Before The Fall

Chapter 21 – "Sacrifices"

The black SUV comes to a spot amongst the towering pine trees. A cold bitter Maine wind blows through them as Max opens the car door. "Get out Peter and start walking. Oh and I haven't forgot about the money you owe me. I'll have someone come by Monday and pick it up. In the future when I tell you to pay me on time, I mean it."

Peter looks over at Anna as she squeezes his hand. "Go on, I'll be fine. Get back to the diner before Jules misses you." Peter hugs her before he exits the vehicle.

Max takes off her fur coat, crossing her legs over. With her hands in her lap she begins to give Anna an ultimatum. "Not really sure where to being but I guess the best thing to do is keep this simple. Dale is the best I have; he does his job and doesn't complain. He's going to keep working for me. I'm not letting him go, ever."

"Barbie knows you have him between a rock and hard place Max but he's smart. One day he will be free of you." Holding back a gloating grin Anna looks Max straight in the eyes.

"Is that so Anna? You and Dale playing house together, like a real couple. If you two are so damn close why didn't he tell you he and I were once a couple. Oh yes, Dale and I are good in business and in bed. I take it from that look on your face your precious Barbie left that out. Sweetheart, Dale has a dark side a mile wide and I should know, I've seen every side of him." Max's eyes sparkle with an excitement as a victorious smile spreads across her lips.

Swallowing the bile burning at the back of her throat, Anna composes herself to answer Max back. "What may or may not have happened between you and Barbie is so long ago he's forgotten about it. Trust me it's my name he says in his sleep and my name on his lips when he's coming. He may work for you, done things he's not proud of but that man has truly put you behind him. Barbie, my Barbie is slipping away from you or you wouldn't be having this conversation with me."

Max reaches over to her purse, pulling out a handgun. "This is how this is going to go. I could kill you but then Dale would get all self-righteous and try to kill me. The only way I get to keep him is if you leave and the only way he's leaving you is if you make him. You're probably wondering why Dale would leave you. Let me fill you in little sister. Dale and I were good, no we were great together and we can be again but he just needs to see that. Since he met you he's not been thinking straight, he's not been my Dale. Here are your choices, you leave him and he lives. You don't and you both die. Don't think I won't kill him cause I will. As I child I was never good and sharing and I'm not much better at it now. Let him go Anna dear or I'll blow his pretty little brains out." She taps on the window alerting the man outside she's ready to go.

As the SUV pulls back out Anna ponders the current situation over in her mind. Max was a bookie, a criminal when you get right down to it. Max was being a complete bitch. She'd kill Dale if she couldn't have him, she'd kill them both. Her hands begin to tremble as she comes to the realization that she had to give up the love her life to save him.

Peter is waiting at the diner for her when they pull up. Before Anna can get out of the SUV Max grips her hand. "I'm not kidding Anna, he's mine or he's dead."

Anna's eyes lock on the handgun in Max's lap as she exits the vehicle. Peter is quickly at her side, the two of them rush off to his car. "I was worried about you. What did she want with you?"

"Just go home Peter. I want to leave as soon as possible." She sits quietly gazing out the car window as her world crumbles around her.

Rushing into the house she grabs her suitcase and rushes back out to her car. Julia and her Mom come walking out only to see Anna pulling out of the driveway. Anna knew she had to get home to Dale, had to see him one last time.

Her cell phone rings at least a hundred times between Maine and New York. She finally takes all she can of the constant buzzing and tosses it in the glove box. Pushing her car to its limit, she drives all day. When she pulls up to the cottage she sees Dale running out to her, his blue eyes carrying a bit of concern.

Two large arms engulf her as she gets out of the car. He kisses her over and over, his fingers twisting into her hair. "I was so worried. I called you a dozen times or more but you never answered. A million awful ideas entered my head but you're here and you're alright." He holds her to him as she begins to cry.

Pushing away from Dale she runs into the house, locking herself in the bathroom. Dale follows her, not sure what could be wrong. He knocks on the door only to get an angry response. "Go away Dale!"

"Anna Shaw, don't make me kick this door in." His voice boomed back at her, letting her know he meant business.

She throws the door open, her mind made up to end it now. "You'll never guess who I ran into."

Dale stares back at her, his brows creasing. "Who?"

Anna side steps around him, stomping out to the living room. "Does the name Maxine mean anything to you?"

"Oh God, how did you run into her?" He reaches out for her but she dodges him.

"Yes … Max is a she. You didn't tell me about her because maybe you two had a thing. Do you still have a thing with her Barbie, is that why you can't leave her?" Anna tries to pick a fight with him in the hopes she can push him away.

"Stop being like this. You know I love you and only you Annie. I didn't tell you about Max because she doesn't matter. The Annie I know is better than this. Please calm down and let's talk." Dale reaches for her hand only to have her swat him away.

"You're not who I thought you were Dale. You hid an entire side of yourself from me. It's not like you didn't have a chance to tell me about Max. I don't care you two had a thing but I do care that you felt like you had to hid it from me. I don't need this shit Dale. I went through this once with a boyfriend, I'm not going through it again." She turns to go into the bedroom only to have Dale grab her.

"Where is all of this coming from? Did your sister say something to you? There is more going on here besides the fact I didn't tell you everything about Max." They sit down in the hallway, Anna fighting back the urge to kiss him hard.

"Since we've been together I've given up a job I loved, left an apartment I loved and gave up on a story that I'm sure I could have gotten to the bottom of. Yeah I've had a lot of time to think Barbie and I need to be alone. I need … to go back to Chicago without you." A single tear rolls down her cheek as she looks up at him.

"What did Max say to you? I know you love me Anna, you love me and there isn't anything you can say to change my mind." He kisses her softly, almost breaking her resolve.

"Dale Barbara I love you so much it's killing me but like I said I can't do this again. Once bitten twice shy." Dale strokes her face as she tries harder.

"I'd never hurt you Anna but if you need some time apart then I can give you that. I'm not letting you go that easy." He pulls her up from the floor, his lips taking her again.

"I don't need some time apart. I'm done Dale." Anna could see the hurt in his eyes, the loving look on face all but gone.

He walks down the hallway, looking back at her. "If this is really the end then so be it but Anna I still love you."

Without another word he walks out of the cottage and out of her life. She falls to the floor and lies there all night sobbing.

The next morning finds her still in the hallway floor, her eyes swollen from all her tears. Pulling herself together she goes out to her car to get her cell phone. As expected she has 32 missed calls and 12 texts from Julia. Scrolling through the calls she sees one from Dale.

Her fingers fly across the phone screen as she dials her voicemail. Holding her breath she stops when she hears Dale's voice. "I can't believe you gave up on us. I know Max is behind this and as soon as I figure out why I'll be back. I love you Anna."

Anna knew in an instant what she had to do, she had to run. Run away from Dale, Julia and all this mess that her life had become. She slides her phone in her pocket when it rings. A small smile forms on her face when she sees its Elliot.

"Anna, are you okay?" The panic in his voice tells her Julia had gotten to him.

"I'll be fine Elliot. Do me a favor, come to New York and help me pack up. I need to go on a trip." She walks back in the house as she spots Dale's denim jacket. With a lump in her throat she picks it up.

"Trip? Okay cousin but if you're going a trip why not take me with you. I don't have a job and Amber and I could use a road trip." Elliot was hiding something from her but she would get to the bottom of that later.

"That's fine Elliot, just come get me." She ends the call, curling up on the couch with Dale's jacket.