Runaways (13 page)

I chuckled softly to myself. It was nice to have the old Raven back.

As soon as I sat down to breakfast Norman came in through the back door, huffing and puffing up a storm.

“Land sakes, Norman, what's got into you?” Nana asked.

“Oh, it's that darned old lawnmower. It's acting up again.” He sat down with a groan.

“Did you check the gas?” I asked.

“Hmm . . . I forgot to check that,” Norman admitted and got up.

I followed him outside. He went straight to the lawnmower and unscrewed the gas cap. He gave an embarrassed chuckle. “Well, I'll be,” he said, scratching his head.

“Do you have any gas around here?” I asked, hoping he wasn't too embarrassed.

“Oh, I've got a bit in the shed, I believe.”

“Let me get it for you,” I said as I started walking toward the tool shed.

After I brought Norman the gas I went back inside. Everyone was waiting, Nana standing by the window with a sly smile on her face.

“You helped old Norman out there a bit, didn't you?” she asked.

“Oh, not much really,” I answered quickly. I wasn't sure how much she'd seen.

After breakfast Raven, Crystal and Butterfly helped Nana clear the table, and I went out to help Norman rake up the grass after he'd mowed it. I was glad to see Raven, Crystal and Butterfly come out to help us shortly after we'd started out in the yard. There really was a lot to be done.

We each took turns keeping Nana company as she sat on the porch and knitted, talking into the lazy afternoon. She brought out fresh lemonade for us and then suggested we have lunch behind the house on their picnic table.

“We haven't done that in years,” Norman said. The two of them looked as happy about it as we did.

A number of times during lunch, Butterfly, and even Raven, almost gave away the truth about us. References to the Lakewood House, to Gordon and Louise brought questions to Nana's lips. Crystal always came up with some logical explanation, but it put some strain on us.

“We should get back on the road,” I suggested as lunch came to an end.

“Oh, why don't you all stay another night. I'm roasting a turkey and planning on making my special mashed potatoes.”

“She's famous for her mashed potatoes,” Norman said. “No pie, Nana?”

“That was going to be a surprise, Norman.” She turned to us. “I do an apple that's won some compliments.”

“And prizes at fairs,” Norman added.

“I love apple pie,” Butterfly said. She looked at me hopefully and I looked at Crystal and Raven.

“Another day off the main highway might not be so bad,” Crystal said. Raven nodded.

“Why is that?” Nana asked. “Why off the main highway?”

“Oh, I just meant, another day not fighting traffic,” Crystal said quickly.

Nana's eyes shifted from Butterfly to me and then to Raven before she nodded with a soft smile. The longer we remained here, I thought, the thinner our story was going to get.

“Maybe we'll leave after dinner,” I said.

“You'll do no such thing. I'll tell Norman to block the driveway if you try,” she said. “It's better to travel in daylight. You girls earned your keep, helping Norman with the lawn. The grounds almost look the way they used to when Norman was young enough to take care of them regular.”

“Okay, Nana,” I said, giving in. “We'll stay.”

Butterfly beamed.

“Maybe Janet will do some dancing for us again and Raven will sing a song. I bet if we leave Crystal alone out here, she'll write a nice new poem,” Nana added. “I got some groceries for you to pick up at the corner store, Norman. Maybe Brooke will ride along and help you.”

“Sure,” I said.

“That'd be fine,” Norman said. He looked at all of us and smiled. “Some grandparents somewhere are sure lucky folks,” he said.

If we could, we would have all burst out with the truth, just to keep the tears from clouding our eyes.

I was happy to ride along with Norman and I enjoyed hearing him talk about his farming days,
his family and growing up in the area, how he met and fell in love with Nana and how much he loved his grandchildren. He wished he could see them more, for Nana's sake as much as his own, he said, and I wondered why they weren't brought around more often. I gathered from what Norman said that his daughter-in-law wasn't fond of visiting the old homestead, as he called it.

He started to ask me questions about my own family and I found myself backed into a corner once or twice. I wasn't as good at making up stories as Crystal. Usually, it was better to let her come up with everything. I know I contradicted myself a few times and made statements that made little or no sense.

I could only imagine what my family would be like. I told him I had no brothers or sisters and used my memories of Pamela for a reference.

“She sounds a lot like Gerry's wife,” he muttered.

I went around the aisles in the grocery store, locating the things Nana had put on her list. He said I cut his shopping time in half because I could find things easier.

“I oughta adopt you,” he quipped on our way out and I almost lost my breath. I looked down quickly so he wouldn't see the expression on my face. I was never as good as Crystal or especially Raven when it came to hiding my feelings and thoughts. Raven always said I might as well have two tiny television screens for eyes because my thoughts get played on them as clearly as any show on TV.

Dinner was wonderful. None of us could recall anything like it, even when we had lived with foster parents. Butterfly declared it felt like Thanksgiving,
which made us all laugh. It was hard to describe the feeling of warmth we all experienced, but it was as if Norman and Nana were truly our grandparents, the family we had never known, and one night, just by accident, we had stumbled upon them. We felt as if we had known them all our lives. Our laughter came naturally, our smiles and concern for each other just seemed to flow.

After dinner Butterfly danced again, only this time she danced longer, truly performing better than ever before. Raven sang two songs. She would have sung a third if she were asked. Crystal had written a short poem about nature, about the way it embraces us and makes us feel alive and spiritual.

I kept my eyes on Nana. I couldn't help but be drawn to her. She was so gentle and so beautiful in her way. There was a sincerity of feeling we all had missed most of our lives. When she watched Butterfly, heard Raven and Crystal, her eyes filled with tears of joy. It brought tears to my own.

Norman thanked us all again for helping him out in the yard.

“I oughta hire you all on for the summer,” he said with a chuckle.

“I wish you would,” Nana said. “I'd love to have you all stay.”

“So would I,” Butterfly piped up, her longing for home and family so strong she couldn't contain herself.

“But we have to get to my house,” Crystal said, her eyes narrowing as she looked at Butterfly, who looked down quickly.

“Of course, you do, dear. Your families will be worried enough as it is and I'm sure your mama
and papa are looking forward to seeing you,” Nana said. “Well now, I'm a bit tired,” she revealed. “You girls can go into the den and watch television, if you like,” she added, rising. “We missed all the shows we would watch.”

“Oh, I'm sorry,” Crystal said.

“No, no, this was better than anything we could have seen on television, wasn't it, Norman?”

“About a million times better,” he said, nodding.

“I'll have breakfast on for you girls in the morning,” Nana said starting for the door. She did look tired and suddenly, very old.

“No need for that, Nana,” I said. “We'll be getting an early start.”

“We get up early,” she declared. “You don't leave this house without something hot in your stomach, you hear?”

“Yes, ma'am,” I said quickly and she smiled.

“Good night, girls. Sleep well.”

“Good night, Nana,” we all chorused.

Norman remained behind a moment.

“I want to thank you for visiting with us,” he said. “It's been a joy. Really has,” he added and stood up with a groan. He felt his lower back and shook his head, smiling at me. “You got me working harder than I have all month, girls. Could be you're dangerous to have around,” he said with a laugh. I smiled at him. “'Night, girls.”

“Good night,” we said.

We heard them both go up the stairs and then we sat back, letting the silence envelop us for a moment. Crystal was the first to speak.

“Maybe we should just leave now, Brooke,” she said.

“No,” Butterfly moaned.

“It's better to travel at night and it's going to be hard to say good-bye, Butterfly,” she pointed out.

“I don't care. It's not a nice thing to do to them, sneak away like that,” Butterfly insisted. She looked at me for support.

“Crystal's right about the traveling, but Butterfly's right about what's nice and what isn't,” I said.

“I'm just evaluating the situation and giving you my conclusion,” Crystal replied.

“Raven?” Butterfly asked, hoping Raven would break the tie.

“I don't feel like riding in that car all night with that soft bed up there waiting for me,” Raven concluded. “I'd like to watch some television, too, maybe some MTV and see what's been happening in music. What harm can it do to stay one more night?” she asked.

No one replied because no one could anticipate just what harm daylight could bring.

We watched television, Raven the last to turn it off and come upstairs to bed. I drifted in and out of sleep, tossing and turning with guilt because we had accepted their hospitality under such a cloud of lies. Finally, after Raven crawled into bed, I settled down and fell asleep, too.

We were all awakened by the sound of a gruff voice coming from downstairs. Raven looked at me and I sat up. Crystal came to our room and opened the door quietly.

“Get dressed quickly,” she said. “I went to the stairway and listened. It's their son Gerry and he's mad at them for taking us in, four strangers. He's ranting and raving that this proves they need
supervision and shouldn't be living on their own here anymore. Nana was crying. I heard her.”

“That creep,” I said, thinking he sounded just like Gordon.

“Just get dressed. Butterfly's ready. We'll make as fast an exit as we can.”

“Right.”

Raven and I were out of bed in a flash. We threw on our clothes and washed our faces. In minutes, the four of us were descending the stairway.

Nana and Norman's son Gerry was a big man, probably six feet four and two hundred and twenty pounds. He looked more like Norman, but had Nana's eyes. His light brown hair was trimmed short, making his ears look larger. He was wearing a dark brown sports jacket, a white shirt opened at the collar and a pair of slacks. When we entered the kitchen, he was leaning against the counter, his arms folded across his chest. Norman was at the table, his head lowered. Nana was keeping busy at the stove, but looked very disturbed.

“Who are you?” Gerry demanded before we could say good morning or be introduced.

“We're just on our way to my house,” Crystal said. “I'm Crystal. This is Brooke. This is . . .”

“I don't mean your names,” he followed. “What the hell you doing sleeping in our driveway?”

“I told you why,” Nana said. “Just sit down girls. Everything's ready.”

“Maybe we should just be on our way,” I said.

“Maybe you should,” Gerry declared, his eyes full of distrust and anger as he shifted them from one of us to the other.

“You have to have something in your stomachs,” Nana moaned. She looked on the verge of tears. “Let them eat, Gerry. Please.”

“This isn't a hotel,” he muttered, but he looked away.

“Sit at the table, girls,” Nana said. Norman looked up and smiled.

“Sure, come on,” he urged.

Butterfly was the first to take a seat. Raven followed, her eyes on Gerry, and then Crystal and I sat. Nana began to serve us scrambled eggs.

“I don't like my mother being someone's maid,” Gerry said.

“I'm not being anyone's maid, Gerry. The girls have helped us a great deal. Didn't Dad tell you how he got the lawn all cut and raked?”

“Um,” Gerry grunted. He watched us eat. It was very uncomfortable, all of us keeping our eyes down, trying to be friendly, trying to make Norman and Nana feel comfortable too.

“Wait a minute,” Gerry said suddenly, “where's your bracelet and watch, Mom?”

“What's that?” Nana looked at her wrists. “Oh. I guess I must have left them upstairs.”

“Where upstairs?” he demanded, looking at us.

“On the dresser where I always leave them, Gerry. Really, I wish . . .”

He didn't hesitate. He left the kitchen quickly and went to the stairs.

“Don't mind him none,” Nana said. “He's always suspicious of strangers, always was, even as a little boy, right Norman?”

“Yes, he was.”

“And he's worrying about us all the time,” she added with a forced smile.

“I would too,” I admitted.

We ate a little faster, despite the effort Norman and Nana made to make us feel comfortable again.
Moments later, we heard Gerry's heavy footsteps on the stairs and then saw him fill the doorway. He had a wry smile on his face.

“None of it's there, Mom. I checked your jewelry box, too.”

“It's not?” She looked puzzled. “I'm sure I put them there,” she said.

He scanned us.

“No one's leaving this house until that watch and bracelet are returned,” he announced.

“We didn't take anything,” I cried.

“Of course we didn't,” Crystal said. “Why are you accusing us?”

“Please, Gerry, these girls . . .”