Criminal by Proxy by S.E. Smyth

Author:S.E. Smyth
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: LGBTQIA+, Coming out, college, criminals, dark, doctors, enemies/rivals to lovers, established couple, friends to lovers, gender-bending, hurt/comfort, illness/disease, in the closet, law enforcement, lawyers, medical personnel, mental illness, over 40, prison, private detective, reunited, revenge, road trip, security guards, soulmates, tear-jerker, therapist, UST
Publisher: NineStar Press, LLC
Published: 2022-09-11T00:00:00+00:00

Chapter Seventeen

Amy

THOUGH GENERALLY PLACABLE if she woke up at a decent hour, Christine was not a morning person. When she was up too early, this early, she went over the edge. Her bright and shiny morning would be a muddled mess of emotions.

This morning was one of those horrid days. Hammering resounded in the living room, and Christine was up. Her blood pressure rose, and she felt her body pulse harder as the anger grew. It was 7:00 a.m. on a weekday. She just wanted to sleep. Christine, irked and irritable, rose to confront the inevitable.

“What the hell?” Christine let out a deep yawn despite being awake from baby toe to matted hair.

“They fucking forgot a bolt. How could they package this up and sell it and forget pieces—pieces integral to putting it together? I’m going to have to go back to Ikea.” Ikea was affordable. They chose Ikea. With Terrie’s experiences and woodworking skills, making shelves by hand should’ve been a breeze, but it took time. It would be heavy. In reality, Ikea simply proved more affordable.

“I’d go to the hardware store and pick it up, but these bolts are only used by Ikea. No one else uses them because it’s fucking idiotic not to have a standard bolt.” Terrie hammered hard into the brand-new television stand until the pulp center split. “Decision made. Fuck Ikea.”

“Um, you’re scaring me, and it’s 7:00 a.m.” Christine was struggling to get Terrie to calm down.

It wasn’t the first time Terrie had gone bat-shit mad. It was getting out of hand. Any tiny reaction would set her off.

“Look. It’s over. I broke the crappy thing. No worries.”

“I’m starting my morning, getting a shower and a coffee. Then, I’m going to Amy’s. I have to help her friend with her computer. Damn thing froze, and we think it’s because of updates not going through.”

Terrie cut in. “Figures.” She visibly moped. She dropped the hammer and threw small pegs and metal screwlike things at a bag about four feet away. “Why do you like her so much, anyway? What does she do for you?”

“Uh, she’s my friend for one thing. Why do you care?”

Terrie never got it. She was stuck on what happened and what didn’t happen, which was nothing. Healthy relationships were important. The friendship Christine had with Amy helped her get through things. Christine didn’t want to share every shred of intimacy she had with Amy with Terrie. Terrie got jealous of every conversation Christine and Amy had without her: the decisions they made on political issues, the people they talked about behind their backs, and the good movie they watched together. Christine just couldn’t give her exactly what she needed. Her relationship with Amy was somehow a big chunk of Christine, something she needed, but something she needed to keep at bay. A whole different Christine was left for Terrie, but she was unsure if it was enough for her.

“Because I love you. That’s why.”

“Nothing will ever happen between Amy and me. We’re over.

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