On the last day of his evening business class, Lawrence was both surprised and relieved when Lauren didn't show up. He had been worried that Lauren would make a big show of it being their last day in class together and try to come up with some excuse to stay in touch, but luckily that scene was avoided. With any luck, he hoped, he wouldn't have to see her again.
After class he approached Andrew to say goodbye before leaving. "I just wanted to thank you. You've been a good teacher, even though it wasn't the job you wanted."
"Thank you, Arrendale," Andrew replied. "You're a good man and I hope you do well." As he shook Lawrence's hand, Andrew added silently, "Better you than Hector Burgess."
"Thanks," Lawrence replied, before turning to leave.
Lawrence walked into the hallway just as the class across the hall was letting out. For a moment, he wondered if he would see Eileen, but he knew he probably wouldn't. He hadn't seen her here in weeks. Now that his class was over, they wouldn't be running into each other as much. He was going to miss seeing her here away from Hector and the office.
He quickly shook the thought out of his head. Eileen was engaged to marry Hector and the less he saw of her the better. He needed to get her out of his mind and move on.
As he walked out of the building, he remembered Audrey and decided to give her a call when he got home.
Sebastian was setting up the bar, getting ready to open for the evening when the front door opened. Without looking up Sebastian said, "We're not open yet, but go ahead and take a seat."
"That's ok," Blaine said as he walked up to the bar followed by Reese. "I just want to ask you a question, when you have a minute."
Startled by the request, Sebastian turned around to see who was there. He was even more surprised when he recognized Blaine from the office where Lawrence worked and Reese from the law firm he had followed Lawrence to. Although he was panic stricken, he tried to appear calm. "Yeah, I've got a minute. What is it?"
"Is your name Barrett?" Reese asked.
"Yes. This is my bar and that's my name on the sign. Who wants to know?"
"I'm Blaine Kitteridge and this is Reese Burroughs. We're looking for someone. Do you have a wife named Dorothy?"
Sebastian eyed the pair suspiciously. He didn't trust them and he didn't believe they were here because of his wife. He shook his head, "No."
"The woman we're looking for is named Dorothy Alice," Blaine explained. "Her last name was McAllistar, or maybe Summers. We talked to her parents, the McAllistars, and they mentioned someone named Barrett and that her husband was a barkeeper, so we thought . . ."
"You thought wrong," Sebastian snapped. "I don't know anyone by that name. My wife's name is Vanessa. So if you don't have any other business here. I have work to do."
Reese and Blaine exchanged a silent look of disappointment before turning to leave the bar.
Sebastian watched them as they left. As soon as they were gone, he went behind the bar to fix himself a drink, hoping it would calm his nerves.
Vanessa walked into the bar from the backroom, wearing a new gown. She twirled around once and asked, "What do you think? I thought I'd wear it on stage tonight."
"You look great," Sebastian replied.
Vanessa sighed, Sebastian had barely looked at her. As she walked towards him she noticed he seemed out of sorts and his hands were shaking. "Are you alright, hon?"
"Fine."
She glanced around the empty bar. "Was someone just here? I thought I heard voices."
"It was no one. Just somebody wanting directions."
"Did you believe he was telling the truth?" Reese asked Blaine as they walked back towards the street.
Blaine shook his head. "Not really. Did you?"
"No. He seemed a little too hostile." Reese hesitated before adding, "Besides I've seen him before. A few days ago I caught him wandering around the hallway outside my office."
Blaine stopped in his tracks. "And you thought it was suspicious?" he asked with concern. When Reese nodded, he wasn't sure what to say. "I'll see what I can find out about him," he finally said. He touched Reese's shoulder and looked at her gravely, "In the meantime, be careful."
Shyly, Reese looked away and promised, "I will."
Amanda had been siting on the couch in the living room watching television, when Andrew came home from work. She looked up with a smile as he entered the apartment. "Hi, honey. How was your class?"
"Good," he replied, taking a seat next to her. "But I'm glad it's over with. How was your day?"
"Great," Amanda replied. "I called my sister tonight and invited her over for dinner on Sunday. I hope that's ok with you."
"Fine."
"I'm so glad we went out to lunch together. I was kind of worried about it since we haven't been really close, but I actually had a really good time. It just feels like everything's finally going well for all of us."
Andrew put his arm around his wife's shoulders and pulled her close, "I couldn't agree more."
He was just about to kiss her when their was a knock at the front door.
"Who could that be?" Amanda wondered.
"I'll go see," Andrew offered and reluctantly left the couch to answer the door.
When Andrew opened the door, he was stunned to see, Mr. Townsend, his former boss, standing in the hallway.
"Can we talk, Andrew?" Arthur asked. He glanced over at Amanda and apologized, "I'm sorry to disturb you both at home, but this is important."
Andrew hesitated. He was tempted to tell the old man to get lost and slam the door in his face, but before he could make up his mind to do anything, Amanda spoke up.
"Come in and have a seat, Mr. Townsend. Andrew," she prompted her husband and he stepped out of the way.
"I won't stay long," Arthur promised, choosing to remain standing. "I just came by to apologize. Andrew, I owe you an apology. I know now that you weren't the one who took money from the company. I'm sorry that I accused you and that you had to pay the price for someone else's mistake." Arthur paused, but Andrew was too stunned to speak. "I can't make it up to you, but I can offer you your old job back. If you want it, it's yours."
Amanda lit up at the news, but Andrew was more subdued. He wasn't sure how he felt about the offer.
"Think it over," Arthur said as he started to leave. "And when you've made up your mind, let me know."
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