“It’s up to Louise to decide,” he continued to chew. “Look, Bailey, you grew up in this family the same as I did. I’m sure by now you’ve figured out that Louise Mason runs the show, and whatever she says goes.”
“And what’s that supposed to mean?”
“It means we’re in this together, you an’ me,” Pete cut his eyes over at the girl, “An’ we’re gonna make the best of it.” Glancing back at the boys, he hoped everything they did wouldn’t be such a hassle; but if she were like every other woman in the Mason clan, he knew that would be wishful thinking.
A Whole New World
Bailey lay in her bed, blinking at the suitcase she had reluctantly packed the night before. Watching the light slowly surround it and bring it out of the shadows, she thought about the argument she had given her uncle over her moving to Texas to live with him. In the end, he had won, mainly because she realized she was going, one way or another, and if she wanted a say in her wardrobe when she got there, she had better do the honors.
Sliding out of bed, she slunk over to her computer and switched it on. Her parents had purchased it for her the year before, when she entered high school, but she rarely used it, preferring her phone for keeping in touch with her mass of friends. Leaning on her elbow, palm mashing against her cheek, she watched the screen go from black to blue, and her icons began popping into place.
What the hell am I going to tell them? She had many friends on her page, and typically made several posts a day. Since her parents died, she had only made two, and they were brief at best. However, the time had come for her to make the announcement; she wouldn’t be returning to school after all.
Typing the text into the box, a single tear slipped from her eye and rolled down her cheek. Wiping it away in frustration, her gaze darted over to her memo board on the wall next to her desk. Covered with pictures of her and her friends, it held images of her adventures as a cheerleader, and all of the other clubs and organizations that she belonged to.
Drawing a ragged breath, she reached for a tissue, her mind still caught up in the memory of her social life. Mom saw to it that I was able to do whatever I wanted. She would be heartbroken if she knew they were making me leave it all behind. Turning her attention back to the wide screen, she began to compose her message.
Using agile fingers, Bailey typed out a status update: As many of you know, we have suffered a tragedy at our house, and I will not be returning to Lincoln. I will miss you all dearly, and keep in touch. Clicking the blue post button, she released a heavy sigh and slumped back in the seat.
Well, that wasn’t so hard. She could imagine how upset her friends would be to learn of her situation, and of her forced move to Texas. She felt glad she had refrained from posting every grimy detail, as many of the girls she knew would have done. But that wouldn’t be proper. Mom taught me that.
As a wealthy attorney, sharing a practice with her husband, Pamela Dewitt had taken great care in the grooming of their daughter and sons. The family held a high status in the mid-sized town, and having any dirty laundry aired publicly was a huge no-no. Things were always kept in order, with children that behaved as they were expected.
Glancing at the photos once more, the girl made it to her feet and began the process of getting dressed. Then, a random thought entered her mind, and she sat back on the edge of her chair. Navigating to Google, she typed in Midland, Texas, to find out what she could about their destination.
A few clicks later, she wanted to throw the keyboard onto the floor in disgust. It’s hot, it’s dry, and it’s in the middle of nowhere, she grimaced. On her feet again, she shut down the machine and finished gathering her things while fuming in a loud whisper.
Downstairs, she pulled her suitcase up next to the door, her head popping up when she recognized her grandfather’s laugh. “Gramps!” she called, bouncing towards the kitchen. Throwing her arms around his neck, she was prepared to make one last attempt, “Please don’t make us move to Texas. Or, let the boys go with Uncle Pete, and I can stay with you!” Perching on his lap, she clung to him for effect.
His green eyes that matched her own stared at her vacantly for a moment, “What? You mean you would let those two go off without you? You’re their big sister, Bailey-girl, you’re supposed to be looking out for them. Now how’re you gonna do that if you stay here?”
Slowly removing herself from his arms, she could feel the hopelessness creeping over her. “So, you think I should go with them, too?”
“That’s right, you belong together. I’m really disappointed you didn’t see this for yourself. We always take care of our own; with your mom and dad gone, your little brothers are your responsibility.” His brow crinkled when he spoke, and Bailey hung her head slightly at his rebuke.
“I’m sorry, Gramps. I just thought Uncle Peter would be good enough, and they don’t really need me.” Moving away from him, she took out a bowl for cereal, noticing for the first time her brothers seated at the table, observing in silence.
“You don’t wanna go with us?” one of the twins asked in a dejected voice, his eyes wide with emotion.
Tilting her head to take in his small, round face, the girl could see his hurt, easy to read in his wide brown eyes. “It’s ok, Jase, I’m going with you. And I’m going to look out for you, too. I promise.”
The boy’s chin lifted immediately, and a smile exposed the gap where his new front teeth had begun to poke through the gums. Returning her gaze to her breakfast, she stifled the urge to sigh loudly. I don’t want to go, she rationalized, but keeping up the argument isn’t helping, and they have sidestepped me at every turn. I need a different plan.
Two hours later, the group arrived at the airport. Making it through security easily enough, Bailey and Peter took seats next to one another in the gate area, while the boys pressed themselves against the wide section of glass to watch the planes.
Removing her phone from her pocket, Bailey opened her Facebook app and began to skim through her newsfeed. Normally, she would have done this several times a day, but since the accident, it didn’t feel right. Something about seeing everyone’s happy news and liking their posts made her feel even more lost than she already did.
Shifting in his seat so that he could observe her actions, Pete kept one eye on her, and the other on the boys. After a good fifteen minutes of silence, he leaned a little closer to her, “You know, it’s ok to cry.”
Her thumb frozen over the device, she cut her eyes over at him before lifting her face, “I don’t need advice from you.”
Smiling at her show of bravado, he quipped, “Just trying to help. I know this isn’t what you wanted, but we can still be friends.”
“No, thanks,” she pressed the button to darken the screen and slipped the android into her pocket. Standing abruptly, she made her way over to the boys and took a seat on the ledge next to them. “Anything good out there?”
“It’s not good,” Jess squealed, “It’s AWESOME!”
His sister’s lips hinted at a grin at his excitement. Aware that neither of them had been on a plane before, she felt they were entitled. “That’s cool, sweet pea. You enjoy the planes.”
Glancing around at the rest of the passengers in waiting, she longed to be somewhere else, preferably alone. Her gaze landing on her uncle, she noticed he stared at them… or was it her that he watched so intently?
Tossing her crimson highlights, she looked away, leaning on her hand and observing him out of the corner of her eye. She could see the odd, half smile that he wore, making her even more uncomfortable. What was it everyone always said about Uncle Peter? She struggled to recall, but it had been years since anyone in her family had spoken of him at all.
Shifting, she turned to glare at him, giving him the evil eye. This only caused him to show his perfect white teeth in a wide grin. Damn him. The fact that he didn’t look away after being caught gave her an ominous feeling in the pit of her stomach. My parents didn’t like him… I wish I could remember why.
T
heir plane touched down at Midland International Airport at two-thirty that afternoon. Exiting the tunnel and surveying the interior, Bailey laughed out loud, “How the hell does this dinky little place warrant the name International? It’s only got five gates, for Christ’s sake!”
Peter walked beside her calmly, choosing to ignore her negativity, “Did you boys enjoy your first flight?”
“YES!” they agreed simultaneously, dodging through the crowd.
Leaving the upper deck and making their way over to the baggage claim, the girl continued to point out flaws in their new surroundings, “Have you ever seen so many stupid hats?”
“That’s enough!” her new guardian demanded in a clipped tone. “These people are your new neighbors and friends, an’ they won’ take kindly to that attitude.”
She cut her green eyes over, squinting in defiance, but held her tongue.
Catching the bags, Peter pulled them off the conveyer one by one. Making sure each of the boys had their handles extended properly, they were ready to wheel their luggage out behind them. He then directed them into the covered parking, where what appeared to be a brand new SUV awaited them.
The boys scurried into the back seat right away, eager to mess with the video player that hung from the roof. To their delight, a selection of movies filled a small storage box. Giving the front passenger door a heavy slam, Bailey wrinkled her nose; that’s a hell of a bribe, she mentally noted. Aloud, she queried, “Did you just get this thing?”
“What thing?” her uncle replied, sliding behind the wheel.
“This car,” she grimaced, opening the glove box, which was immaculate; and empty.
“Yeah,” he started the engine and pulled out of the space, “I figured I would need a family vehicle if I were going to be carting you three around, so I picked it up before I left.” He didn’t look at her, and kept his eyes on the road when they exited the pay terminal, again giving the girl an odd feeling in her gut.
Gazing out the window, she noted the sparse number of buildings surrounding the airport; this place really is in the middle of nowhere. About fifteen minutes later, they found civilization, and soon arrived at the apartment that would be their new home.
Lugging their suitcases up the stairs, they made their way inside to the living room, which had been furnished with a tan colored sectional sofa. In the far wall, she could see a narrow window centered above the oversized couch, which allowed whoever was in the kitchen to see out into the front room. To the right of that, a small dining table filled a wide open alcove, a sliding glass door behind the vertical blinds, which led to the tiny balcony.
Moving further in, she looked to her right, and noticed that the sectional formed a half-wall of sorts, so that sitting on it meant the kitchen and dining were to your back. Everything in the house seemed to face the cherry-wood entertainment center that stood to the right of the front door as you entered, a small blind-covered window sandwiched between them. The large wooden cabinet contained a hefty flat screen television, a blue-ray machine, and two different gaming systems, with two full shelves of movies and games.
Eyeballing her uncle warily, Bailey bit her lip to keep from asking. She could tell the furnishings were brand new, same as the Suburban he drove. Why get new stuff just for us? It bothered her that he would do so, and she could feel her distrust of the man who was appointed as their guardian growing by the minute. Instead she said simply, “Which way to our rooms?”
“Back here,” Peter grabbed a boy’s bag in each hand and hauled them down the hall, which exited the living area to the left. Arriving at the first door on the right, he carried them in and put them on the floor next to the chest of drawers. On the far right wall stood a new set of bunk beds, complete with comforters in the boys’ favorite cartoon characters.
Staring at the furnishings, complete with pictures on the walls and a desk for them to share, her anger began to boil. “How do you know so much about them?” she demanded, while observing that the bathroom lay across the hall from their door and the entire apartment smelled like a furniture store.
“Huh,” the man grunted, “I asked. Your room is this way,” he indicated the next room down on the right side of the hall, which happened to be the end. “Yours isn’t decorated. I thought I’d let you do that for yourself.” His voice sounded tired, and he didn’t bother to go in. Instead he turned his back and entered the door that faced hers. That being his quarters, he closed the door behind him, leaving the kids to unpack their things and settle in.
Black and White
Bailey reluctantly emptied her suitcase, placing her clothes into the drawers of the small chest or hanging them in the closet. Looking around, her room seemed barren. Mentally starting her shopping list, she would be sure to pick up an ironing board as soon as possible; being in a new town is no excuse to turn into a slouch.
While making her plans, she noted that Peter came out of his room, closing the door behind him, and she heard him ask the boys if they could put their own clothes away. Of course they can, she scoffed mentally. Man, he sure doesn’t know anything about kids. Peeking down the narrow passage, she smiled faintly at their eagerness to divide up their new personal space, while the head of the household exited via the front door without so much as a word to her.
As soon as he left, Bailey felt gripped with the urge to explore the rest of the apartment. I don’t want to get caught though, so I need to make this quick. Scooting across the hall, she entered his room to discover that it held a new matching bedroom suite, complete with a king-sized bed. Opening a few drawers, she found that the top one contained a handful of briefs and six pairs of socks, but the rest were empty.
Swinging around to the closet, she counted two pairs of jeans, two pairs of dress slacks, and ten shirts at most. There’s no way he makes do with such a small amount of clothing. She hadn’t decided what she suspected the man of, but each new discovery only caused her uneasy feeling to grow.
After a quick glance towards the front door, she felt safe to head to the kitchen, where she opened the fridge to find a few bottles of water. No condiments. What kind of person doesn’t even have mustard and ketchup in their house? Opening a few cabinets, she found a few canned goods, but the freezer was barren.
Confident she was on to something, she knelt down to check under the sink. With a quick peek, she discovered a sponge, still in the cellophane, along with a small bottle of dish soap, and an unopened box of trash bags. He definitely doesn’t live here. All new, as if he bought it either for show, or literally on his way out of town to pick us up.
Deciding to hang on to her discoveries until they were relevant to disclose, she made her way over to have a look around outside. Stepping out onto the balcony, the girl froze.
Pete stood at the stairs, leaning on the support post with his back to her. “Yeah, I know, but no, it’s ok. I’ll bring them out as soon as I’m able. An’ don’t worry about the girl, I’ll figure…” he stopped in mid-sentence, allowing the phone to drift away from his ear when he realized he wasn’t alone. “You need something?” he addressed her curtly.
“No, I was… just going to have a look around,” she stammered.
“Well, don’t,” he wafted a hand at her to shoo her back inside, “We’ll come out later an’ I’ll show you the sights.” When she didn’t budge, he snapped the phone shut, without even a goodbye to the other end. “What’s the matter, are you hungry already?”
“Of course,” she leapt at the excuse, “It’s almost dinner time back home.”
“This is home,” he countered smoothly, pushing past her to check on the boys, “Hey guys, you ready for some grub?” His voice had lifted when he spoke to them, and they came bounding out of their room to meet him.
“Are all those toys and stuff for us?” Jess asked with obvious excitement.
“Yup, they sure are!” Pete grinned, “An’ I’m gonna get you two a computer to share this weekend. How would you like that?”
“I don�
��t think they’re old enough for that,” Bailey bit her words angrily, furious at his obvious attempt to buy her younger siblings’ affections with all the toys and gadgets.
“Well, since I’m the grown up here, an’ I say they can have one, I guess I win.” He didn’t look at her as he spoke, and she found his dismissal of her and her opinion more than frustrating.
Scowling, Bailey helped gather the boys, and they made their way down to the car. True to his word, Peter pointed out the highlights of their apartment complex, including where the office was located, as well as the laundromat, which earned him a disgusted glare. Pulling out onto the street, they traveled down the block to a small restaurant and made their way through the entrance.
Inside the crowded eatery, they were forced to sit on a bench and wait twenty minutes for a table. “Why did we come here?” she demanded crossly under her breath.
“Because the food is good, and it’s convenient,” her uncle shot back.
“Well, why couldn’t we find some place we don’t have to wait?”
“There is no such place,” his voice dropped, still disturbed by her attitude. “Midland is booming, and there’s far more people here than facilities. We take what we can get, an’ we don’t complain. There are long lines, waits, an’ traffic everywhere we go.”
“Great,” the girl sighed, casting her eyes over the crowd, many of whom were standing in the congested foyer. Well, at least we’re sitting, she consoled herself while continuing to frown.
A few minutes later, they were shown to a table, and the boys eagerly unwrapped their crayons to work on their masterpieces. Grinning at the youngsters, Bailey inquired, “You guys want chicken strips tonight?”
Jase and Jess agreed in unison, and Bailey chose a steak with a baked potato and salad. Pulling out her phone, she skimmed through her news feed to discover that a few hundred people had liked and commented on her final post. Darkening her device, she emitted a large sigh; man this sucks. I have to find a way to get home.
The Irrevocable Series Boxed Set Page 2