Love's An Electric Storm.
Hey Guys – Sorry about the delay in getting this chapter up. Unfortunately that will be the case with this book as things are really busy at the moment and delays can not be helped.
MDexter – Thank you for the welcome back and welcome back to you! It's been a while since Love Hurts and so I was wondering if you'd be back for this one! Your review filled me with such joy! I'm so glad you loved the first chapter and that you were looking forward to the next one. Well wait no more, here it is xoxo.
Ok guys so we're delving a little deeper into this one. Enjoy and let me know what you think.
Chapter Two – Looks can be deceiving.
"Ok," Lauren began as she parked the shopping trolley in the party section. "Straws, Napkins, Ball- Oh – no not those ones sweetie."
Lauren took the packet of white straws out of Jay's hands and put them back on the shelf.
"Rein's party needs color. Lots and lots of color."
"How about these spiral ones?" Jay asked having moved a little bit away.
"For you, yes. For me, right on!" Lauren remarked. "But for Rein…no…I think this one will do."
She held up a packet of 100 straws all the bendy variety and all different colors.
"So, how's Andy adjusting to life back in the justice world?" she asked as she continued to take things off the shelf and put them into the trolley.
"Oh," Jay replied thinking. "I think he's doing well. I mean, they have him doing this one case that's so simple he could probably win it with his hands tied behind his back. But then benefits it brings!-"
"Oooh!" Lauren squealed. "Do tell!"
"Let's just say," Jay replied. "That things are looking good for us. Though…"
Lauren's smile faded as they rounded the corner to the crisps section. She stopped the cart and looked at Jay concerned.
"Though what Jay?" she asked.
"Though if I had it my way, he'd be working with us at the Détendez-Vous," Jay admitted. "I mean, I'm happy for him and I know what he's doing is important, but…"
"But?" Lauren nudged.
"But I can't help but wait for the other shoe to drop. I mean your boyfriend's nice and all but when he gets on a role and realizes how easy this current case is for Andy, I'm sure he'll load him up with 2 or 3 like he has in the past."
"Want me to talk to him?" Lauren asked concerned.
"No," Jay sighed. "From what Andy says billables are the most important thing at Shawner and Shamerson. He'd probably kick Andy out, just because you brought it up thanks to me."
Lauren felt bad for Jay and by association Andy. They had only just gotten back from their honey moon and even then, it's not like they had that much alone time, what with all the activities Mel had been suggesting.
"I've got it!" Lauren cried, almost surprised she hadn't thought of it earlier. "Why don't I book the Praesus Locus for you guys for when it's next available? Then you can have some copely time alone?"
Jay beamed at the idea.
How fitting it would be for them to return to the very room that hosted some of the most important moments in their lives so far.
"*"
Later that afternoon Jay and Rein had gone to pick Andy up from campus. He was still studying his law degree and it hasn't taken long for the 3 to arrange a coffee date catch-up for every Thursday afternoon after his classes.
Jay was a little bit worried about Rein. Lauren had told him that she had been very quiet this week and couldn't seem to work out why. Yes Rein was quiet almost all the time, but even on the ride over Jay had noticed it was much more quiet then usual. The standard Hey Jay had not been followed up with anything until a we're here when they'd arrived at the campus.
So when Rein nudged him to ask if that was Andy on the other side of the court yard, Jay nearly jumped out of his skin.
"Oh – ah -yeah," he replied. "It is. Andy!"
Andy spotted the pair right away and raced up to give Rein a hug and his husband a kiss.
"How's school going?" Rein asked. "Any more run ins with the dean?"
Rein had been referring to last year when Andy was called into the Dean's office for taking too much time off from school – and yet – somehow had walked out of that meeting having passed his first year.
"No," Andy replied. "But if Hazelda gets her way I might be."
"Who's Hazelda?" Rein asked.
"What did Fire-Dragon do now?" Jay asked. "And more importantly when can I finally meet her, if you know what I mean?"
Andy knew exactly what Jay meant and that was why he'd never introduced them. Ms Hazelda had been a total hard-ass on Andy ever since he'd returned from his honey moon. Her view of him taking time to consummate his marriage was nothing more than 'prioritizing with extracurricular activities' over school.
She'd even started making several examples of Andy whenever he didn't know the answer to some questions ('This is why we don't prioritize outside of the law field Mr Thompson') and at other times hadn't even waited to ask, like the time she spoke about torts ('Which people like Thompson would know if they'd sorted out their priorities').
What frustrated Andy more than the taunts of his honey moon, was that he actually knew all about torts and other things she hadn't bothered to ask about. But it had become clear early on that Fire-Dragon needed to have a target, which some of the 3rd years had already told him, and this year it seemed that person was Andy.
"Latro-Mare or Palmer's?" Rein asked.
"Palmer's?" Andy shot back, wondering why in the world Rein would suggest such a place.
Palmer's Café was a café that was owned by Lauren's former boyfriend – if you could call him that. Palmer seemed to be the best thing in the world for Lauren, until everyone came to find out that he had been working with T.E.
"Oh sorry," Rein said quickly. "I forgot to tell you. It's been restored, opened back up and Rachael's running things now."
Rachael was Palmer's supervisor and had really stepped up to the task while Palmer had gone out of town to deal with, as he'd put it, Bean Suppliers. In actuality he had been going to T.E./Jenny to assist in any way he could. By the time everyone had discovered that Palmer was either T.E. himself or at least on the team everyone had gotten to know Rachael well enough for her to consider them regulars.
When she had called Mel to let her know that Palmer had finally returned, Mel was very quick to tell her to 'get out now' so that she wouldn't be in harm's way when everything went down. It was a good thing she had too, because the scenes that followed with T.E. were anything but pretty.
"Oh," Andy replied simply. "That's nice. But all the same, I'm really in the mood for one of Charles' Extra Caramel Latte's."
"Latro-Mare it is!" Rein replied cheerfully.
As the back and forth banter continued between the two, Jay couldn't help but continue to wonder about Rein's quietness. Sure, she'd frozen her mom out of things and he'd even experienced it himself, but why then was Andy so special? Why was she acting – which is Jay's opinion was exactly what she was doing – this way in front of Andy? Surely if she could be herself around anyone it would be him?
"*"
20 minutes later Rein's issues were the furthest thing on Jay's mind as everyone began to catch up with each other. Rein advised that she'd been working hard at school and was very close to graduating.
"With all those extra courses your taking, I'm not surprised!" Jay had put in.
"Ah – Rein?" Andy questioned, knowing what she was like. "Exactly how many extra classes are you taking?"
"Oh, don't worry," Rein shooed away. "I'm only taking 8 extra now."
"Eight?" Andy hissed lest he scream it out. "Rein!"
"What?" she asked. "It was 12, but I simply couldn't handle them all. It was tough giving up studies of Egyptology-"
"And how, pray tell, does Egyptology relate to journalism?" Jay asked laughing.
"It doesn't," Rein answered aloofly. "But I wanted to ensure a well-rounded course."
"That's our Rein," Andy laughed. "Always wanting t-"
He stopped as Jay tapped him on the shoulder making signals with his eyes to look at the entrance of the café.
Andy looked over while Rein whirled around to see Alison, Mel's former assistant and helper of T.E. walk into the room.
"Alison?" Andy whispered, forcing Rein to whirl back around. "When did she get out of jail?"
As far as all 3 had known, Alison and Palmer had been found – after doing a runner – the day of Andy and Jay's wedding and both had been arrested. Palmer had eventually been put to death, but Alison, who nabbed a great lawyer ended up getting 10 years imprisonment.
Considering it hadn't even been 3 months, this had naturally rocked all 3 to their core!
"Pumpkin spice latte extra on the spice," they heard her order.
"No problems," Palmer replied taking her money and making his way over to make the drink.
"What do we do?!" Andy whispered to the others.
"I don't know about you, but I don't want to talk to her," Rein whispered back.
Andy and Jay nodded.
"Should we-" Andy began. "Should we…leave?"
"Yeah cause that won't look suspicious!" Jay shot back.
"Besides," Rein chimed in. "She's leaving."
The other 2 looked over to the counter and saw Charles handing Alison her beverage.
"Have a nice day," he said with a smile.
"You too!" she called out as she pulled open the door and walked through it.
"Have a nice day?!" Andy asked. "Have – a nice – day?! Does he not know what went down? Didn't Lauren tell him? I mean it's not like he was involved, but you would think that she would've at least warned him."
"Yes, you would think," came a voice from behind them.
Andy and Jay whirled around to see Palmer make his way to their table.
"Your voices travel," he admitted upon seeing their questioning looks. "Lauren didn't tell me, but I read about it in the papers. She's that Ally-Cat or something isn't she? The one that got involved with J-"
Charles stopped realizing who he was talking to.
"It's…ok Charles," Jay replied. "I'd rather you say her name then pussy-foot around it."
"I'm sorry Jay," Charles sighed. "I totally f-"
The rest of what Charles was about to say had been drowned out by the sound of Andy's phone.
"Sorry I better take this," he said as he noticed the name of the caller.
Stepping outside Andy hastily answered the phone.
"Spencer!" he began. "Before you say whatever it is, I'm sure Shamerson needs me to do – S.O.S – Ally's out of jail."
"*"
That night Andy and Jay prepared for Rein's party. Spencer had promised to check-in on what was happening with Ali but despite him knowing just how anal her research always was, it didn't stop Andy and Jay discussing it while getting ready.
"How long was she supposed to be in there?" Jay asked as he flung an array of options for his husband onto their bed, something they'd both become accustomed to.
"Life!" Andy replied indignantly. "She was lucky not to get the same fate as Palmer!"
"Is it possible she's been let out early for…that release thingy?" Jay asked.
"If you're talking about compassionate release," Andy began as a feather bower whizzed past his nose. "Then maybe, but you'd think Spencer would've said something considering how close they…were."
"Yeah exactly," Jay replied. "Were. I doubt she's going over to her parents' house-"
"Both of whom are dead mind you," Andy retorted, recalling her brother Jason having mentioned as much.
"Even more to my point!" Jay said. "What is Jason is hospital or something?"
"I think Rick would've told us if he was," Andy replied.
Rick other than being Andy's high school friend had come back into Andy's life 2 years ago during the reign of Lindsay as the Leader of Team Evil. Everyone had been convinced that he was involved with T.E. too, but he never was and at one point, prior to them finding out who T.E. was Andy had even successfully petitioned to have him sent back home to California.
Mel had surprised them when she'd delivered him to their wedding to ensure he didn't miss out on the big day and bygones and all in place everyone was happy to see him.
While at the reception Dinner, Rick had taken a liking to Jason and upon Andy introducing the two it hadn't taken long for the pair to begin dating. The pair were still very much together and whenever Rick had the chance to call Andy the majority of their conversation revolved around just how perfect Rick thought Jason to be for him.
"And if you're going to continue to insist on prepping clothes for me to wear," Andy smiled picking up the feather boa. "Then let's not think of Reins party as a night out at Babylon."
"So, no tight leggings then?" Jay asked smiling cheekily while removing the pair that Andy wore on their last visit to Pittsburgh's Gay Club.
"Ah…yeah. No." Andy laughed, placing the leggings back into the wardrobe. "I think I'll go with the white long sleeve Ralph Lauren and the matching pants."
Jay smiled.
In a matter of weeks, he'd gone from a boyfriend that wore all black to a husband that wore all white. Not that he minded, Andy's attitude seemed to have changed with the new color choice too and Jay had been all for both.
"Well in the spirit of matchy-matchy," Jay replied. "I'll do the white bonds top with the black jeans."
"*"
Not too much later the pair were walking over to Lauren's. Their new house, which they'd only purchased a week before the wedding was only a few houses down from Lauren's which despite her being convinced was the sole reason they'd bought it, though not the case, had turned out to be incredibly convenient.
"Is Spencer coming?" Jay asked seemingly casually.
But Andy knew better.
"Yes," he said. "And she said she'd update us when we're alone, so no barging right in with what'd ya find? Yeah?"
"As if I would barge right in," Jay replied.
Andy just gave his husband a knowing look.
"Please!" Jay shot back. "I'd say hi first."
Andy couldn't help but laugh at the well-timed crack and before long they were standing at Lauren's front door.
"Hey Charlie!" Andy called out, seeing him further down the verandah cooking on a portable barbeque.
Charlie waved back, but before either of them could say anything else the door had opened to a very pale-white Rein.
"Finally!" she hissed. "How long does it take you two to get dressed?!"
Yanking them both inside, Rein hastily shut the door whispering to them rather quickly.
"I haven't said anything about Ali to anyone, so please don't say anything while you are here!" she begged as Mrs Walters – the gossip from next door seemed to bounce her way over to them.
"Not even your mom?" Andy asked out of the corner of his mouth.
"Of course not," Rein snapped. "You really think we need to in- troduce you to Mrs Walters!"
By this point the woman had made it to where they were standing. She was short in stature but plump and good-looking reminding them of a shortened version of Andy's Aunt Deb.
"Oh, hey sugar," she said sweetly. "Who're your friends?"
"This is Andy," Rein instructed pointing to him. "And his husband-"
"Jay, right?" Mrs Walters asked shocking the pair. "Oh, don't act so surprised. Lauren's talked about you Andy for years! And of course, you must be the husband she tells me is a hoot at the hotel!"
Though Andy was smiling on the outside as his job had taught, on the inside he was rolling his eyes. Lauren had mentioned Mrs Walters many many times and had been quick to tell him that she was someone who was friendly, but someone she avoided when a lot was going on, because she had ways of dragging things out of people that they didn't want known.
"Oh Sandy!" came a very familiar voice that floated down from the top of the nearby staircase, followed by the sound of very rushed footsteps. "Ah- Charlie was asking for a root beer earlier. Do you think you could get him one?"
By now Lauren had made it to their side and while Andy thought Mrs Walters would tell Lauren where to go, it seemed she had no objections whatsoever and proceeded directly to the kitchen with nothing more than a 'sure sugar happy to!'.
"Is she drunk?" Andy asked as Lauren looped her hand through his and Rein lead Jay off to introduce him to the others that had arrived.
"Sandy?" Lauren asked. "Oh no, that's good-ol' Sandy, busy body of the year. You didn't tell her about T-… the stuff we went through over the past 2 years, did you?"
Andy gave Lauren an are-you-kidding-me look.
"Right," she said. "Excellent. Cause one word to that one and it'll be all over New Haven."
"*"
About an hour later, Andy was in the kitchen in desperate need of a breather. It's funny how friends are when they're around all different people in one room and Lauren was no exception to this. Sure he loved her more than anyone in the world (ok almost everyone) but this party, if you could call a sit down with New Haven's biggest gossip telling everyone the latest and greatest details of The Sharmanty's who moved in last week had Andy very much wanting to get home or at the very least wanting to grab a soda.
But as he opened the fridge, he heard a knock at the back door.
Bless Lauren and her decision to place the kitchen right next to the back door he through to himself for what was quite possibly the millionth time. Expecting it to be another one of Lauren's not so funny friends, Andy almost jumped in surprise to see not only that it was Spencer at the back door, but with her Ali's brother Jason!
"Jason?!" Andy asked quickly. "What're you both doing at the back door?"
"I texted you!" Spencer blurted out. "But you didn't respond."
"And so, she texted me," came Jay's voice from behind him. "I told her you were in the kitchen and to use the back."
"But if she's invited-?" Andy questioned.
"Yeah this is not me accepting an invite," Spencer said quickly. "Ah, we need to talk."
Without even looking back, Andy and Jay quickly made their way outside and shut the door behind them. Spying a comfortable seating area nearby Spencer took a seat and motioned for the others to do the same.
Once they had she barged right in.
"I spoke to Jason about what you said about Ali," she began with all the subtly of a hand grenade. "And he said-"
"It wasn't Ali you saw," Jason jumped in. "Ali's not in New Haven right now."
"Wait, so she has been released?!" Andy asked doing his best to keep his voice down.
"No," Jason replied emphatically. "She's been transferred."
"TRAN-" Andy blurted out before lowering his voice again. "Transferred?! Since when? And more importantly why?!"
"The jail here is meant for temporary stay or pending sentences," Jason replied. "Since Ali's ruling was a life sentence she was only placed here temporarily until they could move her somewhere else. She's been in East Rock ever since."
"East Rock?" Jay asked. "Why does that name sound oddly familiar?"
"Because," Andy responded. "It's where T.E's minions dropped me off once they released me from the hospital. East Rock Park."
"Yeah," Jason agreed. "It's in the same area."
"But-" Jay argued. "It was definitely Alison!"
"Yeah," Andy nodded. "Jason we both know your sister when we see her. It was Ali."
"I'm sorry," Jason said. "I don't know what to tell you. She's in jail in East Rock. There's no way it could've been her."
"The mind can play tricks," Spencer chimed in. "Maybe it was someone who looked like Ali?"
"Yeah hun," Jay agreed. "Maybe it was. I mean we never really spoke to her and we were in the furthest booth."
As Andy tried to recall the moments at Latro-Mare Jason's phone began to ring.
"Sorry guys," he said. "I gotta take this and I really have to go."
"Thanks Jason," Jay said. "And sorry about all this."
"No need to be," Jason replied. "I'd do the same thing if I were in your situation."
As Jason rushed off, Spencer turned to Andy.
"Listen," she said. "I have to go too. I'm his ride. But text me if you need me ok?"
Andy nodded, still running over everything in his mind.
It wasn't possible!
It'd had to be Ali!
But by the time he'd come out of his thoughts to voice this aloud, Andy realized that Spencer and Jay were both gone.
Bless them he thought to himself.
At least they were good enough friends to appreciate why he'd said anything.
Just as Andy went to get up and grab a drink his phone vibrated, and he put his hand in his pocket and fished it out.
He knew he would apologize to Jason in the morning for bringing it all up. But at least for now, he could relax a little more and try to enjoy whatever was left of the party. But any and all thoughts of him doing just that were erased from his mind as he saw the text displayed on his phone.
Funny how looks can be deceiving.
But the question is, are they really? – T3.
"*"
So this is where we'll leave chapter 2. I hope you all enjoyed it. Please leave me a review to let me know what you thought.