Taryn found the place on Mill Street where she had to do her community service. As the judge had ordered, it was a non-profit organization to help people with addictions. It was called Hope's Place. Taryn could see the sign in the window. It was a simple looking sign and the building looked very plain compared to the other stores and offices around it.
She went into the place, and it was as plain inside as it was out; one couch, in a fake brown leather, and three simple chairs of the same thing. A plastic coffee table with a few pamphlets and a plastic plant sitting in the middle of it made up the rest of the décor. The walls were just plain.
She saw someone sitting behind the counter.
"I'm here to do community service," Taryn said.
"Come on back," said the receptionist.
"What do I do?" Taryn asked.
"Man the phones, make appointments, just generally explain to people what we can do," said the receptionist. "Have a seat."
There was no one else in the room. There were a bunch of desks with phones. Taryn picked up one of the ubiquitous pamphlets. It was all about meetings and counseling and books to read.
A man came in, extending his hand. "Hi, I'm AJ Quartermaine," he said. "You're the new volunteer?"
"Sort of," Taryn said, standing up to shake his hand and introduce herself.
"Nice to meet you, Taryn," he said. "I'm a recovering alcoholic. You look a little young for that, though."
"I don't think I'm an alcoholic," Taryn said. "I was drunk that one night."
"Got a DUI?"
"No, in the end the plea bargain was for disturbing the peace. I had this defense of necessity; I only drove the car to get it off the railroad tracks when a train was coming."
"Oh, I remember reading about that in the local paper."
Taryn grimaced.
"Made you a little too notorious for a while, didn't it?" AJ grinned.
Taryn nodded.
"Be thankful," AJ said. "My story is much worse." He told Taryn how he had been driving drunk and how his brother Jason, who was a passenger, had gotten badly hurt.
"I got hurt in an accident once," Taryn said. "And the driver wasn't drunk. Just mad. Skye Quartermaine."
"That's my sister," AJ said. "You were one of the ones that got hurt in that? I'm sorry."
"I'm OK now. I know your sister Emily, too. I was dating one of the guys in the band. Or maybe, still am."
"The band? Oh, that band Emily has friends in, that plays at the London Underground?"
"Yeah. Friends," Taryn was starting to get wary. Maybe AJ wasn't supposed to know Emily's boyfriend was the band's drummer, Wylie Doyle. You never knew with these Quartermaines. They seemed to have all sorts of problems.
