Fractured ( Fractured #1) (15 page)

Chapter Twenty-Six

Dad strolled into the kitchen
just as I finished preparing dinner. “Hey, Mand. How was your day?”

“Interesting, Dad. I’ll tell you all about it at dinner.” He walked past me and
set the table. Everyone filed in and took a seat too, except Mom, who was still upstairs. I served pancakes for dinner. Dillon wasn’t happy about the choice. He liked having breakfast foods for breakfast. But, I hadn’t prepared anything earlier in the day, and everyone was hungry.

Dad wasn’t as surprised as the rest of us to find that Mom’s miraculous recovery was
short lived. I couldn’t help but wonder if he was the one who supplied her with the bottle she had in her pillowcase. He seemed too comfortable that things had fallen back to their usual status.

“I have to work late tomorrow,” he announced.

A flash of panic ran through me. “I… I have plans tomorrow night,” I said.

Dad and Bryan looked at me at the same time
. I don’t know why it was a shock to Bryan. He just told me that he was happy for me, and understood that I needed to do what I wanted. Did he think I was going to waste my evening in the house? Sheesh! It was one night in seventeen years. You’d think he’d be okay with staying home for once. He never has to ask when he wants to go out. Yeah, that’s because I’m always home
.
“I need someone to be home with Dillon.” I made sure my tone was stern. I wasn’t giving this up. “Bryan, I never go out. You know that. Can’t you do this for me, just this once?”

Dad turned his head toward Bryan. An authoritative look came over his face.

“Fine, I’ll stay home.” Bryan rolled his eyes and pushed back in his chair. “But I’m gonna invite Jennifer and Tanya over. You said she was interested, right, Mandy? That way Jimmy and I won’t have to be stuck looking at each other all night.”

“Thanks,” I said
, with an appreciative smile. He grinned back.

Dad’s smile disappeared
, and his eyes focused on Bryan. “You’re interested in Jennifer? Jennifer Sutton?”

“Yeah,
maybe. Mandy said she was asking about me today,” Bryan said. “I hear she’s a great kisser.”

From th
e corner of my eye, I saw Dad’s fists curl. Bryan shrugged his shoulders, and his cheeks flashed crimson. Bryan also saw Dad’s reaction. He dropped the topic and switched to another. “Ready for tonight’s game?” They finished their meal and went into the living room. Dillon placed his plate and cup in the sink and went up to his room. Soon Dad and Bryan were yelling at the TV, and I knew they’d be occupied with the baseball game all night
.
The phone rang as I cleaned the dishes from dinner.

“Hello?” I asked.

“Mandy?” It was a girl’s voice, one that used to irritate me. Now it belonged to my new friend.

“Oh
, hi, Jennifer. What’s up?”

“I was wondering if your brother was home
. He called my cell before, but I was getting a manicure. I’m returning his call.”

“Sure.” Then I whispered, “I asked him if he likes you
, and he said yes.”

“Thanks, Mandy.”

“No problem. Thanks for today. Hold on, I’ll get Bryan.” I pressed the receiver to my chest and walked into the living room. I held the phone out to Bryan. “It’s Jennifer.”

He grinned as he grabbed the phone
, and walked into the kitchen to talk to her privately. I took his seat on the couch when he got up. Dad was wearing a scowl.

“Dad, I just want you to know that I’m going out with Rob tomorrow.”

His stare never broke from the television, but the creases on his forehead were deep. “I figured.”

“Don’t be mad, Dad.”

He turned his head toward me. The lines on his face disappeared. “Mandy, I’m not angry with you. Rob seems like a nice guy. Of course, the only thing I know about him is that he has to live with his aunt and uncle because his parents were killed in a fire, and he drives an expensive car.”

“Well, I could invite him over for dinner one night
so that you can get to know him, if you want.”

He smiled. “That would be nice. You do that. I’ll make sure I’m not working late one night next week.”

I felt my body relax a bit.

Bryan walked back into the room without the phone. “Jennifer and Tanya are going to
hang out here tomorrow night. I’ll tell Jimmy to get here early so we can go over the plan.” Bryan sat in the recliner and pushed back. “That way you can be with Rob.”

“
Thanks, Bry.” I knew the topic of me finally dating made Dad uncomfortable, so I changed the subject. “So, do you think you might like Jennifer?” I said.

“Maybe.” His smile suggested he was thinking inappropriate thoughts.
He blushed. “I thought I liked Tanya better. She has a smokin’ body, but I think Jimmy’s better off with her.” Dad turned his attention toward Bryan. I knew he was okay with Bryan’s conquests, but I also knew that he didn’t appreciate Bryan giving me any ideas now that Rob was in the picture. Still, Dad didn’t seem happy with the conversation.

M
y eyebrows lifted, and I gave Bryan a sideways glance. I noticed that Dad returned his attention to the game.

“She’s a bit fast,” he whispered.

“And that’s a problem for you?” I chuckled.

“I don’t have a problem with… the ladies,” he chose his words carefully this time. “I’m worried about Jimmy
, though. He’s okay when I take the lead and get him set up, but when I leave him alone, he freezes.”

Dad screamed at the television
, and Bryan’s attention was diverted to the ball game as well. I knew I’d never get the conversation back, so I went upstairs and got ready for bed.

After my shower, I grabbed the brush from my
dresser; I sat in my chair and finished drying my hair. The phone rang. “I got it,” I called down the stairs.

“Hello?”

“Hey, gorgeous.” His voice was sultry.

All of my disappointment with Dad and Bryan
disappeared. There was only Rob. “Hi!” I lunged for the door and closed it. Even though Dad and Bryan were engrossed in the game, I didn’t want them to hear any of my conversation.

“I hope I didn’t interrupt anything.”

“No. I was just brushing my hair.”

“I wish I
could do that for you.”

I tried to control m
y breathing so that I wasn’t panting into the phone. I had to change the subject; otherwise, I would have run to the supermarket in my pajamas. “So, Matt remembered to give you a break?”

His voice evened out
, and he sounded disappointed about the change in our conversation. “Yeah. I’m not taking the whole 45 minutes though. There aren’t many boxes to unload tonight. Matt said I could leave when I’m done.”

I wished I could be with him when he got off work. I wished I could be with him every moment of every day.

“I wanted to hear your voice. It’s going to be a long time before I can talk to you again.”

Panic
filled me. Was he canceling? “I thought we were getting together tomorrow.”

“I know, but that’s several hours away.”

Whew!
I thought… well, never mind what I thought. I was just glad it wasn’t that. I heard someone call his name, probably Matt.

“I have to go. Sweet dreams!”

“They will be; they’re all of you.” And they were.

Chapter Twenty-Seven

After watching Dillon get on the bus, I went back to bed until ten.
I didn’t sleep, but it felt good to just lie there and do nothing. Then it took me half an hour to find an outfit I was happy with. I wasn’t sure if we’d be hanging around the creek, or the beach, or wherever, but I wanted to look good without sacrificing comfort. I settled on the red and white lacey tank top and denim shorts I had just bought at the mall. My white Converses with red, ankle-length socks seemed like a good match. After a quick shower, I got dressed, and shoved some money and my aloe vera stick into one of my shorts’ pockets, and my house keys into the other. Then I ran downstairs to the kitchen.

I was too
excited to eat breakfast. Two chocolate chip cookies settled the dispute between my brain and my protesting stomach
.
Excitement fueled my steps, and it dawned on me that I was singing and dancing as I washed the dishes in the sink. I attempted reading, but I couldn’t concentrate. I tried baking more cookies, but my mind was in such a muddle that I burnt them. As I scraped them into the garbage, I realized that I needed to calm down, otherwise, I’d be worn to a frazzle before it was time to meet Rob. I turned on the TV and stared at the talk show host as I thought about Rob. What was he doing? Was he looking forward to being together as much as I was?

I
peeked in on Mom for the twentieth time. “Why do you keep coming in here? Get out. You’re not my mother,” she said, raising the volume on her television and taking a swig of her newest bottle.

I ran
to the bathroom to wipe the tears from my cheek. Why did she have to be so mean? After I composed myself, I heard a car horn. I peeked outthe window and saw Rob’s black BMW at the end of my driveway.
I
wrote Mom a note telling her that I’d be out, and that Bryan was having friends over in the evening. I doubted if she’d even venture downstairs to see it. I knew Bryan would be home for when Dillon got home; Dad would let him leave the garage early for that. At least he’d see the note.

I locked the front door and skipped
down the driveway. The car windows were rolled up. It was odd that he wasn’t waiting outside of the car like he had all the other times he came. As I got closer, I bent down to look through the passenger side window. It wasn’t Rob. It was his cousin Eric, who looked startled when he turned his head in my direction. His mouth formed an “o” when he realized I was standing there. He swung the door open and leaped out of the car.

“Sorry. I was supposed to be waiting outside, but a really good song came on the radio.”

I looked around. “Where’s Rob?”

“He told me to come pick you up.”

“He did?”

“Yeah
. He paid me twenty bucks and said I could drive his car if I bring you someplace.”

“And where would
that be?”

He lifted his head.
One eyebrow arched on his forehead. “I’ve been sworn to secrecy.” Realizing he wasn’t performing the way he was paid to, he raced around the back of the car and held the rear door open for me. Once I pulled my legs in, he closed the door and jogged around to the driver’s side again. He glanced in the rear-view mirror.

“What? No chauffeur’s hat?” I asked.

He laughed. “I asked for one, but I got a smack on the arm instead.” He looked in the mirror again. “Mind if I keep the radio on?”

“No.
I like this song.”

During the drive, Eric looked up once in a while through the rear
-view mirror. He tried to make small talk. “You excited to be a senior in September?”

I shrugged. “I guess. I haven’t given it much thought.” Then it was my turn. “Do you know who your homeroom teacher is
next year?”

“Nah. I’ll have to wait until we get the assignment letters in the mail. How about you?”

“I’m thinking maybe Ms. Gillis. She said something about looking forward to seeing me in the fall.”

There was an awkward silence for a few
minutes. Then, “Read any good books this summer?” he asked.

“Usually
, I do, but I can’t seem to concentrate this summer. You?”

“Nah, I protest anything academic when there’s no school.” We both laughed.

“Say, do you know Courtney Smith?” I asked.

His eyes flickered to the rear-
view mirror. “The hot brunette that hangs out with Jennifer Sutton?”

“Yeah. She thinks you’re cute.”

“She does?”

“Uh-huh. She told me yesterday.” Eric sat a little taller in the driver’s seat.

Staring out the window, I took note of all the landmarks in our town as we passed them on the way to the secret meeting place–the hardware store still owned and operated by Mr. and Mrs. Henderson, Carvel, the dry cleaner, Burger Hut where Bryan and Jimmy worked. Bryan’s Mustang was parked at the far end of the lot. Eric continued on, and soon we were at the edge of our town.

“Are you sure you can’t tell me where we’re going?” I asked.

“Sorry,” he said. “You don’t want Rob to seriously kick my butt, do you?” He laughed and kept his eyes on the road in front of him.

Afte
r driving down a winding street, Eric turned into a private cul-de-sac, and pulled into the driveway of a huge, two-story house. The front was mostly light grey brick up to the roof. Well-manicured bushes grew underneath white-rimmed windows with black shutters on either side of the massive front doors. Flowers stretched and yawned from newly mulched flowerbeds. A curved brick path leading to the house dissected a carpet of grass. Again, Eric ran around to my side of the car and held the door open. Drinking in the beautiful scene in front of me, I got out of the car without taking my eyes off the large house. This would be great to draw, I thought.

Eric shut the door behi
nd me and walked to the garage. He pressed a button, and the door rolled up. He walked inside. Strapping on a bike helmet, he mounted the bicycle that was leaning against the wall. He used his chin to point to the front door. “It’s not locked. You can go right in.”

“
Where are you going?”

“My
work here is done. I have to go to my
actual
job now.” I knew he was a stock boy at Walgreens. “See ya later.” He looked over his shoulder and yelled, “Have a good time,” before he rolled down the driveway. Before I knew it, he was far down the semi-private street.

I was apprehensive as I walked up the brick walkway.
Why would Rob meet me here? Was this his aunt and uncle’s house?
Each brick in the path was perfectly set in a zig-zag pattern. Three slate-stone steps led up to the beautiful mahogany doors. I swallowed hard, reached for the handle, and pushed inward. On the other side was a cavernous hallway. I scanned its grandness. The detail was incredible. Elaborate crown molding outlined the walls that led to the rooms radiating from the hub. To the right, an ornate wrought iron banister, that looked as if it belonged in a Louisiana plantation house, climbed the staircase; to the left, a large, gold-framed painting of a sixteenth-century woman holding roses in her lap filled the wall. Below my feet was a shiny white marble floor. Visually, I consumed the hall. On the second pass, my eyes stopped on Rob, standing in a doorway a few feet to my right.

He
walked toward me. He cupped my face in his hands and gazed into my eyes. Then, after a long, romantic kiss, he said, “I’m glad Eric got you here in one piece. I’m not that confident about his driving. He’s only had his permit a couple of weeks, but I knew he’d be careful enough not to get caught without another licensed driver in the car.”

Trying to regain my composure after the kiss, I asked, “Where are we?”

The grin left his face. He squared his shoulders and said, “This… is my house. Or at least it will be when the reconstruction is finished.”

“Your house?” Shock, amazement, and awe swelled in
side me. I’m sure it was evident in my voice.

“T
he contractors are almost done with the upstairs. They had to replace part of the roof. The insurance adjuster said that the foundation was unharmed, even though the fire started in the basement where the chemicals were. I just ordered new wallpaper for the den.”

It was then that I noticed
the hint of smoke lingered in the air.

“I was hoping
it would be finished by the time school started. I love my aunt and uncle, and Eric’s been great about sharing his room, but their house is cramped. And, I’d rather be in my own space. I’m going to have to deal with being alone sooner or later.” His serious expression shifted to a playful smile. “Besides, Eric snores.”

I laughed and then
trailed behind him as he gave me the grand tour. Evidence of where the fire scarred them was not apparent in the rooms toward the back of the house. Upstairs, the door to his parents’ bedroom was closed.

“
It was bad in there. That’s where my mother…” He looked away from the door. “She was found in there. Construction is almost finished in there. The construction guys had to replace most of the roof. I wasn’t allowed on this floor until they made sure it was structurally sound. They had to wait for more supplies, so they aren’t here today. I hope you’ll understand that I can’t bring myself to open the door just yet.”

“Of course.” What else could I say?

He saved his bedroom for last. It was across the house from his parents’ room. He opened the door, and white pickled floors provided entry into shades of blues and greens on the walls. Books and papers were scattered on the top of the desk in the corner. An empty mattress cradled in a beautiful wooden frame took up most of the far wall.

“I have
n’t replaced anything in here yet. There’s really nothing wrong with any of it, but it reminds me of how it used to be.” Sorrow filled his voice.

The
curtains on the large picture window were pulled back and I could see out into the backyard. In the center of more picture-perfect grass was a small wooden structure. I walked over to the window to get a better look. It was tall, with a pointed top; it was the rocket he told me his father built for him when he was little.

He came up behind me and whispered in my ear,
“Would you like to sit inside?” He seemed eager to share it with me. Before I could answer, his grabbed my hand and led me down the stairs, through the kitchen, and out into the enormous backyard.

He tugged me along too quickly for me to appreciate the cushion of grass below my feet. The wood
of the rocket was grayed with age to an almost silver color. Cobwebs stretched across the two round windows on either side of a small capsule shaped opening. I bent my head and entered the ship. Only a small wooden bench was inside. Rob came in after me and sat on it. I joined him on the other half. It was cramped, but cozy. It was nice to be in such a small space with him.

“It seemed bigger when I was nine.” He
giggled like a little kid. “Eric and I used to play in here all the time.” He looked around, as if he could see a movie of his childhood playing on the walls. “I wasn’t this tall back then.”

I laughed.

“I wanted to show you this place because you’ve been so open about sharing your special place with me. Just like your creek, this place is special to me. Other than Eric, and my aunt and uncle, no one has been here, especially since the fire. I sit in here when I want to be alone, like when you go to the creek. That’s another reason why I wanted to share this with you. We have a special connection, and even though we’ve only known each other for a couple of weeks, it feels right for me. When my parents died, I didn’t know how I was going to go on. Aunt Rachel and Uncle John have been so great. I know I can count on them, but I still felt lost, empty. That day you came into the supermarket changed me. I felt like I was ready to start living again.”

I stared at h
im blankly. If he only knew that he made me feel the same way
.
“Yeah, who knew that buying potato salad would change my life, too?”

“
Other girls try to use their phony interest to get me to notice them, but you have more than just external beauty, Mandy; your soul shines through. It caught my attention when you ordered the wrong thing that day in the supermarket. You didn’t do it to impress me; you were just being you. I could tell that you didn’t want to admit your mistake. It was cute. Instead, you made it work for you. You went with it. And the second time, when I was on the register in your line, you were mumbling to yourself. Remember? You were behind that annoying guy with all of the vegetables?”

I grinned with embarrassment.
Oh my God. Was I talking to myself?
I looked down at my hands and admitted the truth to him. “I was trying to figure out what to say to you.”

His hearty laughter caught me off
-guard. “I was trying to figure out how to talk to you, too, ever since that first day in the deli section.”