Page 22 of Waste
“Do you have a plan?” Charlie asked Drew.
Drew was momentarily surprised.
But Charlie hadn’t finished talking. “Wherever Shelley goes, I go too.”
Drew grinned at him. “How good are you at skiing?”
Shelley
It appeared Charlie and Drew had formed a bromance over the four days Shelley had been in hospital. Whatever one saidabout her care, the other would automatically agree, and it was bugging her. With her parents’ agreement, Drew was whisking Charlie and Shelley off somewhere safe. When Shelley argued that Charlie had to work, both her dad and Charlie smirked.
Charlie worked for their father. Which meant Charlie could basically take whatever time off he wanted, within reason. Shelley ground her teeth as Drew and Charlie planned everything, and Jake stood by nodding.
“Is nobody going to ask me my thoughts?” Shelley demanded finally. The three men faced her in surprise.
“What?” Jake asked.
“You heard me. How dare you all discuss me as if I weren’t in the room or able to comprehend the danger!” Shelley hissed, annoyed.
“It’s not like that, darling…” Gail began.
Shelley sent her a scathing glance. She was tired and overwrought, and the DI had kept asking her the same questions. Even so, that didn’t excuse what Shelley said next.
“No, Mum? You don’t see an opportunity to marry me off and live my life the way you want? Tied to the kitchen sink and spitting out babies? Not my ideal, but hey, who cares what I think? Apparently, my opinion doesn’t matter to anyone but myself. Well, unfortunately for all of you, I’m still legally able to make my own decisions, and I refuse to play along with what you’ve planned!”
A dead silence fell as Gail turned bright red in embarrassment. Jake’s eyebrows descended, a sure sign he was angry, and Charlie gaped like a fish. Drew, however, had faint admiration shining in his eyes.
“Don’t you ever…” Jake began, his voice rising.
“Get out! I don’t intend to listen to you berate me. All four of you have just merrily planned my life without a word to me. That’s rude, obnoxious, and, frankly, belittling to myintelligence. Had a single one of you with a dick consulted me, I might have agreed. But nope. I’ve boobs and a fanny, and that means I’m clearly a bimbo!” Shelley continued.
Gail turned a deeper red, and Jake matched his wife in colour.
“Shelley…”
“No, Dad. I’m not interested. I need you all to get out! Like immediately!” Shelley wept, bringing a nurse rushing in.
“What’s going on?” she urged.
“I want them to leave, and they won’t!” Shelley cried.
“Out! Now! All of you. I won’t stand for you upsetting my patient,” the nurse demanded.
“We’re her parents!” Gail exclaimed.
“I don’t care if you’re the Queen of Sheba, Miss Evans has the right to determine who stays and who goes. She’s asked you to go, so please leave or I’ll call security!”
With that, the nurse ushered everyone out and shut the door firmly.
Tears streaming down her face, and not knowing why, Shelley turned her back to them and closed her eyes, silently crying. It was so unlike her to be rude and abrupt and to embarrass her parents. So, what on earth just happened?
Chapter Six.
Shelley
Getting out of the hospital wasn’t as easy as she wished. Her parents were coldly furious with her, and Charlie didn’t appear none too amused either. Drew had left after sending her an expressionless glance. Shelley didn’t know what that meant, but she had a bad feeling she’d not seen the last of him. She didn’t understand why the handsome man was being so pushy. She wasn’t anything special.
Shelley leaned back in Charlie’s car. He’d insisted on driving Shelley home. After her blowout at them, it was the least she could do. Closing her eyes, Shelley wondered if anybody had contacted Jo.
