by C. S. Harte
No bullets or shell casings were found anywhere around the restaurant. Since no one was hurt, everyone was free to go.
“We took photos of your truck. But you still have to file a police report. Don’t worry son. Your insurance will cover this.” The deputy tapped Tommy on the shoulder. “Tomorrow is the Lord’s Day. We’ll have to take care of the paperwork on Monday.”
“Thank you, officer.” Tommy returned to the girls. “The police didn't seem to be taking this too seriously. They’re talking about it like a prank or something stupid that teenagers do. I asked them to look at it as a hate crime since Kayla is part Asian and all. They said the media attention wouldn’t help,” Tommy shrugged. “Good thing I don’t pay taxes yet, I’d be pissed. Just so you know, I didn’t mention anything about the weirdness today. Let’s still hold off on that,”
Kayla and Izzy both nodded.
Tommy opened the back seat for the girls. “Y’all ready? Let’s go home.”
Kayla and Izzy climbed into the truck. Izzy collapsed into sleep almost immediately.
Tommy started the engine. He clutched Kayla’s hand. “Don’t worry. Things will work itself out.”
Kayla smiled at Tommy before leaning her head on the window. She followed Izzy and drifted to sleep.
The rumble from a rocky stretch of road woke Kayla. She took a moment to orient herself before turning around looking for Izzy. “You dropped Izzy off without waking me?”
“We tried. You were snoring.”
Kayla blushed.
“It was cute,” Tommy said, grinning.
“What! I don’t snore, shut up!”
Tommy turned off the engine. He didn’t unbuckle his seatbelt. Instead, he lay back into his seat with his neck arched back and closed his eyes. “What a day huh?”
Kayla stared at Tommy through the dim light of the car interior. He had changed somehow. A knot formed in her stomach, growing tighter the longer she stared. In one day Tommy had shown himself to be a fierce protector, a valued confidant, and her loudest cheerleader. He was her ally. The why of it all still wasn't crystallized in her mind.
A moment ago, they were an inch away from completing their kiss. Answers were left behind at the diner. A restless energy stirred inside Kayla, looking for a release. Her eyes darted toward his lips while tracing a finger on her own. The truck cabin seemed to amplify the sound of her heart racing. She shifted closer to him.
Tommy snored himself awake. He rubbed his eyes and turned his head towards Kayla. “Why are you making weird faces?” Tommy laughed.
Kayla ignored the question. Maybe next time, I’m just gonna grab him and shove my face into his.
Tommy held Kayla’s hand. “Kayla.”
“Yes?”
“You would tell me if you had magical powers right?”
“I guess so.”
“Do you?”
She shook her head. “I honestly don’t know. I don’t think so. That would be crazy, right? Lately, things have been happening to me, and I can’t fully explain it. All I can tell you is that I’m not doing it on purpose.”
He smiled. “I can believe that. I believe you.”
Kayla allowed an exhale to escape.
“I believe that you don’t understand what’s going on. It doesn’t mean that something weird isn’t going on.”
Kayla nodded.
“Until we fully understand it, we don’t tell anyone. Not even Izzy. Agreed?”
“Agreed.”
Mrs. Cooper ran outside after the car door slammed.
Tommy got out first and waved her away. “We’re OK. No one was hurt.”
She continued her march towards Tommy. Tears streaked down her face.
“What’s wrong, Mrs. Cooper?” Tommy scratched his head.
Kayla stepped out next and made her way towards Tommy. She glanced at Tommy with her eyebrows raised. “Is everything OK?” She looked for Charlie who should be running into her arms after not seeing her for so long. “Where’s Charlie?”
Mrs. Cooper began to cry again. “I’m sorry, honey. Evan and Mark were playing with Charlie… and he bit Evan. There was a lot of blood. We had to call the ambulance.”
Kayla shook her head and covered her ears. “No, no, no. That’s not possible. Charlie has never bitten anyone. He would never attack the twins.” She looked to Tommy, her eyes pleading for support.
Tommy didn't look back. His hands collapsed into hardened fists. “Where are Evan and Mark now? Where is Charlie?” His voice seethed with anger.
Mrs. Cooper fumbled her words, “Evan and Mark are at the hospital with your father.“
There was a pounding in Kayla’s head. The use of the word father in reference to Mr. Cooper fueled an increasing rage.
“Charlie was taken away by animal control,” Mrs. Cooper said in a meek voice.
Kayla brought her hands to her face and collapsed to the ground. “No…” Her voice trailed off. A single tear dripped from her nose. Then another. A steady rain of tears pattered the ground. Kayla’s sobbing was the only sound audible in the still of the night.
Charlie had always been an extraordinary dog. He seemed capable of empathy. Kayla took him to the vet once. A little boy was crying in the waiting room because his dog was being put down. Charlie, without any prompting from Kayla, went over to the little boy and rested his head on the boy’s lap. The boy stroked Charlie for a few minutes before he finally stopped crying. He stayed with the little boy until the parents mercifully took him home.
Kayla was nauseated. Pain throbbed in the back of her throat. Her body was exhausted after a grueling day. The twins did something stupid and now Charlie has to pay for it.
“What’s going to happen to Charlie?” Tommy asked.
Kayla held her locket for comfort.
“I think you know what happens to dogs that bite a person in this town.” Mrs. Cooper reached for Kayla. “I’m so sorry —“
Kayla stepped back and screamed, “GET AWAY FROM ME!” She sobbed into her hands.
Mrs. Cooper took several quick steps back, stumbled, and fell onto her rear. She had a frightened look on her face as if she didn’t expect the forcefulness of Kayla’s response. “Did you… Did you push me?”
“She didn’t touch you,” Tommy said in an annoyed tone. “This is all your fault! Those twins are evil. You knew this, and you didn’t do anything about it. You only kept them because of a free government paycheck. You did this. You are the reason why Charlie is going die.” Tommy picked Kayla up from the ground. He embraced her, squeezing her tightly, burying her face into his chest.
Kayla used his shirt to dry her tears. Her breathing started to calm.
He gently kissed the top of her head. “We’re moving out tonight. Let’s go pack our things.”
“No, please don’t go!” Mrs. Cooper begged.
Kayla glared at Mrs. Cooper, but her mouth remained sealed.
Another failed foster home. Half-a-dozen and counting. How could I stay here after what they did to Charlie? With Tommy leaving, there was no choice to make. “OK, Tommy. Let’s get out of here.”
10
The clock in Tommy’s truck read 3:30 am. Tommy and Kayla were driving along a country road, escaping the illusion of a false family life. They were alone on the road, drifting in the dark, empty night. It was a somber reminder of their realities ever since they were orphaned.
Tommy glanced at Kayla. “I’ve been here before you know — driving on this road. Sometimes I think about what happens if I kept going North. Run away from home. It’s been awhile since I had those thoughts. Stopped after you moved in. I guess you gave me a reason to stay. You were my anchor. So it’s funny that you’re here with me on this road. Maybe we should just keep driving North. Go wherever the road takes us. Leave all this craziness behind. What do you think?”
Kayla didn't look at Tommy as he spoke. She slouched in her seat. Her eyes were nearly welded shut, puffy from crying. Kayla released a long, overdue sigh. “I would T
ommy… go with you, wherever. But I can’t leave Charlie. He was the only family I had before I met you and Izzy. And Izzy is like a sister. Everyone on the soccer team has treated me like family. I can’t leave them before the season finishes. We just made it to the playoffs.” She pressed her hands to her face. “It would’ve been easier before. Why didn’t you ask me before?”
Tommy cleared his throat. “I thought about asking you earlier. I thought about a lot of things. I’ve been trying to figure out how all this would work. Where we would go. How we would support ourselves. How much money we would need. Everything just seemed so out of reach when I thought about it... and us.”
Kayla’s lips parted. Her voice trembled as she spoke. “How long have you been thinking about… us?”
His hands fidgeted on the steering wheel. “I guess I would say when I first saw you. The first day you moved in. I came home all dirty and sweaty from work. Hopefully, you weren’t creeped out by how long I was staring at you. I wasn’t expecting someone like you to be in our living room. You have no idea how beautiful you are sometimes. If you had Izzy’s life, you definitely would’ve been a movie star by now. Then again, you'd have no business with someone like me.”
“Tommy…” Kayla’s voice trailed. Her mouth opened to speak, but no words wanted to form. How can he keep doing this? Make me feel so happy when all I want to do is be sad and angry.
Tommy frowned and leaned away from Kayla. He tapped his fingers on the steering wheel, making the only sound in the truck. They passed a sign that read, Georgetown, TX. “We need a place to stay for the night and figure things out. I know a cheap motel about 20 minutes from here.”
“Sleep would be great,” Kayla released a repressed yawn. The adrenaline faded away. “I know you said we shouldn’t share the craziness in my life until we knew more, but I wanna let Izzy know about Charlie. She would be mad if I didn’t tell her. I’m gonna text her, OK?”
He nodded his reply.
Kayla pulled her phone out of her pocket.
THEY TOOK CHARLIE! THEY’RE GOING TO KILL HIM! TOMMY AND I ARE RUNNING AWAY FROM HOME. CAN’T STAY. LOOKING FOR A MOTEL RIGHT NOW. WILL CALL YOU IN THE MORNING.
Kayla’s phone buzzed with Izzy’s reply. She read the text out loud for Tommy to hear.
OMG! NO! WHO TOOK CHARLIE? ARE YOU OK? COME TO MY HOUSE INSTEAD. WE GOT PLENTY OF SPACE.
“What do you think? You OK with staying with Izzy and her mom?”
Tommy rubbed his chin. “Mrs. Sanders? I only met her once. She seems nice. Well, if she’s cool with everything. We’re bringing some baggage with us.”
“I’ll let Izzy know.”
They arrived at the entrance to the gated Grand Mesa community.
“The guest code is 0212,” Kayla said.
Tommy punched the number into the keypad, and the gates rolled open.
Izzy waited outside for them.
Tommy drove onto the rounded driveway and parked in front of the staircase leading to the Sanders' home.
Izzy ran to Kayla’s side as soon as Tommy parked. She gave Kayla a hearty bear hug as she stepped out.
“I’m so sorry,” Izzy whispered into Kayla’s ear. She repeated those words several times with each repetition spoken softer and softer.
Kayla’s resolve eroded with each word. Her emotional dam, fragile to begin with, collapsed, flooding Izzy with a torrent of tears. The gross gravity of the day’s events too excessive to bear.
Izzy nearly fell, unable to support Kayla’s weight. Together they sat, huddled on the ground. Kayla heaved with each breath, her body's way of struggling as the world began collapsing around her. Izzy held onto her best friend tightly, rubbing her back, providing a small comfort.
Mrs. Sanders joined the group outside, making her way towards Tommy first.
“Hello, Mrs. Sanders. Thank you so much for letting us stay here tonight,” he said, extending his hand.
Mrs. Sanders pushed it away and gave Tommy a hug. “Oh no, y’all can stay here for as long as you need. Not just tonight. We have plenty of space as you can see.” She waved her arm over her house.
Tommy craned his neck, taking in the full view of the mansion. Even in the night, the grandness and exquisite details of the Sanders’ home were evident, illuminated by many rows of powerful outdoor lights. The white sandstone estate perched alone atop a rolling hill with the closest neighbor an acre away. A stone staircase guided the eyes up to a sitting area and a garden, flanked by two more sets of stairs. Like a zipper currently half unzipped. The garden was brimming with red, pink, and white roses in full bloom. The roses merely served as the outer layer of the garden, framing the majestic marble water fountain behind them. In the center of the fountain stood a young mermaid statue surrounded by a pod of baby dolphins with their mouths open. Fine streams of water shot out of the open mouths, 10 feet into the night in a swift symphony, creating the illusion of a net over the mermaid. The sight was made all the more spectacular by a rainbow cast into the mist by an outdoor projector. If there were ever were such a thing as a Disney castle in Austin, this home would be the inspiration.
Mrs. Sanders stood over Izzy and Kayla who were still holding each other. “Let's get inside children. We can talk about everything tomorrow when we’ve had some sleep and food in our bellies.”
“OK, mom. Let’s go, Kayla.” Izzy helped her friend up and walked with her mother inside.
Kayla saw Tommy’s stare lingering on the fountain. “I had the same reaction the first time I came here. They may seem like royalty, but they’re down-to-earth people. It’s gonna take some getting used to, compared to all the foster homes we’ve been in.”
Tommy didn’t respond. He grabbed their luggage from his truck. Two duffle bags and a small suitcase, mostly clothes and some books, the entirety of their material belongings. A stark contrast to the opulence standing before him.
Kayla grabbed the small suitcase, the lightest option available to her and ran up the stairs.
Tommy paused before making his climb. “Even if it’s just one night. This is the dream.” He walked halfway up the stairs, stopping in front of the fountain. The base was well lit, showing a handful of coins resting underwater. Tommy pulled out a penny from his pocket. He stared intently at the coin in his hand as if deciding on what wish to make. Then he shook his head and laughed. “Too many wishes for just one coin.” He returned his hand into his pocket fishing out three more coins.
“I wish for Charlie to be saved.”
“I wish for Kayla to get whatever she wants.”
“I wish for infinite wealth.”
“I wish for Kayla to love me.”
Tommy took a step back from the fountain and tilted his head up, taking in the grand view in front of him. His eyes followed the playful jets of water as they sprayed into the air.
“C’mon Tommy!” Kayla yelled from the entrance.
Tommy patted his pocket. One coin left. “I wish for Kayla to find happiness. Even if it’s not with me.” He didn’t throw his last coin into the fountain. Instead, he dropped it in his shirt pocket, where it rested next to the photo of him and Kayla.
11
The outdoor rose garden and fountain was just a teaser to the impressiveness of the Sanders' home. The Sanders have resided in this 13,000 square foot mansion since before Izzy’s adoption. It was one of many homes of theirs throughout the world. They built themselves a reputation in Austin for hosting extravagant events. Political, non-profit, launch parties, as well as private ones for friends and family. After finishing the climb up the marble stairs, guests were greeted by a set of hand-carved, heavy oaken, French country doors rescued from an old plantation in Georgia.
The first sights beyond the masterfully sculpted doors were of the grand foyer. Upon walking in, visitors would instinctively steer their eyes up towards the 18th century, half-ton, brass and iron chandelier. Originally designed as a candelabrum capable of holding over 500 candles, it had been modernized to use electricity.
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A large executive cedar table sat in the middle of the foyer, the only wooden furniture in the room. On the table was a fresh bouquet of flowers in a white porcelain vase, a guestbook, and a quill pen. Many famous Austinites have autographed the Sanders' guestbook. To the left of the foyer, a sweeping staircase connected the upper and lower half of the home. Vibrant paintings of the French countryside adorned the right wall.
Mrs. Sanders was the first to wake up at 7 am. Her master bedroom had massive floor-to-ceiling windows facing the eastern sun. The early morning rays acted as her personal alarm, nudging her awake each day.
The staff arrived at 8 am and waited in the kitchen for Mrs. Sanders to deliver their assignments of the day.
“Wendy, I want you to make your famous Elvis Presley pancakes. Extra bacon,” she said to her personal chef.
“With pleasure, Mrs. Sanders.”
“Lorie, I would like you and Lindsey to clean up the guest house and prep it for two people. I suspect they might be staying for a few months at least. Please stock the refrigerator and pantry for them as well.”
“Yes, Mrs. Sanders,” Lorie and Lindsey said simultaneously.
Izzy was the next to wake up. After going through her morning routine, she joined her mother downstairs in the sunroom. “Is there anything we can do about Charlie? He’s a good dog and would only attack someone if they did something to him. Kayla said her evil foster brothers were provoking him.”
Mrs. Sanders nodded. “I know, honey. And I plan to call one of our lawyers to help with that.”
Izzy jumped up from her chair to embrace her mother. “You’re the best, mom!”
“Before we do anything else, explain to me again what happened last night?” She crossed her arms.