free except for the area she’s currently working on. Nothing looks to be out of place, like the impeccably staged yard decorations. It’s all very cookie-cutter.
I take one more good look at Mina before I leave. She’s still dressing conservatively, which is no surprise. Although, I am surprised at the thinness of her frame. If I remember correctly, she was always a little on the softer side growing up and at their wedding. Not that she carried extra weight, but she had curves. Now she looks thin. The angles I can see from this distance seem sharp, but not entirely unhealthy.
I’ve seen what I need to, so I increase my speed and leave the neighborhood as I pull up my phone and call Danny. He answers on the second ring.
“Hello?”
“Hey. I just drove by. All looks well,” I tell him.
“Did you see her?” he asks me, and I sigh into the phone. It’s an innocent question, but I feel like a goddamn stalker tattling on a grown woman.
“I did. She was outside doing some yard work.”
He hesitates a moment, then asks, “How’d she look?”
Scowling at the road in front of me, I let my impatience lace my voice. “What do you mean, ‘how’d she look’? She looked like a person doing yard work.”
“Yeah, nevermind. I’ll go home then. Thanks for driving by.” He sounds relieved, which is a good sign. I was really questioning whether or not he cared.
“You do that. I’m going to go now. See you around,” I tell him and hang up the phone before he responds.
During my drive home, I consider how bad an argument could have been for someone to call the cops. I lift my foot from the gas, debating if I should turn around and check on her once more, but Danny’s already on his way there. She was outside weeding flower beds; there’s no way she’d be doing that if she was more hurt than just her feelings.
Chapter 9
1 day ago
Max
“Walter! Come on, buddy. Outside.”
I wait patiently while my 3-year-old boy lifts his head from the couch to eye me sleepily. He’s completely unconcerned that I’ve got about ten minutes to get his lazy ass out the door to pee before I need to head down to the station. It’s been a couple of months since Vincent transferred stations, coming closer to home. His parents have been begging him to make the change, and both Ethan and I are thrilled to have him back.
Ethan showed up about eight months ago after his honorable discharge from the Army, deciding that it wasn’t something he wanted to do long term after being injured on deployment. Thank God it wasn’t anything life-threatening. Getting slammed by flying shrapnel from a bomb that was overlooked by the EOD - Explosive Ordnance Disposal - Specialist on his team had him losing faith with his crew. He didn’t feel comfortable training with anyone new, so home was his choice. We were all proud of his decision to join, but I’m happy he’s here and in one piece.
