Run (7 page)

We were still at Roger’s. Aunt Wanda had had no luck getting her hands on any more money. She was playing it safe to maintain what connection she had with Roger and Anna. This wasn’t something I’d ever seen her do before. Most of the people she knew were either dead or wondering how they could get to her so they could beat the tar out of her.

It was a unique situation. I knew she wouldn’t hurt Roger and his family. I tried to crawl inside Wanda’s mind, to figure out the weird loyalty. Could this be the man Aunt Wanda had a thing for? He was good looking--what woman her age wouldn’t want him?

Anna had convinced me to come outside to garden with her and Lainey. She had me pulling weeds and digging holes for her flowers.

I did my best, trying to keep busy so neither one would talk to me. My knees were sore from resting in the dirt for so long. I wiped the sweat from my brow with the back of my hand, my shoulders aching.

“Almost done, girls. I’ll get us some lemonade,” Anna said sweetly, taking her gloves off. She pecked Roger on the cheek and went inside. He took a seat in front of us at the patio. Lainey was oblivious to her father’s presence as she went about covering roots with fresh dirt.

“Looking good,” he said, chewing on a toothpick. He flicked it back and forth between his lips. I tried my best to keep him out of my head. His eyes were glued to my every move, and he was probably getting quite a view as I dug the holes.

I fumbled with the straps of my camisole, hoping my chest wasn’t visible from the position I was crouched in.

“I never cared for tulips,” Lainey said, more to herself. She stared at Mason as he mowed the grass off in the distance. Anna had found a job for all of us. I didn’t think Mason was too upset since he hadn’t wanted to talk to me since the temper tantrum he’d thrown the other night at the duplex.

I watched him use the bottom of his shirt to wipe the perspiration from his face. His flat muscular stomach called out to me, along with the dark happy trail that leads to impressive parts of him that I was quite familiar with.

I shook my head, wondering when I had become such a pervert. “I never cared for flowers,” I told Lainey.

She didn’t respond. She removed her gloves and tossed them down. It was all too obvious she was busy staring at Mason now.

“He hasn’t said more than two words to me in days,” she said faintly.

“Mason is a jerk. Don’t waste your time,” I told her, tossing a hunk of soil in the hole I dug.

“Yeah, but he’s so smart and carefree. And so nice, he’s got the most incredible eyes. He’s exotic.” She bit her lip and she studied him at work.

“His dad was Spanish. That’s not exotic, he’s a mutt.” I laughed. Lainey glared at me, agitated by my remark.

“It was a joke, I apologize,” I said, standing up.

“Not a very funny one, Kendall. Do you think he’s upset with me?” She stood too as if lost in a dream—completely mesmerized by Mason.

“I don’t know. Best way to find out is to ask him.” I jumped as a bunch of wood was dropped at my feet. Noah shot me an angry glare as he pushed the wheelbarrow past me. 

“Now if you want to know what a jerk is, that’s one right there,” she said, pointing at Noah.

I laughed, watching Anna make her way out with a tray of lemonade.

“Wow, good job girls,” she said, setting the tray on the table.

“I agree. Looks good,” Roger spoke up in agreement. He leaned back, resting his arm on the chair beside him.

“Have a seat, girls. I’m going to get Mason and Noah so they can take a break before they die of heatstroke.” She hurried off.

I studied Roger’s pleased expression as I took the seat next to him.

I ran my hands across my knees wiping off some of the dirt.

“Nothing a shower can’t fix,” he said, trailing a finger across my kneecap. I gave him a weird look, suddenly growing a bit uncomfortable.

“Lainey, could you grab my paper?” Roger asked. She shot right out of her chair, eager to please him, and left us alone.

“Sorry about the other day…getting interrupted and all,” he said.

“Maybe it’s for the best,” I said, my eyes pinned on Anna who was approaching with Mason.

“Well, that’s a little disappointing to hear,” he said.

“I think your wife is really nice. I don’t want to ruin her impression of me.” I felt a bit ill all of a sudden. The smile on Anna’s face, as she closed in on the patio, was nauseating.

“I agree. My wife is a wonderful woman.” He nodded, watching Anna.

“I’m glad we agree then, Roger,” I said.

“I could make you feel things you never felt before.  You’re a beautiful girl, Kendall. You have a lot to offer someone.”

I pondered what he said—what it could mean.

All he knew about me was the way my breast felt in his grasp. Or what my lips felt like against his neck. He knew nothing about me.

To him, I was just a naïve girl—a girl who resembled her mother, and who he was attracted to. He probably thought I was stupid and would let him do to me what his wife wouldn’t let him do to her anymore. Or maybe it was the thrill of having a young girl on the run. I didn’t really know, but odds were Mason was right. He was hoping to live out a fantasy of my mother through me.

“I’m sure I can imagine what it would be like.” I smiled as soon as Anna’s feet touched the patio. Mason plopped his shirtless body down next to me. I looked at him, and Roger watched my every move.

“I could really use a swim,” Mason said, looking at me to agree with him. I ignored him. Lainey came out of the house excited.

“I forgot your paper, Daddy,” she gasped, bringing her hand to her mouth.

“It’s allright, don’t worry about it,” Roger said dismissively.

Mason grew visibly uncomfortable as Lainey took the seat next to him.

“I think you’re doing a great job on the lawn,” Lainey said, breaking the awkward silence.

“Thanks,” Mason said dryly.

“I heard you say you could use a swim. I don’t have anything to do, I could take you down there.” She smiled at him, hanging on for dear life.

Anna handed me a glass of lemonade, agreeing with Lainey.

“I think that would be great for all of you,” she said, with a smile, sipping at her glass of lemonade.

Noah groaned, loud enough for everyone to hear. “I don’t like them. And I am not going to sit here anymore and pretend I do,” he said, knocking his mother backwards into her chair. Roger’s eyes were huge and my heart plummeted to my feet.

“Noah Wylie, these are our guests. Do not talk like that in front of them,” Anna said sternly.

“I don’t give a shit. I’m sorry, but they could be the god damn president of the United States of America for all I care. I’m not playing nice and going down to the water. I want nothing to do with them,” he said, laying his eyes on me and only me.

Anna pulled a smile from somewhere, her body rigid and seething with anger. She stood up, clutching her drink with one hand and pulling at her shirt with the other. “I apologize, Kendall and Mason. I don’t know where his manners went to. Noah, I’d suggest you excuse yourself before I do something I’ll regret later,” she said, through gritted teeth.

Noah stood, nodded his head, and gave everyone one more troubled glare.

Lainey twirled a strand of hair, her jaw agape.

Roger was as white as a ghost. He knew his son could bring him to his knees. I knew he wasn’t going for that. He just wanted to voice how much he hated me now.

“I’m pretty sure we won’t be here much longer,” Mason spoke up, downing his lemonade, an eyebrow raised at Noah’s theatrics.

Noah stalked off, slamming the door like an enraged child.

Lainey looked around, chewing her fingernail. The girl had nervousness written all over her face.

I sighed, finally giving in. I looked at Mason. “I have a swimsuit in my bag. Let me grab it,” I said. Lainey lit up from head to toe.

“Mason are you coming to?” she asked. Mason nodded, heading back to the duplex with me.

“You’re not one to be so agreeable —what’s up with that,” he said as we walked to the duplex.

I shrugged. “They mean no harm. They’re the first people I’ve met who are decent and kind.”

“Are you falling in love with the thought of their happy family?” He grinned.

“Mason, knock it off. She really likes you,” I said. Mason just glared at me.

“I’m not some prostitute you can pawn off. I’m not going to sleep with her to make you or her happy. What the heck is wrong with you people?” The shocked expression on his face made me want to laugh.

“I didn’t ask you to,” I grumbled, heading up the stairs. He just stared at me, like he couldn’t believe what he’d just heard. I was beginning to think Mason thought I had no morals at all.

“I just want to get out of here,” he said, going inside.

After throwing on our swimsuits, we headed back through the woods to the water. Lainey proved to be quite the country girl. She knew every step of the way. To me it was nothing more than a mass of trees. I’d have been lost in seconds if I were alone. I found it interesting how similar, but yet so different, I was to her. We were both from the south, but I didn’t feel “southern” anymore. I’d grown up in nearly every other state, so the south had been sucked out of me a long time ago.

“Well, here we are guys,” she said, standing at the edge of the water. Tall trees lined the edge, like a scene right out of the movies. I just hoped I wouldn’t come out covered with blood-sucking leeches
.

Mason pulled his shirt off and tossed it on the ground. He took off before Lainey could give him another dreamy look.

I wiggled out of my shorts, dropping them at my feet. Lainey watched, before taking her own clothes off. She was comparing herself with me—typical girl thing to do. I was comfortable in my skin, always had been.

She was skinny but in a sporty way, not an underdeveloped girl way. Her hair glistened in the sun, her purple bikini made her alabaster skin look even more porcelain-like.

“I love your swimsuit,” she said, pulling her hair back. I smiled, securing the ties on my hot pink bikini. It was the girliest thing I owned. And I loved it.

I wasn’t skinny like Lainey—I wasn’t fat either. I had the body of what a woman was meant to look like. I had a tiny waist, small hips, and muscular legs—probably from all the running I did. My arms were long and thin and toned. I had a rear that went well with anything I wore. My butt was my favorite part of my body.

Mason always said I was the most incredible looking girl, and that my body drove him crazy. He said I was made that way to get men all revved up. I always thought he didn’t know what he was talking about.

But as I watched him watching us, it was obvious whose body was drawing all his attention. Lainey grabbed my arm and started running toward the water. I quickly shook my sandals from my feet before our feet hit the water.

We both went under simultaneously. The cool water filled my ears and shocked my hot skin. I immediately opened my eyes, seeing a million particles floating past my face as I swam. I could see Mason and Lainey standing a safe distance away from each other. I stretched my arms and legs, swimming further.

As I swam, I relaxed and felt like a huge weight had been lifted from my shoulders. I was in the here and now and nothing else mattered.

I’d never known what it felt like to have someone worry about me or to care about me. Living like I did, it was impossible to be normal—whatever normal was.

I tried to not feel sorry for myself and I didn’t want to be sad. I never saw anything good in my mother when I lived with her. In fact, I didn’t see much of her at all. She was never there, never cared, and I was alone nearly every day.

I got used to it, though, and discovered that I was my own best friend. But, even I couldn’t give myself the love and care I needed.

And like a leaf in a stream, I was swept through life’s current, and no matter what was happening around me, I still had to move on.

My mother was never angry and bitter like Wanda. She was the opposite. My mother was overly emotional. She was always crying or upset about something. What? I’ll never know.

My mother sought her comfort—or torture-- in men. She was a beautiful woman with a broken soul. She and I may have lived in the same house, but I was a burden to her; a burden she ignored and never looked at. Not once did I feel like she was my mother.

I resurfaced once my lungs were on fire and begging for air. Mason’s body was floating off in the distance. Lainey trailed behind him, caught up in the conversation they were having, as they drifted farther away.

I decided I’d had enough swimming and headed back up the hill, grabbing my clothes from the ground. They’d never even know I was gone. This would give Mason a chance to make Lainey happy. He would never treat anyone badly if he didn’t have to. There was really no reason, that I knew of, to not trust Lainey.

As I headed through the trees, I hoped I knew the way back. I could hear the birds chirping overhead as I moved along.