Surfacing
Part 8
By Lauren
She felt weighted, pulled down. Pulled down by hands? Pulled down by gravity?
Pulled down by memories, she finally decided.
The next flashback sucked her in almost immediately after the last one had ended. It was cold outside, she could tell, but she was at Company and she was warm and comfortable.
It was the same day as her talk with Andy Reardon at the Journal, and she felt uneasy because of the entire thing. Selena must have sensed it, because she approached Drew with a steaming cup of hot chocolate moments after Drew had walked in.
“Hi, honey,” Selena said softly, giving Drew a motherly peck on the cheek.
“Hey, mom,” Drew replied wearily, dropping into an empty booth. “How have things been around here today?”
“Oh, busy, busy,” Selena answered quickly, her face lined with worry. “Is everything okay with you?”
Drew reached for the cocoa and sipped at it. It burned her tongue. “I’m okay.”
Selena sat down across from Drew in the booth and picked up one of her hands, rubbing it reassuringly. “Is Jesse…” Drew had showed up at Selena’s place on New Year’s Day, bawling, and had explained the entire story about Jesse and Maureen Bauer’s heart.
“Jesse’s fine,” Drew responded, her face falling a little. “I just talked to Andy Reardon at the Journal.”
Selena’s brow furrowed. “Who’s Andy Reardon?”
“I think he’s a cousin to Michelle somehow,” she explained. “I don’t really know. He’s a friend of my bartender.”
“So what did Andy Reardon say that could possibly have you this upset?” Selena asked, her voice edged with confusion.
“You know, it was nothing, really…it’s just some stuff I overheard in the office. It’s stupid, really. I almost laughed when I heard about it, but now it doesn’t seem so funny.”
“Well, are you going to tell me what it is?” Selena asked with an innocent grin.
“I…it’s just…ugh,” Drew groaned. “What exactly do you think of Michelle Bauer?”
“Michelle Bauer…well, honey, you know that I lived with the Bauers for a while when I first moved to Springfield,” Selena reminded. Drew nodded. “I know that the two of you don’t get along. But Michelle’s not a bad person.”
“Nauseatingly good is more like it,” Drew sneered automatically.
Selena sighed. “I think that’s the reason you two don’t get along. Well, besides Jesse, anyway.”
And the fact that I slept with her husband, Drew mused. “Well, anyway, to make a long story short, I overheard this Andy guy and Marah Lewis talking about some business that involves Danny.”
“Do you think Michelle and the baby are in danger?” Selena asked, concern etched on her face.
“I…I don’t really know,” Drew sputtered. “I was sort-of eavesdropping, and I got caught before I heard what was actually going on.”
“Hm,” Selena murmured. “And so you’re wondering why you’re worried about Michelle. Since you’re supposed to hate her so much.”
“Basically…yeah, I guess so,” Drew replied, leaning her cheek on her other hand.
“Drew, I believe you’re having what is commonly known as a conscience,” Selena said with a wry smile.
Drew wrinkled her nose. “That doesn’t sound good.”
Selena laughed. “Well, honey, I don’t mean to hurt your feelings, but it’s a pretty normal occurrence in most people.”
Drew managed a small smile. “If you say so. You know, I think it’s probably just because of the baby. I mean, I may hate Michelle, but I’m not a monster. I don’t want to see her baby put in any danger.”
“That could be it,” Selena said. “And if so, it’s perfectly human.”
“Yuck,” Drew said, grimacing. “Humanity. Thought I was immune to all this stuff.”
Selena dropped Drew’s hand and walked around the booth, sliding in next to Drew. She pulled Drew into a hug and stroked her arms comfortingly. “You amaze me. I’m happy that you’re so strong.”
“Jesse says I’m pigheaded, not strong,” Drew offered, and Selena laughed again.
“Well, I think that might be a little of it,” Selena agreed. “But you run the club, and you take care of Jesse when he needs it, and you’re responsible for Max, and you still have time and energy to pry into other people’s lives.”
Drew laughed weakly. “I have to do something to amuse myself, don’t I?”
“I just don’t think you give yourself enough credit. You’ve looked at Michelle for so long and placed yourself a level below her. I don’t know why you do that.”
“Isn’t it obvious? Michelle had a wonderful, caring family when she grew up…no offense…” she said, wishing she could take the words back the second they left her lips.
“None taken,” Selena said, gently running her hand over Drew’s hair.
“And she has a wonderful husband, and a baby on the way. And let’s face it, she’s one of the most beloved members of the community. I’m generally looked upon as trash.”
“Stop putting yourself down.”
“Sorry, but I can’t help the way I feel. When I was in high school, I was always the kind of girl that the guys took out after they had dinner with their girlfriends. Michelle was the girlfriend.”
“Michelle has just as many problems as you do. They’re not the same kind of problems, but they’re problems just the same. She may have had a loving family when she grew up, but now her mother’s dead and her father’s off God knows where doing God knows what.”
“And I have you,” Drew said, breathing in deeply. “Mom…speaking of families…there’s…ah…something you probably ought to know.”
“I’m aware that you’re searching for your dad,” Selena said, startling Drew.
“What?” she asked, pulling away and looking up at Selena in disbelief.
“I noticed that the ‘little black book’ was missing a few weeks ago when I was working on the accounts for the restaurant,” she confessed. “Naturally, I assumed you’d taken it.”
“I’m so sorry I didn’t tell you…” Drew began. “I thought you’d be mad…”
“I’m not mad,” Selena replied firmly. “I do wish you had told me, but I’m not mad. How could I be? All you want to know is where you come from.”
“I haven’t gotten any leads,” Drew admitted. “Michelle’s been helping me out, and neither of us has come up with anything.”
Selena raised her eyebrows. “Michelle was helping you?”
“Yeah, sort of,” Drew acknowledged. “I didn’t exactly know who else to turn to. So I asked her for help.”
“Then it’s possible,” Selena started, “that the two of you could be…friends?”
“Ugh, God, no,” Drew said, disgusted. “But she’s always seemed pretty trustworthy.”
“Then it is completely natural and okay for you to be concerned about this whole Danny thing,” Selena announced. “Do you think he’s told her?”
“Knowing Danny, I doubt it,” Drew sighed.
“Maybe that’s for the best,” Selena suggested.
Drew shook her head. “Somehow I doubt it. Michelle likes to stick her nose in other people’s business, and she can’t stand when people don’t tell her what’s going on.”
Selena laughed and stood up. “I’m really sorry, honey, but I ought to get to work before Buzz decides to fire me again.”
“Oh, you think he’ll fire you?” Drew asked playfully, a glint in her eye. “Somehow I doubt that.”
Drew detected a faint blush on Selena’s cheeks. “Michelle likes to stick her nose into other people’s business?” she replied lightly, raising an eyebrow.
Drew laughed. “Always denying the truth,” she chided, clicking her tongue.
“Ha, ha,” Selena answered.
“Wait, before you go, I want you to tell me what I should do about this whole Michelle and Danny thing,” Drew requested.
Selena leaned on the edge of the booth. “Well, it’s eating you up, I can tell, and that’s about the last thing you need. Do you think you should go talk to her?”
“Talk to her,” Drew repeated, contemplating the idea. “Well, you know, if I’m going to have one good and moral day in my life, it might as well be a doozy,” she decided, getting up from the booth. “Wait, do I need to pay for this hot chocolate?”
“On the house,” Selena called back to her, crossing the room to a table of customers who had just sat down.
Drew nodded and called out a general goodbye. Buzz, who was at the register talking on the telephone, waved recognition, and Susan, who was cleaning off tables, called a farewell back.
Danny and Michelle, at Grandma Santos’s request, were still living in Carmen’s house, and it was a good twenty-minute drive from Company. Drew found herself a little panicky on the way, not only because she was stepping onto Carmen’s territory, but also because her gas meter told her she was running nearly on empty.
She made it safely to the house and parked the car across the street, trekking up the long walkway, pulling her coat more tightly around her torso. The house itself was freaky and dark, reminding Drew of a haunted mansion from a ghost story she’d read as a child. The driveway was circular and lined with trees. To her surprise, Carmen’s luxury sedan was gone from its usual place out front.
Steeling herself, Drew rang the doorbell and heard the chiming sound echo through the marble rooms of the impressive house. When no answer had come after about a minute, Drew poised her hand to ring the bell again. Just as she was about to press the button, the door was jerked open.
Danny stood before her, his eyes tired and ringed with dark circles, a five o’clock shadow occupying his jaw. His jeans and T-shirt were wrinkled. All in all, he looked like he hadn’t slept in about five days.
“Drew? Is something wrong?” Danny asked, his voice scratchy.
“No, no, I just came to talk to Michelle,” she began. She lifted an eyebrow. “Are you sick or something?”
“No, I’m perfectly fine,” he replied, “but Michelle had a scare last night.”
“A scare?” Drew asked, her heart beating rapidly. “What kind of a scare are you talking about?”
“We thought there might have been something wrong with the baby,” Danny answered. “Do you want to come in for a second? It’s freezing out there.”
“Yeah, sure,” Drew replied, stepping into the foyer. Danny closed the door behind her and ran a hand through his disheveled curls. “So are Michelle and the baby okay?”
“Well, she’s home now,” Danny said. “The doctors at Cedars really aren’t sure what was wrong.”
“I hate to ask, but is there any way I could talk to her?” Drew asked cautiously.
Danny looked at her probingly. “Is it really important? She had finally gotten to sleep when I came down to answer the door.”
“It’s pretty important,” Drew admitted.
“Well…okay,” Danny agreed reluctantly. “But if she’s still asleep, please don’t wake her up. We’ve both had a difficult day.”
“I’ll keep it short,” Drew promised, heading toward the stairs and beginning to ascend to the second floor. She looked down at Danny, who was walking toward the office, massaging the back of his neck wearily
Even the stairs in this place are imposing, Drew marveled as she climbed the staircase quickly. She walked down one hall and then another, searching for Danny and Michelle’s bedroom. She had only been there once before, on their wedding day, and had forgotten the way.
Finally she stumbled upon a familiar looking door and gently twisted the doorknob. Before she opened the door, however, she had a conscience attack: was it her place to tell Michelle what she had overheard at the Journal?
She ought to know, Drew decided, gently pushing the door open. She wasn’t in the right place, though; she had entered the nursery that was being prepared for the new baby. It was magnificent, with soft colors and beautiful antique furniture. This was probably Danny’s crib, and maybe even his father’s, Drew thought, walking inside and carefully running her fingers over the shiny wood.
She took one last look and walked out, shutting the door with a quiet click. An identical door was across the hall, opened a crack so that Drew could see a light inside. She was certain that it was the right room and silently entered.
She was right; it was Danny and Michelle’s room. The ornate wallpaper and furnishings stole Drew’s attention for a moment, before she looked over to see Michelle sleeping peacefully on the huge mahogany bed. Her lavender-colored T-shirt was pushed up a little, exposing her swollen belly. To her surprise, Drew could see the baby move slightly.
It’s not my place, she decided, quickly exiting and hurrying back down the staircase. Danny emerged from the office. “Did you talk to her?” he asked.
“No, she was still asleep,” Drew answered. “Thanks, though, and tell her I said to feel better.”
Danny’s face fell a little. “I’ll tell her. Good night, Drew,” he said.
“Good night,” she replied, opening the door. The cold air was shocking, and she gritted her teeth as she walked into it.
As the door shut, so did her memory, and the dusky twilight of that February night gave way to silent darkness.