Chapter 49: Runaway

Julianna flew into her cottage and raced into her bedroom. She knew she only had a matter of minutes before Richie came after her. In her bedroom, she lowered the security bar on the slider, and drew the blinds. She made sure all her doors were locked. What she was doing was for the best, and she didn’t want her emotions to interfere with that. Moreover, she didn’t want him to interfere with that.

Julianna pulled suitcases from her closet, and started to fill them, grabbing clothes at random. She’d move to Manhattan sooner than usual, but she’d be able to protect Richie from dealing with this. What was I thinking, she berated herself. No way am I ready to be someone’s love. I’m too broken. No way I’ll ever be good enough. Tears were tracking down her cheeks as she finished filling the largest of the suitcases.

Running into her bathroom, she grabbed the essentials and tossed them into the smaller bag. She could buy whatever was missing once she got to New York. She just needed to get there. By now, Richie probably noticed she was gone. She cut through to the garage, and loaded her bags into the back of her car. She ran back into the cottage to grab some money and the keys to the Manhattan apartment from the safe in her library. She could hear footsteps on the porch. She slammed the safe closed; she was out of time.

It had taken Richie exactly ten seconds after he saw the door standing open to realize what had happened. He was in shock for another full minute, then let out a shout. “Shit!” His friends came running. Richie told them Julianna was gone, and he was going after her.

Richie tossed Julianna’s phone to Jon so he could call Nick and tell him what happened. Then he’d run across the expansive lawn faster than he’d ever run before. Jon was on the phone with Nick now. Tico and Dave were on their way over in the truck, in case they needed it. Richie fit the slider key into the lock. The key turned, but the door wouldn’t open. It was jammed somehow. He pounded on the window loudly calling out Julianna’s name. He tried the back door as well with no luck.

Too late, Richie registered the faint sound of a garage door. By the time he ran around to the front of the cottage, all he could see was the back end of a small car barreling down the driveway. He screamed Julianna’s name as he started to chase the car down the driveway. He couldn’t catch her. Richie started pacing, waiting for his friends.

‘C’mon, c’mon, c’mon, what the hell’s taking so long,” he muttered as he paced. Finally, the throaty sound of the Humvee’s engine could be heard coming up the driveway. Dave had the passenger-side window open, and had his head halfway out of it.

“Hurry!” he said. “We saw a car leave the driveway, it’s gotta be her!” Richie jumped into the back seat as Tico spun the truck around. Flooring the gas pedal, the truck lurched forward, tearing up the length of the driveway.

Richie pulled his cell from his pocket and got on the phone to Jon. “We’re too late, she’s gone,” he said, his voice registering panic. “Check with Nick; I’ll bet she’s heading for her apartment in Manhattan. Find out where it is and call me back?”

“You got it, man. Talk to you in five.” Jon disconnected and immediately called Nicky.

“Jon?” Nicky asked.

“Yeah. We think she split for the city. Tell me where her place is.”

“I don’t know if I should,” Nicky replied. “Maybe she needs her space. Maybe my brothers and I should talk to her first.”

“Listen, Nick. Rich is beside himself. He loves your sister, man, and she loves him. They need to sort this out themselves, and they can’t do that if he can’t fucking find her!” Jon was shouting now. He hated the feeling of impotence. “I can find out other ways, you know. We’ll know where she is, it’s just a matter of time.” He switched tactics. “Please, man. You saw them last night. You know how Rich was taking care of her today. I’m begging man, and that ain’t my style.”

Nicky blew out a breath. “OK. I’ll trust you with this. But so help me God, if any of you hurt her? Just know there isn’t anyplace on God’s green Earth any of you can hide.”

“Yeah, yeah, I got it. Just gimme the goddamn address. Jesus.” Nicky complied and Jon disconnected without saying another word.

Jon called Richie back with the information, then used Julianna’s phone to call the car service they used last night. He identified himself and asked for the Michael that drives for Julianna. When told it was his day off, Jon swore. The helpful dispatcher offered to connect him to Michael’s cell phone; an offer which Jon less than graciously accepted. When he got the younger man on the phone, Jon asked Michael to drive him to Manhattan. Jon told him he’d make it worth his while. Michael agreed, and Jon asked him to come with the car to the main house; Jon would be waiting.

Disconnecting the call, Jon went to his and Richie’s rooms and packed overnight bags. No way was Richie going to leave until he talked to Julianna, and no way he was going to leave Richie there alone. Thinking more about the situation, he went back and packed bags for Dave and Tico. If he knew his friends, they wouldn’t leave Richie either. In an unconscious move, he grabbed Richie’s guitar case from his bedroom. It was as essential to his friend as breathing, especially when he needed strength or inspiration.

Jon brought everything out onto the porch and waited for Michael to arrive. He found it hard to believe that only a couple short months ago, they were just settling in to this place. So much has changed since that day. So much good change. He didn’t want to see all of that wasted or negated by this. Come hell or high water, he would make sure that his friend was not hurt again; even if it meant risking the wrath of the Cavanaugh brothers.

* * * * *

The closer to New York Julianna got, the calmer she felt. Run and hide. Run and hide. That’s what her mind was screaming at her. As the miles flew by, Julianna could feel her tension level subsiding, and her faculties coming back into focus. About an hour into her trip, she started cursing herself for her knee-jerk reaction to her panic attack. But, in the end, she stood by her decision; it was really in Richie’s best interest not to be saddled with a psycho, but she should have handled it better. She should have explained things to him; made him see that this was the only logical choice. Maybe once she calmed down.

The closer to New York Richie got, the more agitated he felt. “Why would she run from me,” he said out loud to himself. He replayed last night’s conversations in his head over and over, and still couldn’t see this coming. He was starting to feel some of the old blackness creeping in, but was making an effort to block it. He was not going to just give in. He knew where that would lead, and he didn’t want to go back there. He just kept an eye on the time and the odometer. No sense in agonizing over it now, he thought. They’d be in Manhattan within the hour. He’d make her explain herself; make her see that she didn’t have to run from him; that he’d stand by her while she sorted this all out.

The closer to New York Jon got, the angrier he felt. If she was going to turn on Richie at the first sign of conflict, then she wasn’t the strong woman he thought she was. He’d have to reassess his character radar. The only thing keeping him from going completely bananas was the fact that Richie seemed to be rising to the occasion; to be handling this well on his own. He’d be there to support his friend, but he’d be damned if he’d stand by to watch him fall apart again. He’d break Julianna’s door down if need be and make her listen to Richie. He hadn’t been married to a black belt for so many years without learning a few tricks. He asked Michael how much longer the trip would take, and settled back to stew.

Julianna sped into the underground garage of her building. The man at the gate was familiar; she’d driven past him hundreds of times since buying the apartment. Damned if she could remember his name now. With a flippant wave, she pulled into the garage and navigated to her spot. She went up to her apartment, taking only her purse. Once ensconced in her 15th floor apartment, she called down to the doorman, and begged him to have someone bring her bags from the car. It wasn’t something they usually do for their tenants, but Julianna was always polite, respectful, and generous at the holidays, so the staff went out of their way to do things for her.

Julianna told the doorman that she would appreciate his always impeccable discretion in keeping her residence a secret for now; she didn’t want to be disturbed by anyone, including family. She was assured it was not a problem. Fifteen minutes later, one of the receptionists had brought her bags from the car, and Julianna tipped her generously. Closing the door behind her, she sagged against it for a moment, then went about opening windows to air the place out.

Fully relaxing for the first time since waking into the great room of her house, she took stock of the situation, and nearly collapsed. In front of her new friends, she acted like a child, running away like that. At the very least, in front of business partners, she looked completely unprofessional. Finally, in front of the man she professed to love, she betrayed the trust he had shown and ran away without explanation. Now, she was hiding out. Julianna now let herself collapse onto the couch in her living room, and she cried the first real tears of self-pity she’d shed in quite some time. She cried until she was exhausted, crawled to her bedroom, flung herself into bed, curled into a fetal position, and fell asleep.

Hours later, the phone roused her. The sun was streaming in her window, slanting across her bed. Julianna moaned, not ready to be awake. Flailing for the phone on the bedside table, she answered without opening her eyes. It was too bright in there for her. “’Lo?” she answered sleepily.

“Jules?” It was Nicky on the phone. “Are you OK?”

“Huh? What? Who is this?” Julianna was completely disoriented. She couldn’t place the voice on the phone. She wasn’t sure where she was. All she knew for sure was that her heart ached, her eyes were sore, and her throat was dry.

“Jules, it’s Nicky. I’ve been trying to reach you for hours. What’s the matter? Are you there?”

“Yeah,” she answered slowly, “I’m here. What do you want?”

“What do you mean, ‘what do you want’? What the hell do you think I want? I want to know what the hell you think you’re doing, and why you’ve left instructions for no visitors.” Nicky was good and pissed off. “Hell, I can’t even get past Joseph. He said you weren’t there.”

“Nicky, it should be obvious that I’m not in the mood for this right now.” Julianna was getting pissed herself. She threw back the covers and got out of bed. She crossed to the windows and pulled the drapes, making the room nice and dark, then flopped down on the bed again. “I’m here to work. I told you I was coming to the city,” she hedged, not wanting to get into it.

“That’s bullshit, and you know it,” Nicky said angrily. His voice softened. “You’re running away, and we’ll be damned if we let you do this to yourself. You know this isn’t the answer. So you had a panic attack. So what? Nobody thinks any less of you for that. Everyone understands.” His voice got hard again. “What we will think less of you for is continuing to hide out. You’re a grownup, for Christ’s sake, act like one.”

Julianna didn’t say anything for a long moment. She started pacing around her room. “I know you’re right, but I can’t deal with this now. I have a finale to stage, rehearsals to hold; I need to forget about all of this and absorb myself in my work. You know it’s what I need.”

“What you need, little sister,” Nicky said, exasperated, “is a kick in the ass. Do you know who I have down here with me?” Julianna groaned. “That’s right,” he continued. “They’re all here. All of them. They haven’t left the sidewalk since they got here. I think Tico broke some sort of land speed record getting here, and scared the shit out of Dave and Richie. Jon dragged your favorite driver, Michael, away from a day off to schlep him all the way out here. They love you, Jules. They want to help you. Don’t be selfish. Let them help you.”

Hearing nothing on the other end, Nicky pressed. “Julianna, you’re scaring us. All of us. Rich is beside himself; he doesn’t believe that this isn’t his fault. He’s really broken up about this. If you won’t see us, at least, please, see him. Let him talk to you.”

Julianna was quiet, continuing the laps around her room. She couldn’t stand the thought of seeing Richie’s beautiful face twisted in pain; especially knowing she caused it. “No,” she finally said, and hung up the phone.