A Modern Love Story

by Jolyn Palliata

  “It just took me by surprise, that’s all.” She pulled away as if to prove she was steady, and rubbed the tears off her cheeks. “I’m fine. It’s fine.”

  He gave her hair an absent tug before dropping his hand. “You’re not fucking fine.”

  The look she gave pierced straight through him. Anger mixed with sorrow, and a healthy dash of annoyance. “I’m fine.”

  He held up his hands in defeat. “Okay. You’re fine.” He pushed to his feet as she did the same. “What about tonight?”

  “What do you mean?” She handed him the blanket to put in the pack.

  “Are you going to have nightmares again?”

  She stared before pointedly looking away. “I don’t know what you’re talking about.”

  “Jesus, Robbie. I’m not an idiot. My room is right next to yours.”

  “You can hear me?”

  “Only when you wake up. It’s like a scream, but like you’re doing it in a pillow. It’s all muffled and shit. I don’t think the L’s ever hear it.”

  “No. They would have said something if they did.” She gave one more long look at the rockslide, then pulled back her shoulders and turned toward the trail.

  Luc fell in line beside her, slinging his pack over his arm.

  “It’s the song that does it. That scares me,” she admitted.

  “The song?”

  “I hear it in my nightmares. It was playing on the radio when we were—” She looked down, then back up. “I don’t know the song, except in my nightmares. It scares the shit out of me.”

  He stopped, stared.

  “What?”

  “I think that’s the first time I ever heard you fucking swear.”

  Her mouth twitched towards a smile. “Great,” she said, sarcastically. “You’re rubbing off on me.”

  “Hey, it adds character.”

  “You’ve got enough character. And I don’t need any extras.”

  He knocked into her shoulder; a light, playful gesture. “Does my swearing really bother you that much?”

  “Sometimes.”

  He didn’t respond. “I guess I’m still not used to being around people who actually give a— Ahh…who actually care about that.”

  “Were they really that bad?” He glanced over and she elaborated. “Your other foster parents?”

  He looked away. “Some were. Others… Whatever. My parents abandoned me when I was little. And the first foster home I was put in was…not great.”

  “Were they mean to you?”

  “That’s a way of putting it. From the outside they seemed normal, nice. Even their house was. When Maureen—it was always Maureen—came to check on me and the house, I kept my mouth shut. If I didn’t, there was even more hell to pay.” His hands fisted, clenched. “I spent most of the time in the dark, in the basement. They’d feed me, sometimes. Sometimes the food wasn’t rotten. And they’d beat me, a lot. Usually right after a scheduled visit by Maureen. No fresh marks right before her visit. ‘Course, they never hit my face or anything that couldn’t be covered up by a shirt and jeans. Shit, that still left a lot of ground to cover.

  “I think the teachers started to notice something was off. I’m just guessing at that. They yelled at me one night, beat me senseless—even hit my face—and locked me in a closet in the basement. Then they took off.”

  He heard Robbie’s gasp, but didn’t address it. “I don’t know how many days I was in there before someone noticed I was missing, but when they showed up—the police—I was sitting in puddles of piss and piles of shit; too weak to move, and too out of it to even care.”

  Robbie wrapped an arm around his waist. Her voice wavered. “God. I’m so sorry, Luc.”

  “Don’t tell me you’re going to cry again. ‘Cause I can’t handle the crying.”

  “I’m not going to cry.”

  But he knew she already was without even looking at her. “S’all right, Squirt. I got through it. Twice I got ditched, but I came out kicking.”

  “And punching,” she concluded, thinking of the random scuffles he always seemed to find.

  He nodded, sliding his arm around her waist so they were linked. “Yup. And punching.”

  Chapter 3

  Sixteen years old

  Robbie stepped under the hot spray of water and nearly groaned as it streamed over her body. There was no better way, in her opinion, to relax before a date than to soak in a shower. Unless, of course, that shower smelled like a certain guy you’ve had your eye on. Then…not so much.

  A scent unique to Luc swirled in the steam, and she nearly groaned again. Jeez, he smelled good.

  She hadn’t kissed him since that day two years ago, but she wanted to. And she’d thought about it. A lot. It wasn’t that she was awkward or shy around him, but a girl just didn’t go around kissing a guy…again…when he gave no signal or indication he even wanted her to. If she kissed Luc a second time, it would be because he initiated it, he wanted it. Not because he teased her about it, or hinted at it just to get under her skin.

  So she patiently waited, and then not so patiently, as she slowly circled back around to one simple fact: He wasn’t interested in her that way. And that left her lusting after something she probably would never have. In grim determination, she had come to a sort of peace about it. Did she want him? Absolutely. But did she want to ruin their friendship by being bitter about the fact he didn’t want her? No way.

  Robbie screamed and jumped back from the scalding water as she heard the toilet flush. Only one person would have done that to her. Hair dripping, she pulled back the curtain far enough to pelt Luc with her bottle of body wash.

  He saw it coming and blocked with one arm. “Hey, when you gotta go, you gotta go.”

  “You were just in here.” She didn’t bother to point out how she knew that, exactly. “Haven’t you ever heard of the word privacy?”

  “Let’s face it. You don’t have anything I haven’t seen before on some other chick.” He smirked as his gaze lingered, and Robbie suddenly felt smug.

  “Is that so?” Completely unabashed, and full of a foreign brazenness, Robbie whipped back the curtain in one smooth sweep of her arm.

  “Jesus Christ!” His eyes popped before he spun to face the closed door. “Robbie!”

  She watched as the tips of his ears turned red, and the little crush she’d been harboring for years kicked up another notch. “What’s the matter, Stretch? I thought you’ve seen it all before.”

  “Okay, so I was wrong. Now I’ve seen it all.” He paused as his head turned slightly to the side. “Are you getting back behind that curtain so I can brush my teeth?”

  With a giggle, she slid the curtain closed.

  “What the hell are you doing taking a shower in the middle of the day?”

  “Date.”

  “Who?” His tone was equal parts demand and curiosity.

  “Richard Kendle.”

  His breath hissed as she heard his toothbrush slide free from the holder. “I don’t like it. He’s not your type.”

  “He’s exactly my type,” she retorted, lathering up her hair. Richard was tall, dark and handsome—just like Luc.

  “If that’s the case, then you must have a thing for assholes, huh?”

  “Yeah, apparently I do.” If he only knew. “What about you?”

  “What about me?” he mumbled, no doubt talking around his toothbrush.

  “Who are you going out with tonight?” She rinsed her hair as she listened to him rinse his mouth and spit.

  “How do you know I have a date?”

  “Duh. It’s Friday night and you took a shower.” She peeked out at him. “So, who is it?”

  He glanced over. “No one you know.”

  Scowling, she ducked back in. “Can I ask you something?”

  “Could I stop you?”

  “I’m curious. Since I’ve never met the girls you date—or I have, and just didn’t know it…I was wondering what your type is.”

  “Why
?”

  “Like I said, just curious. You seem to think you know mine, so…”

  “I don’t know. Tall, I guess. Dark hair, or blond—I could go either way there. Brown or blue eyes. A nice tan is a bonus.”

  And everything Robbie wasn’t. Served her right for asking. “That’s what I figured.” She turned to shut the water off. “You still in here?”

  “Yup.”

  “You want another show or are you going to get out so I can get dressed?”

  His response was the door clicking shut behind him.

  *****

  “Robbie. You look beautiful, sweetie.” Leah held out Robbie’s arms as she admired her outfit. “I knew that skirt would be perfect on you.”

  “You’re wearing a skirt?” Luc called from the kitchen.

  “And she looks fabulous in it,” Leah confirmed.

  Luc’s long, lazy stride brought him into the room and he gave her an up-and-down scan. “I thought you didn’t like skirts.”

  “Yeah, when I was like twelve.” She rolled her eyes.

  “You look…different.” He slipped his hands into his pockets. “I don’t like it.”

  “Don’t listen to him. You look lovely.” Leah smacked Luc in the shoulder as she walked back to the kitchen. “Be nice.”

  Robbie turned and fussed over her outfit in the mirror. She looked fine. Correction, she looked good. Hot, even. She knew she did. What did it matter what he thought anyway? Pushing at the looping curls in her hair, she turned her face from side to side. Yup. She was smokin’.

  Robbie heard Leah answer the phone as she faced Luc. He sat on the couch, eyeing her up with a mischievous smirk on his face.

  Her glare had him feigning innocence with a lift of his shoulders. “What’d I do?”

  “Why do you have to be such a jerk?”

  His gaze hardened as he pushed off the couch. “Why do you have—”

  “What?! He what?!” Leah’s panicked tone had them both darting to the kitchen. Absently, Leah reached out and gripped Luc’s arm. “Where? Which hospital?” Her wide eyes shot from Luc to Robbie. “I’ll be right there. No. Okay. Hurry.”

  “Is it Lawson? What is it?” Luc searched Leah’s face as he demanded an answer.

  “There was an accident on the job site. Part of the building collapsed. Lawson was…” She swallowed, hard. “Debris fell on him. He’s alive. He’s talking, but he’s hurt. Bad.” A horn sounded in the driveway. “I have to go. We have to go.”

  “I’ll drive,” Luc said, shifting around Robbie to grab the keys by the garage door.

  “No. That’s George. He’s taking us. He’ll fill us in on the way.”

  “I…” Robbie’s chest squeezed and her heart raced as she backed against the wall. She couldn’t go. There was no way she could go. “I can’t…”

  Leah grabbed her coat as she glanced over her shoulder, and Luc stopped, hand on the doorknob. “Robbie, we don’t have time… Shit.” He looked at Leah and explained. “It’s the hospital.”

  “Go! Go on without me.” Robbie spun Leah towards Luc. “Call me as soon as you know anything.”

  Leah grabbed the keys from Luc before he could respond. “Stay with her.”

  “No. He should—”

  “The hell if I’m leaving you here by yourself, Rob.” There was no give in Luc’s tone.

  Leah touched Robbie’s arm. “I’ll be fine.” She put a hand to Luc’s cheek. “I’ll call when I know anything. Take care of each other.” And she darted out the door.

  “Luc. God, I’m sorry. I just couldn’t go.” Robbie pulled her hair back in frustration. “Why do I have to be so damn weak? Jesus! It’s Lawson in there!” Tears pooled in her eyes.

  “Don’t,” he said, tipping her head up to look at him. “Just don’t.”

  “I’m sor—”

  “Don’t, Robbie.” He shook his head. “You’ve got nothing to be sorry for. I get it, okay?”

  She nodded and sulked back to the living room with Luc at her side. They sank onto the couch together and she leaned her head onto his shoulder. “I hope he’s all right.”

  “Me too, Squirt. Me too.”

  The ring of the doorbell had Robbie jumping back to her feet. “Leah forgot something.” Jerking the door open, she was surprised for a minute to see Richard Kendle standing there.

  “Damn, Robbie. You look awesome! You ready?”

  “Umm…Richard.” She shook her head. “No. Sorry. I can’t go out. There was an accide—”

  “What the hell do you mean you can’t go out? Come on. Get your jacket.”

  “I said I can’t. Leah left for the hospital. Lawson’s hurt.”

  “Soooo, you can call and check in later. It’s Friday night. Let’s go.”

  “I…” She was speechless. What do you say to someone like that? And then she felt Luc’s presence behind her.

  “She said no, Kendle.”

  “I heard what she said, Cintrone, so back the fuck off. She’ll check in with you later.” Richard smiled as he eyed her up. “Her and I…we have plans.” The way he said it had Robbie shrinking back, and Luc shoving her behind him.

  “There’s no fucking way she’s going anywhere with a piece of shit like you. And if you got a problem with that”—he gave Richard a hard shove that had him stumbling back—”then you can take it up with me.”

  “Hey, man,” he said, hands held up, “it’s her fucking loss.”

  “Piss off!” Luc slammed the door shut and spun on Robbie, eyes flashing with temper. “Is that the fucking kind of guys you’re dating?!”

  She’d seen Luc mad before, even furious, but this topped them all. “I don’t…”

  “Do you know what he fucking had in mind for tonight?! Shit! It was written all over his goddamn face!” He pointed a finger at her as he stepped closer. She retreated. “Did you know?! Were you going to—” He cut himself off as he noticed her backing away. “Shit. Robbie…”

  Her voice was quiet, her eyes wary. “Of course I didn’t know, Luc.”

  He hung his head before reaching for her, pulling her in for a hug. “I’m sorry, Rob. I’m sorry I scared you.”

  “You didn’t—”

  “I did, and I’m sorry. I don’t want you to be afraid of me.” He held her close. “Not you. Not you.”

  She wrapped her arms around tight. “I know you’re just looking out for me.”

  “I am. I…care about you.”

  “I know you do. I care about you, too.” Even, maybe, loved him.

  He pulled back and held her by the shoulders, slowly shifting his gaze to match hers. “We okay?”

  “Yeah. We’re okay.” She rubbed at her eyes, the stress of everything hitting her all at once.

  “Come here.” He led her back to the couch, pulled her down beside him. He guided her head to a pillow he put on his lap. “Lay down for a bit. We’ll wait for Leah to call.”

  She did just that as he flipped through the channels for something to watch, and once he settled on a made-for-TV-movie, he curled one arm around her and stroked her hair with the other. Closing her eyes, Robbie sunk into the serenity he provided her, the sensation of being held and soothed by him. By Luc.

  “Robbie?” His voice sounded far away as the fog began to lift. She felt a gentle shake. “Robbie? Wake up.”

  “What?” She shifted and looked up at Luc. “Did I fall asleep?”

  “Leah just called. Lawson’s okay. He’s gonna be okay.”

  Tears sprung to her eyes as she wound her arms around him and pulled herself up. A laugh full of joy, and tears full of relief, had her weeping and shaking in his arms.

  He issued an uneasy chuckle. “Jesus, Squirt.” And then awkwardly patted her back.

  She laughed again. “Deal with it.”

  *****

  It had been months since the accident now, but he’s going to be okay still echoed clearly in Robbie’s mind. Lawson was alive, yes. But clearly not okay. None of them were. She glanced out the wind
ow of the Social Services building. How could the day look so bright and beautiful, but be so miserably dark at the same time?

  “I’m sorry it’s come to this, Leah,” Maureen said, patting Leah’s hand on the table. “But I’ve done everything I can to make this right.”

  “I know. I know you have.”

  Maureen turned to Luc and Robbie. “You’ll be placed next month in your new homes. Leah has met them herself, for her own piece of mind. Everything is set.”

  Robbie turned to Leah. “We really don’t have a choice here, do we?”

  “I’m sorry, sweetie. We can’t stay. You know we would if it were possible.” She blinked at her tears. “We have family in Florida, and Lawson will have access to the best surgeons and therapy in the country. We’ll get him back on his feet and walking in no time.”

  Robbie nodded and looked at Luc. He was quiet, as usual. And avoiding everyone’s eye contact, as usual. She wondered if he’d ever get over the L’s leaving.

  “Go ahead and tell them, Maureen,” Leah said with resignation.

  “You’ll live near each other—Leah and Lawson wanted to be sure of that—so you’ll still attend the same high school. Luc, you’ll be moving in with Joan and Edgar Powell. They are long-time foster parents—a good, loving home—and have a boy your age there already. His name is Conrad Ludlum and he’s been with them for six years. Good kid.” Maureen turned her attention to Robbie. “You’ll be staying with Julia and Frank Wenham. They’ve also been foster parents for quite some time, but they have no kids placed there at this time. It’s a fine, sturdy environment.”

  Robbie glanced to Leah then back to Maureen. “Um…okay.”

  “A fine, sturdy environment.” Luc said quietly, but with a volatile edge to his voice. “And what the hell is that supposed to mean?”

  Leah put a hand to his shoulder. “It’s alright, Luc. I’ve gone there myself. They’re not overly affectionate types, but she’ll have a good home.” She turned to Robbie. “It’s probably not going to be the close-knit family environment that you’d want, sweetie, but you’ll be near Luc and they’ll take good care of you.”

  Luc shook his head and jabbed a finger at Maureen’s paperwork. “No good. You send me there, and Robbie can go to the Powell’s.”