Rock and a Hard Place

chapter 14

Libby stared blankly out her bedroom window toward Parfrey’s Glen and listened again to her messages. Peter’s voice sounded strained and worried. He was so sorry. It tore at her heart.

The emotion in his voice brought back the old memories and pain.

During the hours after her family’s car crash she felt the same way as piercing dread overwhelmed her. She experienced a general numbness and the taste of fear.

She crawled onto her bed, not bothering to take off the homecoming dress. She curled on her side and clasped the phone against her heart. She cried for Peter, his family and al the fear she understood too clearly. She cried for his father’s suffering as he fought for his life. And she cried for herself.

She let the floodgates open and mourned the loss of her mom and her sister. She cried because she would never get ready for a party with them. Her mom would never meet Peter and never see her graduate high school. She cried because of what her life had once been and would never be again. She released tears of frustration at being dumped at her aunt’s, lonely, loveless house.

She missed her dad so much, but felt angry that he abandoned her.

She cried for her lack of friends and freedom. She put on a brave front for so long, but now the façade crumbled. Finaly, she cried for her and Peter, both robbed of a normal childhood, for very different reasons. Tonight was to be their time, their turn, just a simple evening together.

Never in her life had she felt so alone.



# # #

The days folowing Peter’s dad’s heart attack flew by. In an attempt to force his dad to rest, his Mom rented a house on Venice Beach. The heart specialists took great care of his father in the hospital and assured the family that his dad was out of danger. Life fel back into a normal pattern of concerts, interviews and regular cals to Libby. Peter stil felt awful about standing her up at Homecoming, but she told him to stop apologizing, family should always come first.

If there was an upside to the heart attack, it was Peter’s sudden freedom from his parents. His mom spent al her time hovering while his dad became more ornery over his new diet and restricted activity.

Peter puled on a basebal hat, grabbed his blue tooth and slid on a pair of sunglasses. “Going for a run,” he yeled as he stepped onto the deck. After a few warm up stretches, he stepped through the dry sand and punched in Libby’s number. When he hit the packed sand near the low morning tide, he broke into a jog. The salty scent of ocean air filed his senses. He loved spending time on the coast.

“You’re right on time.” Libby answered.

Peter smiled. The sound of her voice always made his day, like when a great song popped into his head. “Yeah, wel I’m stil sucking up so you won’t dump me.”

“Stop it. I’ve told you a milion times, it’s okay. How’s your dad today?”

“Better than ever. My mother’s been driving him nuts with al her attention. Every time he starts to work, she threatens to cal 911. He sees the doctor for a folow-up tomorrow. I think Mom is loving every minute of control until the doctor gives him the okay to work again.”

“That’s great he’s doing so wel.”

“Yeah, but he’s always blasting the TV. To annoy my mom, he’s been watching Charlie’s Angels movies over and over. It’s driving her nuts.” Peter loved his dad’s tactics.

“My mom loved Charlie’s Angels. She used to watch it when she was a little girl. In fact she wanted to name me Jil after one of the characters, but my Dad wouldn’t let her.” He pictured Libby as a tiny baby cradled in her mother’s arms, her parents negotiating the name that would stay with her for life. “You, a Jil? I don’t think so. Libby is much spunkier. Fits you better.”

“Plus I don’t have the Farrah Fawcett sex appeal.”

“Now there I’l disagree.” Libby was more beautiful than any movie star. She just didn’t know it, which he loved about her.

“You’re sucking up again.”

“Never!” He laughed.

“You’re breathing heavy. Where are you running today?”

“The beach.” He dodged a woman walking a fluffy little dog.

“Where are you?”

“Just arriving at Parfrey’s Glen.”

Peter loved Parfrey’s Glen. It held special memories of their times together. “I wish I was there.”

“Wel, I wish I was in Southern California on a warm beach, not freezing blustery Wisconsin. Al the leaves are off the trees and everything looks dead and cold. It could snow any minute.” He imagined her bundled up against the cold, holding the colar of her coat closed so the sharp wind wouldn’t bite so hard.

He pictured her rosy cheeks and windblown hair. “I know, but hang tough. It won’t be long now and you won’t have to live there anymore. Did you fil out the passport forms yet?” He’d been hatching a plan to get her out. If things went his way, she’d join him on tour and finish high school via home schooling like he did.

“They’re filed out, but I don’t know how we’l get them signed without a parent.”

“Don’t worry I’m working on it. Once my mom isn’t so freaked out about my Dad, I’l tel her everything. There is no way she won’t step forward and help. When she sees an injustice, she’l move heaven and earth to fix it. She’l deal with your aunt and take over guardianship.”

“Are you sure? She’s never even met me. Why would she do that?”

“Because she cares about me and she always supports everything I do. You’re part of my life and living with your aunt can’t continue.” His mom had the biggest heart and he knew she’d be moved by Libby’s sad situation. He hadn’t mentioned it before because he wanted to respect Libby’s privacy. But the more he learned about her home life, the more he worried.

“I can’t believe you’re going to get me out of here. It’s like a fairytale and your going to rescue me from the evil queen.”

“Yeah, I’l have to get my white horse out of the stable to make it complete.” He dodged a rogue wave that washed ashore and threatened to soak him.

“Shut up. You are so ful of yourself.”

He grinned at the sarcasm in her voice. “So what are you up to today?” The beach became more crowded by the minute. He didn’t expect to be recognized, but sunglasses and a hat never hurt.

“When I get back, there’s a research paper waiting. That should fil the rest of the day,” Libby said.

“What a drag. How about Cruela Devile? Has she been hassling you?”

“Nah, she’s been out in the barn al weekend. I don’t know what she’s doing out there.”

“Good. Anything that keeps her away from you makes me happy.” Thoughts of Libby living with the horrible woman gnawed at him.

“What are you doing today, besides hanging out at the beach in the warm sun and making me jealous?”

Peter dodged a group of little kids running for the water.

“Garrett’s got phone interviews set for most of the day. With Dad on the mend, Garrett’s decided he needs to be king of the mountain and run my life. I’m just about ready to take him out. He’s been riding me every minute. Suddenly he thinks that if we miss even one opportunity for an interview or appearance, our careers wil end up in the toilet.”

“Sounds like he’s just looking out for the band,” Libby said.

“No, Garrett only looks out for himself. I think it’s al about having control. He’s power hungry and loves to try to run my life.”

“He can’t be that bad.”

“You have no idea. He can be a real bastard when he wants.” Peter talked to Libby until time ran out and he needed to rush back and shower. A day of marathon phone interviews lay ahead. The only good part was that he and his brothers didn’t have to go anywhere. The interviews would be done from the beach house.

Garrett waited for him on the deck when he returned.

“You’re late,” Garrett growled. “You can’t tel me you were out running al that time. You sitting in a coffee shop talking to Libby again?”

“I don’t have to tel you anything. Ya know, Garrett, you need to relax. You should go work out and try to get that stick out of your ass. It might help improve your glowing personality.”

“And you need to dump your dead weight in Wisconsin,” Garrett said as Peter pushed past and ignored him.



# # #

The next morning Libby was surprised when her phone rang while she was waiting for the bus. She flipped it open.

“Hey you!” She didn’t expect to hear from Peter until tonight.

She walked around the side of the house so Aunt Marge wouldn’t see her with the phone as she waited for the bus. Peter’s cal was a welcome surprise.

“This isn’t Peter,” responded a flat voice.

“Who is this?” Caler ID indicated it was Peter’s phone.

“It’s Garrett.”

“Who?”

“Peter’s brother.”

“Oh. What’s up? Where’s Peter?” She didn’t like the tone in Garrett’s voice. Something was wrong.

“Wel that’s just it. He asked me to cal you.” Libby’s heart dropped. Something terrible happened to Peter. Oh God, she couldn’t lose him; he must be al right. “Is he okay? What’s wrong?”

“He’s fine. I’m mean, nothing happened to him or anything.” She didn’t understand. Garrett was using Peter’s phone, why would he do that? Where was Peter? She walked behind the farmhouse where she could talk louder. “So, what’s going on?”

“Listen, I’m gonna say this straight out.” He cleared his throat. “Peter didn’t know how to tel you this, and he didn’t want you to go al psycho or anything, so he asked me to do it.” Her stomach hurt. Peter could tel her anything. They were so close and talked about everything. Libby’s mind flashed from one tragic thought to the next.

“The tour is realy crazy and it’s too hard to keep things going with you when he needs to be working. So, anyway, he won’t be caling anymore and it would be best if you don’t cal him either.” Everything moved in slow motion. This could not be happening. “What are you saying? Is Peter breaking up with me?” Libby’s chest tightened. This made no sense. Garrett was wrong.

Peter loved her. In a few more days he was coming to get her. They had a plan. He was eighteen now and she would travel with him.

Garrett cleared his throat again, “Yeah. That’s pretty much it.”

Libby couldn’t believe what she was hearing. She couldn’t imagine Peter asking Garrett to be the one to break her heart. She needed to hear it from Peter. “Let me talk to him. Give Peter the phone.”

“He’s not here. He left already. Look, Peter and I don’t always get along, but we’re devoted to the band. This is business; it’s not personal.”

She found it difficult to breathe.

“Peter would never do this. He’s coming to get me in three days. We have a plan. You’re lying!”

“Whatever plans you think he made with you aren’t going to happen. It’s over Libby. He had fun, you had fun, but don’t you read the tabloids? This happens al the time. He has more important things to do than hang out with some girl from Hicksvile.”

“That’s not true, he loves me,” she cried.

“Whoa. Back up. What fantasy world are you living in? What makes you think someone like Peter would be in love with you? He has everything. He doesn’t need you and he’s done hanging out in your smal town world. It’s over. Now you need to go crawl back in your little shed. Peter doesn’t want you anymore.”

“Garrett, please, don’t do this. I need to talk to Peter. He would never break up this way. He’s better than that.” She pleaded for a chance to talk with Peter one last time.

“Listen up. You have no idea how important he is in this industry. He has far more meaningful things to do than run off to you al the time. You’re holding him back. So suck it up and get over yourself. You were lucky to know him at al.” Her nerves were at a breaking point. One more strain would split the thread and she would unravel. If what Garrett said was true, she’d never speak to Peter again. He was right; she was lucky to have known Peter. He changed her world for the better. She prayed Garrett was wrong, but what if he wasn’t? Tears roled down her face. She tried to hold herself together. If Peter wanted to break up, she didn’t want to be the girl who begged and never let go. He’d been so good to her and he deserved better.

“Do me one favor?” She asked.

“I told you, he doesn’t want to talk to you.”

“I know, just give him a message, please.” Libby pleaded as she hid next to the barn behind the house.

“What?” he answered flatly.

She swiped the tears with her arm.

“Tel him,” she paused trying to find the right words. “Tel him, he saved me. And one more thing. Tel him, it’s okay, I get it.” She knew it sounded stupid, but it was the truth. He’d saved her from the depths of depression. Tears poured down her face and her nose ran. She never expected they’d last forever, but, stil, how could he end it like this?

Garrett stayed silent on the other end.

“Garrett? Please tel him for me. Please.” She sobbed, gulping for breath.

“Yeah, whatever. I gotta go.”

The phone clicked dead.

She wanted to cal back, but knew Garrett wouldn’t put her through. She leaned against the side of the barn and covered her face with her hands. A tidal wave of anguish crashed over her. She slid into the tal grass, sobs of grief escaped. Life couldn’t possibly get any worse. She shouldn’t have assumed a life with Peter could be real. It was a fantasy now ripped apart.