Swept Away (17 page)

The leaves were wet and heavy from the damp Chicago weather. She inhaled deeply,

replacing the stale air of the depressing house. The leaves gathered easily at first.
Pull. Drag. Pull
. Lilly’s muscles ached, but she kept going—she felt alive. The burn started in her shoulders; then her elbows started to scream. After a bit, blisters formed on her hands. No matter—she felt in control, invigorated.

Two hours later, spent but revived, Lilly looked at the green grass. Leaves that had once blanketed the grass now stood heaped—one pile on each side of the house, two in the front yard and three in the back. It would take a wheelbarrow to get them all to one big burn pile in the backyard.

Trudging up the sloped backyard with a wheelbarrow full of sopping wet leaves proved harder than Lilly had imagined. Two more loads about did her in. Facing the burn pile, she wondered what would happen if she burned the rest of the piles right on the lawn where they sat.
Nah
. Stan would consider that justifiable cause for homicide. Maybe he’d be right. Lilly shook her head at her own crazy thoughts and turned around to grab the wooden handles of the wheelbarrow with her blistered fingers. To her surprise, a familiar blue Toyota pulled to a stop in her driveway.

Jason!

She released her grip, ran over to the car, and leaned down to look in the window.

Jason, dressed exactly as Lilly had imagined he would be, reached over to turn down the music. He flashed his movie-star teeth in a grin.

Lilly opened the door and stood aside so he could climb out. “What are you doing here? I thought you were helping your dad.”

“I was. I did.” Jason pulled her close in a playful hug. “But you needed me more.”

“Thanks. I’m so glad you’re here.” Relieved, Lilly watched as he surveyed the yard.

“You do all this by yourself?”

“Yeah, and I have the blisters to prove it.” She held up her raw, peeling hands.

“Oh man. That must hurt.” Jason got some leather work gloves from his trunk and pulled them on. He walked over to the wheelbarrow. “What’s left? Just those few piles?”

“They need to go in back onto the big one. You’ll see it when you get back there.” Lilly breathed a sigh of relief as Jason dug in with a rake, putting his strong shoulders to use.

Jason would make everything all right.

“Want to go out and get something to eat?” Jason looked hopeful. “All that raking made me hungry.”

“What, and leave this haven of bliss even for a moment?” Lilly gestured around her dark house from the dining room table where they sat talking. Stan had returned from pouting and taken his throne in front of the television where he’d likely remain all evening, even through dinner. Mom puttered in the kitchen making bologna sandwiches—those and a bag of ruffled potato chips to rest on his belly, and Stan would be in heaven. Lilly rolled her eyes at the thought.

“Right.” Jason smirked and shook his head.

“As much as I’d love to, you know as well as I do, he isn’t going to let me.” Lilly shrugged and jerked her head toward the family room. “He doesn’t let you in my room. I’m not allowed out after dark, even on the weekends. No way he’ll let me go out to dinner on a school night unless it’s for a school or church activity.”

“Why don’t you ask your mom? Why even ask Stan?”

Lilly dropped her voice to a whisper. “Because my mom doesn’t have an opinion about things these days—you know that. She isn’t given a say in what goes on.” She looked toward the kitchen entrance. “Watch. I’ll show you.”

Sliding her chair back, Lilly walked into the kitchen and stepped up behind her mom, who stood at the counter spreading Miracle Whip on white bread. Mom preferred real mayonnaise, but Stan hated it. So, no more real mayo. “Mom?”

She whipped around with a stunned expression—must not have heard Lilly approach. “Ooh. You scared me.” She laughed while she fanned her face and patted her chest. “What is it, Lill?”

“Calm down … it’s just me.” Lilly laughed, relieved at the lightened mood.
Must act casual
. “I wanted to ask if Jason and I could go for a quick burger.”

Mom’s eyes darted toward the family room.

“You’ll have to ask Stan about that.” She returned her focus to the sandwiches, slapping even more Miracle Whip onto the bread.

Gross
. Lilly grimaced and shook her head. “Mom. Can’t you make the call? You parented me alone after Dad left until I turned twelve. If I remember correctly, you did a pretty good job of it those six years. You make the decision for once.”

She gripped the counter and leaned her head down, almost between her elbows. “Don’t put me in that position, Lill. Not today.”

Enough’s enough
. “If not today, when, Mom? Don’t you think this is all going too far?”

“What’s going too far?” Stan spoke from the doorway.

Mom’s arms stiffened and her shoulders tensed, but she didn’t turn around at the sound of Stan’s voice. “We were talking about how Lilly and Jason want to go out to grab a burger right now.”

Stan snorted. “Yeah, like that’s going to happen.” He grabbed a handful of chocolate chip cookies from the cookie jar and left the room, leaving a trail of crumbs behind him.

Lilly waited, but her mom never turned around or commented. “Whatever.” Shaking her head in disgust, Lilly stormed out of the kitchen and into the dining room where Jason sat. She tilted her head toward the front door. “Outside.”

They stepped out onto the porch and sat down on the brick stoop, legs touching. Lilly hadn’t put on a coat, and the night air felt chilly, but she didn’t care. After being in the stifling house, the cold felt good.

“I’m sorry things are so rough for you.” Jason stuck his hands in the pockets of his leather jacket.

Lilly shivered and nodded. “It’ll be okay. I just get fed up sometimes. I wish my mom could be stronger.”

Jason tugged his coat off his arms and slipped it around her trembling shoulders. He pulled her close. “Yeah. I’m sure you do. She probably wishes the same thing.”

“But she
is
strong sometimes—in a weird way. He pushes her buttons and she gets really mad.
Crazy
mad. Then he does something stupid like throwing a lamp or knocking over a chair.” Lilly shook her head. “Why get married if you can’t respect each other? I’ll never stand for that … never.”

“I guess they probably rushed into things and didn’t know how it would be. Now they’re kind of stuck. And,” Jason shrugged, “maybe in a weird way they even love each other.”

“They need serious help…. We all do, I guess.”

Lilly and Jason sat silently on the cold bricks, staring at the starry sky. Jason reached over and took her blistered hand from her lap. He held it between both of his and looked deeply into her eyes. “It’s going to be okay.”

She tried to believe him. “I know.” Lilly forced a smile and nodded. “You know what else? I wish Mom had stuck to her promise that I could date when I turned sixteen. I mean, how long are you going to put up with having to hang out with me at home all the time? You’re seventeen, after all. Plus, you have normal parents.”

“Oh, that doesn’t matter much to me. I’m not going anywhere.” Jason winked and smiled. “You’re my Lilly.”

Comforted, Lilly leaned back against his chest and shoulder. She felt at peace, safe, loved. How long had she known Jason? Ten … no, twelve years. They’d shared a neighborhood, a church, and a school for almost her whole life—all she could remember anyway. He became her best friend. Her future. Her soul mate.

At first it had seemed weird to think of Jason like that. Lilly smiled at the memory and nuzzled in a little closer. Until about the time she turned twelve, he’d just been
Jason
. But then something clicked—Jason turned cute. Over the past four years, they’d grown closer and closer. “My rock,” she whispered.

“Huh? Did you say something?”

Did she say that out loud? “No, no. Just mumbling…. Nothing important.”

“Ugh. It’s so good to get out of there, Grams.” Lilly sank into the passenger seat of her grandma’s Saab Turbo. “Where’re we going?”

“Two girls, out on the town with no parental fuddy-duddies? Why, shopping, my dear, of course.” Grams flipped down her visor, checked her lipstick, and adjusted her short, spiky wig.

Lilly smiled at her. No one would ever guess Grams to be sixty-five. She looked younger, but more than that, she had the spirit of youth. Even a bout with breast cancer hadn’t slowed her down more than a day or two at a time. Lilly remembered the day, the moment, a few months ago when she found out her beloved Grams’s cancer had gone into remission. She had been so scared—what would she ever do without her Grams? She shuddered, grateful she didn’t have to find out.

The bass thundered through the car—
boom, boom, boom
—as the Christian rock music thundered from the car speakers. Grams bounced and danced in her seat as the little rocket sped along the highway toward the mall.

“Grams, do you ever drive the speed limit?” Lilly laughed as the needle on the speedometer hit eighty miles per hour.

“Nah. I’ve got places to go and things to do. When you get to be my age, a speed limit feels like a waste of good precious time.” She flipped the satellite station when a slow song came on.

“What if you get a ticket?”

“I guess I’d have to pay it. I can afford it.” Grams winked. “Oh, unless I can flirt my way out of it. Show a little leg, you know?” She lifted the leg of her jeans just enough to show Lilly a veiny ankle.

Lilly grinned and shook her head. “You’re crazy.”

“Nah. I’m not crazy.” Grams looked in her side mirror and changed lanes to go around a Honda.

“Certifiable.” Lilly winked. “But I wouldn’thave it any other way.”

Grams turned the car into a parking lot and pulled into a space right in front of Lilly’s favorite restaurant, Olive Garden.

“Can I interest you in some lunch?” Grams gave a little bow toward the door.

“Oh cool! Really?” Lilly scampered out of the car. In such a hurry to get out of the house that morning, she’d skipped breakfast. She’d eaten half a bologna sandwich the night before and nothing since. “I’m absolutely starving.”

They got seated right away, and Lilly picked up a menu, but Grams left hers on the table. “Why don’t you order for us both, Lill. Whatever you want.”

“Great! I know just the thing.” Lilly looked at the waitress. “We’ll each have a cup of the chicken gnocchi soup. We’d also like an order of bruschetta. As an entrée, I’ll have the chicken alfredo. She’ll have the ravioli.” Lilly paused and looked at Grams. “We’ll share them both.”

“That sounds perfect.”

“Okay, then, anything else I can get you?” The waitress waited, her pen poised on her order pad.

“Oh, an iced tea—unsweetened—and a Coke. That should do it.” Lilly closed her menu and handed it to the waitress.

“So, Lill.” Grams folded her hands on the table in front of her and leaned forward. “Talk to me. What on earth is happening at home?”

Lilly sighed and shook her head. “It’s bad. Really bad.” She waited while the server sat their drinks in front of them, then filled Grams in on all the details, leaving nothing out.

Grams didn’t say a word while Lilly talked.

The bruschetta and soup came to the table at the same time. Famished, Lilly picked up her soupspoon and started to tear right into hers.

Grams covered her hand and squeezed gently. “Let’s give the Lord His due first.” She bowed her head, still holding Lilly’s hand. “My heavenly Father, I thank You for the decadent food You provide for us to sustain our bodies in such a pleasurable way. I also thank You for the rich food You feed to our souls. Guide us through this time of uncertainty and need. Show Your presence among us and our loved ones. Amen.”

“Amen.” Lilly smiled. Grams always had a way with words. Really knew how to get to the heart of a matter. Lilly picked up her spoon and scooped up a gnocchi, blew the steam away, and then took a bite.
Oh. So good
.

Grams swallowed a bit of soup but quickly put down her spoon. “Listen, doll. I heard everything you said. I want to give you a wise piece of advice that will change everything for you, but, sadly, I don’t have any.” She picked up her spoon and started to take a bite but returned it to her bowl. “The thing is, words can’t change this. Only God’s divine intervention can accomplish His will. What you need to do, Lilly, is join me on a prayer campaign. We need to pray every day—for your mom, for Stan—” “But—”

“Yes. You need to pray for Stan. He might not be acting like someone worthy of your effort, but God still loves him. He can work a miracle—even in Stan. But you have to ask Him to.” Grams took a bite and chewed slowly, obviously deep in thought. “The other thing, Lilly, is that you need to get things on the right footing between you and God even in the midst of all that’s going on. Even when you think your mom and Stan are hypocrites, even when you don’t see or feel much love at home. Turn to Jesus for approval and love.”

“I get what you’re saying. But it’s so hard.” Lilly fought the urge to scrape the bottom of her bowl and grabbed a piece of bruschetta instead.