The Last Resort by T. J. Emerson

Author:T. J. Emerson [Emerson, T. J.]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Published: 2024-03-18T00:00:00+00:00

41

HOLLY

2019

The scene at the restaurant was ugly. No doubt about it. Poor Andreas. That’s what happens when a troubled, paranoid man drinks a bottle of whisky.

When Grigor grabbed him, it was as if the full effect of all the alcohol in his system kicked in. He struggled for a few moments, and then his eyes rolled back in his head and he blacked out.

Despite my efforts to come to terms with my past, I couldn’t help my reaction to the violence unfolding before me. Fight, flight or freeze. Our three physiological reactions to any real or perceived threat. When my Uncle Mike first raped me, I froze. Lay beneath him like a corpse and let him do whatever he wanted. That night in Dionysus by the Sea, I sat frozen in my seat, my heart racing.

We managed to get Andreas out of the restaurant and into the back of one of the Land Rovers. We apologised to the restaurant managers and the waiters. Sofia left them a very generous tip.

Up until then it was an amazing evening. Great food, great views, great conversation. The unexpected visit from the old Russian man, which turned out to be something I should have paid more attention to. When Sofia made her toast to new beginnings, I really thought we were headed for a fresh start. I was too busy enjoying myself to notice how much Andreas was drinking.

What happened when we got home was as distressing as the scene in the restaurant. When Joe and Grigor hauled Andreas out of the back seat of the Land Rover, the fresh mountain air jolted him awake. He shouted at us again. Threatened to go to the police in the morning and tell them about Sofia’s offer.

‘Sorry, Sofia,’ he said. ‘I cannot let you do this.’

Then he vomited all over Grigor’s polished black shoes. After that he passed out again and Grigor and Joe took him to his room. The rest of us followed and watched as Grigor put Andreas on his bed in the recovery position and placed a bucket on the floor nearby in case he needed it. We all agreed he needed to sleep it off.

In hindsight, I can see we should have stayed with him, but as the saying goes, hindsight is always twenty-twenty.

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