Changing Places with Yourself

Chapter 13

I woke up with a renewed determination to make her prouder of me.  After getting ready for the day, I logged into my laptop as Steve drove me to work.  Sure enough, they were my five stories fully completed with emails from publishers buying for the rights.  I knew which she had gone with so I accepted their offer for all five with exclusive rights of first refusal for any more that I wrote in the future.  I told them to send me the contracts, which I would have my lawyer, Claude, read over each one and once he gave his “okay” I would sign.  Later that day Claude’s PA, June, contacted me to set up a time to review all the contracts.  We decided on Friday morning in their office, since it was close to my offices at Novell, at around 9 a.m. We hammered out the terms with the publisher’s attorney present and I sign the amended contract before turning over the flash drives with each of the books attached.  I was able to move into my penthouse the next day and quickly got settled.  On Sunday, I sat and wrote out the outline for the book that I was thinking of.

By now Evan had graduated along with my friends from high school.  Troy ended up taking my advice and went to the prom with Zach, now they’re still going strong both with full football scholarships for college.  Gwen and Harmony decided to get their real estate licenses, so they could join Gwen’s father’s business.  I really wouldn't be surprised if they ended up as a couple given the looks I've seen between them.  I was finally able to have a long sit-down talk with both of them over dinner one night and tell them who exactly I am.

“You remember all those people that came to the funeral?  The ones I said we're friends of my family or old co-workers of my parents?”  I asked them after we ordered at the Olive Garden.

They nodded curiously to where I was going with this.  I looked at both of them before telling them the truth, “Actually most were employees of my family’s company.  I don’t think either of you noticed while we were at Gillows, getting my funeral outfits nothing was actually ringing up for me to pay, because my mother's maiden name is Gillows.  That’s just one of the retail stores that my family owns along with 12 different textile manufacturers and several other clothing stores.  Gillows is one of the high-end stores that we own, but we also have a few that cater to the family who wants to be like fashionable groups.  I'm sorry I didn't tell you guys sooner, but I needed to protect myself from people like Gina, Brooke, Donovan and the others that would have tried to make me pay for their friendship.  It's why I hadn't shown anyone, but you two what I really look like after losing so much weight.  I meant to tell you all of this after my graduation, but life got extremely hectic.  I had to marry Evan and now I'm still a virgin bride, never kissed.  While he goes and does ‘you know what’ any girl that will open her legs.  The i***t wants to come back to Ohio because his ex, who tried to drug him so she could steal everything he had in his bank account, is here.” I concluded, trying to look at them sheepishly and failing miserably.

They were understandably upset that I hadn't told them all of this sooner, but given the fact that they are truly my friends, they understood why I was just now explaining everything to them.  I answered all their questions about why and how things had happened since the beginning of our senior year.  They chided me without mercy about having to be married to the manwhore of the century, Evan Novell, and I took it since they were right.  They told me about the rest of the year and how all the girls were ticked off that Evan was grounded thus removing him from taking anyone to Prom or Homecoming.  Also, how many of those same girls, aka the b***h Patrol, were spiteful that Troy took Zach instead of one of them.  Gwen spoke of how proud she was at Troy for telling the entire b***h Patrol where they could shove it, that even if he and Zach had been straight neither of them would have asked out because they were “Skanky w****s, who have nothing better to do with their time then pretend like anyone here at the school would want to take you anywhere but the free clinic for STD testing.”  She showed me the video footage of him telling them off, which went viral.  None of them were at any dance for the rest of the year.  I commented, “I would feel sorry for them if they hadn’t been so cruel to anyone who walked, breathed or stood to close to them.”  “Brooke transferred schools shortly after the New Year, it seems that when she was hooking up with Donovan they forgot protection and she was sent to a home for pregnant teens.”  Harmony gossiped.  I tensed up at the name Donovan and Gwen saw it.  “He’s still in jail, they say he’s going to get like 15 years for what he did to you.” she apprised me as she rubbed my back to comfort me.  Luckily, my lawyers were able to get me out of having to testify since the whole thing was recorded.  They changed to what houses they had showings for lately, and I asked them to think about helping with the apartments in my building back home.  They were thrilled to take over for the property management team, who had been giving me a less than stellar performance of their duties.  Plus I told them they could stay in the Penthouse, as long as they let me have a room when I came into town for a visit.  We spent so long there that the manager came over to tell us the restaurant was closing for the night.

Getting back to Evan, I had Bruce and Steve clone all of his electronic devices including the burner he thought nobody knew he had.  They put a key logger tracking system on his computer that let us watch his emails, instant messenger, with f*******: and other various chat programs he had.  He started having contact with one of the guys we knew was currently “dating” Amy.  So Bruce cloned and put trackers in place on all of those guys’ electronic devices as well.  Soon after it was everything became clear.  They knew Grandpa favored me because Evan was a major disappointment to them.  He made sure Evan couldn’t get his hands on any of his trust funds until he turned 21 and Amy's greedy little heart wanted that money NOW more than anything.  They came up with a plot to kidnap me for ransom, but they weren't going to let me go after the money was in their hands.  Oh, no, they talked about what they were going to do to me once they got the money.  I was to be grabbed in front of a diner after Evan ‘takes’ me to lunch.  He even sent an email to my security officers telling him that I was planning on staying in all day and to take the day off.  He wasn't actually planning on being at the diner.  He just invited me so that they could have me where and when they wanted me when it was most convenient for them.  I told Evan when we talked that I had changed my hair color and lost a couple of pounds he wanted a picture so he could see.  In reality, he wanted it so he could show them my new look.  I put on a fat suit and a blond wig, take a selfie and sent the picture to Evan.  Bruce decided that day to join Steve to help protect me along with two other guards.  Yes, they were using me as bait and I let them.  We needed to get these guys and Amy off the streets than behind bars as soon as possible.  I know from what I’ve read of their communications that the two who were grabbing me had been given Carte Blanc to do whatever they wanted after they had me including r****g and killing me.  What they didn't know Amy had a plan to kill them once she had the money.  Seems she really didn't like sharing when it came to cash, and she had enough friends to handle things for her in exchange for favors like s*x or drugs.  In other words, she's a gold-digging, money-grubbing hoe plain and simple.  I knew Grandpa wouldn't like me being bait.  So we didn't tell him about this, but we had given everything to the lawyers, Samuel and Claude.  So, once it was over they could bring him, Jimmy and Judy up to speed on what had happened.  I sat in the diner for 20 minutes past the time that we were supposed to meet and texted Evan asking him where he was.  Of course, he told me he got delayed and wouldn't be able to make it so I should just go ahead and go back home.  We knew that his henchmen were going to try to grab me as I got into my car.  Their plan was for them to force me in and drive off.  What none of us predicted was a knight in shining armor coming to help.  When goon #1 grabbed me, I yelled out as a reflex.  My guards were recording all of it to use in their prosecution, which meant they weren't quite as close as I had hoped they would be.  Anyway, before they could even move to intercept a third man appeared and began attacking my abductors.  He told me to get down and then knock them both to the ground with the roundhouse kick knocking each out.  When he was helping me stand back up my guards ran in and started putting handcuffs on the goons.

“Evan?” I asked confused, the sun was behind him blacking his face so I couldn’t see it clearly, as I looked at my rescuer.

“No, ma'am. I am Tony or Anthony actually.  Tony Stovard.  Are you okay?  Did you hit your head when you fell to the ground?” he probed my head for a wound gently with his fingertips.

“Yeah, yeah I'm okay.  Thank you for your help, Tony.”  I express my gratitude while taking his hand away from my hair/wig.

“They looked like they were trying to kidnap you.” he declared entwining our fingers together.

“That is what they were trying to do.” I replied in a matter of fact manner, “It's a long story.  Steve, could you have Dylan take Tony's statement since he's the only cop here so far?  Where are the cops shouldn't they already be here taking these thugs into custody?

“Yes ma'am,” Steve said, grabbing Dylan to conduct the interview while Bruce directed the cops that had finally arrived on scene to take the bad guys to jail and stood watch as they began to take my statement.  He turned over copies of the video before turning me to make sure I was okay.  I nodded as Tony came back over to ask the same thing one more time.  Bruce moves away and Tony gives me a look, “So, this long story you got here.  Want to tell me about it over dinner?”

“Since you came to my rescue, I’ll agree to dinner as long as you let me cook it for you.  The story isn't really something that can be told in public.” I consented to his request.

“A home-cooked meal sounds great.  Just tell me when and where and I'll be there.” He proclaimed, “I'll even bring the wine.”

“Unfortunately you'll be the only one drinking it cuz I'm just 19 not old enough.” I alerted him, “But I make a mean lemonade iced tea.  Here's my number text me and I'll send you the info.  What are you in the mood for barbecue, Italian or Mexican?

“I love BBQ ribs or steak.” Was his response as he texted me right then.  I responded back with the info to my penthouse.

“I hope you don’t mind, but at least two of my guards will be there.  If I’m making barbecue they will whine for a week if they don't get to eat it because of my barbecue sauce.”  I lamented while sticking my tongue out at Dylan and Steve.

“More like a month, since you won't bottle it for us to use.” Dylan interrupted me.

“I can't wait to try it tonight.  I need to get back to work my lunch hours almost over, but first Miss, you never told me your name.” Tony hinted.

“Becky.” I simply say not giving anything away.

“Okay Becky what?” he posed hoping I would tell him.

“I would tell you but then they (pointed at my guards) might have to kill you.”  I laughed at the look on his face, “No, seriously, I’ll tell you that tonight when we are somewhere private, Mister Tony Stovard.”  I give him a kiss on the cheek before hopping in my waiting car.

My smile fades as I get closer to the office because now is the time of reckoning.  I have to tell Grandpa what Evan tried to do to me.