Slow Ride (Riding with Honor) (15 page)

“Tommy…heard…”
she said, dropping her head in embarrassment.

“I know it’s not how you would have wanted to tell him
, but you would have had to at some point anyways…I mean come on…I see the way he looks at you,” Lilly said eyeing Dana’s mother nervously.

“I need to find a restroom.  I’ll be right back
,” her mother said and then walked down the hall.

“I must say I’m surprised…I would never have imagined that someone who looks like you never…I mean there had to be guys…who wanted to
,” Lilly said in disbelief.

Looking at Lilly, she saw a true friend.  Lilly was someone who didn’t judge her or laugh at her for being too tall and too skinny.  A friend she could tell her secrets to…even the painful ones.

“There was only one time I ever came close.  Remember I told you about the guy in high school…the quarterback of the football team?” she asked. 

After Lilly nodded that she did, she said
, “Well he led me to believe he wanted to be with me.  The night of Senior Prom he rented a hotel room for us down from where a major after prom party was happening.”

“
When we got there I didn’t know that some of his teammates were in the bathroom… he got me to undress and then they came out and took a picture of me.  I was more humiliated then than I was just now admitting I’m a twenty eight year old virgin to a roomful of people,” she finished.

Somehow telling someone what had happened all those years ago was like picking up that horrible night
from her shoulders and setting it aside.

“Well
, I’m pretty sure if that jackass could see you now he’d kick his
own
ass,” Lilly said, putting her arm around Dana’s shoulder.

“You really think I’m pretty?”
she asked, looking for signs of untruth in Lilly’s face.

“Look
, the guys get mauled by women… mauled… seriously.  Out of all the beach bodies and big boobs, Tommy looks at you…the same way Bobby looks at me.  I don’t care how sweet you are…if he didn’t think you were pretty hot he wouldn’t have taken a second look.  Being sweet is just the icing on the cake!”

“You think you
’re ugly, Dana?”  “Let me show you one thing first and then I will leave…I swear.”

He had wanted her that day…
had been attracted to her… turned on by her even and with one word or some sign that she wanted him too… he would have been hers.  Now it was hard to guess how he would react to her revelation in the courtroom.

“My class reunion is tonight.  I wasn’t going to go…
but I’m not the same person I was back then, inside or out.  I do have balls that clank,” she laughed. “So I’m going because if I don’t…Jason Hemming and all his buddies will have won.”

“Well prepare yourself because they aren’t the same either… we can only hope they got a visit from
karma sometime over the last ten years.”  Lilly laughed and hugged her.

“Thanks Lilly, I’ve never told anyone about that…
ever.
  You’re a good friend,” she said, hugging her back.

“Now let’s go find your mother so we can all go back in the courtroom and stare
Casey down,” Lilly said with a wink.

Lilly had been wonderful but entering the courtroom felt like a large spotlight had been lit and she’d been shoved to center stage.  She sat nearer to the back with her parents and avoided even looking
in Tommy’s direction in case he turned around to look at her.  It was immature but…

The
judge entered the courtroom and sat down at the bench and after shuffling a couple of items he said, “The plaintiff will maintain sole custody of the minor child Melody McMurray until the final hearing on this matter scheduled in two week’s time.  Additionally the defendant is denied any visitation with the minor child pending the outcome of the final hearing.”

He paused
to look at Casey then said, “Ms. Lawrence, I would suggest that if you have any real intention of being a part of your child’s life that you leave here and check yourself into a treatment facility.” 

“
If you cannot provide proof that you are working seriously on your addiction, I cannot and will not subject an infant to the potential dangers that you would impose.  Prove to this court that your child means more to you than getting high or you can expect the current ruling to become a permanent one,” the judge finished.

Looking back to where she sat the
judge said, “Ms. Atkinson, I appreciate your concern and diligence in this matter to ensure that the minor child that was entrusted to your care remains in a safe and loving environment.”

After the
judge left the courtroom again, she watched as Casey whispered furiously at her attorney and then flounced out of the courtroom.   Becca was speaking to Tommy so turning to her parents she said, “How about an early lunch… on me?”

“Wouldn’t you rather meet up with your friends?”
her mother asked, looking over at the group who sat looking at her.

“Maybe later
,” she said, linking her arm in her mothers and leading them out of the court. 

“Well
, bold faced lying to a judge is never recommended so he will expect her to be in treatment and be able to provide documentation of any drug tests including the dates given and the results,” Becca said. “Obviously today went better than I expected thanks to the CD.  I’ll call you sometime next week so we can get together and go over everything prior to the hearing.”

“Thanks
, Becca.” Tommy said.

Leaning over toward him she said
, “
Now
you can go to her.”

Looking back to where Dana
had sat he noticed the seat was empty.  Getting out of his chair he walked over to Lilly.

“Where’s Dana?”
he asked.

“I don’t know
.  She was just here a minute ago, maybe they are in the hall,” she said.

“Thank you guys for coming
.  I need to go see Melody since I didn’t this morning.  Then I will grab some lunch and meet you all at the shop,” Tommy said, leaning down to kiss Gran’s cheek.

“I don’t know what, but you better think of something good to pay that girl back for what she done today
,” Gran said.

“I think I can help with that
,” Lilly said with a knowing smile.

He smiled at her and then headed for the hallway looking for Dana.  After not seeing her or her parents
, he pulled out his cell phone and turning it back on dialed her cell phone.

“Hi
,” she said nervously.

“Where are you?”
he asked.

“I’m having lunch with my parents
,” she said.

“I was going to go see Melody and I thought you might want to go
,” he said hopefully.

“I would but they are only in town for today…” Dana said
.

“Bring them with you
,” he said.

“I don’t know…maybe next time
, Tommy,” she said.

“Ok…yea…maybe next time
,” he said.  After a long pause he said, “Thanks for today.”

“Sure
,” she answered.

Once her parents were gone he would try again, maybe she really was busy and wanted to spend time with them.  She’d already given him most of the morning….so he could give her today. 
Was she avoiding him?
  He just wasn’t sure but he still needed to talk to her.

The nurses were overjoyed at his news regarding Melody and gave him updates on her weight, how much she was able to sleep in a stretch and
, of course, her humming. 

He fed her and sang to her and it seemed like a couple of times she was looking right at him.  She seemed more realistic every day now that the worst of her sickness was over and she was steadily growing.

When he finally made it back to the shop after lunch, he realized he only had a few hours left to finish the wiring on one of the custom bikes and finish another sound system install for a different customer.  As he worked, Lilly came out to the garage bay. 

“So did you catch up with Dana?”
she asked.

“No, not yet
.  Her parents are in town and she’s spending time with them,” he said.

“Are you going
with her tonight… to her high school reunion?” Lilly asked.

“She told you about that? I thought she wasn’t going
,” he said.

“Yea, she told me she had changed her mind
,” Lilly smiled.

So she hadn’t wanted him to go as her date.
  Maybe she was dating someone else…someone with a little more class…less baggage.

“
She must be going with someone else because last she told me was that she wasn’t going,” he said angrily.

“Tommy, what if I told you that you needed to go to this reunion of hers whether she wants you there or not?  I’ll even find out wh
ere it is…somehow,” Lilly asked.

“I would say she
doesn’t
want me there,” Tommy said moving around the bike to avoid Lilly seeing the hurt on his face.

“Look
, Dana and I talked today outside in the hall.  She told me some things in confidence that I can’t really tell you…it’s not mine to tell… you understand?  But I
can
say that Dana wasn’t treated very well in high school…and she could really use your support tonight now that she’s decided to go,” she said with a hopeful look.

“What do you mean she wasn’t treated very well?”
he asked.

“I got the impression she was the one kid that the other kids picked on for whatever reason.  If that wasn’t bad enough
, the one guy she thought she liked ended up being the worst one of the bunch,” Lilly said.

“I can’t give you details
, Tommy, but as glad as I am that she decided to make an appearance so they will know they didn’t break her, I can’t help worry.  She was there for me this past week in a really big…
huge
… way and I owe her… you owe her too.  Don’t let her do this alone,” Lilly finished.

He set the speaker box he’d been holding
down as he listened to Lilly and stared at her.  Dana suddenly made sense in a way he’d never understood before.  Thinking she was ugly and that he couldn’t possibly like her made total sense to him now. 

She was pushing him away for fear that he would hurt her.  He didn’t know the details of what happened back then but if it had Lilly concerned it must have been pretty bad.

“What?” Lilly asked. “You have this look…will you go?”

“Yea
, I’ll go and I already know when and where.  I just need you to tell me what to wear… maybe like the monkey suit I wore to court today?  I should get a haircut too.  I probably should have done that for court this morning but I ran out of time,” he said, looking a little concerned.

“No to the monkey suit and no to the haircut
,” Lilly said. “Your hair is probably one of your best features and you need to look good…
really good
… not respectable.  Give me your pant size, shirt size and shoe size and I’ll take care of the outfit,” she said.

“I’m not sure that’s a good idea
,” he said, seeing Bobby’s frown.

“Don’t worry
, he’s coming with me,” Lilly said without even looking at Bobby. “What time do you need to leave to make it there on time?”

“Probably by seven at the latest
,” he replied.

“Ok
, be at Gran’s by six thirty… no later.  We’ll keep Gretchen overnight.  Gran misses her now that she’s in school.” Lilly smiled and then headed back into the office.

Dana’s nerves were frazzled by the time she pulled into the parking lot of the hotel.  A banquet room had been reserved.  A buffet style dinner was provided along with a DJ for entertainment. 

It was nothing extravagant so dress was casual.  Having copied something from Lilly’s style, she wore designer jeans and a blouse with boots.  She felt good in the outfit. 

After copying
the blow drying technique from when she’d got her hair cut, she applied the makeup using the same methods she’d been shown at the department store.  She looked well…
hot.

She watched as a few girls she remembered from high school entered the hotel and felt her stomach tighten. 
Was she really going to do this?
  Was she ready to do this? 

Before her nerves got the better of her she exited her car and
made her way across the parking lot, head held high.  Following the signs down a hall, she paused at the entrance to the banquet room and looked around. 

Awkward was what this was.
  She had barely known these people in high school, let alone now.  Glancing around she caught sight of three guys standing near each other next to the bar that had been set up… Jason was one of the three.