Echoes of Redemption
Chapter 1
Max Ryan meticulously wiped the polished oak tables in the same figure-eight pattern he used every night. His fellow bartenders at Robert’s made fun of him for being such a neat freak, but that’s what ten years in the Marine Corps had drilled into him. He disliked clutter visible to customers.
Molly, a slender waitress, ran a hand through her long black hair while walking to the bar. “Max, I have some drink orders.”
“Molly, my darling, Molly,” Max said, imitating the Brad Pitt line from “A River Runs Through It.”
Molly rolled her eyes. “That line never grows old with you, does it?”
Max smiled. “Whataya need?”
She looked at her sheet. “A Tom Collins, a gin and tonic, a whiskey sour, and a vodka gimlet.”
Max raised his brow. “Quite a variety there.”
He pulled out four glasses, filled them with ice, and started mixing the drinks.
Max worked four nights a week, although lately staff shortages meant it was more like five or six, but he didn’t care. His life had been like the Styx song, “Too Much Time on My Hands.” He had nothing to do and all day to get there.
Robert’s was a sports bar with a long mahogany bar against the wall lined with stools. The floor had booths, high tables, and a few shorter tables for those who preferred to keep their feet on the floor. Music blared on the jukebox, but the bar was winding down for the night with only a handful of patrons.
Molly began totaling up the bill, and asked. “How was your date with…uh?” She wrinkled her brows.
Max pursed his lips. “Jackie.”
She stared at him. “That bad, huh?”
He snickered. “She was smoking hot; I’ll give her that. She smelled that way, too. I don't know what I was thinking.”
Molly chuckled. “What happened?”
“Her place reeked of smoke. She was smoking a cigarette in one hand with another still going in the ashtray.”
“Ew,” she sneered.
“I know, right? When we went to dinner, she wanted to sit outside, so she could—”
“So, she could smoke,” Molly said, finishing his sentence.
“Yeah.”
She shook her head. “Sorry. At least she was better than the last one. What was her name?”
Max squinted. “You’re full of joy tonight.”
Molly laughed and touched his hand. “Sorry.”
“Lori.”
She scrunched her eyebrows. “Huh?”
“Her name was Lori.” He shook his head. “We went to dinner, and she cried all the way through because her dog was home alone. She kept checking her Ring App on her phone to make sure he was okay.”
Molly threw her head back, shaking with laughter. “Sorry. I shouldn’t laugh. I wish I knew someone your age who was single. I don’t get it.”
He put the drink order on a tray and slid it over. “Just unlucky, I guess.”
“And I thought you blonds had all the fun.”
Max huffed. “Depends on your definition of fun.”
She chuckled as she loaded up her drinks and walked away.
When the music stopped, a patron walked up to the jukebox and fed it some change. “I’m Never Going to Fall in Love Again” by Tom Jones started to play. Max looked at Molly. They both shared their private joke. Max shook his head. I must’ve pissed off a Higher Power.
He’d come a long way since his days as a sergeant in Iraq. Like his high school football coach had once told him, “Things turn out best for the people who make the best of the way things turn out.”
Coach Tipton had a thing for quotes and that saying by John Wooden struck a chord. He’d lived his life by that motto. Things might not have turned out as planned, but he’d made the best of it.
He was starting to like living in Toledo again, which was odd because he’d always felt like an outsider here. His family had moved here when he was in eighth grade. When he graduated, he couldn’t wait to leave and go to college at Bowling Green, twenty miles away.
Max never intended to become a bartender. He left the Marines broken and decided to travel around the country. He planned on going back on the road after his mom died, but he needed a job. That was five years ago.
So many people said, “Dude, you must meet so many women.”
He’d heard that line so many times. It was what he believed when he’d started here, but after Andrea he’d had enough bad dates to make him swear off women forever. It frustrated him that he couldn’t find the right woman. At least he avoided everything that came with it—wife, kids, a big house. No chance of that happening to him.
No time for pity parties. Not perfect, but he had made the most of it. He wasn’t dreaming about Anbar anymore and now he was king of his own domain behind the bar.
*******
Tina West had hidden a go-bag that she added vital items every moment she could. She tucked away her birth certificate, a list of contacts, a spare set of clothing and essentials for the road. Tonight was that time.
It’ll be over soon. He’d dragged her around the apartment by her hair as he screamed all sorts of vile names at her. She took his blows, covering her face as best she could, crying out loudly. She knew he liked that. Eventually, he passed out as she whimpered in the corner of their bedroom. The combination of the drugs and alcohol had taken their usual effect.
She started driving with no idea where to go. Wherever she ended up, it had to be better than here. Tina got on the freeway and found a cheap motel. It had a reputation for being sleazy, but what choice did she have? She needed a place for the night. One night—hopefully.
If you’re going to keep living with that man and allow him to ruin your life, don’t come to me. I can’t watch this anymore. Her mother’s words rang in her ears. Maybe she could call her sister. Not tonight. She was on her own.
Once upon a time, Tina had friends, a family, a job she loved, and a dream of being an English professor at a major university. Now she found herself reduced to this.
Her sandals squished, then stuck to the cheap linoleum flooring as she dragged her suitcase into the nasty motel. Ew. She lifted her foot up high to extricate it. The creep behind the counter wore a ratty blue T-shirt that looked like no one had washed in the last decade and he reeked of body odor. His eyes lingered on her breasts as he scratched his pot belly.
Tina swallowed. “Do you have a room?”
An unkind smile spread across his stubbled face. “For you, certainly. I just need some information.”
Already defeated, his question hung in the air until she was spinning stories in her mind about how Jacob would find her. “What kind of information?”
“Driver’s license. Major credit card. If you got one.” He sneered.
She looked around. “What if I don’t have a credit card?” she whispered.
Tina did have a credit card, but she needed to make sure Jacob wouldn’t be able to track her down.
“I can work around that, but it’ll cost you extra.” He chuckled unpleasantly.
“How much?” Bile rose from her stomach and traveled up her throat.
“Whatcha want?” His eyes continued to travel over her body, making her more uncomfortable.
Tina shivered. “Please. I have cash. It’s all I have.”
“Room’s thirty-nine-ninety-nine a night, plus tax.”
Tina paused. She took out her driver’s license, placed it on the counter, along with some bills from her purse. “Okay,” she said, trying to stop her chin from trembling.
The man gazed at it and at her. He took her money, stood back, and continued eyeballing her. He pulled out a printout for Tina to sign and licked his lips.
“How many keys would you like?” His hand touched hers and lingered.
“One,” Tina answered, barely audible.
A muscle tick jumped on his cheek. “Are you sure?”
She nodded rapidly.
“Hmm. If you change your mind…”
She accepted the key and quickened her pace down the corridor to her room. It was a dump. The hallway smelled of stale water and trash, the mildewy odor of the carpet smelled of wet socks.
Before she put her keycard in the door, she made sure no one had followed her. The same pungent odor emitted from the carpet in here. She switched on the light. The dimly lit room filled with despair and neglect.
She sat on the bed, took out her credit card, and called the 1-800 number to inquire about her balance. She had an available credit line of twelve hundred dollars.
One thousand dollars? Dear God! That card had a fifteen-thousand-dollar limit! What has Jacob done with that card?
A cockroach crawled across the floor. Tina gasped. She pulled her suitcase and lifted it on top of the dresser. It was heavy and left her exhausted, panting. She made sure to seal everything tight. She crept back to the bed and pulled her knees up to her chest.
What an idiot I am. A stupid failure. I should not have ignored all the red flags. Especially that day. If I'd been smart ... I should have left.
The next morning, Tina got up and wheeled her suitcase to the bathroom. Black mildew caked the walls and ground into the tile. She cleaned the shower as best she could and stepped in, showered quickly, and dressed. Before she left, Tina went through her suitcase to make sure no roaches had found their way
Tina breathed a sigh of relief and then got out of there as fast as she could.
Her phone buzzed. Jacob. She pressed ignore.
It buzzed again.
She gritted her teeth and shut it off.
She filled her car with gas, then found a Starbucks. At each place, she handed over her card and held her breath. Please don’t get declined. She closed her eyes and smiled when she saw “transaction approved.” The two best words in the English language.
Her next stop was at a sporting goods store. She wandered around until a sales associate said, “Can I help you find something?”
“I’m going camping and I don’t know what I need,” struggling to keep the desperation from her voice.
“I can help you.” He smiled.
Tina bought a tent, a tarp, a sleeping bag, a pad and a new pair of tennis shoes. All approved on her groaning credit card.
Over the next week, Tina settled into a new routine. She camped at a KOA, although she slept restlessly. In the mornings, she had no appetite, but bought whatever snacks she could afford at the camp store. She paid cash, which was running low. She’d turned off her phone, worried that Jacob could track her.
Should I check my messages?
The quiet was nice. Why disturb that? I have to do something? What, though?
She finally called her sister, Cindy.
“Uh, hi. It’s been a long time.” Cindy’s voice was devoid of emotion.
Tina winced. She took a deep breath. “I left Jacob.”
“I know. He called here looking for you.”
“What did you tell him?” Her voice cracked out.
“The truth. I didn’t know where you were. Where are you?” Her tone unmoved.
“Around. I’m not going back.” Her voice was shaky. “I know you don’t believe me, but I mean it.”
Her sister said nothing. Tina pulled her phone back to see if Cindy had hung up. “Are you still there?”
“What can I do?” Cindy asked.
Tina closed her eyes and exhaled. “I-I don’t know.”
“Have you talked to Mom and Dad?”
“No. They’ve made it clear they don’t want to talk to me.”
“That’s not true. They said they don’t want to talk to you until you’re done with Jacob.”
Tina winced. “They made it pretty clear.” She curled her knees to her chest. “Look. I’m desperate. Please. Just a couple of days. Then I’ll be out of your hair.”
“A couple of days, but then you have to leave. I have a roommate. We can’t afford to have Jacob sniffing around here.”
Tina closed her eyes and choked back a sob. “I understand. Thank you.”
Tina quickly packed up her tent and loaded up her car. She arrived at Cindy’s two-bedroom apartment and knocked on the door.
Cindy opened the door, checked the hall, then ushered her in quickly.
“You weren’t followed, were you?” her sister asked, frowning.
Nice to see you too.
“No. Thank you for letting me stay.”
“My room is the last door on the right,” Cindy pointed at the hallway.
Tina towed her suitcase.
“Is that all you have?” Cindy’s brow rose.
Tina nodded. She piled her things in the corner, then fell on Cindy’s extra futon and closed her eyes. Cindy blinked, then turned and walked away leaving Tina to her thoughts. She wanted to scream, but she couldn't blame her sister. Tonight only. Then she’d figure out the next step.
Two weeks later, Tina was still trying to figure out next. Maybe it was too long. She overheard Cindy and her roommate, Sarah, arguing.
“I can’t just kick her out. Where’s she going to go?” Cindy asked.
“That’s her problem. We’re struggling to pay rent and she’s doing nothing to help out.” Sarah said.
“I’ll talk to her.”
Tina pulled out her phone and noticed a post about a poetry reading scheduled at a small coffee shop the next night. Before Jacob, Tina was a bookworm and used to love to go listen to poetry. It would be so nice to get back around like-minded people. The following morning, she packed her stuff, loaded it in the car after her roommates left for their classes, and waited for them to get home.
Cindy and Sarah arrived about the same time. They both weren’t looking at each other and only spoke in short snippy sentences.
“I’m going to go to a poetry reading tonight and then I’ll be moving out. Sarah, I know this has been hard on you and I thank you for your patience, but you’re right. I’ve overstayed my welcome.”
Sarah’s face turned crimson. “I didn’t mean it like that.”
Cindy glared at Sarah and then looked at Tina. “Where are you going to go?”
“I don’t know, but Sarah is right. Maybe it’s time for me to call Mom and see if she’ll talk to me.”
“That’s a good idea. You want me to call her for you?”
“Thanks, but I need to do this,” Tina said.
“I’m sorry—” Cindy said.
“No. It’s me who should be sorry.”
The three stood, staring at each other awkwardly. Tina slumped her shoulders.
“Can I borrow your black dress?” Tina asked her sister.
“Sure.” Cindy walked over and hugged her. “I’m sorry.”
Sarah’s lips quivered.
“I know. Thank you both. It’s going to be okay,” Tina whispered, hoping to convince herself.