You Said You'd Help

Josh told me he’d be right down, “Honey don’t go anywhere with him. Stay in the store ok?” I told him I would and whispered for him to hurry before he hung up the phone. I was scared, I didn’t know Hank and I didn’t know what he was capable of. I kept telling myself that he wouldn’t do anything while others were around but I didn’t know that for sure. Just stall until Josh gets here; he’ll take care of this. He won’t let anything happen to you.

I thought I was brave but when I turned to see Hank moving towards me, his eyes staring unblinkingly at me, I started to panic all over again. Go get out of here! Go somewhere that people are, get out of this isolated corner. Electronic, go there! I started to make my way down the aisle.

“Anna! Wait!” Hank called after me, he sounded so different than the other times I spoke to him.

I picked up my pace but he must’ve too because I didn’t even make it to the main aisle that leads to electronics when Hank grabbed my arm and spun me around. “Please leave me alone, I didn’t do anything wrong.” I held my hands up in front of me and closed my eyes, expecting the worst.

I heard him sigh and he released my arm. “Anna,” his voice was much softer now but a little off still. “Please? I need someone to talk too. I don’t know anyone in this town but you.”

I didn’t want to feel sorry for him but I did. I knew that he wasn’t close to his girlfriend’s family and Jenna had taken up most of his free time so he didn’t have any friends. Lowering my hands I opened my eyes and looked at him. Saying he looked like crap would be too nice, he looked worst than that. Dressed in the same clothes he was wearing last night, he was rumpled and wrinkled, a couple buttons were undone and his shirt was no long tucked into his pants; it looked like he slept in his clothes. I looked up at his unshaven face and wondered what had happened in the last 24 hours for him. When my eyes connected with his, I gasped a little. “Are you?” I took a step closer to him and the stench was almost overpowering. “You are drunk!”

“Yeah,” He chuckled softly and gave me a half grin. “It’s been a great day for me.”

I was about to say something when I heard footsteps running towards us, I knew it was Josh, who else would it be? Hank and I both turned to see Josh slide around the corner and come to a dead stop. He glanced back and forth between me and Hank before he started to casually walk over to us. If the situation would’ve been any different I would have laughed at this. “Is everything ok?” He asked me when he finally was next to me.

I needed his arms around me so badly at that moment that I almost threw myself at him. “Everything is fine,” I smiled up at him.

But Josh’s icy stare was fixed on Hank. “Hello Hank.”

Looking from Josh to me, Hank took a step back. “I only wanted to talk to you Anna. I wasn’t going to hurt you.”

“I don’t care what you wanted, leave her alone.” Josh snapped at him.

“Josh!”

“No,” Hank interrupted. “It’s ok I’m going to go. Sorry.”

When Hank was out of ear shot I turned to Josh, “What was that all about?”

“What was what about?” He placed his hand on my back and started to lead me sown the aisles. “Anna you were scared on the phone, you wanted me to come here as quickly as possible and when I get here you are talking to him like nothing was wrong?”

“Josh I can’t help it, I’m worried about him. He is just as much an innocent victim as Jordan is. He didn’t look good Josh, he was…” I stopped in my tracks. “Oh god Josh, how did he get here? He’s drunk.” I started to walk/run to the entrance. “I can’t let him drive if he’s drunk Josh!”

Thankfully Josh didn’t try to stop me; he just came along with me. I had a feeling he wasn’t happy about it though. I ran out into the parking lot, hoping I wasn’t too late. “There.” Josh pointed down to the left, where Hank had stopped to pick something up.

I managed to make it over to Hank as he fumbled to get his key into the lock. “Hey!” I said as I slid between him and the car that was parked sideways across two parking stalls. I placed my hand over his and removed his keys, handing them to Josh. When Hank started to protest, I smile and said, “Tell you what, if you can get them from Josh, you can have them.” I watched Hank look Josh over before silently admitting defeat.

His shoulders slumped and he shook his head, “Your boyfriend could easily kill me but with the day I had, that might not be such a bad idea.”

I glanced at Josh; he turned away from me and looked at his watch. Inwardly I groaned. “Hank why don’t you let me call you a ride to take you home? You can shower and get some sleep, what do you say?”

He shrugged his shoulders, “Sure whatever.”

I moved away from Hank and pulled out my phone, dialing my brother’s number at work. After briefly explaining the situation and promising to tell him more tomorrow, I got him to come over and take Hank home. I hung up the phone and walked over to Josh, “Hey Handsome,” I whispered against his back as my arms wrapped around his waist. Josh’s hands covered mine, pulling them apart and away from his body. “Josh?” I stared up at him as he turned around to face me. “Are you mad at me?”

He shook his head and placed my hands on his chest, “I know you have this need to help people Anna, but sometimes I wonder if you know when to stop, when enough is enough.”

Resting my head against his chest, I sighed. “Josh I can’t help it.”

“I know honey.” His hands gripped my hips and he pulled me close. “Just don’t forget that you have to take care of yourself while helping everyone else.” His lips brushed against my jaw as he spoke, sending shivers through my body.

“Josh,” his name came out a little breathless and he peered down at me. “Don’t you want to take care of me?” I gave him a sexy grin as my fingers tugged at his jacket’s zipper.

“You called the cops on me!!” Hank yelled out from behind us. We turned in time to see him try to run. Josh released me and ran after him, stopping him before he went too far. By the time I got over to them Zach and his partner Rick were already out of the car. “I can’t believe you! I only wanted to talk!” Hank looked at Zack, “I didn’t touch her or do anything wrong, I swear!”

Zach made a face and turned to me, “Yeah so how much has be had to drink?”

I shrugged, “You’ll just make sure he gets home?”

“Sis,” Zach shook his head.

I grabbed Zach’s arm and pulled him aside. “Don’t give me that crap about having to take him in because he’s drunk. He’s not doing anything wrong and he just wants to go home. I called you here because you are my brother not because you are a cop.” Zach crossed his arms over his chest and stared down at me. “Don’t look at me like that, you always told me that if I had a friend who needed a ride when they were drunk, you’d help them out. Are you telling me you lied? Or it doesn’t count now that I’m not 18 anymore?”

“How did he get here Anna?”

I shrugged, “I don’t know Zach he was walking when Josh and I stopped him.”

Zach laughed, “You are so full of it and you know it. I’m betting if I run that car, it’ll be his.”

I glared at Zach, “Forget about it, I’ll take him home myself.” I pushed pass him and went over to Josh. “I’m going to take Hank home.”

“The hell you are,” Josh looked at Zach for some assistance but Zach told him that he couldn’t do anything. “Just take him home then! She’s not doing it!”

Hank, who was watching all this, looked confused. “What’s going on?”

“Come on,” I grabbed his arm and started back for his car. “I’m going to take you home since my brother is being a jerk.”

“That cop is your brother?” I nodded. “Oh crap, I thought he was here to arrest me.”

“Anna, you aren’t taking him home!” Josh was standing by my side as I stomped to Hank’s car. “Anna!” He grabbed my arm and spun me towards him. “Just stop will you? I know you are upset right now but please don’t do this.” He sighed, “I’ll take him home and you follow us in my car ok?”

I glanced over my shoulder at Zach who was standing by his car with the door open; Rick was already in the car. “Fine,” I said to Josh.

Josh waited until I was close to his car before he got in Hank’s. I was about to open the door when Zach stopped me, “Don’t be mad sis.”

“Remind me never to ask for your help again,” I threw over my shoulder as I climb into Josh’s car.