Free Personal Possessions by Tracy Lee

minute. The last part of her
rambling caught my attention.
    “Wait… slow down, what did
you just say?”
    She took a deep breath and
started again, “You have no idea-“I cut her off.
    “No, I heard that part,
I’m talking about the end.”
    I think she was repeating
in her head what she had previously said to me and then sadness
covered her face. “Bear’s not the same guy we grew up with, Trev,
he’s - different.”
    I looked at her out of
concern. “What the fuck does that mean, Rach?”
    Turning her head towards
the window she stated, “He’s changed into someone none of us know
anymore. Gone for weeks at a time. When he does come home, you can
feel the tension in the air between them.”
    I started to tense up from
the anger and uneasiness of this whole conversation. Why though?
Why was I so worried about her, it wasn’t like I ever crossed her
mind.
    It was as if Rachel read
my thoughts.
    “ I don’t think a day goes
by that she doesn’t think of you, Trevor.”
    Her face turned back
around towards me and I could see the apprehension that she was
feeling towards her friend, a friend that was as close as a sister.
I shut my thoughts off, I couldn’t think about this. It was none of
my business any more. I turned my head back to face the front, and
told Rachel the truth, “I have my own life now, Rach. One that
doesn’t have her in it.”
    Rachel guffawed and shook
her head in disagreement.
    “Yeah I know, it’s pretty
fuckin’ sad.”
    I didn’t respond because I
didn’t really give a shit about what she was inferring to. I was
over this whole situation, all I wanted was to meet her here, at
the bank so that she could take this check in while I was in town.
I wasn’t here for a family reunion.
    “ I have a plane to catch,
Rach. Thanks for lunch. I will call you if I’m ever in the area
again.”
    I didn’t even want her to
know where I was. It was bad enough Tripp had to know, I’m sure it
would get around town fast enough.
    “You can’t even mention
her name can you? You still think about-“
    “I said that’s enough!” I
commanded. “I’m not talking about this anymore! Now, say goodbye
Trevor and get the fuck out of my car!”
    Her eyes grew big. I could
see her temper rolling up from her feet through her torso and up
her neck, it settled in her eyes. They were shooting daggers at
me.
    She stayed in that
position for a few minutes as though she was attempting to
telepathically murder me
    “ Rachel. I have a plane to
catch,” I said a bit softer but yet still insistent.
    “You’re gonna regret
turning your back on her, Trevor. Just remember that.” She said as
she opened the door and got out. I watched her slam the door and
raise her middle finger while she mouth, “Good-fucking-bye,” to me,
after that, she turned and walked away never looking
back.
    I started the car and
began to leave town, I made sure not to look back in the rearview
mirror. There was nothing I wanted to look back at, just then my
phone rang, I looked down at it. Greg. I silenced it, I couldn’t
talk to him right now, he knew where I was going, and he was
probably seeing what the outcome was.
    I approached the
interstate and turned onto the ramp that led me to downtown
Atlanta. As soon as I was in a lane, I grabbed my phone and pushed
the number one for quick dial. I heard Judy’s voice come over the
line
    “Thank you for calling the
Mac-Gentry Firm. Mr. McHale’s office.”
    I don’t think I would ever
get tired of hearing that.
    “Judy, it’s Trevor. Look,
I need for you to get me a number.”
    She was quiet, but I could
hear her scrambling looking for a pen.
    “ Ok, go ahead.”
    She was such a proficient
secretary. Older, so I didn’t have to be concerned with her being a
distraction, because that’s the last thing I needed. Me fucking my
secretary and then her slapping a sexual harassment suit on the
company.”
    “I want you to find the
best private detective here in the Atlanta area,