Safe and Sound (35 page)

 
Jack hung back. “No. You go.”

 
She frowned. “Why
don’t you want to go
?”

 
“I don’t want to intrude.”

 
“You’re not intruding.”

 
“Lola.” Jack gave her a look. “
Go
.
Sebastian said Rachel has big double dating plans
so I’ll go find out the details.”

 
“That sounds like torture.”

 
He kissed her forehead. “The things I do for you.”

 
Lola weaved her way through people, stopping to give her goodbyes to
Dr. Jones
and Derek, who both hugged her tight and invited her over for supper the next week.

 
Sebastian stood off to the side, watching his family and friends
enjoy his party
. His hands were shoved into the pockets of khaki pants, a white dress shirt tight against his muscular chest. Sebastian’s hair was slicked back, his features prominent.
Shadows hid his eyes from her.

 
Lola watched him for a moment
, emotions tightening her throat
. Her
childhood
friend was a young man now. Bittersweet tenderness swept through her. He would be leaving soon, going to
college
in Iowa.

 
True, they had both changed and were different
from
a year ago, but some things, the most important things, never changed.

 
He’d always been there for her, even when she didn’t know it, even when she didn’t want him to be. If he hadn’t been there
that last night
, who knew what Lola would be like at that very moment, where she would be,
wha
t
she would be.

 
Sebastian looked up, caught her eye, and grinned.

 
Lola hurried to him, missing him already.
She felt like crying. In fact, she was. Lola grabbed him and pulled him into a tight hug
. Sebastian’s arms went around her, hugging her just as tightly.

 
“You’re my best friend, Sebastian. Even if I get another best friend
someday
, you’ll still always be the
best
best
friend.
” Lola pulled away, wiped her eyes.

 
Sebastian
swallowed,
eyes red.
“You too, Lola.
Always.”

 
She laughed through her tears; wishing things didn’t have to change. But that was life; that was the one constant
, the one thing that never changed
. Things always changed.

 
“You have to open my present before I go.”

 
“Okay.”

 
“I’m going now, Sebastian,” she told him when he didn’t move.

 
“Oh.
” He straightened.
“
Where is it?”

 
Lola dashed a hand across her wet eyes and grabbed the present from the table of them, offering it to Sebastian.

 
Sebastian looked at the gift wrapped in blue paper
, holding it in his hands
. “Whatever it is, I’ll love it just because it’s from you.”

 
“I know that. Open it.”

 
He began to tear
at
the paper.

 
“Something you always need, something you never want to lose,” Lola told him.

 
Sebastian paused, understanding the significance of the gift.

 
He lifted the
lid
from the box
and r
eached in, pulling out an 8 X 10 canvas.
Colors swirled together, different shades of blues and greens and purples
melding, interlocking, becoming one
.
Four black letters stood out, bold and unable to ignore.

 
“I made this at a time when I had none, or at least, not much.”

 
He kept his head down, tracing the four letters with his fingertip. It read: HOPE.
Sebastian took a deep breath, wiped his eyes
on his sleeve
, and gave Lola a sweet smile. “This is the best gift I’ve ever gotten.”

 
Lola patted his back. “I know.”
They shared a smile, laughing.

*
**

 
Lola sat still as Isabelle braided her hair, trying not to wince when she pulled her hair. She wasn’t entirely sure it wasn’t on purpose, so Lola said nothing.
She didn’t want to give Isabelle the satisfaction.

 
They were in the living room of Blair’s house, watching ‘The Golden Girls’ which ju
st happened to be both of their
favorite television show
s
of all time. It was too bad they didn’t get along since they had so much in common.

 
A half-eaten plate of chocolate chip cookies
they’d baked together
sat on the coffee table, two glasses of partially drank milk beside it.

 
Jack had told Lola she’d
somehow
become Isabelle’s role model, which was scary at best.
Plus she didn’t believe him. Lola thought Isabelle just hung around her to agitate her and she was
good
at it.

 
It was turning into a weekly routine for Isabelle to show up at Lola’s
whenever Jack was working and Lola wasn’t
.
If Lola didn’t find Isabelle so amusing, she would have forbade her to come over a long time ago. Well, she told herself that anyway.

 
Lola had to admit, grudgingly, that she enjoyed Isabelle’s company, sulky disposition and all.

 
“I can’t do this!” Isabelle wailed and undid Lola’s hair, being particularly rough as she shook it loose
with her hand, her nails like talons in Lola’s thick hair
.

 
“Hey. Easy! That’s
real
hair on a
real
head, you know,” Lola complained
, ducking out of Isabelle’s reach. She moved from the floor to the bay window, putting plenty of space between them.

 
Isabelle’s pretty face was set in a scowl, her arms crossed.
“I
suck
. I’m never going to learn how to do this.”
             

 
For only being a year younger than Lola, Isabelle was decades below as far as maturity went. Jack had spoiled her, which Lola didn’t think would have been possible, given their circumstances growing up. Yet somehow he’d man
aged to find a way to do
it. He was sneaky like that.

 
“You’re never going to lea
r
n if you give up and throw fits,” Lola said, rubbing her sore head.

 
“I do
not
throw fits!”

 
Lola looked at her, trying to find some patience. Isabelle had on a pretty pale green sundress and
sandals
, her blond curls framing her face. The girl had no idea how pretty she was
, even with a pout on her face
.
Probably a good thing.

 
“
Here.
Grab that mirror. Sit on the floor.” Lola moved to the couch and sat behind Isabelle, parting her hair in threes. “I’ll show you how to do it and then you can practice some more.”

 
Isabelle was quiet as Lola
worked,
a look of concentration on her face as she watched Lola’s fingers move through her curls.

 
“May I ask why it is so important you learn to braid hair?”

 
She didn’t answer, finally asking,
“Who taught you how to braid hair?”

 
Lola’s gaze collided with Isabelle’s in the handheld mirror.
“My mother.”
Discomfort pricked her chest, but it wasn’t the stabbing agony it used to be.

 
Isabelle looked down. “I didn’t know my mom. She died when I was born.
I never got to do any of those mother daughter things, like braiding hair. Jack tried.
”
A warm smile stretched her lips. “He was terrible at it. My hair ended up in ratted knots
that had to be cut out
.”

 
Lola laughed softly. “At least he tried, I guess.”

 
“Yeah.”
Isabelle got a distant look on her face. “He’s done so much for me, given up so much.
I didn’t really have a mother or father, just Jack. He was both. Jack was everything for me.
”

 
She knew. Jack tried to protect the
ones he loved as best he could and would do anything for them as well.

 
Lola quietly put a rubber band around the end of the braid. “There you go.”

 
She put the mirror down and twisted to face Lola. “Thank you.”

 
Uncomfortable and unused to the more sensitive side of Isabelle, Lola just nodded and got up to grab another cookie.

 
“My dad moved away.”

 
Lola froze with the cookie halfway to her mouth, sw
allowing what was in her mouth.
“Oh?”

 
Jack had told her, but it was another thing entirely for his sister to confide in her. For whatever reason, Isabelle had picked Lola as a confidante.
Maybe she just had no one else to talk to.
Maybe she knew Lola would understand.

 
Isabelle got to her feet and moved to the picture window, looking out at the sunny day. “I’m glad.
”

 
I am
so
glad
.

 
Jack had been right; his father had signed over guardianship to Jack without qualm.

 
She turned to face Lola, studying her. “I’m
also
glad Jack has you. You’re good for him. He deserves to be happy for once.”

 
“He deserves to be happy for the rest of his life.
”

 
“So we’re in agreement.”

 
Lola shifted her feet, hating to admit it.
“You could say that.”

 
“Scary.”

 
“You could say that too.” Lola smiled when Isabelle laughed and spontaneously hugged her.

*
**

 
It was a sunny day in early June when Lola got the news. She and her aunt
were weeding the flowers around the house. It was dirty, time-consuming work, but also cathartic.
It was hot out and Lola’s top and shorts clung to her with sweat.
The tree shade helped protect them from the sun, but not
so much
the heat.

 
The lady from Social Services, Alice Jones, met them
at the sidewalk
with a somber expression. Her blond hair was pinned back
, her black glasses and white sk
irt jacket suit giving her a professional look.

 
Just like that Lola was shivering, her breaths coming out ragged and quick.
Today was the day the judge made a decision about
Bob
.
She both dreaded and
eagerly
anticipated the outcome.

 
“Hello, Lola. Blair.”

 
Blair
pulled off her gardening gloves and
put a hand on Lola’s back, offering silent support.

 
“Hi,” Lola barely got out.

 
“I have news.”

 
Lola wanted to blurt to get on with it, but manners kept her quiet, though she was sure an impatient expression was on her face. That she couldn’t help.

 
Bob
had been sentenced to ten years in prison, with possible parole after five.
Lola stood there, not sure how to feel. She wasn’t happy or sad or upset. Lola just felt…relief. It was over. It was finally over.

 
Alice said a few more things, shook her hand, and went on her way.

 
Lola stood there, staring
at the spot Alice had
been moments ago
.