Never Alone

Chapter 6

    Several weeks passed quietly by, and the dark mood at home slowly lightened.  The shroud of gloom was gradually lifted leaving life light and airy once more. One evening, Annie heard Tracy humming a cheerful tune as she cooked dinner, and for the first time in a long time, she dared to hope her friend's fears were completely unfounded.

While the pair watched a romantic comedy and ate lasagna on the blue, floral couch, Annie's phone vibrated in her pocket. Checking the screen, she bit back a smile when she saw a text from Trevor. Over the last weeks, he checked in with her daily to be sure both she and Tracy were safe. At first, she found it annoying and intrusive, but this nightly texting ritual was something she now looked forward to with anticipation.

As discreetly as possible, she opened the text message and read, "Hey, Nan! How are things on the home front?"

Finally, she was able to send a truly positive response. "Everything's good. Tracy seems to be her old self, so I think whatever was going on might be over."

His response was quick, "Great! I've been praying for you two. Let me know if the situation changes."

"I will, thank you." Closing her phone, she rested her eyes on the television screen though her mind was a million miles away. Despite her noblest efforts, she sensed the once dormant friendship between them blossoming, and she prayed she was making the right decision by allowing its continuance.

Like a punch in the stomach, a troubling thought took root in her brain. How many other girls was he texting while she sat here fawning over him? It was a valid question since she truly believed his heart belonged to her just a few months before he announced his engagement to some woman named Becca or Becky or something like that. Back then, she felt certain she was the only girl he was sending messages to, and how painfully wrong she was. Why should now be any different?

Salty tears stabbed her eyes, and she bit the inside of her cheek to keep from crying. Quickly, she placed her phone face down on the coffee table. Even if he sent her another message, she was in no mood to look at it. Things were completely over between them as far as she was concerned, and that was just how they would stay. He had fooled her once, and she would not hand him the power to hurt her...not again.

The next morning at work, she was thankful for the unusually high amount of foot traffic in and out of the storefront. Of course, it was always wonderful to see her business booming, but the distraction from her painful thoughts was an equally positive byproduct.

With six people in line to order and Kim percolating fresh pots of coffee to fill the quickly diminishing supply, Annie failed to notice the man at the end of the queue was the very person she most wished to avoid.

"Good morning, can I help you?" The greeting began on a chipper note, but fell noticeably flat somewhere in the middle, when her eyes fell on Trevor McAllister's handsome face. For some reason, it was easier now to ignore the fit of his shirt, probably because memories of his betrayal were as fresh as the coffee Kim poured into the dispensers.

"How are you doing today?" He either didn't notice or chose not to mind her less than enthusiastic welcome. "I've been jonesing for another one of those cinnamon rolls. What do you put in there to make them so addicting? Crack?"

"Sugar," She opened the sliding door housing a variety of freshly baked pastries and pulled out a cinnamon roll. "It's every bit as addicting as street drugs and completely legal."

"Do you have a minute to talk?" He breathed in the scent of cinnamon and cream cheese and his eyes rolled back in his head rapturously.

"Is there anything else I can get for you this morning," she made sure to use her most professional tone of voice.

"Just coffee...like last time," his eyes narrowed. "What's up? I thought we called a truce...an unspoken truce."

"I thank you for your help over the last few weeks," she handed him the steaming to-go cup full of French roast. "But I think...since Tracy is doing better...we should go back to the way things were. It would be for the best."

Disappointment crept into his dark eyes and his broad shoulders slumped. "If that's really what you want," he slowly nodded. "I won't bother you anymore."

Dropping a twenty dollar bill onto the counter...far more than his purchases cost, he left the café with a jingle of the bell and Annie's heart ached afresh. This is why she should never have let him back into her life in the first place. He was right...he did bring out the worst in her, and she would be better off without him. Wouldn't she?

When she closed the shop at noon, she still struggled to shake the alternating sensations of regret and relief. On the walk home, she prayed silently that God would help her let go of all the baggage holding her down and keeping her in a state of depression. 'Please, Father, let me get over him once and for all.'

Nearing the apartment building, she quickly noticed Tracy's car parked in the front of the building. Confused, she hurried up the steps to the unit they shared. Normally, her friend arrived at work at eight o'clock sharp and stayed until four-thirty. Annie hoped she wasn't sick, but upon arriving at their door and finding it slightly ajar, she prayed for a stomach bug in place of the horrifying scenarios bombarding her brain.

Pushing the door open with her fingertips, her heart pounded like a hammer against her ribcage. When she peeked into the room and found nothing noticeably out of place, she allowed a pent-up breath to escape her lips. Kicking her shoes off at the door, she walked around the room in bare feet as was her custom. "Tracy," she said. "You must not be feeling well. Can I get you anything?"

There was no response, so she moved to her sister's bedroom door and tapped it lightly. "Trace...can I come in?" Silence was all the answer she received. Turning the knob, she quietly peeked her head in and found Tracy lying face up on the bed with an overturned bottle of pills scattered on the night table beside her.

As she neared the bed with weak knees and trembling hands, she saw her friend's once lovely face was puffy with dark bruises and lacerations. "Tracy...wake up," her voice was barely audible as she shook the lifeless body of her roommate in an attempt to revive her. Tears streamed down her cheeks as she sunk to her knees on the carpeted floor.

Brushing the wayward, blonde curls out of Tracy's face with her fingertips, Annie sobbed. "Tracy, please don't leave me...you're my sister. Wake up. I need you."

What had they done to her? Who were they? What was so important that killing was necessary to keep a secret? Her heart broke as the full realization of her loss struck her with full force leaving her breathless and weak. Unable to direct her energy to any other activity, she knelt on the floor beside her friend and wept until all her tears were spent.

A creaking and banging at a window at the back of the house brought her quickly to reality. Did they know she had the flash drive? Was she next on the list? Remembering Tracy's admonition to bring the device to Trevor if something happened to her, she picked herself up off the floor, and in a frenzy of panic hurried out the door with purse and without shoes and ran all the way to the fire station. All earlier thoughts of squeezing Trevor out of her life were moved to the back burner. Whether she wanted to admit it or not...she needed him right now.