Broken Inside

35 - The Crazy Lady

It was Monday morning and Alex was feeling great. No Monday blues for her.

She recalled the other night, after the second time making love, she and Andy spent the whole night talking in bed. The next morning, after breakfast and a quick romp in the shower, he went home to be with Ashley.

Alex was on cloud nine. She was free that morning so she decided to walk around the neighbourhood and do some shopping. She wanted to get something for Andy and Ashley. She was feeling rather generous.

She was walking pass a little cafe when she heard someone calling her angrily. 

"Hey, lady! You, tall lady, I'm talking to you!"

Alex turned around and was surprised to see Allison. She looked angry. She stood more than a foot lower than Alex, and with her cute face, she looked like an angry beaver. 

"Can I help you?" she asked Allison calmly, standing straight with her hands clasped in front of her.

"Do you know who I am?" Allison asked, moving about, her eyes wide and crazy.

Alex smiled politely and said, "Of course. You barged into the room when Andy and I was having a nice night."

Allison laughed sarcastically. "You think you're funny? Well, you're not." She pointed her finger at Alex and said, "I know exactly what you are."

"And what is that?" Alex asked with a serious face.

"You're a home wrecker!" she yelled, causing a few people to turn their heads to look. "I know you went out with him on Saturday, whoring yourself to him. You should be ashamed of yourself."

Alex was starting to lose her patience. She crossed her arms in front of her and said, "Andy's not your husband anymore."

"He's mine!" Allison yelled, turning red in the face. "We have a daughter together. He will always be mine!"

Alex chuckled drily and shook her head. "You're crazy."

A waiter walked beside Allison with a glass of water on a tray. She grabbed the glass and tossed the water at Alex, shocking everyone around them. Allison held her chin up with satisfaction and said icily, "Stay away from my family."

Then she tossed her hair over her shoulders and walked away.

Alex inhaled and exhaled, trying to keep her patience in check. If they were anywhere else, she would have had Allison in a chokehold until she passed out. 

Alex was looking in her bag for a napkin when a brunette in a sharp suit came up to her. She looked up and the lady handed her a bunch of tissues. "Thank you," she said gratefully and started dabbing at her face and her chest.

"No problem," the woman said. Then she asked, "Ex-girlfriend?"

Alex chuckled and shook her head. "I'm dating her ex-husband."

The woman raised her eyebrows and said, "Really? This must be your lucky day." Alex looked at her questioningly. The woman handed her a name card and introduced herself, "Wendy Miller, Attorney. I specialise in marital dispute. I think we should talk."

*****

Alex was in her kitchen making a tuna salad for lunch when the buzzer rang. She wiped her hands and slowly made her way to the intercom. The buzzer kept going off and she frowned, wondering what was so urgent.

She pressed the button and said, "Yeah?"

"It's Andy. Can I come up?"

Alex was surprised that he came to her apartment without telling her first. It must be urgent. She buzzed him in and waited for him to come up.

Andy came out of the elevator looking distraught. His hair was messier than usual and he had a deep frown on his face.

"Hey, what's up?" Alex asked him.

He looked at her, his hands on his hips. "Did you really get a restraining order against Allison?"

Wow, Wendy worked fast. 

Alex exhaled and said, "Yes."

Andy looked shocked. "Why did you do that, Alex?"

"Because she attacked me, in public. There were many eyewitnesses," Alex said, crossing her arms.

Andy rubbed his face hard with his hand. Then she looked at Alex and said, "I'm sorry that happened to you. Allison can be..."

"A lot to take in," Alex finished his sentence for him. She walked towards him and wrapped her arms around his waist. "I was just trying to protect myself."

Andy wrapped his arms around her and they hugged for a couple of minutes. 

"Alex?"

"Yes?"

"I need you to retract that restraining order."

Alex thought she must have misheard him. She pulled away from the hug and looked at him. "What?"

Andy sighed and said, "Please? For Ashley's sake?"

Alex stepped away from Andy and returned to the kitchen. Andy followed her. She continued cutting the lettuce with exaggerated force. 

"Alex, please?"

"No!" Alex yelled, slamming down the knife. "I don't understand. How is the restraining order affecting Ashley?"

Andy took a seat on the stool and sighed. "Allison refused to see Ashley with the restraining order against her."

Alex chuckled drily. Then she asked Andy, "You do realise that she's crazy and she's trying to manipulate you?"

Andy gave her a small smile. "She's Ashley's mother."

Alex looked at him in disbelieve. "So that means the world revolves around her," she said sarcastically.

Andy rubbed the back of his head. He looked tired and dejected. Finally he said, "Please retract the restraining order." Then he climbed off the stool and started walking towards the elevator. 

Alex followed him angrily. "What if I don't?" she asked.

Andy turned around and said, "Alex, you can't make me choose between you and Ashley."

"I'm not asking that," Alex said to him. "I'm just asking you to open your eyes and see how crazy Allison's demand is. Don't indulge her."

Andy looked at Alex and she just knew. He's never changing his mind. He turned away and pressed the call button on the elevator. The elevator came and he went inside.

Alex exhaled hard and looked at him. "Fine, I'll retract the restraining order." 

Andy looked relieved and he gave her a small smile. 

"But this, what we have between us, is over. You're never gonna see me again."

Alex managed to see the smile slipped on Andy's face before the elevator closed.

*****

It took Alex 2 days to pack her things. She decided that she has had enough of the suburbs and she wanted to move back to the city. Ethan found her an apartment immediately.

Alex took one last look around the loft. Another big change happening in her life, and sooner than she expected. She turned off the lights and went into the elevator. 

It's time to move on. No regrets.