Streamline (31 page)

“This was her first day back at practice. She should be home soon.”

“Good.” Leo nodded. “I need to talk to her.”

“So, why’d you miss a week of practice?” Eric shouted over the vibrating bass
.

Audrey knocked back a swig of her vodka tonic.

“It’s personal, Eric,” Alex jumped in. “Give Audrey a break.” Eric shrugged. “I just didn’t know if she had to take care of Leo or something.”

Audrey looked down. News of Leo’s surgery and his father’s incarceration had spread quickly through Pensacola High, and she wondered how he’d handle the stares and whispers when he returned.

She remembered the first few miserable weeks at school after her father’s conviction. She surely didn’t envy Leo.

She thought about her poor father stuck in prison, and the revelation that Leo believed he belonged there hit her all over again.

She felt sick and took another swig of her drink. It was a little less noxious with each sip.

Elaine shuffled playing cards then herded the group to the kitchen table. “C’mon guys, I’ll teach you to play euchre. Alexis, you’ll be my partner. We’ll whip Audrey and Erica’s butts.” Elaine pointed to where each should sit.

“Jeez, you get bossy when you drink,” Eric noted.

“Elaine thinks she’s all that, but we’ll be the champs, Eric,” Audrey said. “
My
euchre partner’s the only sober person here.” Eric blushed and glanced at his soda can.

“I mean, I’m really glad you’re not drinking, Eric,” Audrey said quickly.
“Somebody
needs to be responsible around here, and it’s sure as heck not going to be me. I’m sick of being responsible.” Elaine began Euchre 101, and Audrey was immediately confused.

“Wait, so the jack of spades isn’t a spade sometimes? It’s a heart?” Elaine sighed. “No! When clubs are trump, the jack of spades becomes a club.”

Still confused, the booming music distracted Audrey even more.

“Oh, yeah!” she yelled as the beat called to her. She boogied around the kitchen, splashing some of her drink on the tiled floor.

Laughing, Elaine and Alex joined her on the kitchen dance floor while Eric watched from his chair, shaking his head.

When Alex mimicked the choreography from the music video, Audrey and Elaine shrieked with laughter. Setting her drink on the counter, Audrey backed up to Alex, shimmying her body against his while she shouted the lyrics. Alex grabbed her hips and guided her through some dance moves.

When the room started to spin, Audrey threw her head back, letting her long hair tumble onto Alex’s chest. She felt free — free of her father rotting away in prison, free of her perfectionism in school and swimming, and free of grief over losing the little life inside her.

“Leo?” his mother called from near the counter. “I don’t know how I’ll get your dinner to you.”

Leo gathered himself off the sofa, balancing on one leg. “S’okay, Mom. I’ll hop on over.” He took small hops and accepted the plate in his left hand. “This should be interesting.” Taking even smaller hops back to the sofa, Leo considered it a small miracle he made it without spilling any food.

“I wish Audrey would come help us cripples,” she said. “I wonder where she is. I thought she’d be back by now.”

“Here, come eat with me.” Leo made another bunny trip to the kitchen and back and set his mother’s plate on the coffee table as well. They collapsed into their respective seats.

Leo began to eat, but also studied his mother. After starting to speak several times, he finally blurted, “How do you do it?”

“How do I do what?”

His face got hot. “How do you, um, deal with…this?” He gestured to her leg braces. “I — I don’t mean to be disrespectful, ma’am.”

“It’s fine to ask me questions, Leo. You’re not being disrespectful.

And feel free to lose the ‘ma’am’ since you’ll certainly use that enough at the Academy.” She offered him a wan smile. “How do I deal with being scary old cane lady? Not very well, I’m afraid.” After another moment she admitted, “I hate it.”

Leo looked up.

“I was top-ranked in practically every physical fitness category in ROTC. I could do anything I wanted, and my body never let me down. My pregnancies with Jason and you were a breeze. And now my body’s betrayed me.” She met his eyes. “Probably how you feel too. Your strong body’s not working so well right now. It sucks.” Leo nodded. It sure did.

“I hate the effect on my relationships too,” she added. “I can’t do what everyone else can, so I get left behind. I miss your swim meets, and I don’t have friends anymore.” There was a catch in her throat.

“I feel all alone.” Her lip trembled. “But the worst part…the worst part is I couldn’t protect you boys from James. I failed you and Jason.

I’m so sorry, Leo.”

His mother cried, and Leo looked away, fighting his own tears.

Her strength overwhelmed him. He was out for six weeks, and she was out for a lifetime. The car accident was her
life
ctomy.

She sniffed. “James became another person after my accident.

He wasn’t always like this, Leo. It’s like something died in him that night. He had a role in what happened, but I didn’t know the guilt would stay with him so long.”

“What? What do you mean Dad had a role in your accident?” Her eyes widened. “No, no…I said that wrong. What I meant is your father thinks he should’ve stopped me from driving that night.” Leo stared at her for a long time. Finally he lowered his gaze and tried to take a few bites. “You’re not eating much,” he said with his mouth full.

“Well, I’m not a swimmer.”

“I’m not either.”

“You’ll always be a swimmer, Leo. It’s in your blood.” His fork rattled to the plate as he leaned back on the sofa. “I’m not very hungry.”

“I guess now’s as good a time as any to tell you this.” His mother swallowed. “I…I called Brett Turner when you were in the hospital.”

“The Florida State coach?” Leo sat up, his listlessness suddenly gone.

“Yes. He gave the fifty-percent scholarship to another swimmer.” Leo sank back into the sofa.

“But if you choose FSU over the Academy, we’ll make it work.

I doubt I can get loans in my name at this point, but you can take out student loans, and I’ll help you pay them back. You don’t have to go to the Academy.”

Leo’s stomach tightened. “How will you help me pay back the loans, Mom?”

“I don’t know. I’ll think of something.” He sat for a few moments. “I’m sort of freaked out. I don’t even know if I can make it through school tomorrow, much less think about college.”

“Then take some time to think about it, Leo. You don’t have to figure it out right now. Speaking of school, do you have homework?”

“So much I don’t even know where to start.” He closed his eyes.

“Well, what’s your favorite class? You can start with that.”

“I used to like calculus and chemistry, but now I’m so far behind I’m kind of lost. Maybe government? That’s my easiest one anyway.”

“Since when do you like the easy classes? You’re always up for a challenge.”

“I guess I’m tired of challenges…Mom? I’m not doing so great this semester. I’ll…I’ll be in big trouble when Dad finds out. I might get a B in a couple of classes.”

“Then get a B, Leo,” she responded immediately. “Get a C. Fail a class. I don’t care.”

He gaped at her.

“You pile way too much pressure on yourself, and your parents certainly don’t need to add to it. So what if you get a B? I’ll still love you, and your father will too, even though he’s totally clueless about showing it.”

“So you don’t care if I’m not top five anymore?”

“I thought it was silly you got so wrapped up in class rank. It’s about learning, not GPA. We’ll just celebrate one top five in this house instead of two.” His mother frowned. “And where
is
she? Audrey should definitely be home by now.”

“Get back in the car, Audrey!”

Audrey felt Eric grope for her arm from the driver’s seat. She ignored him and whooped, feeling the wind whipping her hair behind her.

Only when the breeze made her eyes water did she finally bring her head back inside. Her cheeks burned from the wind, and she giggled at her naughtiness. Audrey fumbled for the radio but Eric fought her off. “I have to concentrate!” He smacked her hand.

“Humph.” She crossed her arms. “You’re a total party pooper, Erica.”

“And
you
are obnoxious, Audrey!” When he pulled up in the Roses’ driveway, the raucous evening faded to silence. Eric turned to her, his anger seeming to turn to affection as he gazed into her eyes.

Audrey had the bizarre sense he was about to kiss her. “You should realllly try this some time,” she said. “Bein’ drunk is the bessst.” Eric looked down. “I’m afraid if I started drinking, I’d never stop.

I don’t want to be like my dad…Aren’t you worried?” Eric asked after a moment. “Isn’t your dad an alcoholic too?” Audrey felt her throat tighten. “I don’t want to talk about him.” She glanced at the brightly lit interior of her house. “Do you think I’m in trouble?”

“Why would you be in trouble? Isn’t your mom out of town?”

“Yeah, but Leo’s mom’s staying in my houssse. Leo is too, whenever he gets out of the hospital.”

Eric suddenly slouched in his seat, his eyes darting around. “I gotta get out of here. I’m not getting blamed for you being sloshed.”

“Maybe I can stay at your house tonight?” Eric shook his head. “No, you have to go inside. Mrs. Scott’s probably having a freakout right now, wondering where you are.” He reached across and opened her door, then shoved her out onto the driveway. Jason had heaved her out that way once too. What was with boys pushing her out of their cars?

As his tires screeched away, Audrey took a deep breath and shuffled toward the door. She just wanted to go to bed. Stepping inside, Audrey heard Mrs. Scott’s voice.

“I think I hear her, Jase. Hold on.
Audrey?”

“Yesss, I’m here.”

“Thank God. You can call off the search, Jason. She’s home.” Audrey wanted to shield her eyes from the sunny yellow kitchen.

Mrs. Scott hung up the phone to glare at her. “Where’ve you been?”

“I was at Alex’s.” She looked over and froze when she discovered Leo on the sofa. Rather than angry, she felt merely curious. Her head tilted to the side. “They discharged you?”

“Audrey!”

Mrs. Scott’s urgent tone drew her attention.

“It’s almost eleven! I expected you home at six.”

“Whaz the big deal? I come home whenever I want when my mom’s outta town.”

Mrs. Scott’s eyes narrowed. “Are you drunk?”

“No.” Audrey began to retreat.

“Stay right there, young lady.”

Audrey heard Leo gasp and fought the urge to turn and run upstairs.

“What’s the
big deal?”
Mrs. Scott hollered. “The big deal’s that you’re underage, and you’re drunk! Plus, you didn’t call, and I’ve been worried sick! I was about to file a missing person’s report with the police.”

“The police?” Her voice shook. “I’m s-s-s-sorry.” Her nose burned.

“I juss had a little vodka. I did-ent think about calling.”

“You clearly weren’t thinking at all! You didn’t
drive
in your condition, did you?”

Audrey felt the prick of tears. “No…Eric drove me.” Mrs. Scott sighed. “I’m disappointed in you, Audrey. I expect more mature behavior from such an accomplished young lady.” Leo interrupted Audrey’s sob. “Mom, it’s not her fault.” He’d gathered himself off the couch and seemed to be assessing how best to hop over to her.