Chapter 17 #2
Deacon let out a whoop when he heard that news and immediately put through a call to Julia. To hell with restraint. He wanted to talk to her right now.
“Hey.” She sounded breathless, probably from chasing the puppy. “I thought you were at work.”
“I am. I’m out on the boat, but I just heard from Lieutenant Webb that they brought your friend Mike in for a chat, and after he claimed the whole thing was a big misunderstanding, he was given forty-eight hours to make restitution or face fraud charges.”
“Oh my God! Are you kidding me? They’re making him pay me back?”
“Yep. You built an airtight case that they were able to turn into immediate results.”
“You built the case, Deacon.”
“Couldn’t have done it without your input.” She made a sniffling sound that made him wish he’d waited to tell her in person. “Are you okay?”
“I’m overwhelmed. Getting the money back will mean so much to me.”
“It hasn't happened yet, but I’m optimistic that it will if he wants to avoid being charged. What he doesn’t know is that they’re taking a closer look at him in light of the info you provided to see who else he’s done this to.”
“Thank you so much for pushing me to pursue this. I wouldn’t have done it without your encouragement.”
“I was happy to help. I just hope he comes through with the money.”
“Me, too. If so, I’m buying you dinner to celebrate.”
“That sounds good. Let me know if it shows up.”
“You’ll be the first to know.”
“How’d the interview go?”
“Great. I got the job.”
“That’s awesome, Julia. I’m so happy for you.”
“I’m happy for me, too. Mac invited me to a party at the Wayfarer tonight, a thank-you for everyone who worked on it. He said it would be a good chance for me to meet his team, and he said I could bring a guest. You want to go?”
“I’d love to. I’ll check in after I get out of work.”
“Sounds good.”
“Hey, Julia?”
“Yes?”
“Last night was awesome. I bet tonight will be even better.”
Her entire body reacted to his gruffly spoken words. “Can’t wait.”
“Me either. See you soon.”
Deacon pushed the boat’s throttle forward, eager to get his work done for the day so he could leave on time. He had a big date to look forward to.
Julia ended the call with Deacon and let out a shout that startled the puppy.
“Daddy is the best. The absolute best.” Tears ran down her face, an unstoppable river of pain over what Mike had done to her as well as relief and gratitude for the new friend who’d already made such a huge difference in her life.
She had to be at the clinic in fifteen minutes for her appointment with Victoria, so she pulled herself together, washed her face, brushed her teeth and headed out with Puppy on a leash.
If her money came through, she’d go back to the pet store to buy a crate that she could leave him in when she had to go out.
As she walked, she put through a call to her sister Cindy.
“Hey, what’s up?” Cindy asked when she answered.
“I heard you’re sticking around on Gansett for the summer.”
“You heard right.”
“What about your job at home?” Cindy lived an hour north of the Dallas area and had worked for the same hair salon for years.
“I took a leave of absence. When I got here for the wedding, I knew I wouldn’t want to leave in three days. Then I heard at the wedding that Chloe’s summer helper wasn’t able to come this year, and I couldn’t resist the chance to stay for the summer.”
“I’m going to stay, too.”
“Really? That’s awesome!”
Julia told her about the job she’d landed that morning. “I heard you rented a two-bedroom place. Would you consider a roommate?”
“I’d love that! Absolutely.”
“Thank you.”
“It’ll be like old times, only better.”
“Yeah, for sure.” Everything was better now that they no longer lived under the merciless reign of General Mark Lawry.
“I’ve seen Mac’s signs all over the island. You’ll be busy.”
“That’s what he tells me.”
“If you want to see the house, you can come by tomorrow afternoon. I’m getting the keys from Chloe’s boyfriend, Finn, then.”
“That’d be perfect.”
“I’ll text you the address. I’m so excited!”
“Me, too. I’ll see you tomorrow, if not before.”
“See you then!”
Cindy was the most upbeat and positive of the Lawry siblings, always able to find the silver lining in any situation. Of course, being seven years younger than Julia and Katie, her experience at home had differed quite a bit from what the eldest three had endured.
Not that Julia begrudged the younger ones for having suffered less than they had. Not at all. Cindy grappled with migraines that’d been a challenge for her since childhood. While they had no way to know if the stress of their childhood had caused the headaches, Julia believed it had.
At the clinic, she was taken right back to a cubicle and told to undress completely.
As she sat on the end of the exam table, wearing a gown and cradling Puppy, she tried not to think about her desperate dislike of doctors and all things medical.
After the time she’d spent in the hospital during the worst of her disorder, the antiseptic smell of the clinic was enough to bring back more memories she’d sooner forget than relive.
Victoria came breezing in a few minutes later.
They’d met at Katie’s wedding but hadn’t gotten a chance to talk.
“Hi there!” Her dark hair was in a bun, and her friendly smile put Julia at ease.
“I’m so glad we had an opening in the schedule.
” She washed her hands and then sat on a stool in front of a rolling desk with a laptop.
Victoria glanced at Julia and did a double take when she saw the puppy cuddled in her arms.
“Who’ve you got there?”
“This is Mr. Puppy Pupwell, who was found swimming off the coast of Gansett yesterday when I was out on a boat with a friend.”
“Ah, yes, I read you were treated for hypothermia.”
“Yes, but I’m fine now. He can’t be left alone yet. I hope it’s okay that I brought him. He’s fairly well behaved.” She hoped and prayed that he didn’t pee on her while she was extolling his good behavior.
“He seems very sweet. I’m glad you were able to save him.”
“So am I. I just hope he doesn’t show any sign of rabies after he bit Deacon. He was scared when we rescued him. He’s been super docile ever since.”
“The poor guy must’ve been terrified.”
“He was.”
“He’s very lucky to have you. Katie mentioned you’ve had some chronic conditions that need to be monitored while you’re here, but she didn’t say what.”
Julia hated talking about this, but knew she had to keep her promise to Katie. “I’ve suffered from anorexia and bulimia since I was a teenager. For the last seven or eight years, it’s been mostly under control. But I, um…”
“It’s okay. Take your time.”
Victoria’s kindness went a long way toward making it possible for Julia to share that she’d had a major disappointment that’d stirred up old wounds and caused a setback in her recovery.
“When I’m upset or anxious, it’s almost impossible to eat.
I get a lump in my throat that just feels so big, and I can’t even think of eating because my stomach is so agitated. ”
“That’s got to be an awful feeling.” Victoria typed notes into the computer as Julia spoke. “Do you recall how old you were when eating and food became a problem?”
“I was fourteen or fifteen. I can’t recall exactly”
“Did something particular trigger it, or was it a slower evolution?”
“It’d been an issue for a while but got much worse after my father beat up my brother and broke his arm.”
“God, Julia, I’m so sorry.”
Julia shrugged, the way she had for years whenever someone expressed sympathy for the way she’d grown up. She rarely talked about it, but whenever she did, the reaction was usually the same—shock, horror, sympathy. “I tell myself it was a long time ago, but…”
“Some things stay with you forever.”
Her throat closed around a hot ball of emotion, so she only nodded while trying not to cry.
“Have you lost weight during this most recent episode?”
“About five pounds.” She’d been shocked to realize that when the nurse weighed her. It was the most weight she’d lost in years, and it was five pounds she didn’t have to lose.
They talked about the medication Julia took to control the anxiety that contributed to the eating disorders, and Victoria suggested a slightly stronger dosage for the next thirty days.
“When was the last time you had a full exam?”
“It’s been a few years. After the last hospitalization, I went out of my way to avoid doctors.”
“I’d like to do a full exam with a pelvic and pap. Is that all right?”
“I suppose so.”
Forty minutes later, Julia had been thoroughly poked and prodded and had a new prescription in hand.
She made a follow-up appointment with Victoria in two weeks so they could monitor her weight and make sure she was staying healthy.
Victoria had also given her a birth-control shot that would be effective in a few days.
Not that she would need it, or so she told herself.