Three
December
“Your dad really cares about you.”
I brought my gaze up from the pepper spray Dad had not so discretely put in my bag. I pulled it out. “I guess this means he cares.”
This had Royal smiling, like seriously grinning. Reaching over, he threaded long fingers with mine. He kissed the back of my hand. “I promise not to give you a reason to use that.”
I knew he wouldn’t give me one, the only reason I showed him. I could take Royal Prinze, let him come at me, and I’d come right back. I had before.
Smiling a little myself, I put the pepper spray back in my purse. Settling in, I took Royal’s hand and placed it with mine onto my lap, more at peace than I should be considering where we were going. I hadn’t gone with my dad to identify my sister’s body last fall. He’d done that all on his own.
“Why are we going there?” I asked. “Corrington Meadows? You didn’t tell me that.”
He played with my fingers as he navigated the road. We’d been driving for a while, the world dark on a highway lined with cornfields on both sides. This was the beauty of living in the Midwest, natural landscape always around. He frowned at the road. “That’s just where we have to go for this. What we’re about to do.”
“Which is?”
A tongue ran over his full lips. He faced me. “This isn’t something I can really explain to you. I could but…” His gaze shifted to the road, his eyes creasing hard. “I think it’s best we go there and you find out everything that way. Believe me. I wish we were going anywhere else.”
The terror rising inside me, I sat up. “But why? Royal…”
Gold lashes flashed in my direction, and because he most likely saw the panic in my eyes, he kissed the back of my hand again. Without words, he let go and reached behind the seats, pulling out a blanket. After working it around me, he pushed an arm around my shoulders, bringing me into his chest while he drove.
“Just sleep, okay?” he requested, bringing me closer and kissing the top of my head. He gazed back on the road. “Give yourself just one more night, one more before everything changes.”
How could everything change even more than it already had? The prospect of that embedded more fear, and lifting the arm rest, I settled in under Royal’s arm. I’d try to sleep. But I had a feeling that wouldn’t be any easier than anything else I had to deal with since coming to Maywood Heights.
*
“Dad says you’re out of town?” Aunt Celeste referring to my dad as anything other than a phrase laced with disdain was new. She usually referred to my dad as “Rowan” or my father.
Turning in the hallway, I stared into the diner. Royal stopped us for breakfast after a quick night in a motel. I’d pretty much woken up there, most likely carried, as eventually I had fallen asleep in the car.
The beautiful boy I traveled with currently sat at our table, drinking a cup of coffee and only that. He’d turned down food completely, pretty much just watching me eat.
Like he knew he was being thought about, Royal panned toward me, his smile small as he lifted a hand in my direction. He looked delicious in his T-shirt and jeans, always did.
I pushed hair behind my ear, putting my back to him. The call came to my phone after leaving the bathroom. “Yeah, we’re in Corrington Meadows.”
When my aunt called, I’d been surprised with my desire to pick up. Maybe I’d just needed some semblance of strength. I’d yet to know what I would be shown today.
“That’s what he said,” Aunt Celeste said, the clang and chatter of the diner full steam ahead. Corrington Meadows managed to be an even smaller town than Maywood Heights, nothing but small shops and farmland. It was like a mini version of the town I knew, even more sleepy. The diner was the busiest I’d seen the town at all since arriving here. Aunt C. breathed heavy into the phone. “Well, come back soon, safe. I plan to come into town and see you soon.”
I stared at my worn Converse. “Yeah? Why?”
“Just to see you, love. I can’t get there right away. Have to make some arrangements at work, but your dad told me any time is fine. He’s agreed to put me up.”
That sounded exactly like World War III in the making and nothing my dad would normally agree to. Maybe he was worried about me or something, how weird he’d been acting before I left…
I folded my arms. “I don’t need you to do that.”
“Have you ever thought and wondered that maybe the visit isn’t for you but for me? God, December. I’ve lost your mom and your sister. Lost them way too soon.”
The guilt raged inside, hammered within that I wasn’t the only one in this world grieving. I’d been so mad at both her and my dad I hadn’t thought to wonder about how she felt.
“I’m all alone out here, you know?” she continued. “I miss you and since I don’t have a lot of time with you before whatever you decide to do after graduation… yeah, I’m coming to see you.”
I figured she’d be all gung ho about wanting to start her life. That’s why she’d wanted to shove me off on my father. I heard them both talking about it the day of my sister’s funeral, both of them wanting to rid themselves of me. I shrugged. “I guess I thought you’d want the time on your own.”
Silence on the other end,
