Chapter 34 Donovan
DONOVAN
Audra was headed to continue stocking Grá with the girls, but I wished she could have spent the rest of the day with me.
When we parted ways, it took all the willpower I had not to move my lips three inches over to kiss her lips goodbye instead of her cheek, but I didn’t.
It already felt huge that she called me right away, so I didn’t want to press my luck.
The opportunity to ask her to come to New York never presented itself, but I still had a couple of days.
Maybe I was delusional, and she’d tell me to pound sand.
Once I had a chance to think logically about it, who in their right mind would be open to going somewhere with a forty-eight-hour lead time?
This wasn’t my young and dumb travel days; nineteen and jobless, with no responsibilities.
Ugh, I was an idiot. Being with her was such a dichotomy.
I could see things so clearly, but she also simultaneously scrambled the shit out of my brain.
Nothing ever scrambled the shit out of my brain.
Bennett
So. Audra.
The text came through, and I laughed. Really, I should have known this was coming. But the fact that I could acknowledge this was just some friends on a group text, not people with ulterior motives in socializing with me, was a monumental step, and indicative of how far I’d come.
Donovan
What of it?
Bennett
You just happened to drive her back to her car today. Where did you pick her up from? You just happened to text my brother asking him to come check out said car and mentioned not making any deal of it.
Should I go on? You just happened to catch her as she was falling down because you pay that close of attention to her, so you saw the instant things got dicey.
You just happened to grab onto her like you’d lost her when she came to.
You just happened to be the one to take her to the police station today.
Lots of happenings since poker, it seems.
Murphy
She fucking called you Batman, man. What kind of role-playing shit are you into?
Maverick
I landed like two hours ago. What the hell did I miss? Who’s Batman? Who’s going to the police station?
Murphy
You forfeit any dealings with anyone or anything while you are in California, dick.
Maverick
Fuck off.
Bennett
It’s Donovan. I mean, Batman.
Donovan
Alright, let’s pump the brakes here. It’s been a kind of chaotic week. It was an inside joke, no role-playing. But even if it was, it’s better than a furry or some shit.
Bennett
Yesssssss. Welcome to the chat, Donovan Wright. Welcome. To. The. Chat.
Maverick
You are a sick fuck, Bennett. But more importantly, why are you taking Audra to the police station?
Murphy
Fucking Theo
Bennett
Fucking Theo
Donovan
Fucking Theo
Tucker
I’m right in the middle of something. But Fucking Theo. I’ll make the shirts.
Maverick
God, I hate that fucking guy. You know, he was saying some fucked up things at golf when I saw him.
About how she was his girl, and he wasn’t letting her go.
It felt off. He had been drinking, but has anyone heard through the grapevine if there are any other substances at play?
I mean, the guys a dick, but this goes beyond that.
I’m sure he knows she went home with Donovan after darts, and I bet that pissed him off. What’s he doing to her?
Bennett
I don’t know about other drugs, but he’s stalking her, dude. Straight up. Like disconnected cables on her car to strand her, showing up places, and shit like that.
Maverick
Fucking Theo. Is she ok?
Murphy
I think Batman has been taking care of things.
Donovan
Not sure I know you well enough to say fuck off, but fuck right off.
Maverick
Seriously, jokes aside, is she ok? I don’t trust Theo as far as I can throw him.
Donovan
She’s freaked out, but we’re all watching out for her now.
Murphy
Especially you
Donovan
God, you’re like the annoying little brother I never had.
I laughed, but a pang of guilt hit me like a ton of bricks.
Was I truly the tipping point for the whole thing?
Audra said that this behavior was new. I knew she mentioned she thought the trigger was me, but I didn’t comprehend the gravity of that statement.
In theory, I suppose it could have happened with anyone she would have been with next, but it was me. I hated that.
Donovan
But question for you, Murphy. How did he get access to under the hood of her car?
Murphy
The easiest way would be he has a key. Audra’s had that car forever, so he could have kept it from when they were dating.
He could have used jigglers or upped the ante with something techy.
It was clearly not an accident, but I don’t know what the end game there would have been.
For her to call him? He’d be the absolute last person she called.
Donovan
He was on her porch last night when I went to drop her off. I bet he was banking on her taking an Uber home.
Bennett
Holy shit, man, that’s fucked up. I’m glad it was you who found her.
Bennett attached a Batman logo to the text, and a laugh escaped my lips. It was so unexpectedly funny.
Donovan
Yeah-I’m glad she agreed to go and at least report the harassment to the cops today. She can’t get a restraining order. We’ll see what happens next.
Maverick
Damn. Keep me posted.
Murphy
Keep yourself posted. Get your ass home.
Maverick
You guys are the fucking worst.
I let out a breath as I walked into my kitchen. It was a long and productive day, but I was looking forward to just relaxing. Making a quick dinner, I turned on the TV. It wasn’t my usual way to unwind, but I just needed to zone out for a little. Within thirty minutes, I had dozed off on the couch.
My phone vibrating woke me. Audra. It was 10:30 p.m. and I’d been asleep for like two hours. She called, I thought as I smiled.
“Hello?” My voice was groggy as I picked up, but when I heard her voice, the smile and all my cobwebs disappeared.
“Donovan…” she said in a panic. “It’s …” She couldn’t even get the words out. I was already up, moving towards my garage.
“Audra, where are you? I’m coming to you right now.” Fear surged into my system, not knowing what was happening, only that she had terror in her voice.
“Home. I’m at home. In my car. Police are coming.”
“Are you hurt?” Working hard to get that question out as calmly as I could, I hoped the answer was no. Because Lord help Theo if she were hurt. I would forgo going to comfort her to hunt him down like a fucking animal.
“No,” she said in almost a whisper.
“I’m on my way.” I’m surprised I didn’t just bust out of my closed garage door, I thought as I thought about how very Batman-like this was.
Flooring it through the streets, I made the ten-minute drive in seven, despite the storm.
There were already two cop cars, with their lights flashing, on the street.
Throwing the car in park, I got out like a bat out of hell.
She was sitting on the porch, sheltering from the rain, talking to the police.
As I skipped the two steps and jumped right on the porch, I noticed glass everywhere.
Three windows had been shattered. What the fucking hell happened here?
Her eyes caught mine, and she stood up, running over to me.
I grabbed her and held her tight. “What happened? Are you ok?”
She took a deep breath. “When I got home, I saw the windows shattered and glass everywhere. Then I ran to my car and locked it, called the police, and then you. I was too scared to go inside. Gosh, Donovan, I didn’t think the first time I used your number was going to be for something like this, though,” she laugh-cried with no humor.
“You did the right thing, Audra. I’m so sorry this is happening to you. I’m so sorry that I am causing this.”
Her body recoiled as she pulled away with furrowed brows and unspoken questions. “What are you talking about? If anything, I should be apologizing to you. I’m pulling you into this mess.”
“No, it sounds like…” I began, but was cut short by a cop.
“Audra, let’s finish talking, and we can wrap up.
” It was the same guy we had talked to at the police station, so he already knew the bulk of the situation.
By the time everything was done, they didn’t think anyone had tried to enter the house; bricks were just thrown through the windows.
What a fucking prick. We hadn’t broached what was going to happen, but she sure as hell would not stay there.
I mean, ideally, she’d just come home with me, but if she was more comfortable somewhere else, so be it, I’d take her there.
Just not her house. Thankfully, our cop friend beat me to it.
“Can you stay somewhere tonight, Audra? We still have some things we have to do here. If you’re okay with it, I’m going to put a call out to my brother to come board the windows up as a favor.
He owes me for watching his demon spawn last week,” the cop laughed, and I appreciated the small-town camaraderie.
“You’re welcome to stay here too if you want, but it would probably be better if you stayed somewhere else. ”
“Stay with me tonight,” I said to her, and she nodded in agreement. “Can she get clothes?” I asked as I turned to the cop.
“We haven’t processed everything, so not yet.”
“Rugby shorts, it is.” I grabbed her hand and squeezed it as I tried for a moment of levity, despite the fact her fucking windows were smashed with a brick. She half-smiled at me and tucked herself in under my arm again.
“We’ll let you know what’s happening as we come across it or in the morning, ok, Audra?” clarified the policeman. She just nodded as if she was in a state of shock as I shook their hands and thanked them for their quick response.