Chapter 2: Andrea

Our living and loving went on for about seven months. I came home from work on a Tuesday night. When I walked in the door Libby was crying and shaking like the devil himself had been there.

“Libby, what in hell happened? What’s going on? Are you hurt, are you in trouble?”

“No Charlie. I’m not hurt or in trouble. My friend Andrea is still with that monster. She called and said his car wouldn’t start and it was her fault. She doesn’t even drive. OH, CHARLIE HE’S GOING TO KILL HER WHEN HE GETS HOME!!! Charlie, please help Andrea.”

Libby just collapsed in her tears and sobs. I was certain she was going to have a breakdown.

“Libby. Libby. Look at me. I know you have the address. Let’s get going, now.”

When we arrived at the house if you want to call it that, there were boarded windows. Shingles hanging from the roof and side of the house. This is what Libby fled. Damn! We walked up and the house was dark and quiet as a cemetery at midnight.

Libby led me around to the back where there was a door barely hanging by one hinge. It led into the kitchen. I walked in first. Libby had a death grip on my shirt tail. The smell of metal covered the interior.

We walked into what I thought would be the living room. There sat Andrea. Covered in blood. She was sitting next to a dead man with the kitchen knife still stuck in his chest.

“Andrea. Andrea, it’s Tina. I have a friend here to help you leave this hell. Andrea. Look at me.”

Andrea looked up at Libby. Her eyes were wide open. She was shaking severely.

“Andrea. Andrea. Look at me, baby”

Andrea finally recognized who was talking to her. She reached out and grabbed Libby. She started to scream.

“Tina. Tina. I killed that bastard. I killed him for what he did to you and me. I fucking killed him so no other woman would go through our hell. Tina, I killed him.”

She was sobbing uncontrollably in Libby’s arms. It was time for a reality check. “Tina, we got to get out of here before someone gets wise. We got to move fast, and we got to move now. Take that blanket off the sofa and wrap it around Andrea. We gotta get outta here before the cops get here.”

We carried Andrea to the car. Libby got in the back seat with her. She was still shaking and crying.

“Where are we going?” asked Andrea.

Libby looked at me like what IS our next move.

Andrea was whimpering and finally asked me, “What are you going to do to me?”

I said” How about a hot bath and a warm bed? And by the way, Andrea, that bastard can never hurt you or anyone else again. All the way home, Andrea had her arms wrapped around Libby. It was almost like she was afraid if she let go, something bad would happen again. Libby all but carried Andrea into the house.

I stopped for sandwiches at the sub shop on the way home. I placed them on the table along with the condiments and ice water. Libby opened the wrapper on her sub, but Andrea didn’t move. Knowing how Libby reacted at first, I let her take the lead on dealing with this.

“Andrea?” Libby said softly but Andrea almost jumped out of her skin.

“Andrea, it is alright. You can eat your sandwich.”

Andrea just sat there staring at her food. I was watching a woman who had been so abused, she was afraid to move. I’m not sure if it was horror or pity, as I watched this poor woman.

“Charlie, you are going to have to tell her she can eat.”

“Andrea,” Charlie said softly, “you can eat your sandwich. It is yours.”

Now I am furious. I’m glad Trevor is dead. She grabbed the Sub and attacked it like a starving animal. It was gone in a minute. I looked at Libby, she had tears in her eyes. I pushed my Sub toward Andrea. She looked up at me so sheepishly. She gently pulled it toward her and devoured it. There must be a certain section in Hell for people.

About a week went by and Andrea was making great strides. She was smiling and listening to music. A very happy sight to behold. Weeks turned into months, and Andrea was fitting right in with the running of the house and the loving in the house. She approached Libby and me several times about getting a job, but we insisted she “run the house”’ for us. And she became more and more relaxed and loving day by day.

Five months had gone by, and I went outside to throw a bag of trash away, but when I came back in, I was surprised. Libby came up to me with a grin like the Cheshire Cat. A mischievous grin at that.

“Charlie, we have a surprise for you. Why don’t you take your shower and relax?”

“What mischief have you two conjured up? Is this two on one?” I asked with a smile.

“You’ll just have to wait and see.” Libby leaves the room.

I get ready for my shower which consists of me and a robe and head for the bath. I got the water almost perfectly and got in. I was just soaping up the washcloth when the curtain parts and Andrea was standing there wearing only a smile.