It was the afternoon just before lunch, and Abby typed her fourth letter at her desk. She was really getting the hang on typing away on this antique letter-creating device.
The office door opened and Jennifer stepped inside where the rapid-fire clickety-clack typing sound filled the air.
She walked over to Abby's desk with a spring in her step, knowing she was getting closer to her wedding.
"Abby, are you ready for lunch?" she asked.
Abby stopped typing and glanced up at Jennifer.
"I'm a little short on cash at the moment. I haven't got paid yet."
"No problem. I got lunch. My treat for filling in as a bridesmaid on short notice."
Abby looked at little apprehensive while she looked at her typewriter, and Jennifer noticed.
"Come on, Abby. You need to eat."
Abby nodded then got up from her desk.
The girls walked to the door.
The cafeteria was crowded with students and teachers.
Abby and Jennifer walked over to an empty table with their trays of lunch. They both chose spaghetti, meatballs, green beans, and soda.
The sat down and started eating.
Abby fidgeted a little in her seat. She looked bothered while she watched Jennifer eat.
"Jennifer, there's something I need to tell you. Something really important," Abby finally got the guts to say.
"What?"
Abby looked at the sparkle in Jennifer's eyes and looked nervous. "Ah. I ah," she said and debated in her mind if she should tell her.
Jennifer smiled while she waited for Abby to say something.
"Ah. I'm really looking forward to your wedding tomorrow. I think Michael is a super guy, and I know you'll be happy," she said, chickening out.
Jennifer reached over and touched Abby's hand. A static discharge zapped both of their hands. They quickly pulled back their hands.
"Ouch. I never had that sitting down. Maybe touching some of the doors in the building but never while sitting down," Jennifer said and looked a little baffled.
"Me neither," Abby replied while she rubbed her hand that got zapped.
"Anyway, thank you for your sweet comment. I know Michael thinks the world of you and we want you in our lives. Misses Osborne's right. You feel like family for some strange reason," Jennifer said and looked sincere.
Abby looked like she wants to cry.
"Michael and I want to start having children a year after we're married," Jennifer said with that motherly look in her eyes.
Abby looked at Jennifer and felt her eyes tear up. She stood up with her tray in hand. "I forgot Doctor Bowman needs an important letter ready for when he gets out of class."
Jennifer looked concerned while she watched Abby rushed off with her tray.
While Abby rushed to the area to drop off her lunch tray, she did not notice Kenneth, who was outside and peeked in the cafeteria windows from across the large room.
Kenneth rushed away.
A little while later, Abby rushed into the office and fought back her tears.
She rushed over and sat down at her desk.
"What the hell am I suppose to do tomorrow to save the day?" she said while she sat down behind her desk.
"Save the day? What do you mean to save the day?" the voice of Kenneth came from inside Dr. Bowman's office.
Kenneth's voice startled Abby. She turned and saw Kenneth standing in the doorway of Dr. Bowman's office.
"The doctor is out," Kenneth said while he walked out of the doorway with a smirk.
Kenneth walked over and sat on a far corner of her desk. He made her nervous while he gave her his best detective stare. "So, what did you mean by saving the day?"
Abby fidgeted in her seat a little. "I mean, I guess the wedding. I'm going to be a bridesmaid, and I'm nervous."
Kenneth glared at Abby that made her sweat. "Nervous about being a bridesmaid," he said then slid down the top to the middle of her desk.
She rolled her chair back a little. Kenneth had a smirk, as he loved intimidating her. It made him feel more like a powerful man.
"Oh, you might like this one," he said, then paused while he slid closer to her. "I had an interesting conservation with someone from the Orlando police department."
Abby's eyes widened a little with concern. "Oh?"
"It appears that they don't have any record of an Abby Austin living in Orlando," he said while he slid closer to the corner of the desk by her.
Abby rolled her chair back a little. "Oh?"
"Oh yeah, Now, another interesting thing is that a Doctor Phillips Hospital does not exist in Orlando. How about that? You worked at a hospital in Orlando that did not exist. How is that possible?" he said and looked serious while he slid down to the corner of the desk.
Abby rolled her chair back a little.
"But here's the really interesting part," he said then reached inside his suit pocket and removed the two twenty-dollar bills from Montgomery Wards.
Abby looked a little baffled as to why he had forty dollars in his hand.
"I got a call from the manager of the Montgomery Wards. It appears that some female bought some dresses, high heel shoes, pajamas, panties, and bras on Tuesday night," he said while he glared into Abby's eyes.
"So. Women shop for clothes at Montgomery Wards all the time," she replied and started to feel a little nervous.
"That true. But," he said then stood up and stared at Abby who looked away. "We've never had a local woman use counterfeit money when buying clothes at our Montgomery Wards," he said while he flashed the two twenty-dollar bills at Abby. "Money with two thousand eight and two thousand nine dates on them," he said then paused for a few seconds to make her sweat. "And the cashier described the woman. A woman with blonde hair, brown eyes, and a mole on her upper lip," he said then paused for a few more seconds.
His eyes lit up and pretended that something just dawned on him. "Wow. A description that describes you," he said then returned to his serious stare.
Abby looked caught and speechless while Kenneth inched closer to her with his dangerous glare.
"Now, I'm proposing that you're up here in Barbourville to run some type of scam against my good friends," he said while she shoved the two twenty's back into his suit pocket.
"No. I'm not doing that," she said while she nodded her head in disagreement.
Abby rolled her chair backward while Kenneth inched toward her. She rolled her chair back and smacked into the wall. She swallowed hard while Kenneth walked up and towered over her.
Kenneth grabbed Abby's left hand and yanked her hard up to her feet. He pressed his body against hers with his awful coffee and cigarette breath into her face.
Abby tried to turn away, but Kenneth grabbed her by her chin and stopped her.
She frowned with his bad coffee and cigarette breath hitting her senses.
"Now, if you spend some quality time with me, I can easily overlook these little discrepancies," he said while he stared at her with a smirk.
Kenneth forced a kiss on Abby while he wrapped his arms around her body.
She tried to squirm out from under his arms, but he was too strong. She was trapped.
Kenneth ran his right down to her buttocks. He groped her right butt cheek.
Abby cringed in disgust with the feeling of his hands on her butt cheek.
Kenneth quit his kissing then glared in her eyes and looked dead serious. "So, tomorrow night, we're going to see that new Absent Minded Professor movie, then after that, we're going to have our own honeymoon. And you're going to love me like I'm your husband," he said with a smirk. "Because if you refuse in any shape or form, and I have to admit, you have a great shape," he said then gave her a light kiss on her lips. "I'll slap you ass into one of our holding cells for counterfeiting. Do you know how many years you can spend in jail for counterfeiting? Lots. You'll come out with a head full of gray hair and saggy tits."
Kenneth released his grip of Abby and stepped back a few feet. "I'll pick you up at Jennifer's house tomorrow night at six-thirty," he said with a smile.
He turned around, walked around in the middle of the room. "Until tomorrow night, my love. My sweet thing," he said then blew her a kiss. Then his eyes widened when he thought of something. "That's perfect. I'll call you a sweet thing from now on," he said and smiled at the thought of that name. "I got it off a Route Sixty-Six episode," he said then headed to the door with a spring in his step.
She sat down in her chair and got a creepy chill all throughout her body. Her eyes widened with panic.
She jumped up from her chair and bolted to the door and rushed out of the office.
Abby ran down the hallway and rushed inside the Ladies Room.
Inside the Ladies Room, she ran to the nearest stall and rushed inside. She vomited in the toilet.
Chapter 21
The afternoon dragged on for Abby and the thought of being with Kenneth tomorrow night gave her the occasional dry heaves. And that constant thought got her behind with her work.
Four-thirty arrived, and Abby tidied up her desk and placed the cover over the typewriter.
She grabbed her purse and headed out of the office happy the day was over but in deep thought.
Abby walked out of the Science Department building and headed down the sidewalk.
Out in the employee parking lot, Jennifer waited behind the wheel of her Corvair. She looked excited, as her wedding day was now closer.
She saw Abby while she walked through the parking lot and headed to her car. She started up her engine.
Abby got in the passenger seat of the Corvair in deep thought.
Jennifer looked concerned. "What happened at lunch?" she said while she backed up her car out of the parking spot.
"Oh it was nothing, I really had to get that letter done for Doctor Bowman. I didn't want to get in trouble during my first week," Abby replied while Jennifer drove off through the parking lot.
"I can understand that," Jennifer replied while she turned to the right on the college entrance and headed to the stop sign for Shady Hill Drive.
Abby fidgeted in her seat, and Jennifer noticed then she looked for a clearing in the traffic.
"What's wrong? You look like something's bothering you," Jennifer asked while she pulled out onto Shady Hill Drive and made a left turn.
Abby pondered for a few seconds if she should say anything. "Well, there are two things."
Jennifer looked curious. "What are they?"
Abby hesitated for a few seconds while she got up the courage. "I had a dream last night. Well, it was more of a nightmare."
"I hate those. So what happened?"
Abby paused for a few seconds and started to wonder if she should continue.
"First I was in a car driving over a wooden bridge over a lake. There was a gunshot and another vehicle smacked into the back of the car I was in. The car crashed through the wooden guardrails and crashed into the lake. Someone drowned inside that car when it filled up with water."
"That's horrible. So you had it last night?"
"Well, actually, I had the same nightmare last week."
"Last week? Before you arrived here in Barbourville?"
Abby nodded in agreement.
Jennifer thought about Abby's nightmare while she turned her Corvair left onto Broadmoor Avenue.
"The same nightmare twice. I wonder if that has any meaning? I mean, I heard that your dreams have some significance," Jennifer said while she drove down Broadmoor.
Abby looked at Jennifer and looked apprehensive. "I believe I was dreaming about you."
It took a few seconds for it to dawn on Jennifer. Me? You dreamed I drowned?"
"I believe so," Abby replied.
Jennifer thought about Abby's dream. "That sounds like the old wooden bridge over the Brandywine Lake on the way to Michael's parent's cabin," she said and paused. "But how can that be possible if we didn't know each other last week?"
"Ah, I don't know. But I'm worried about tomorrow. Really worried," Abby said and looked worried.
"Why tomorrow? It's my wedding day. Nothing will happen on such a beautiful day," Jennifer said, then paused. "Besides, I'm not going up to the cabin until after the wedding."
"I think you should maybe have a honeymoon somewhere else."
Jennifer pondered her suggestion for a few seconds. "Nightmares are just that nightmares. They can't predict the future. I've had plenty of them. Maybe you had something in your past that's causing them."
There were a few minutes of silence while Jennifer drove down Broadmoor.
Abby glanced out her door window just in time to see the Montgomery Wards store to her right. She felt a little faint and nauseous while she recalled her encounter with Kenneth after lunch.
"So, what was the other thing?" Jennifer asked and looked curious at Abby.
Abby looked away from the Montgomery Wards. "Oh, I'm thinking of leaving Barbourville next week."
Jennifer looked a little surprised. "Leaving Barbourville? Why? You just got here," she said while she made a left turn onto Woodland Avenue.
"Kenneth was in my office when I returned from lunch. He forced another kiss. There's something about him I don't trust."
"I'll have a talk with him if he's bugging you," Jennifer said.
"He wants to take me out tomorrow night. I don't want to go," Abby said.
"I'll talk with him tomorrow during the reception," Jennifer said and looked confident she could tell Kenneth to leave Abby alone.
Abby hesitated while she looked at Jennifer. "He told me at that lounge that he would marry you in a heartbeat."
"Really?" Jennifer asked while she made a right turn onto Dorothy Avenue. And the thought of that was not a turn on for her.
"Yeah," Abby said then she stared out her window.
Jennifer remained quiet while she drove down Dorothy and headed to her home.
Jennifer pulled into her driveway and parked her car in her carport.
She and Abby get out of the car.
Jennifer walked over to Abby. "I wish you would reconsider staying here in Barbourville. Kenneth's harmless and I will have a talk with him. I promise," she said and looked sadden at the thought of Abby leaving town.
"I'll think about it. So, what time should I come over later?"
"Six-thirty. I talked with Maris this afternoon, and we decided that after everybody shows up, we're going to the theater to see The Absent Minded Professor movie. I've been dying to see it. Then we'll come back to my house and party," Jennifer said and looked excited about tonight.
"Maris? She sounds familiar."
"She works in human resources."
"Oh yeah, okay, I'll see you at six-thirty," Abby said then turned around and walked over to Michael's house.
Jennifer watched Abby with interest for a few seconds then went inside her home.
Abby entered Michael's living room, where she heard some movement in the kitchen.
While she walked through the living room, Martha appeared in the doorway of the kitchen in her apron.
"How was work, dear?"
"It was okay," Abby replied with a fake smile then noticed Martha wearing the apron. "I'll get changed and help you," she said, thinking that might help take today's events out of her mind.
"What time do you need to get over at Jennifer's house?"
"Six-thirty."
Martha smiled as she started to think of Abby as a daughter.
Martha went back into the kitchen while Abby walked down the hallway and headed to Michael's bedroom.
Meanwhile, over at Shumaker's Lounge, Kenneth sat alone at a table in his suit. He decided to take a few drinks before heading out for Michael's bachelor party.
Rusty Shumaker, the middle-aged huge potbelly bald owner of the lounge, walked over and sat down at Kenneth's table.
"What time do you need her to be ready?" Rusty asked Kenneth.
Kenneth took a drink of his whiskey and water while they thought about his question. "Nine. I'll pick her up here," Kenneth said while he placed his glass down on the table.
"Okay. That's forty for my fee," Rusty said.
Kenneth looked at Rusty, and always he was a sleazeball. But this was the pot calling the kettle black. Without thinking, Kenneth reached inside his suit pocket and removed Abby's twenty-dollar bills. He handed the cash over to Rusty.
Rusty shoved the bills into his pocket without checking them out. He stood up then walked away, heading to the bar.
Kenneth continued drinking his drink while in deep thought about Jennifer and Abby. He gulped down his drink and stood up.
He strutted to the door of the lounge-like he was on a mission.
Martha had dinner ready a little early so Abby could make it to Jennifer's bachelorette party.
While they ate Martha notice, Abby looked worried.
"You're quiet tonight. Anything wrong, my dear?"
"No. I'm just tired from work. Typing letters all day can be exhausting."
"You'll get a second wind when you go to Jennifer's bachelorette party later," Martha replied.
Abby nodded that she agreed.
Down the street from Dorothy Avenue, Kenneth had his Bel-Air parked five houses down the street from Jennifer's home.
He sipped on his flask recently topped off with Jack Daniels whiskey. He was in deep thought while he glanced at Jennifer and Michael's houses.