28. CHAPTER TWENTY-SEVEN
CHAPTER TWENTY-SEVEN
brADY
My head pounds, like worse than if I was badly hungover.
Then it all comes back to me and hits me like a tidal wave.
He tried to end my relationship with Gretchen. He specifically said the words, “You will give her some space.”
Then, he just walked away. And I let him.
To be fair, he was carrying a gun.
Let me back up.
I got the call from Big Mike. I had to wake my mom up and explain what was going on, but I didn’t have a lot of time to waste, since I was a three hour drive from Wellingham, so I gave her a kiss goodbye and told her I would call her from the car to explain, which I did.
My poor mom was so confused at first. But I walked her through the whole story step by step, and (in true Mom fashion) while she was disturbed to hear that I had been stripping, she was happy to hear that I had “reclaimed my love of dance.”
Go figure.
I think she was able to let it go pretty easily because I told her I was done with it. Also, we’d just spent a whole evening together discussing my plans for the future.
I stopped at the ATM and basically drained my bank account between the $1,000 I needed for bail plus the $40 non-refundable fee per person I’d have to pay to the bail clerk.
By the time I arrived at the police station, it was almost 6:00 in the morning.
I informed the officer at the desk that I had come to post bail for Gretchen Andrews and Michael Evans.
The bail clerk had already been sent there for several others from the party, so I didn’t have to wait, which was good.
I paid the money and was issued a receipt for each of them.
Then, Gretchen’s father came out into the waiting room.
“Brady,” he said.
“Hi, Mr. Andrews.”
“You bailed her out?”
I nodded. “Yes, sir.”
“You knew about this?”
“About what, exactly?”
“Her employment situation?” he asked.
“Yes, sir,” I said.
He bobbed his head up and down, stuck in his thoughts.
“Brady, I need to ask you something. And I need you to be honest with me.”
“Okay.”
“Is my daughter a stripper?”
“God, no!” I replied. “No, sir. Not even close. She was hired to be a shot girl. She sometimes pole dances, but never without her clothes,” I explained. “Honestly, sir. Never.”
“Okay.” He exhaled. “One other thing. ”
“Sure.”
“The other girls are saying she was left in charge. Is this true?”
“Unfortunately, yes. Arrow thinks highly of Gretchen.”
“I wasn’t sure if they were just trying to throw her under the bus, you know?”
“No. They seem to all have a good rapport.”
“Thank you, Brady, for telling me this.”
“Of course, sir.”
“How was your interview?”
Eager to give him any sort of good news, I said, “It went really well. I got the job.”
He gave me a pat on the back. “Congratulations, son. That’s nice for you.”
“Please don’t tell Gretchen. She doesn’t know yet.”
“I won’t. I’ll leave the news to you. But I need to tell you one more thing.”
“What’s that, sir?”
“Annie and I think Gretchen is going to need to move back home for a little while. We are concerned about her decisions, and we think she might need a little reset.”
“But she’s got lots going on, sir. She has an interview coming up, and her student teaching. Some digital something-or-other class, too. Summer’s almost over.”
“I don’t think you understand the gravity of what just happened here, Brady.”
I shook my head, exhausted and confused. “What’s that?”
“Gretchen will never be a teacher on Cape Cod.”
“What? Why not?”
“Because she just got arrested, for one thing. And there are three reasons that employed teachers are ever dismissed here: in subordination, incompetence, or immorality. My daughter was just arrested for operating an illegal strip club. Bad news travels fast in Cape Cod, and whether or not the judge only slaps her with a fine, no self-respecting local school is going to look the other way and hire a pole dancer to teach their kindergarten babies how to read.”
“I mean, I wouldn’t put it like that, exactly.”
“Brady, maybe you wouldn’t – but a school administrator certainly would. Also, please keep in mind that this is happening right now. It’s not like she did this ten years ago and is looking for work. This is fresh .”
I nodded my head, realizing that he was probably right. Dread filled my throat.
“So Gretchen is going to need to take some time, you understand. To figure her life out.”
“And you don’t think she can do that in her own apartment?” I asked.
“I don’t know, Brady. This is the first time I’ve ever had to navigate my only child doing something so ridiculously stupid. Not to mention illegal.”
He was getting worked up. I could see that. “I think that if you were to look at it from her perspective, it might make a little more sense to you.” Even I could tell there would be no rationalizing at this point, though.
Then, bad turned to worse.
“Tell me something, Brady,” he said. “You bailed out another person tonight. Michael Evans, right?”
“Yeah.”
“How do you know him?”
“We’re friends. We go way back. ”
“So you knew he was in this line of work?”
“Oh, sir. Mike’s a security guard. He’s not a stripper.”
“He’s a security guard at an underground adult entertainment venue where my daughter has been working all summer long,” he attempted to clarify.
“Yes. That’s correct,” I said. Because, really, what do you say in this kind of situation?
“Listen, Brady,” he went on. “I can see that you’re trying to make something of yourself, and I applaud you for that.
But I’ve got to level with you, son. I think you might be hanging out with maybe not the best crowd of people, and while Gretchen’s trying to get her life back in order, I think it would be best if the two of you took a little hiatus from this relationship.
I think that might be the healthiest thing for her. ”
To be fair, it was late, and I was exhausted. And, not for nothing, Big Mike’s such a good dude. So, this man was coming at my best friend and my girlfriend all at once, and I couldn’t keep my tone in check. “What?” I said, in a voice louder than perhaps I should have used.
“You heard what I said. It doesn’t have to be forever, but for now, Gretchen is going to need a fresh start, and I advise you not to get in the way of that.”
“Sir, with all due respect, I am not going to stop dating your daughter. She’s a grown woman. And we’re in love.”
“Brady. I appreciate your willingness to fight for her. But this is not up for discussion.”
“It’s not your choice to make,” I said.
“Watch yourself, kid,” he warned me .
“Mr. Andrews, I appreciate how much you love Gretchen,” I said.
“Then you will give her some space,” he demanded.
I wasn’t done with the conversation, but he turned and walked away from me, put some kind of magnetic card up against the door, and buzzed himself back inside.
It only took about a half hour for the door to buzz again. This time, Big Mike walked through it.
He gave me a handshake, followed by a hug. “Yo, man. Thank you.”
“Of course, dude. No worries. Thank you for calling me.”
“Listen, I’ll get the bail money back after the arraignment on Monday. They basically just keep it as collateral to make sure you show up.”
“It’s fine. I know you’re good for it. How are you? You okay?”
“Bro, that shit was wild. ” He lowers his voice. “I really can’t talk about it here, but it was the craziest night I’ve ever seen in this line of work.”
“Yeah. Definitely sounds like it. Hey, do you think you’re going to lose your teaching job over this?”
“For what? I didn’t do anything illegal. I was just in the wrong place at the wrong time.”
“Yeah, I guess.” I sighed. “Gretchen’s dad just came at me, telling me to leave her alone, that she needs a reset or some shit. He said she won’t be able to get a teaching job because of this. You think he’s right?”
“I’m not sure, Bray. To be honest, I think she’s on the hook for more charges than I am.”
“He made it sound like nobody will ever hire her .”
“I don’t know. It is a small town mentality out here, that’s for sure. But yo, one step at a time, right?”
I shrugged. “I guess.”
“Let’s get going. You’ve got to get some sleep. I say this with love, bro – you look like shit.”
“Thanks,” I say. “You’re one to talk.”
He patted me on the back. “C’mon.”
“I’m not leaving until she comes out.”
“Oh, Gretchen’s not being released.”
“Why not? I paid her bail.”
“I heard her dad tell the guard to hold her until morning. Think he’s trying to flex.”
Fuck. “You sure?” I asked.
“Yeah, man. I heard it myself.”
So, I left with him. Reluctantly. Drove myself home. I texted Gretchen to let me know when she got out, and I also left a note on her door. Then, I came inside and immediately passed out.
Until just now.
I check my phone first, of course. Nothing but a text from my mom, just checking in on me. I take Advil and make myself some toast.
I don’t know what to do.
My head starts to clear, and I realize that if Gretchen’s not home, she can only be in one of two places: a) jail (but I can’t imagine her not getting out by now , especially since I drained my bank account to ensure her freedom), or b) her parents’ house.
I need to talk to her, but I keep hearing her father’s voice booming in my head, and I want to approach this situation with care.
S o, instead of being a hot head and driving up to Eastport, I stay at home.
And wait.