Uncontrollable

by Shannon Richard

  I’m sure you weren’t a saint at that age, either, but some of those girls that she’s been hanging out with like to play it fast and loose.

  It didn’t take very long before Beth was counting down the time, desperate for her lunch break. But she didn’t even make it to one o’clock. Just after eleven, Vanessa met her coming out of an exam room.

  Her instinct told her to flee, but the look on Vanessa’s face didn’t appear to be a prying one. “Nora’s on extension four.” Vanessa frowned. “She sounds upset.”

  Vanessa didn’t need to follow up that last part of the message; of course something was wrong. Nora had only called Beth at work twice in the last year, once on her dad’s birthday and once on her mom’s birthday. On both of those days she’s cried so hard she’d given herself a migraine.

  Beth was down the hallway and at the phone in less than twenty seconds. “Hey Nora, what’s going on?”

  A sniffle sounded through the speaker and rang in Beth’s ear, and her stomach fell the rest of the way to her feet. Oh God, what was it now?

  “Nora?”

  “Can you come down here?” Her niece’s voice was raw and scratchy. She’d been crying for a while.

  “What happened?”

  “Bethelda Grimshaw.”

  That was all Nora needed to say. Bethelda Fucking Grimshaw.

  “I’m on my way.”

  * * *

  For Beth to say that she hated someone took a lot, but Bethelda Grimshaw had always fit into that category. She was an evil woman who took great joy in hurting other people. The reason behind this? No one really knew. It had started years ago when Bethelda had worked for the town newspaper. When her local interest pieces had gone from just a tad gossipy to downright defamatory, she’d been fired. Now she liked to spread her vitriol on her personal website.

  Bethelda was one of those anomalies in Mirabelle—no one would admit to reading her pieces, but everyone knew what she was writing about. In the last couple of years this rotten-to-the-core, poor excuse for a human being had gone after Brendan and Paige, Jax and Grace, Bennett and Mel, Shep and Hannah, Liam and Harper, and countless others.

  Absolutely no one was off limits. This was clearly true as Nora, along with Beth and Tripp, were in the most recent article. And the woman had gone way too far this time.

  THE GRIM TRUTH

  WHORES OF BABYLON

  It’s a sad state of affairs when a child loses a parent, especially when it’s at a young, delicate age. It’s even sadder when a child loses both parents in one fell swoop. To be motherless and fatherless is absolutely horrible. And when you multiply that by three children? Well, it’s just tragic.

  That being said, there’s no excuse for reckless (or indecent) behavior. Grief or no, there are ways to conduct oneself, something that Short Stack should really learn. But who’s going to teach her?

  Well, it certainly isn’t going to be her current guardian, Sloppy Seconds (a name given for both her lax parenting skills and her track record with men). And do you want to know why? Because both of these ladies (a word I use loosely…loose being the operative word) have issues when it comes to good morals and decency.

  Let’s start with Sloppy. She’s now embarking on a relationship (or something) with her neighbor Smokey the Bear. I mean really, what kind of a woman flaunts her sex life around the three kids she’s supposed to be taking care of? It’s rather tasteless, if you ask me. I’ve been witness to the two groping each other around town on multiple occasions, whether they’re feeling each other up at family events such as the Spring Fling or playing tonsil hockey and copping a feel in diner parking lots.

  There isn’t any wonder that Short Stack (who was sporting horrendous blue hair for a while there) has been sneaking around town doing pretty much the same thing. And what else should be expected when you are being raised by a woman like Sloppy Seconds?

  Short Stack has taken a leaf out of her aunt’s book and decided that whoring around is a family business. Her current target? Well, he’s none other than the star quarterback for our high school. We can call him Boulder Brains, as he clearly has no sense unless it’s on a football field.

  The young couple apparently decided to drive out to what I’ve been told is our town’s favorite hook-up spot. And when they were driving back—no doubt after mauling each other in the back seat—they put not only their lives, but the lives of everyone on the road at risk. Reckless driving is no joking matter and it’s troubling behavior for sure. They were in a car accident, for heaven sakes. That Jeep of Boulder’s was wrapped around a tree. We’re just lucky more people weren’t involved.

  I certainly hope that our law enforcement officials checked to make sure that no one was driving under the influence of something stronger than teenage hormones.

  But I’ve found our “officials” somewhat lacking of late. I’m sure anything unlawful was covered up as family friend Deputy Ginger was Johnny-on-the-spot…not to mention Smokey the Bear was there, too. But that’s a different conversation for a different day.

  Let’s just say Smokey thinks he’s above such limitations of what’s legal too. He has absolutely no qualms about threatening people (Boulder’s mother Bleached Blond Bimbo, or BBB, to be exact) in our local grocery store. Because clearly he prescribes by the philosophy that violence is the answer. And don’t even get me started on Sloppy screaming like a lunatic.

  Anyways, I predict that Short Stack will be part of the teenage pregnancy statistic before we know it. You mark my words.

  Rage, all-consuming rage, coursed through Beth’s body. She was torn between wanting to scream and punch a wall, or to just start crying herself.

  The situation went well beyond that stupid article, which had been handed to Beth by Mel as soon as she got to the school. After reading it, she’d found out from a near hysterical Nora that Brick Fuck Face Mason had made a bet with his friends. All of them had been competing to “bag a virgin” by the end of the school year. Even though he hadn’t actually done it, the piece of shit said he’d slept with Nora.

  After that, Beth had gone to sit down with an administrator to discuss the situation. It was the decision of Vice Principle Vance Shields—a mouse of a man with wispy hair and a pointed face—that Nora should spend the rest of the week at home. It was not a suspension; he was just giving her time to be away from everything until it died down, or until Principal Mitch Bolinder got back.

  Shields was currently in charge while Bolinder was out of the state dealing with a death in his family. Beth liked Mitch Bolinder…She was not a fan of Vance Shields. When Beth asked Shields what was going to happen to Brick, he’d told her nothing was going to happen.

  “So Nora has to leave school, but Brick gets to stay? Even after what he did?”

  “We have no actual proof of this bet, Ms. Boone.” His hands had moved slightly, as if he’d wanted to raise them and make air quotes. “It’s just a rumor. We can’t punish him for a rumor.”

  “What about what happened this weekend?”

  “You mean the car accident that didn’t happen on school property or school time? There’s nothing I can do about that.”

  “Nothing you can do or nothing you’re willing to do? A month out from graduation I’m sure a suspension would affect his college prospects, scholarships, recognition for this school. All you’re concerned about is Brick’s reputation; you could care less about Nora’s.”

  “I don’t like what you’re insinuating, Ms. Boone. You want me to potentially ruin this young man’s future because of something that might or might not have happened. He and your niece have been dating for a while now. And she went with him willingly on Saturday night. She isn’t exactly innocent, either. She’s been sneaking around. Dyeing her hair. Spending time with the less-than-reputable crowd around school.”

  In other words, he didn’t believe Nora.

  “You don’t like what I’m insinuating? You’re taking the lies from Bethelda Grimshaw and using them against Nora.” B
eth stood up, grabbing her purse from the chair next to her. “What does it say about our society that if you’re good at sports, you can pretty much do whatever the hell you want, consequences be damned? He crashed that car, Mr. Shields, wrapped it around a tree because Nora wouldn’t sleep with him. Two years from now, when he rapes a girl during a frat party, that’s going to be partially on you. You and his parents and everyone else who’ve let him get away with stuff like this.”

  And with that Beth turned around and left.

  It was Mel’s lunch hour, but instead of eating she’d been by Nora’s side, sitting in the row of chairs outside the office. Nora’s head was bent and she was looking at her lap, shoulders slumped. There was a tissue in her uninjured hand that she’d periodically pull up to wipe at her eyes.

  Mel looked up at Beth in question. When Beth gave a small shake of the head, anger transformed Mel’s expression, an anger that filled the air around them.

  Beth crossed the space and knelt down in front of her niece. “Honey,” she whispered as she reached for Nora’s chin and gently lifted it. Her niece’s eyes were streaming with tears, her cheeks red and blotchy. “I know how much this hurts, how upset you are, and I’m so sorry. This isn’t your fault. Okay? This is in no way your fault.”

  “What’s going to happen?”

  “Well, I’m going to take you home right now. And you’re not going to come to school for the rest of the week, and hopefully things will calm down.”

  “I have to stay home? But I didn’t do anything. Not at school, at least. I never did anything wrong here!”

  “I know, sweetie. This whole situation is crap.”

  Mel’s eyes narrowed as she looked to the closed office door behind Beth. “Coward,” she muttered under her breath. “They’re all a bunch of freaking cowards.”

  “Come on.” Beth stood. “Let’s go get your stuff.” She held out her hand, and when Nora grabbed it, gently pulled her niece to her feet. “And let’s get out of here.”

  * * *

  Besides the radio softly playing in the background, the inside of the SUV was quiet as Beth drove through downtown Mirabelle. It wasn’t until the car rolled past their neighborhood that Nora spoke.

  “Where are we going?”

  Beth glanced over for just a second, the stark pain on her niece’s face clear, before she turned back to the road. “A place your mom and I used to go. I need to stop and pick something up, though.”

  It wasn’t like Beth was going back to work. There wasn’t a snowball’s chance in hell that she would’ve been able to do her job even close to effectively. Her mind was completely and totally preoccupied with everything else that was going on in her life, searching for the answers to all of the questions rolling around her thoroughly exhausted brain.

  In that particular state, what better place was there to go than hers and Colleen’s spot? She and her sister had always gone a handful of times throughout the year. Some visits were random, but the two consistent ones were on their mother’s birthday and the anniversary of her death. Over the last year those had been the only two days Beth had been able to go. Both times had been beyond painful.

  But the desire to take Nora there was so damn strong, and she wasn’t going to fight it.

  The Gas-N-Go was right before the turnoff to the beach. Beth left the engine running as she went inside, and Nora locked the doors while she waited. When Beth came out two minutes later, her loot was in a small brown paper bag.

  Nora raised her eyebrows at the bag, but Beth just shook her head. “It’s a surprise.”

  As it was early May the beach was good and truly occupied. Though most of the tourists were laid out on towels down on the sand, there were a good number of people strolling along the pier.

  Beth parked the SUV and grabbed the brown bag. She looked over at Nora before nodding toward the door. “Come on.”

  They both got out and headed to the pier. It was a pretty day, and though the sun was shining high in the sky, it was pleasant with the humidity low and the sea breeze constant.

  There were a dozen benches running along both sides of the pier, so more often than not, people used those to sit on and enjoy the view. Not Beth and Colleen, though.

  Their spot was right next to the second to last pillar on the right side, optimal for sunsets. The railing that bordered the edges had two levels: one rail came up higher than Beth’s waist, and the other was about knee level. But when they sat right there on the wooden planks with their legs hanging over the edge, that knee-level barrier became the perfect armrest.

  Beth settled into her spot and Nora followed suit, sitting where Colleen had always sat. They both stared out at the view for a minute or two, and the emerald green waters were just as beautiful as ever. Beth reached for the paper bag and opened it up, pulling out one of the items.

  The crisp release of carbonation filled the air as she twisted the cap off of a bottle of Dr. Pepper. Beth took a sip before passing the bottle over to Nora. “It was your grandmother’s favorite, and your mother and I always split a bottle when we came here. That, along with a bag of plain potato chips.” And with that she pulled out the other item in the bag, opening the bright yellow packaging and setting it down on the dock between them.

  Nora nodded before she took a sip from the bottle. They passed the bottle back and forth for another couple of minutes while nibbling on chips and staring out at the Gulf of Mexico, then Nora finally spoke again. “Everyone thinks I’m a whore. But I didn’t…” she trailed off, shaking her head. “I never slept with him.”

  “I know and I believe you. And a plethora of other people will, too. Not everyone in this town thinks Brick Mason is a Golden God.”

  “I wish I’d never let him touch me. All I want to do is sit in a shower and scrub at my skin.”

  “Oh, honey.” Setting the bottle down on the pier, Beth reached over and grabbed Nora’s uninjured hand, linking their fingers together. “Just because he’s slime does not mean that it’s on you. You are not a whore. Even if you had slept with him, you still wouldn’t be one. Do you understand that?”

  Nora gave an almost imperceptible nod before she looked back to the water. Beth let go of Nora’s hand and they went back to passing the bottle of Dr. Pepper back and forth and working through the bag of chips. Again, it was a minute or two before Nora said anything.

  “How old were you?” Nora turned to Beth. “The first time…you…when you lost your virginity?”

  “I was seventeen.” It wasn’t lost on Beth that she’d been the same age Nora was now, which was more than slightly intimidating. But they’d made a promise of no lying to each other.

  “Who was he?”

  “Davis Benson,” Beth said, just a bit wistfully. “He had the curliest light brown hair and dimples. I was a total sucker for him. His family moved down here at the end of my junior year, and I spent every moment with him that summer. We were officially dating by the time the new school year started up.”

  “And how long after did it happen?”

  “A couple of months. It was in the fall. I went over to his house when his parents were out of town.”

  “Did Mom know?”

  “Yes.” Beth nodded. “Your mom was the only person I told.”

  “And what did she say?”

  “She told me to be smart, with both my heart and my body. Just because Davis was my first did not mean I was his. And, as it turned out, I wasn’t his.”

  “Do you regret it? Davis being your first?”

  “Not even a little bit.”

  “Did you love him?”

  Beth tilted her head to the side in thought. “At the time, I thought I did, but I didn’t really know what love was then. To be totally honest, though, I don’t have any regrets in that department.”

  “What about Mick?”

  “I don’t regret being with him. I did love him, very much, and in the time we were together I learned a lot about myself. And when it ended, well…” Beth wasn’t
exactly sure how to finish that statement. Nora didn’t know why it had really ended with Mick.

  “I know he didn’t want to be a father to kids who weren’t his.”

  Beth’s mouth dropped open. Apparently Nora did know. “How?”

  “I overheard you telling Mel. It was a couple of months after you two broke up, but…” She gave a small shrug. “It sucked hearing that we weren’t wanted. You know? He’d been a part of our lives for years, acted like he cared about us. ‘Acted’ being the operative word.”

  “Honey, don’t ever think that you, or your brother or your sister, are unwanted. And I don’t think Mick was acting. I think he did genuinely care about you.”

  Nora frowned.

  “And I’m not just saying that to make you or me feel better. It just wasn’t the life he wanted, and he walked.”

  Sometimes love isn’t enough. She knew as soon as she’d said it yesterday that Tripp didn’t understand it, but she sure as hell did. Because it wasn’t always enough to make people stay. And what was going to happen when he realized he didn’t want to stay?

  She thought she’d gotten over this fear in the last few weeks, but clearly that wasn’t the case.

  “Well, Tripp is different.” Nora said before taking a sip of Dr. Pepper and swallowing. “And he’d never walk.”

  What the hell? Was Nora in Beth’s brain at the moment?

  “What makes you say that?”

  “First of all, he knew exactly what he was getting into when he started dating you. He knew that we came along with you.”

  A package deal. God, that conversation with him felt like it had happened years ago, not months.

  “And he tries with all of us,” Nora continued. “It’s different with him around. Better. And it isn’t like he just does stuff with us because he has to, but because he wants to. And now I know how much he loves me, and Grant and Penny, for that matter.” Tears started to well in Nora’s eyes and her bottom lip trembled. “I mean, I felt it before, but there’s a difference between feeling and knowing. And I know.”