Andy

By Andrea Anderson

Andy has a difficult young life and has a difficult time meeting women. Finally, he discovers a woman he thinks he will never be able to be close to because of a serious situation she had happen in her past. Zina is forced to promise to marry a man she despises in order to save Andy's life.

• Language: English
• Publisher: BookBaby
• Release date: Oct 19, 2017
• ISBN: 9781543915938

Andrea Anderson

Andrea is a stay-at-home mom who grew up in and currently lives in Wenatchee, Washington. She has a degree in psychology from City University with an emphasis in child psychology. She taught dance at a local studio for eleven years before becoming a preschool teacher at a Christian day care center. She is married to her high school sweetheart of thirteen years and decided to be a stay-at-home mom when she became pregnant with her now preschool-aged son. Her new book, “A Family for Rudy,” was inspired by her amazing family and their timeless love for Christmas.

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PREFACE

Although his father had alluded to the fact that trouble was in the air, Andy didn’t know exactly when he would get the call. Knowing danger was brewing didn’t help the day he answered his cell and heard his father say, Son go to a pay phone and call me back at this number, oh and Andy don’t write the number I’m going to give you down, memorize it. Andy felt his gut churn.

In his heart Andy would have tried to do what came next alone, but his brain screamed at him in neon flashes not to try it alone and Derrick’s face immediately popped into his head. What if something happened to him he would need backup to get Zina to safety. Andy was certain he could count on Derrick; after all they were best friends since they were 4 years old and Zina was his sister. Andy worried about the way his father had instructed him to proceed. It meant that Zina’s life was probably being threatened. Andy texted Derrick telling him he was in serious trouble. Derrick called Andy immediately. When Andy answered Derrick heard the level of anxiety in Andy’s voice and didn’t ask for an explanation only where he should meet him.

As soon as Derrick got to Andy’s house, Andy hurriedly explained that Zina was in trouble and they had to go and get her and bring her back to keep her safe. Derrick and Andy crammed what they needed into their back packs and went into the city. They stopped at an ATM to get cash, and bought some disposable phones. Using one of the phones they called Jake to tell him know they were on their way. They paid cash for the flight. When they arrived they found the car Jake had left for them in the parking garage.

When Zina opened the door to her apartment, she was shocked to see Andy and Derrick standing there. They entered quickly and immediately filled her in on what Jake told them about Aaron. Zina was surprised that Jake knew so much about what Aaron was doing to her, but she said nothing. They helped Zina get ready following Jake’s instructions to the letter. She took only an extra pair of jeans and a top and left all her other clothes. They took a few bottles of water but ignored the rest of the food in the refrigerator. Zina deliberately placed her toothbrush some cosmetics and brush on the counter in the bathroom. They wanted the apartment to look unchanged, as if Zina stepped out on an errand and would be back soon. Hopefully this would give them the needed lead time to get away before Aaron suspected that Zina was gone. Once they were safely in the car and on the open highway they called Jake and drove as fast as they could without bringing attention to themselves. They stopped only to get gas and fast food. It was a race against time because the minute Aaron suspected Zina was gone he would begin to hunt her down.

CHAPTER 1

Andy was upset and confused and not much good to anybody at the moment. He wanted to be by himself because in his mind he was not good enough for human consumption. Sitting in his room he mulled over all the past times he shared with Zina. He searched his heart to see if he still felt the same about her. The answer was a definite yes so he played some possible scenarios over in his mind trying to try and figure out what her damn problem could be.

Knowing Zina had never lied to him, Andy began thinking of the first night they were together Zina told him that she was dating someone, but said it was nothing serious. Andy began going over he and Zina’s relationship. As we grew closer, Zina told me she didn’t have a sexual relationship with Aaron the man she was dating. As happy as I was about that, I couldn’t help think that it was strange. My mind questions how any man who got to know Zina and see how wonderful she is, why he wouldn’t want her in his bed? Not to mention the fact that he wants to marry her. Zina told me weeks in advance that she was going to get engaged to Aaron that was when I had a reality check. I wanted so much to not believe it, until she came back home to plan their engagement party. Being engaged didn’t stop her from coming to my bed. How could she get engaged to this man and still continue to come to want to make love to me? How disingenuous a man does she think I am? No matter, I couldn’t withhold my emotions from her, I love her too much. When I finally got the courage to ask her about it Zina told me she didn’t love Aaron, and asked me to trust her.

Andy closed his eyes and could hear her say, Andy please believe me if I could do this any other way I would. I can’t tell you exactly what’s going on, but I have a plan. If it works I will be free, and then we will be able to do whatever we want and can plan our future.

Andy remembered how he begged her to let him help her with whatever it was, he pleaded with her to let him try, Zina wouldn’t budge.

Zina confided to Andy, I feel badly that I have to deceive everyone including both our families, I have no choice. It has to go on this way until the problem is resolved. Please Andy, Zina implored him, Please tell me you will always be there for me, that’s the only way I can get through this horrible situation I know that’s asking an awful lot.

I hate that you won’t let me help you with this secret problem of yours, but I will be here to do whatever I can to help you, Andy vowed.

Zina felt so upset, she was torn up inside and wondered how she could have fallen into this giant abbess with no way to get out. Her life was a mess now; she loved Andy though she felt she couldn’t tell him that now. Not being able to tell Andy how much she cared for him in itself was bad enough, but it would probably make the situation worse. Maybe it didn’t matter in a few short weeks there will only be complete misery for both of them, if her plan didn’t work and she would be forced to marry Aaron.

Zina remembered her dreams when she was growing up. I always thought I would marry someone I loved, not someone I loathe. My life will completely change soon in all aspects, I will never be able to tell her mom or brother the truth, but the very worst part is that I must abandon Andy. Andy and I discovered each other so serendipitously. It happened so out of the blue and we became close very quickly. At first Zina thought, it was their great physical attraction for each other. They both felt so relaxed and tranquil when they were together. Each had problems, but was able to set them aside when they in each other’s company. They talked about everything. Though they were not physically together often, they shared dreams and plans and talked and texted every day. Zina had never had a relationship with anyone like the one she shared with Andy. She wanted to be with him all the time and desperately wanted to tell Andy the truth about why Aaron had so much power over her. Worse than that Aaron that sneaky bastard found out about Andy, and now he’s threatening his life. If anything happened to Andy, she didn’t know what she would do, I would probably kill Aaron.

Zina felt like a fool when she met Aaron’s parents for the first time, she was never very good at lying and she wasn’t a very good actress either. Aaron’s mother literally gasped when Zina told her she had to work and could only take a few credits at a time because she was putting herself through school. Aaron told her after they were married, she would never work again. Instead she would be doing charity work and be installed on the country club board and do several other things that would suit her new status in life. She would be doing things just as his mother was doing. Aaron would dictate to her and tell her what she could and couldn’t do every minute once they were married. Zina mentally vomited at that thought, how would she ever make it through this?

Chapter 2

Walking around this quiet little town, where Zina and Andy were born and raised, one gets a feeling of peace. The idea that this would be a nice place to raise a family pops into your head. If you like going to a big city every so often, a much larger metropolis is only a 45-minute drive away. This town boosts a good university and a community college, 2 hospitals, a nice size performing arts theatre, and decent shopping. The homes on the tree-lined streets are well maintained and the community center and mall are popular places. The schools entertain an excellent reputation and many students of the graduating class are going on to college. The town is quiet and peaceful, people are friendly, and they acknowledge each other as they stroll down the sidewalk or drive by.

Near the edge of town are a few very old houses positioned on several acres, surrounded by woods. The homes once belonged to the founding fathers of the town and most folks would like to see them brought back to their original condition. Some of these huge dwellings, were 4 stories tall, and had all the bells and whistles of the day and they were built to last. Only a few of these homes are still occupied by descendants of the original owners. The foundations are still solid, but the gingerbread lacey wood trim and cornices, ancient wiring and plumbing are the things that cry out for updating. Some of the houses have been purchased by people who are restoring them to their old grandeur, but it’s a long and expensive undertaking, though the results are breathtaking.

Andy has lived here all his life. One can imagine that you see him over there in the field playing soccer with his friends. You can hear their shouts and laughter that stab into the twilight piercing the silence. When it gets too dark to continue playing, Andy will go home, have dinner, and do his homework. Afterwards if there’s time and he’s not too tired he will go to the garage workshop and putter around with the wooden bowl he is making for his mom’s birthday.

At 11 years old, Andy is a tall, wiry kid, with dark black hair and gray eyes. He looks as if a good strong wind could blow him over. He’s smart for his age, and like his dad, he has a great disposition. Andy loves playing soccer, basketball, swimming and practicing karate and is a slave to woodworking and building things. He loves working with his hands, he hopes one day to become an architect. Andy is always making things especially for his mom, a wooden stand for towels, and a napkin holder which she keeps in the kitchen on the counter, and a stand for her flowers.

Andy Jones is a pretty normal kid and lives with his father and mother June and Jake Jones and his sister Fran. They are a typical family and have a comfortable life. Everything is ordinary except for the fact that Jake is not home a lot because his job requires extensive travel often overseas. Jake is an investigator for a large insurance company. Andy misses him a lot when he’s away and wishes he would be able to attend school events and some of Andy’s sporting events, like the other kids fathers do.

Jake is a nice guy and good-looking, he has brown eyes and brown hair. His outstanding features are his fabulous smile, pleasant disposition and the gift of gab. Jake’s forte is his investigative abilities to analyze a case by examining it thoroughly and researching it. He doesn’t stop until he has what he is looking for. He is one of the best insurance investigators around. His job is exciting and diversified because he works on many different types of cases, anything that may be insured from jewelry, to buildings to people. The only drawback is that most of the work takes him away from his family.

When Jake is in town Andy doesn’t want to leave his side. Andy sometimes gets annoyed when he and his dad go places together because it doesn’t take long before dad is engaged in conversation with the prettiest woman in the store, or post office or restaurant or anywhere else they go. Once when dad had a few friends over to watch a football game and June wasn’t home, Andy overheard the men kidding his father about how women just seemed to flock to him.

Jake I don’t know how you do it, Bob said, women seemed to come out of the woodwork when you’re around."

Jake just laughed and said, It was that way as long as he could remember. Even my mom would always be on my side when my father chewed me out for something.

They all laughed at that. They don’t mean anything to me though because I love June and my family, and she does so much for us.

Andy’s mom, June is a financial consultant and works from home. This allows her to set her own schedule so she is there when the kids get home. June is a beauty with dark hair she keeps cut in a pixie style, big brown eyes, and a good figure even after two kids. She wears very little makeup and dresses fashionably. June works out three times a week and walks every day. June is the anchor of the family, always available in a crisis and open to listening to any problems the kids might have. Andy knows his mom misses his dad as much as he does. He asked her once why Jake had to travel so much. June told him that Jake wants to make enough money so he could give us a good life and security.

Andy loves playing jokes, especially on his older sister Fran. He finds great fun in bugging her, and her friends especially when they have their girls’ only meetings in her room.

Andy and his best friend Derrick are constant companions. Derrick lives next door with his mom and his sister Zina. Their father left a few years ago and has never come back. Andy and Derrick are in and out of each other houses all the time and play pranks on their sisters every chance they get. What one didn’t think of, the other did. Both Andy and Derrick are good students and outgoing young boys.

Andy and Derrick built a fort in the woods that borders the back of their houses. The fort is made of mostly discarded pieces of wood they found in the garage, left over from one of Jake’s old projects. The small structure has a simple flat roof, a window, and a door. It’s large enough for several boys to fit in there at one time. Andy designed it and he and Derrick built it last summer. They sometimes spend the night there when the weather is good. They rigged up a hose to bring in water and with the aid of several extension cords connected together, electricity. That led to the pretentiousness of putting an old TV in there along with some discarded furniture. It’s rudimentary, but Andy and Derrick love it and spent a great deal of time in their No Girls Allowed hang out.

Fran, Andy’s sister is 16 months older than Andy, but to her he is a baby and she is almost grown up. She is a budding teenager with pretty long brown hair she often wears in a tail and has a developing figure. The one thing both Fran and Andy have in common is their love of reading. Fran is a good student also and popular with the kids in her class. She is a junior cheerleader, Girl Scout and into makeup and outfits.

The school years pass by quickly and for the most part are uneventfully for the Jones family. They still live in the same house in the same neighborhood; both kids are now in high school. Derrick and Andy are as tight as ever and Fran and Derrick’s sister Zina are best friends.

Andy is 17 and in the 11th grade, he has become a tall handsome boy, still on the thin side, but strong from his swimming, karate and other sports. He is full of energy and has a lot of interests and many friends. Sometimes his friends tease him and call him nerdy, he thinks that’s because he needs glasses to see far away. That doesn’t bother Andy he has good grades and the girls all chase him so he doesn’t care. Now that Andy is older, he and Fran have become friends. They have similar interests and listen to the same music. They ride to school together on most days.

Andy and Derrick often talk about how different their lives will be when Andy goes off to college. Derrick plans on staying home to go to nursing school at the local college, that’s still a year away, but they know they will miss hanging out with each other. Unlike a lot of kids who change their minds about what they want to do in life, Andy had kept his interest in building things and had gotten good on the wood lathe. He works with the wood shop instructor to assist him in the school vocational program. Andy wants to become an architect and restore old houses. Derrick and Andy promise each other they will always remain friends.

Fran and a bunch of her friends are in the rec room playing music and planning what they will wear and where they will go on Prom Night. Fran is attractive and has a lot of friends she graduates from high school this year and wants to become a professional dancer and her good looks will help with that. She has no interest in going to college. She loves to dance, it’s her passion, and she thinks it would be a good way to meet handsome guys. In her fantasy, Fran and her dream boyfriend would become a famous dancing couple and fall in love. Fran’s new boyfriend Tommy is good looking, but not a good dancer. Fran is making him practice with her because she wants him to develop his foot work, so they could take the spotlight at the prom. Fran and Zina will be double dating for the prom and afterwards go to an all-night party and then breakfast.

When Andy came home from school this afternoon he found his mom lying on the sofa in the family room with a cold compress covering her eyes.

What the matter mom don’t you feel well?

I’ve got a really bad headache today son and the light makes it worse.

Can I get you some Tylenol or something? he asked.

I took some earlier, the loud music your sister is playing down there with her friends is not helping my head, and would you go down and ask her to turn down the volume son?

Sure mom I’ll go and ask her right now.

Andy went down, pulled Fran aside, and said, Mom has a bad headache and wants you turn down the music because it’s making her head hurt more.

Ok I will, but Tommy and I need it fairly loud to practice we are planning to be the best dancers at the prom.

June fell asleep and Andy and Fran and her friends had pizza delivered for dinner. The next morning June seemed fine, she made them breakfast and had their lunches all ready for school. Andy didn’t get home from basketball practice until late and Fran stayed at school to work on the planning committee for the prom. It was about 7:30 when they got home that evening, June was angry.

As soon as they got in the house June began to scream at them, Where have you two been, I had dinner all ready and now it’s all dried up, why didn’t you call to say you would be late? I work hard to give you a nice house and good meals and you don’t appreciate anything, she went on and on. Andy and Fran looked at each other with surprise because this was not like their mother at all. Usually June told them if she was not pleased with something they did and then they would discuss it.

Andy began, mom you know I have practice after school and Fran is on the planning committee for the prom and we’re always late on Tuesdays.

Angrily she shouted, I don’t want to hear it you should have called, now you can heat up your dinner in the microwave or eat it cold and then she stomped out of the kitchen.

Andy and Fran looked at each other and didn’t know what to make of this. Andy asked, Do you think mom has another headache?

I don’t know, said Fran, I just know she has been in a really bad mood for the last few weeks.

The next few days went by and everything seemed OK. Jake was due to come home on Friday night it would be good to see him he had been away for the last three weeks. The weekend seems fine. Jake and June were going to visit June’s sister Helen and her husband Bill. Andy and Derrick are going to a basketball game and Fran has a date with Tommy. Jake left early on Monday morning calling, OK kids see you later, as Andy and Fran got ready for school.

The following week was pretty normal until Thursday night when June got very angry at Andy for spilling a can of soda on the kitchen floor. June ranted and raved and told him he would have to scrub the whole floor and said she was not the slave around there. When Andy went to take a shower and there were no clean towels, he had to dry off with several wash clothes. He mentioned that to Fran and she told him that she found several dirty dishes in the cupboard when she was getting a glass.

Andy was upset at his mom’s behavior and he and Fran talked it over, they decided to call their father and tell him about their mother’s strange behavior. Jake was concerned and asked them to try and write down when she got the headaches and describe her angry outbursts. Jake talked to June and asked her about her headaches. June told him she had a few headaches, but thought they were nothing out of the ordinary. Jake told her if the headaches continued she had to go to the doctor.

Jake didn’t get home for two more weeks, by than Andy and Fran told him mom’s headaches seemed to get worse and she was angry all the time. Jake was worried as soon as he got home he insisted Jane go to see the doctor. The doctor sent her for an MRI and some other tests and gave her stronger pain medication for her headaches. Jane had the tests on Friday morning the results would not be ready until the following week. The doctor was not sure what the cause of Jane’s headaches until all the test results were in. He promised Jake he would follow her closely. The bad part was that Jake would be gone on another assignment out of town.

On Tuesday school was dismissed early. Andy and Fran got home from school earlier than usual and found June sitting at the kitchen table with her head in her hands crying.

What’s wrong mom do you have another headache? asked Fran, looking worried.

June looked up at them with the saddest look on her face, The tests came back and the doctor told me I have a brain tumor, she said as she burst out in fresh tears.

Oh my God, said Fran going over to her mom and hugging her, we need to call dad and tell him to come home right now, Fran said and she began to cry as she put her arms around her mom to hug her. Andy didn’t know what to do he was scared and worried too as he took out his cell phone and dialed his dad, there was no answer. He called Emily Jake’s secretary and told her they really had a big problem at home and she needed to call Jake and tell him he must come home right now. In about a half hour, Jake called and Andy told him what the doctor told mom.

Oh my God, he said, I had a bad feeling about this, but I didn’t think the news would be this serious. I’ll be home soon son and I will call the doctor myself tomorrow, OK kid see you later, let me talk to your mom now. They talked for a long time.

CHAPTER 3

Jake came home and he and June went to see the doctor so they could talk over June’s care and prognosis. The doctor told them that because of where the tumor was they couldn’t operate, the plan was to start chemo therapy and try to shrink the tumor.

That’s about all we can do for now, after the treatments we’ll reevaluate and see how things were going, Dr. Brown told Jake. Jake asked the doctor to make all the arrangements for the treatments and told him the kids would see that she got there.

That evening after dinner the family talked about June’s care. In the following weeks, Andy and Fran took turns cutting class to take their mom for her treatments. After the treatments, June was very sick, she felt nauseated, weak, and tired for days after the chemotherapy and her hair began falling out. She was very upset about that and cried often and was very depressed. June hated being alone. Andy and Fran tried to help her as much as they could, but they had missed so much school already they couldn’t stay home with her all the time.

Jake was on an extended trip and called every day to see how things were. He couldn’t come home until the case he was working on was over. His team was in the last phases of collecting evidence and millions of dollars were involved. Jake talked to Andy and Fran during the week. Andy told him, Mom seems to be feeling better after she recovers from the treatments and her headaches are not as severe, but she is depressed and unhappy. She has given up most of her clients because she says she has trouble concentrating and she hates to be alone.

After eight weeks, the treatments ended and June looks as if she is in a fog some days. She walks around the house slowly and does little except complain of her headaches and lie on the sofa. She wears a turban or scarf to cover her bald head. June has lost weight and her clothes hang on her. Her face is gaunt with bags under her eyes and she always seems to be frowning. With no clients and nothing to keep her occupied she sleeps a lot or sits in front of the TV not really watching, merely staring at it.

Andy and Fran are literally on their own. They don’t really know what else to do for June or how to help her. They keep up the house as best they can, because June complains of being tired all the time. On Saturdays, they do laundry and the grocery shopping. It’s a heavy burden for teenagers, but they don’t complain.

On Sunday morning, Andy and Fran were still asleep when they heard noise coming from down stairs. Fran went down to see what was going on and saw that Andy was already in the kitchen looking dumbfounded. June was standing in the kitchen with her hands covered with icky goo. She had flour on her clothes and on her head scarf and looked at Andy and Fran as if she didn’t know them. The counters were filed with open cans and jars, the island and the floor was covered with sugar. There were several broken eggs on the floor and some spice jars had toppled over. A gallon container of milk had turned over on the counter and milk splashed out and was still dripping on the floor. The napkin holder, salt and pepper and broken sugar bowl were spattered on the floor. It looked like someone had a food fight with the kitchen and the kitchen lost. June literally looked like a 4 years olds paste project. Sticky gunge dripped from her headscarf on to her face. Her arms and chest were covered with slimy sticky stuff made up of the viscous broken eggs, flour and some unrecognizable things. Specimens of the tacky concoction ran down the front of her blouse and slacks. June had walked through the gelatinous disgusting slop in her bare feet and left nasty foot prints smudges all over the kitchen.

What are you doing mom? groaned Andy. Looking at the unbelievable scene, he moaned and almost began crying.

I was starting dinner, but I couldn’t find the ingredients I needed for the recipe and then I decided to make something different. I got a headache and took some of my pain pills and oh I think I need to lie down I feel dizzy, June whimpered.

Fran and Andy took June over to the sink and washed off her hands and face, sat her down and washed her feet. Fran told Andy to start on the kitchen and she took June up to her bathroom so she could give her a shower and get clean clothes on her. When Fran was done she made June lie down on the sofa, while they worked on degunking the kitchen.

After checking to see if June was asleep on the sofa, Fran went back to the kitchen, she was in tears, What are we going to do?

I haven’t a clue, replied Andy.

I’m so tired and frustrated with the whole thing I don’t think I can go on much longer like this. Every spare moment of my free time is spent doing something for mom or this house and I’m sick of it. I’m trying to get ready for the prom and beach week and I can’t spend my every waking moment taking care of her, I have a life too.

Mom’s sick don’t you understand that?

Of course I do, where’s dad, isn’t he supposed to be here helping too, not off somewhere in the world doing his own thing. We don’t even know where he is and we need him here so we can get on with our lives. I have things to do and constantly cleaning up messes is not what I have in mind.

He’s coming home today, let’s get this place cleaned up and talk to him about what’s happening to mom and tell him we need help.

They were still cleaning up the mess when Margie, one of Fran’s friends came in.

Hi Fran, Hey Andy. My God! What happened here, Margie said as she said looking around the kitchen. Did a bomb go off?

"Oh I was going to make pancakes and spilled the flour and knocked some things off the island lied Andy, so we have a big mess to clean up. We’re pretty much finished now though so you and Fran go do your thing and I’ll