Her // Joe Goldberg (COMPLETED)

6

It's extremely hard to concentrate when a 6ft 4 muscular man is banging at the glass box designed to preserve books. You told me you'd drop by the store today and if it was any other day Kelsey, I'd sit at the counter and wait for your arrival. But today ? It had to be today, the day I had your boyfriend locked up as though he were an exhibit at the zoo. He was nothing at all like Benji, Benji caged quickly, Max roared and tried to free himself, all I coukd was watch as if it were a David Attenborough documentary.

It was only 10am, twelve hours since he ended up down here and he'd already called me every name under the sun. I couldn't imagine how you felt putting up with him for two years. How he got down here was complicated Kelsey. I took in what he said to you in the store, he sells protein shakes so I messaged him on Instagram, I made a fake account and told  him I had a supply of protein shakes from him to sell, the is desperate for work so bought it. And now, well, here we are, he was banging, screaming, roaring at the top of his lungs and then after twelve long hours, he stopped.

"Why am I here ?" he asked calmly but his aggressive final bang of the glass told me he was putting it on. I stayed silent, being brutally honest, I don't even want to be around this man Kelsey, I just need the clarity that you and Cody were safe and away from him. Max is irrational and lost his temper quickly, I've seen way too many examples of that. "What could a guy who jacks off over books for a living want with a guy like me ?" he asked, he was thinking out loud and I was surprised. I didn't think Max had the mental capacity to read into things, overanalyse them. "I'd put it down to jealousy, why wouldn't you want to be me ? I have a good job, well, a job I like, a son, a beautiful girl- Kelsey. It's Kelsey you want" he said before bursting into an uncontrollable fit of laughter. "Oh my god, I was right, you really are a psychopath. You think getting rid of me will help you get to her, Kelsey loves me" he began as I shook my head, there's only so much bullshit I can put up with. "She's terrified of you" I found myself shouting back, I'm not one to retaliate Kelsey but his ignorance is infuriating. "Y'know what, she may-be but there is a part of her that loves me. She'd never love you, what can you offer her ?" he asked which had me still shaking my head. "What can you offer her ?" I asked, this time it was me banging at the glass desperate for answers. This is very unlike me Kelsey but it's what you're doing to me. "Absolutely nothing but she loves my son and while Cody is in the picture, she's not leaving me" he went on but I couldn't even react because I heard your voice at the top of my stairs and my heart stopped beating.

"Joe ?" you called down confused, about to walk down but I saw a smirk creep across Max's face so I grabbed the sheets of paper with the information on the stores spending and ran up the stairs. You were standing there with Cody, holding his hand, in your other hand was a coffee and your laptop was neatly tucked under your arm. "Sorry I was just looking for our-" I began but max had started banging and shouting. "What's going on ?" you asked confused as I shook my head. "N-nothing, the uh heaters just acting up" I lied, it was a lie but it got you out fast before Max could make anymore noise. You were silent until we got into the store. I handed you what you needed and you took a seat on the same couch by the classics. I sat behind the counter, surprised that I pulled it off, clearly you hadn't noticed Max was nowhere to be found, so I knew from that Cody was with you last night.

The little boy walked straight up to the counter, you didn't notice because you were too engulfed in your accounts. "You own this whole store ?" he asked, it felt like an interrogation but I didn't mind so nodded. "Mister Mooney lens this bookstore but I'm looking after it, like Kelsey's looking after you" I answered as he smiled. "Awesome, this is my favourite store" he said in awe as I smiled. "Do you like to read ?" I asked as he nodded enthusiastically. "Dad doesn't buy me books, he thinks readings a waste of time, Kelsey does though and we keep all the books at her house so my dad doesn't get mad" he explained as I looked up at you. The sun was hitting your face at that very moment. It was a cliche but at that moment, I just knew something was right.

You really did care about Cody, a lot more than his own fathers anyway. At that moment I knew my plan was going to work, Max would be out of your life sooner rather than later and we'd be together and Cody would have the perfect life. "Why don't you go look at the children's section and pick out a book you'd like I'll buy it" I said to the boy as he smiled and walked over to the children's section. I did that because I saw you constantly checking your phone with a worried expression, you did notice Max's disappearance. His phone was in my back pocket, so I had to check it subtly. You texted him multiple times asking where he was, you told him Cody kept asking where he was and you just wanted an answer to give him, an honest answer. I panicked so lied and said he was out last night and was "crashing" at Len's. Len claimed to be your friend but from his texts with Max, it was obvious he'd lie for him.

Just as I hit send you called me over. "Did you call someone" you asked as I shook my head. "Why would I call someone ?" I asked, pretending to be confused as you rolled your eyes. "Your broken heater. It's warm now but you have to get it fixed for winter and I'll have to factor that in to your accounts" you said annoyed, not at me, I knew it was because of Max so I just nodded. "I think I'll just fix it myself" I lied as you shook your head. "You're not licensed to. Call someone" you said as your phone screen went black. Your phone died, yet again. "Fuck" you shouted before slamming your phone onto the couch and putting your head in your hands.

"Everything alright" I asked as you nodded before shaking your head. "Max disappeared yesterday and is claiming that he just passed out at Lens but I know that's not true because he always texts when he's lying and now my phones dead so I can't respond" you began as I nodded, telling you to take a deep breath which you did. "I'll charge this. Cody's picking a book. Just relax for a couple of minutes" I said as you nodded back at me, trusting me with your phone yet again. Now that I had to be Max via text, I had to see if you were buying it, so I had to see your texts with your friends and family, just to see if you noticed anything. As the software installed itself to both of our phones I took one final look at you. You had your arm around Cody, the pair of your looked relaxed and you were reading a chapter of a Harry Potter book to him so he clearly was an advanced child, and I didn't doubt that, not when I knew he was in your care. Kelsey, it was at that second I learned that the most valuable things are the most helpless. You and Cody don't have to worry anymore. I can make sure of that.