Someone Else's Fairytale (21 page)

“Oh, well.” Steve scrubbed his fingers through his short hair, his wedding ring glinting in the late afternoon light that shone in the windows. “Jason's always on his phone. That thing's going to grow onto his ear. He gets real lonely in LA and doesn't relate to the people out there, even after all this time. But all of us in the family know you guys are just friends.”

“Well, so I'm sorry if last night really upset him.”

“You should talk to him, okay? Give him a chance to tell his side of the story.”

“The stuff that Matthew brought up, I don't usually talk about with my friends.”

“Sure, but can I just say, it's hard enough for Jason to have his personal life always under the microscope. Let him tell his side, even if it's awkward. It would mean a lot to him. And for what it's worth? My brother's a good guy.”

I nodded.

“Not that your friendship with Jason affects us wanting to help you with this case, okay? This kind of thing? It's what all of us went to law school for.”

“It's why I'm going into forensics.”

“And it's probably why Beth's applying to the Albuquerque DA's office – well
Bernalillo
County
's that is.”

“Really?”

“Yeah. I don't know her very well, but she and Mom still talk sometimes. I guess this case really affected her. She's providing us with an affidavit.”

“What is an affidavit?”

“A statement under oath. She can't come out from
Illinois
to testify, but she provided an affidavit that says she heard Chris bragging about slashing your tires and knows he cruised your mom's house.”

“Your dad must've twisted her arm.”

“I don't think so.”

“But this is her brother.”

“And you're her sister. Come on, who do you think she's gonna side with? Her older, drug addict, convicted felon brother or her little, defenseless, class valedictorian sister?”

That didn't match the awkward, uncomfortable Beth I'd seen in Flying Star at all. It seemed then like she'd have done anything to get away from me.

That Monday, I dropped all the paperwork off at the courthouse, and got a hearing scheduled for Thursday. Steve had located an address for Chris, and the clerk said that their process server could notify him for a small fee, which I paid on the spot.

I then walked over to the police station and dropped off copies of the pictures and Beth's affidavit. The receptionist promised to get them to Officer Baca, who wasn't on duty just then.

On Tuesday, Jason called again. I stared at his name on my phone for several rings before I answered it. “Hi,” I said.

“Chloe.”

“How are you?”

“How are
you
? Things all set for Thursday?”

“I think so.”

“Is there anything I can do? At all? Anything you need?”

“I think I'm okay.”

“Anything at all?”

“I've already had more Vanderholt kindness than I deserve. I'm fine. How are you?”

“Just glad you picked up the phone.”

“Yeah...” I didn't know what to say to that.

“I really want to talk to you.”

“I know.”

“I really want to see you. We had that awful conversation and then you're facing down a guy who shot you this week and... this is crazy. I want to be there.”

“Well, thanks.”

“Can I?”

“What, seriously?”

“My friend got
shot.”

“Ten years ago.”

“And has to face the guy who shot her. Come on, you wouldn't buy a bus ticket to go support a friend at a time like that?”

“It'd be a long bus ride.”

“I'd spend the same proportion of my income on a plane ticket across a couple of states that you'd spend on a bus ticket across town. Yeah, my life is weird, but it is what it is.”

“Jason...”

“I'm sorry, okay? Maybe I'm too emotionally involved, but I am emotionally involved. I care about you. Matthew will be there for moral support, right?”

“No, he-”

“No?”

“He's got class.”

“Class? He knows what this is, right?”

“He knows the gist.”

“Then I don't get why he isn't cutting class. Tell me someone's going with you. Lori?”

“Doesn't know.”

“Your mother?”

“No, and I don't really want to talk about that right now.”

“You're going
alone?”

“I'll be fine.”

“Are you sure?”

“Yeah, I'm sure.” I'd done this before, been to court against Chris and this time I wasn't a little girl. I could look him in the eye, though the very idea made me sick.

“If you hadn't seen those printouts about me, would you still feel the same way?”

“I don't know, okay? I'm a little distracted right now. I haven't talked to anyone, not even Matthew or Lori, in a couple of days. I haven't been out of the apartment except to go to class.”

“Right, sorry. You're completely right. Not the time for me to be all obsessed about me. Just... promise you'll call me if you need anything?”

“I'll be fine.”

“I'm your friend, no matter what you think of me. Call anytime. I mean it.”

“Thanks. I'll talk to you later.”

“Sure. Later.”

We hung up and I felt the sudden urge to cry. I dialed Matthew.

“Howdy?” he answered his phone.

“It's me.”

“Chloe. I been meaning to call. You sure you don't want a ride to school tomorrow?”

“It's way out of the way for you.”

“I don't know where you're living these days. I'd like to come see you.”

“My hearing is on Thursday.”

“Oh... What time?”

“During Media Studies.”

“You... want me to take notes for you or...”

“Sure, that'd be great.”

“You okay? You want company right now or you want to be left alone or-”

“I'm at Val's. You know where she lives?”

“Give me the address.”

I did.

“Okay, I just put in my laundry, but I'll come by right after. Unless you want me to come now?”

“Later's fine.”

“I'll bring dinner?”

“That'd be great.”

Two hours later, Matthew came with Chinese take-out. I greeted him with a hug and offered to pay for the food, but he shook his head.

“You okay?” he asked.

“I'm fine. It's all good.” I went to get plates. Val's apartment was a small and cozy one bedroom with practically no windows, and I felt like an intruder, living there. The place still smelled like her, like hairspray and herbal soap. I hadn't talked to Eli yet about breaking the lease on my house. I didn't want to. It felt like letting Chris win, again.

“Chloe, you want me to come to the hearing?” Matthew asked.

“I don't,” I said. “Don't take this the wrong way, but I want to keep my past in the past.”

“Okay.” He sat down at the little dining table and began to pull out white boxes of food. “You want to talk about other stuff, then? Distraction?”

“Yes, please.”

“You got it. What do you think of having to watch the pilot of
Glee
for Media Studies?”

Thursday took both a hundred years and the blink of an eye to come. Steve picked me up and drove me to the courthouse. He was in a suit and tie. I wore my sensible gray skirt and a blue blouse. My heart felt like it was in my throat, choking me each time it pulsed. My head felt light and my hands were dripping with sweat.

“You going to be okay?” Steve asked.

“I'll get through this.”

“You're allowed to panic, hyperventilate, whatever you gotta do, okay?”

I smiled at him. “Thanks.”

We parked, crossed the street to the courthouse, went through security, and made our way up the stairs and into the chambers.
 
Inside loitered a guy with slouched shoulders and a sullen posture. He stepped towards me and I leaned away. He was no doubt one of Chris's friends. He might even have helped slash my tires and break my windows.

“Chlo?” the guy said.

I nearly jumped out of my skin. “Jason?”

He pushed up his baseball cap and stood up straight.

Just then, Doug walked in. “Jason, what are you doing here?”

“That's what I was going to say,” said Steve. “When did you get here?”