“Eight-thirty or so.”
“Why don’t we meet by the Creeping Clowns at nine? I’m going to have to change clothes.”
Candie waved as they squeezed in line for the back car.
“Good riddance,” I muttered under my breath.
“I thought they were your friends.”
“It’s a long story. I don’t really like them. Candie babysits for my mom though, so I have to be nice.”
I didn’t actually get off work until nine, so I hurried over to the Creeping Clowns.
“Hey, do you want to get something to eat?” I asked, hoping they would so we could get out of Haunted Valley.
Zane stood a few inches away from Candie, like he didn’t really want to be there with her. Guess not all was well in Zanedieland.
“Sure, where do you want to go?”
“How about Perkin’s?” I asked.
They both nodded.
“But we want to ride the Screaming Zombie one more time,” said Candie.
“Go ahead. It will take me some time to change and I’ve got to talk to my boyfriend before I leave.”
“Oh, I want the deets.”
“Later. I’ll meet you guys at Perkin’s.”
I changed my clothes, reflecting on the fact that I’d picked this outfit with Dallas in mind, not Zane and Candie. They’d just have to deal.
I knocked on the door to Dallas’s office.
“Hey, I got off early and I have problem.”
“Yeah, the problem is that you look too sexy to be going out in public.”
I smiled. I didn’t think I could ever break up with him. Who else would constantly tell me how hot I looked? My self-esteem would take a huge hit if I wasn’t hearing it every day.
“If only that was my problem. Candie and Zane showed up this afternoon.”
He cocked his head.
“The backstabbing best friend and ex-boyfriend?”
“Yeah. I can’t just leave them hanging because Candie will tell my mom I blew her off. But I’m not going without you. I told them to meet me at Perkin’s. Will you come over when you’re finished?”
“Of course. I’ll be there in a half hour. Will you be okay until I get there?”
“No. But I’ll survive. I can’t believe they drove all the way up here to see me. I haven’t talked to Candie in over a month.”
A phone rang in the background.
“I gotta answer that, I’ll see you later.”
The restaurant was packed. I found Candie and Zane tucked away in a corner booth. They sat on one side, cuddled together. I was still bitter about the whole thing. Candie acted like it was okay for her to have cheated with my ex-boyfriend and still be my friend.
“Hey, guys.”
Zane squirmed away from Candie like he didn’t want to be identified as her boyfriend. Trouble was definitely brewing.
He leaned forward across the table.
“When are you coming home?” he asked.
I couldn’t answer that question. I hadn’t talked to my folks about staying here for my senior year. If I told Candie, she’d tell my mom.
“Probably not until a few days before school starts. I want to work for as long as I can. What have you guys been up to?”
Candie scooted closer to Zane and took his hand. He withdrew it.
“You know, partying and enjoying the summer,” she said.
The waitress showed up to take our drink orders. I ordered water for myself and a coke for Dallas. Where was he? This was awkward.
“Sounds exciting,” I said, after the waitress left.
Zane turned to Candie. “Hey babe, I forgot to order lemon for my iced tea. Could you go let her know?”
“Sure.”
The second she left the table I felt Zane’s hand on my knee.
“I’m so sorry. I want you back. We won’t tell Candie yet, but come home and be my baby.”
Oh gag me. I jerked my legs back and pushed his hand away. Candie returned before I could find the words to respond. I wished I could feel some pity for Candie but I didn’t. She brought this on herself.
The waitress was back with our drinks and I ordered two Tremendous Twelves.
Zane laughed. “That’s a lot of food for one person.”
“It’s not all for me. My boyfriend will be here soon.” I looked at my watch. He should be here in about ten minutes.
Candie gushed. “Oh, so tell me about him.”
“He works in marketing. Just graduated from college. He’s going to be an English teacher.”
“How long have you guys been together?”
“He’ll tell you since the day he met me, but I’d say it’s been about a month. The days sort of run together.”
Zane snorted. “Sounds stuffy. You should find someone your own age.”
“At least he’s faithful. And he adores me.”
I looked up and saw Dallas coming toward us.
“Speak of the devil.”
He didn’t sit down, just stared at Candie. She looked up at him and her face went white. He took a step back. Candie sat there, shooting glances back and forth between Dallas and me, then she scooted off the bench and ran for the bathroom.
What the hell?
I stood up to follow her, to figure out why she’d act like that, but Dallas grabbed my arm.
He spoke low into my ear. “That’s the girl. Candace.”
I felt the blood drain from my face. I nodded and took my time walking to the bathroom so I could think things through before seeing her. Candie and I hadn’t talked in a while, because of Zane, but she had been my best friend before that. She must’ve moved to Albert Lea right after it happened, and she never told me anything.
She stood at the sink wiping mascara streaks from her cheeks. When she saw me she spun.
“Do you know what that bastard did to me?”
I played dumb.
“No, I didn’t realize you two knew each other.”
“I was fourteen, and he stole my virginity.”
I cocked my head. “Stole as in raped, or stole as in you wish you had it back?”
I didn’t want her to know I had any clue about what had happened. But over the last week, I’d thought a lot about the possibility of what he did. The hard part was that the only person who knew the truth was the girl. And that girl was Candie.
“Well, I was fourteen and he was eighteen, so it was definitely rape.”
“Did he know you were fourteen?”
She shook her head. “Why are you acting like this is all my fault? Sorry to burst your bubble, but your new boyfriend is a rapist.”
“Candie, did you give him any indication that you didn’t want it?”
She glared at me. “Well, no. I was drunk and he was hot. It wasn’t until the next morning that I realized what I’d done.”
I needed to make sure I understood. “So you really never said no?”
“Of course not. Would you have?” She laughed. “You didn’t, did you? Now we’ve both slept with the same two boys. Look, I was fourteen and he should’ve known better. Plus, his mother was loaded.”
I slapped her. I couldn’t help myself. She stared at me, shocked.
“You were at a college frat party, no one knew you were fourteen. Do you have any idea what you’ve done? You falsely accused someone of rape. Go home, Candie, I never want to see your face again.”
I stomped back to our table, grabbed Dallas’s hand and pulled him out of the booth.
“Let’s go.”
“Hey, wait,” Zane yelled behind us, but I didn’t listen.
Back at Dallas’s house, I sat on the counter and watched Dallas make food since we didn’t get our fix at Perkin’s. I hadn’t said much on the way here and he seemed overly concerned.
“You okay?” he asked, staring at the eggs he was cooking.
“Yeah, I guess.” Then I froze. Here I was, so worried that Candie and I would never speak again that I’d forgotten the most important thing.
“Candie never said no.”
“What?”
“In the bathroom, she told me that she never said no to you that night. She just wanted your money.”
He paled.
“So I’m not a monster.”
“Nope, definitely not a monster. A little pushy though.” I grinned to show that I was joking, but he didn’t look convinced.
We probably would’ve discussed it more if Paris hadn’t chosen that moment to show up. He plopped down in a chair next to me and stuffed a piece of bacon in his mouth.
“What’s up?” I asked, a little miffed that he interrupted us.
“We’re planning an epic party for Saturday night. You guys in?”
“Where? Mom and Dad won’t let you have a party here,” said Dallas.
“At Angelica’s. The party starts at eight.”
I looked up at Dallas. “I’ve got no other plans, do you?”
“Nope, looks like we’ll be there.”
NO ONE TALKED ABOUT ANYTHING except the party. Hopefully Angelica had a big enough place, because it sounded like all fifteen hundred Haunted Valley employees would be there.
Thursday, Angelica came to me while I worked the Demon Drop controls.
“I’ll take your place for a while. You need to go see Grant.”
“Am I in trouble?”
“I don’t think so, he just said that he needed to talk to you.”
I jogged to his office, hoping that no one had died or anything.
“What’s up?” I asked, collapsing into a chair.
“Your mom’s coming.”
Oh. That’s not bad. I had panicked for nothing.
“When?”
“Saturday, and she’ll leave Sunday afternoon. It’s a really short visit. I’m not quite sure why she’s coming or why she didn’t text you this.”
“I’ve no idea. I work until four on Saturday and I don’t have to be at work until four on Sunday, so I can spend some time with her. It just seems weird that she’s coming at the last minute.”
“That’s what I thought.”
“You don’t think she’s going to try to talk me into coming home, do you?”
Grant shrugged.
“Maybe.”
No time like the present.
“Any chance I can stay for my senior year? I don’t want to go home.”
“Does this have anything to do with Dallas?”
“A little. But it’s mostly because I’ve changed so much since I’ve moved here. I don’t want to face the people who know what I’d been and slip back into those patterns. I’m a better person here and I like myself more. Even if things didn’t work out with Dallas, I’d want to stay.”
He looked at me for a long time.
“Of course you can stay. I must say I am pleased with how much you’ve matured since you arrived. You’re right, you’re not the same girl who sat at my desk sulking on the first day. I don’t know how your mother is going to take it though.”
“She won’t take it well. She lost her free babysitter when I got here so she’ll want me back. Lucky for me, I’m eighteen and can make my own decisions, but it would be nice to have her support.”
“I’ve pulled you off the schedule for Saturday. You can spend the whole day with her, but you may want to wait until dinner, when I’m there, to break the news. We also don’t want her thinking that this is about some boy, so it might be best if you don’t introduce her to Dallas at all.”
I nodded. My mother. She and I hadn’t spoken at all since I’d left, though Teddy hijacked her phone a couple of times and jabbered in my ear. The more I thought about Albert Lea and the future, the more I wanted to stay here. I’d almost saved up enough money to go to Europe. If I lived at home, there was always the possibility she wouldn’t let me go, being my mom and all. Especially considering that Dallas was probably coming with me.
Mom arrived early Saturday morning. They must’ve left at five.
Teddy ran up to me right away and threw his chubby little arms around me.
“I missed you, Vanny.”
“I missed you, too.”
He didn’t let go of me and I had to hug my mother awkwardly. I gave Dave a smile and a nod. I was on my absolute best behavior.
We sat in the living room, Teddy fiddling with my watch.
“Your hair looks good,” Mom said. Of course it was the first thing she noticed. My hair had grown long enough to look like a pixie cut and I could style it. Dallas kept telling me to take a razor to it again, but truthfully, I hated having no hair. I’d never admit that to my mother though.
“Thanks. How’s your summer been?”
“Quiet. We miss you and can’t wait for you to come home. Grant tells me you are going to work up until the very last minute. But you can come home anytime you want. We were kind of hoping maybe we could talk you into coming home with us this weekend.”
My head jerked up.
“Why?”
“We miss you. That’s all.”
An awkward silence filled the room.
“Can I have some juice?” asked Teddy.
“Of course.”
I poured a glass of apple juice and put a handful of crackers in front of him. I didn’t realize how much I missed him.
Mom came into the kitchen.
“I hear you have a new boyfriend.”
“Where did you hear that?”
“Candie.”
Damn. I handed Teddy another cracker.
“Yeah, his name is Dallas.”
“She tells me he’s very good looking and a little too old for you.”
“He is good looking but he’s not too old. He’s only twenty-two.”
“But you’re still in high school.” If I’d graduated on time Dallas’s age wouldn’t even be an issue.
“Maybe you need to meet him.”
“That would be nice.”
The subject changed to the goings-on in Albert Lea. I texted Dallas and asked him to meet us for dinner. He replied that he’d be delighted. I wasn’t so sure of that.
Dallas and Grant met us at Bubba Gump’s in the mall at five. Dallas wore a polo shirt and jeans, which looked nice but made him look older. That wouldn’t help assure my mother that he wasn’t too old for me.
He shook hands with Dave and then sat down right next to Teddy.
“What’s your name?” Dallas asked him.
“Teddy. Here, hold this.”
Teddy handed him three crayons and went back to his drawing.
The conversation was light and easy. Grant stayed quiet, but Dallas talked most of the night.
As dinner wound down, Dallas asked me to go on a quick walk. The restaurant was crowded and we had to push through a gaggle of girls before we escaped out into the mall. People still pressed in around us.
“You know, the party’s tonight,” he said. He had to lean close and speak directly in my ear. My hearing aid whistled a little.
“Yeah, but I won’t be able to go. If they are going to let me stay I need to show them that I give a damn. You should still go.”
“Are you sure?”
“Yes. Go, have fun, don’t get too drunk. I’ll see you tomorrow. With any luck, I’ll have secured my mother’s blessing for next year.”
He nodded.
“Okay. Good luck.”
He leaned down and gave me a quick kiss. I watched him until he disappeared around a corner. It was now or never. I took a deep breath.
“He’s a nice young man,” my mother said as I sat down.
I smiled and nodded.
Teddy looked up from the picture he was drawing.
“Where Dallas go?”
“He had to go home. Maybe we’ll see him tomorrow.”
I looked over at Grant to see if it was a good time to bring up the dreaded subject. He nodded. I barely opened my mouth to ask the question, but my mother spoke up before I could get even a word out.
“We really did have a purpose in coming this w
eekend.”
“Okay.”
“We want you to come home with us. Tomorrow.”
“Mom, I’m not ready for that. Plus, I made commitments that I have to keep.”
She stiffened and creased her mouth.
“You’ve obviously matured this summer so perhaps you will understand why I’m asking you to come home. Candie has quit. I have no babysitter and I can’t afford to stay home. I need you back. Teddy needs you.”
“What do you mean, Candie quit?”
Mom exchanged a glance with Dave.
“She didn’t exactly quit. She’s in the hospital.”
“What?”
Mom sighed.
“We didn’t want to tell you. Candie’s mom only told us because Candie babysat for us.”
“Is she okay?” I was still mad and really had no intention of speaking with Candie again, but I didn’t wish her a trip to the hospital.
Mom shrugged.
“I’m not sure. They sent her to a hospital up here. Some place called Catalyst Health Center.”
I closed my eyes for a second. They only sent people to Catalyst for one reason. I knew because I had researched facilities when I wondered if I would meet the same death as my dad. Would everyone I knew die the same way? Grant gave me a look. He knew too. There was pity in his eyes. I didn’t want his pity.
“I’m sorry mom, I need to go see Candie. Grant, will you take me to see her?”
He nodded and fished around in his pocket for a key, which he handed to my mom.
“Here are the keys to the apartment, it’s a five minute walk. Though, it’s a little boring over there, you might want to take Teddy on a few rides. I can get you a free pass for him, if you want.”
Mom looked like she wanted to argue, but she nodded. We walked down to the rides and Grant got passes for all of them. It was nice that he knew the general manager. They exchanged comp tickets all the time.
Before we left, I kissed my mom on the cheek, gave Teddy a big squeeze, and patted Dave on the shoulder. When things like this happened, I was reminded to appreciate the people I loved, even if I didn’t always like them.
Mom grabbed my arm just before we walked out the door. “Think about what I said. We need you to come home.”
I nodded, to show I understood.
Grant didn’t say much in the car and neither did I.
“You want me to come in?” he asked when we pulled into the parking lot.
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