Finding Kylie (17 page)

             
“Cool. Can I borrow your clothes while you stay?”  Whitney asked, breaking her train of thought.

             
“I don’t think they would fit you Whit. They might cover too much for your liking.”  She teased and pointed to Whitney’s low cut jeans and tank top. “In fact, I may need to loose a few pounds and borrow a couple of outfits from you!”

             
Chastity got in and buckled up, thankful to be inside the cool car and away from the humidity.  She glanced to the dashboard, where the temperature gauge read 102 degrees. 

             
“Is it always this hot here?” 
Surely that can’t be right.
 

             
Whitney laughed from the back seat, as Cheryl replied,

“You’re
used to those nice breezes in California.  Here, the index makes it feel like 112 degrees when it’s only 102.”

             
“Only?”  Chastity fanned herself.

             
“You’d better get used to it if you plan on staying for a little while.” Whitney laughed, chiming in from the back. 

             
Chastity reached for the dash to turn up the air conditioner. 

             
“Now I know why Whitney has convinced you into letting her wear the tiniest clothes possible!  I think I’ll seriously be borrowing some of your clothes, Whit!” 

             
After directing most of the airflow toward her, Chastity inspected the great state of Oklahoma, noticing how different it was from where she came from. 

             
“This place is unreal! It’s hotter than Hades, and you’ve got oil pumps in the middle of no where.” 

             
Once Cheryl pulled onto the highway, Chastity’s jaw dropped.  There was flat land for as far as you could see, which made her feel like she should be in a horse and buggy crossing the prairie fields instead of in a luxury car leaving the airport. 

             
As the drive progressed, she studied the local businesses and new developments that were being built.  In seeing all the new construction, she marveled about how different it was from California, where buildings and condos were crammed into every space available.  

             
There’s a sense of balance here.  It’s developing - not over developed.  

             
As Cheryl slowed down to exit, a large red pickup approached in the next lane.

             
“Is this the pick up truck capital of the world?  I must have seen about fifty by now!”

             
She looked out her window in time to see the driver tip his cowboy hat to her, with cigarette in hand.  She blinked, in awe and half waved, in return.  As it sped by, she leaned forward to read the lettering, displayed across the tinted back window.   It read, ‘Every rose has its thorns’.

             
“Oh my gosh!”  Chastity laughed. “You’ve got to be kidding me! What have I gotten myself into?”

             
Cheryl nodded in her direction.  “You’ll be okay once the shock wears off.  Hey, I’ve traveled all over too, and I wouldn’t live anywhere else.  The people here are by far the most friendly and easy going people I’ve ever met.” 

             
She put on her turn signal and slowed down to pull into her housing edition.

             
“Plus - the traffic is a breeze … and the cost of living is one of the best in the nation.  You’re going to love it by the time you leave, you’ll see.” 

Chapter 22

             
All three girls made supper as the radio played in the background. 

             
“This is Dancin’ Dave McKay. We’re playing all your soft rock favorites on Magic one - oh - four - point - one, KMGL.  Here’s Pat Benatar with Hit Me With Your Best Shot!” 

             
The DJ turned up the music, as Pat Benatar’s smooth but tough voice floated through the kitchen. 

             
Cheryl grabbed the salad bowl from Chastity to finish setting the table. 

             
“This was one of your mother’s favorite songs.  Especially after...” Cheryl’s voice trailed off and she turned to sit down for dinner. 

             
Whitney gave her mom a knowing look and quickly made a plate.  “I think I’ll take mine up to my room to let you two visit.  Mom, tell dad I love him when he gets in tonight.”

             
Cheryl nodded to her daughter, and then grabbed the salad tongs to serve Chastity.  “So how’d your showing go?”

             
“Decent ... decent enough to allow me to stay here a little bit.”  She shoved some salad in her mouth.

             
“You may want to put some of your paintings or sketches down in the Paseo arts district. It’s the perfect place for your work.  If you’re staying here for a while, you might consider it!” 

             
Chastity nodded.  “I may.  I brought my portfolio and sketchbook.  My drawings are what sold the best, and I have a few more that I don’t plan on keeping anymore.” 

             
Cheryl poured some water from her pitcher and innocently asked, “You mind if I take a look?”

             
“No, I don’t mind at all.  Gimmee a second.” 

             
Chastity pushed her chair back to retreat to the guest room.  She returned with her portfolio in hand.

             
“Most of them are pencil sketches and are kind of rough.”

             
She handed it over, carefully observing Cheryl’s face while she inspected her work.  Letting anyone see her art was personal. 

             
Cheryl flipped through, and immediately saw something that made her do a double take.  One of Chastity’s drawings was a dead ringer for John Mikale. 

             
She looked up and stared into Chastity’s questioning eyes, not sure where to start.  She cut her eyes back down to the drawing. 

             
“So did you sketch this after you found your mom’s newspaper clippings?”

             
Chastity shook her head. “Nope – that’s from high school?”

             
“So how did you know what he looked like?”  Cheryl’s eyes widened.  “Oh, so you
did
see him?”

             
Chastity shifted in her chair. “No, what are you talking about? This was just a face that would haunt my dreams, and so I put it to paper.”

             
Cheryl wasn't ready to have this conversation yet. 

             
Quick! Change the subject! Change the subject!
 

             
She abruptly stood, and reached for the refrigerator door. 

             
“So do you want some fruit for dessert?  I’ve got cantaloupe and watermelon.  Which do you prefer?”

             
Chastity jumped up to follow her around the table, desperate to know more.              

             
“Stop pulling a Kylie and ignoring the subject.  What are you talking about?”

             
Knowing she didn’t have a choice, Cheryl rested against the kitchen counter, defeated.  Another part of Kylie’s puzzle was about to be revealed. 

             
“Okay, I told your mom I’d tell you everything.  So I will.”  She dropped her head and sighed. “You’ve actually seen your dad.”

             
“No, I haven’t!” Chastity crossed her arms. “I’d remember.”

             
“You did, honey. When you were about seven years old. It was when you two were out shopping.  You had just moved to North Carolina for her job with the restaurant group, and needed some warmer clothing.”

             
Chastity nodded affirming Cheryl’s information.  “I remember our shopping trip.  We didn’t get to go very often.  It was a rare occasion that I could pick out something and take it home.”    She narrowed her eyes. “How does he fit into this?” 

             
Cheryl motioned to the kitchen chairs.  “Come sit, and I’ll tell you everything.”

             
They retreated back to the table, so Cheryl could unravel more of Kylie’s past. 

             
“Well, Kylie knew that John went into the military right after high school, but had no idea that he would be stationed anywhere near where you two would be living.”

             
Chastity felt like it was one blow after the other.  “Did he track her down?”

             
“Not exactly, like I said ... she was looking for winter clothes for you.  You were telling her what colors you liked best.  You had a flair for color, even back then.”

             
Kylie loved to watch her daughter, no matter what she was doing - playing, reading, drawing, and even shopping.  She had such personality and it made it a joy just to be around her. 

             
As she was deciding how much money she could spend, she watched her daughter pick through all the different sweaters. Her budget was tight, but Chastity needed some winter clothes now that they were on the east coast. 

             
She was about to tell her daughter to be careful, as she started spinning the clothes rounder, when she felt someone walk up behind her.

             
“Kylie?  What are you doing here?” 

             
She heard his deep voice, before she saw him.  Just a few words from him made the hair on the back of her neck stand up.  Kylie spun around to face the man that had hurt her so many years ago, and who was still hurting her without even know it. 

             
All she could think of was how she was going to keep her daughter on the other side of the clothes rounder, away from his view.  She didn’t want him to know that he had any link to her, or have any reason to continue standing there.

             
Her heart fell, as Chastity bounded around the clothing rack toward her.             

             
“Mom, can I have the green one?” 

             
Kylie froze, as she watched everything unfold.  She felt like that night was repeating itself all over again, as she had no control to protect herself and now her daughter. As John looked into Chastity’s eyes with recognition, something in Kylie snapped.  She chose not to be helpless anymore. 

             
She pushed Chastity toward the counter.              “Sweetheart, take your sweater to the sales clerk right now.  I’ll be there in a minute.” 

             
John had been so shocked to see Kylie, in North Carolina of all places.  At first, he thought his guilt had his mind playing tricks on him, until he got close enough to speak to her and smell her perfume. 

             
He felt like he had been mowed over by a truck; as he watched the beautiful little girl, with the bold green eyes, skip over to the counter.  Now, he realized that he had a daughter.

             
Before John could even open his mouth to speak, Kylie laid into him.

             
“Don’t you ever come near me again.  Do you hear me?  I want you to turn and walk away and stay there.” 

             
She glared at him with the most intensity he’d ever seen.  Her motherly impulses kicked in, and he knew she meant business. 

             
John knew he had no right to ask, but forged forth, even though he already the answer.  He’d seen himself in his daughter’s eyes.

             
“Is she mine?” 

             
Kylie leaned forward and stared him down. “You have no right ... you never did.” 

             
She spun on her heel, paid for the sweater in cash and rushed Chastity out of the store.  Once they reached her car, she was shaking so much; she could barely unlock the passenger door.

             
“Get in quick, and lock your door.” 

             
Kylie pushed her daughter’s door shut, ran around to the driver’s side, and sped off.  On her way to their apartment, they stopped to rent a U-haul trailer.  Once there, she called her next-door neighbor to help her pack up. The minimal furniture and belongings they had were loaded up quickly, and Chastity got her first crash course in packing on the run.