A Long from the Girl Next Door: The Caldwells of Rebel Creek Book 2

by T M Morris

  A Long Way from the Girl Next Door

  By

  T M Morris

  Copyright 2016 by Treasa Morris. All rights reserved including the right to reproduce this book or portions thereof in any form whatsoever except as provided by the US Copyright Law.

  This eBook is for your personal enjoyment only and may not be resold or given away to other people. If you share this eBook with another person, please purchase an additional copy for each recipient. If you’re reading this book and did not purchase it, or it was not purchased for your use only, then please return to Amazon.com and purchase a copy for yourself. Thank you for respecting the hard work of this author.

  This book is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents are either used fictiously or are a product of the author’s imagination. Any resemblance to actual events, locales, organizations, or persons living or dead, is entirely coincidental and beyond the intent of either the author or the publisher.

  Rocky Falls Publishing 2016

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  Prologue

  “You aren’t going, and that’s final. Nobody carrying my name is going to that God forsaken city to prance around in next to nothing. Having her pictures put all over billboards, magazines, and television in stuff that leaves nothing to the imagination. No. I won’t hear of it.” Oliver Caldwell, known to everyone as Otter, raised a hand to stop Lilly’s protest. “No. I said no.”

  “But Dad, I promise I won’t wear anything that’s immodest.”

  “Sure and what are you going to do when they tell you are too fat? You’ll start starving yourself or puking every chance you get. Or worse, you’ll start smoking or doing other drugs. Half those girls look like they’re half-starved, or hooked on heroin or something.” Otter scoffed.

  “No, I won’t. I promise you, Dad, I know what it’s like, I’ll be okay. I won’t ddevelop an eating disorder or take up smoking, or anything else. I promise you, Dad. Just let me go to New York City. They’re waiting for me in town.” Lilly pleaded.

  “I said no. Those people ain’t got no sense. Jerking kids from their homes and families to parade ’em around advertising products meant for adults. They’ll get you hooked on drugs, and they’ll just stand by watching you throw your life in the toilet. It’s all sex, drugs, and partying up there in that city.”

  “Dad, you don’t know anything about it. You’ve never been—”

  “I know enough to say you ain’t gonna.”

  She sighed heavily. “Dad, I won’t have sex until I get married and I won’t go to any parties, okay? Besides, the agency has like a house for underaged models with like a house mother and everything.”

  “That’s fine with me. Don’t go getting all excited,” Otter exclaimed when he saw Lilly’s expression brighten. “I haven’t changed my mind. You’re not going.”

  Lillian Caldwell stood at a crossroad debating which path to take. Obey her father and miss the opportunity of a lifetime or grab her chance at a modeling career. “I am going, Dad. I had hoped to have your blessing, but I guess I’ll just have to live without it.”

  She rose from her chair, carried her dirty dishes to the sink and carefully placed them in it waiting for her father to speak again. She cut a quick glance at her mother, Addie, who had remained silent during their whole of the meal while Lilly and Otter debated. Her mother gave her look of pleading, but she remained silent. Lilly looked again at her father. “Like I said, I am going to do this. Can’t you find it in your heart to approve of one thing I do?”

  Otter scowled. “Addie, you better get your daughter under control. I am not going to repeat myself girl so you better hear me. If you walk out that door to go to New York City to model, you will be dead to me.” Both women gasped as he continued, “Dead. You will never be welcome under my roof again.”

  Lilly’s eyes misted over. “I’m sorry you feel that way, Dad. I love you both, but I am going to do this.” She sniffed and turned to her mother. “I’m sorry, Mama.”

  Mother and daughter hugged while they cried softly together. Addie sniffed. “I know baby, I know.”

  Otter scraped his chair across the floor and stood. He growled, “If you’re going, you best get before it gets dark. But remember, you’ll never be able to come back here.” With that, he stormed out of the kitchen door toward the barn.

  Addie wiped her eyes. “He means it, baby. Are you sure you want to cut your ties with home so soon? You’re only fifteen.”

  “I won’t have another chance, Mama, and I’ll be sixteen in two months.” Lilly picked up the duffel bag she had packed earlier. “I’ll leave now. I’ll call you when I can.”

  “How are you getting to town?”

  “Beth is supposed to meet me by the mailbox. She’s going too, and her dad’s fine with it. I’ll only have to walk a half mile. It’s no big deal.” She gave her mother a quick hug and kissed her on the cheek. “I love you, Mama. Tell Dad that I love him too—no matter what.” She hugged her mother one last time. Then with a sniff, she straightened her spine, turned and walked out the kitchen door.

  Addie slumped into the nearest chair at the table and sobbed convulsively.

  Chapter One

  Dusty stared at the plain steel door separating him from the full volume of the pulsing music on the other side. It had not one, but seven dead bolt locks shining back at him. Seven locks. Back home one was enough, and half the time you didn’t have to bother with it. He turned to walk away. He was obviously mistaken. This particular door couldn’t be her door. But the doorman said this was her building, and he even had told him what floor and which side of the hall he’d find her apartment. It was such a nice building in a high-end neighborhood, yet it had seven dead bolt locks.

  He turned and strolled in the other direction to the next door on the opposite side of the hall. That door had seven locks as well. Maybe it was just a benefit of the building. Did every door in New York have seven locks? He turned and walked back the way he had come except he went past Lilly’s door only to stop at the elevator. The number on the side of the door said it was the correct floor he was supposed to be on. He was at the right place. He marched to the door and banged loudly on it. He didn’t have long to wait for a response.

  “Hey, Dude. Party’s not a costume party, but you’re already here so come on in cowboy.” A young man shouted over the loud pulsing bass from the stereo. “You must be new to the building. I haven’t seen you before. Lilly throws the best parties, even if they are clean. No drugs or alcohol are allowed. She’s kind of weird about it.”

  “Where is Lilly?” Dusty shouted.

  “She’s over there by the buffet refilling the ice bucket.” The nameless surfer wannabe pointed toward a tall blond woman who looked vaguely familiar. From all the photographs her mother had shown him over the past couple of years, you would think he would recognize her. In real life, however, she was far more stunning than any of the photographs he had seen. There was a life force exuding from her that just didn’t translate through the camera. She was stunning. She had certainly blossomed since he had left for college nine years ago.

  By the time he had wended his way through the press of bodies across the room, Dusty had begun to feel as if he were on a fool’s errand. Nevertheless, he was here as a favor to Miss Addie. All he could do was try. Miss Addie’s life was on the line.

  He came up beside Lilly while she was talking to another woman. She said, “It’s so weird. I keep running into this guy in the park ev
ery morning. He wants me to try on this, like, antique hat. Don’t get me wrong. It’s an absolutely gorgeous hat with fresh flowers on it. I keep refusing. I mean, what if he’s a creep, a rapist or something.”

  “Lilly?” Dusty said as he touched her shoulder lightly.

  Lilly looked up smiling, but her smile wavered for a second then disappeared. Her eyebrows scrunched together as she studied his face. “Do I know you? You look familiar.”

  Dusty chuckled, “You should. I’m Dusty. Dusty Meadows. Miss Addie sent me.”

  “My mom sent you all the way here from Rebel Creek, Tennessee? You expect me to believe that, Dusty? Why are you here, really?” She shook her head. “Never mind, I don’t want to know. Get out of my house.”

  Ignoring her cold dismissal, he said, “Miss Addie told me to tell you to invite me to supper and serve up some string beans mixed with jelly beans.” Miss Addie told him he would probably have to use the special secret code message to prove she sent him. He would never have believed he would have to use it.

  “Mom told you that?” Lilly asked, studying his face closely.

  “Can we go somewhere more conducive to conversation? I don’t like shouting at beautiful women.” He asked with a smile.

  “Out in the hall.” She turned and headed through the crowd to the front door. Dusty had no choice but to follow her.

  “Okay. Spill it.” Lilly said as she closed the door behind them. “Why did my mom send you halfway across the country when she could have called? I still have the same cell phone number, and I’ve always made sure she would be able to reach me.”

  “Well, it’s not that simple. Your mother is in the hospital, and she’s not expected to live much longer without a bone marrow transplant. She wants you to come home and reconcile with your dad before she dies.” Dusty said as he leaned against the wall opposite her.

  She shook her head in denial. “She can’t be dying.”

  Dusty shrugged. “’Fraid so. She has AML, acute myelogenous leukemia.”

  “I don’t even know what that is.”

  “It’s a type of cancer of the white blood cells.”

  After a long pause, Lilly sighed. “I can’t. It’s been such a long time. Besides, Dad said I could never come home again. I had to sneak into my own grandmother’s funeral so Dad wouldn’t see me.”

  “When do you think you can leave? How much trouble will it be to clear up your schedule for a few weeks?” He asked, pretending he hadn’t heard her denial.

  “You’re assuming that I’m coming home with you?” Lilly was incredulous.

  “Well, yeah. It’s your mom, Lilly. She wants to see you again.” Dusty rubbed his temples. “I don’t understand why you aren’t in there already packing your bags.”

  “I can’t go back home. Ever. Aren’t you listening? I would think you would know that since you are such close friends with my parents now.” She fumed. Her nose was turning pink, and her eyes were beginning to shine a little too brightly.

  “You’re not going to cry on me are you?” He asked.

  “No. I don’t cry anymore, especially over situations, I have no control over. It’s pointless.” She lifted her chin and blinked rapidly.

  “So, why do you say you can’t come home?” Dusty asked. He had an overwhelming desire to take her in his arms right now and comfort her. He could feel her hurt barely hidden beneath the surface of her grim determination. He, however, remained motionless leaning against the wall. She didn’t know him, not really. He was her older brother’s best friend who left for college when she was a gangly little filly of fifteen. She was a pretty little blossom then. Now she was a beautiful woman in full bloom.

  “I would think you would already know. But apparently, no one has told you. You weren’t in town when it happened. I guess you were off in college. I can’t go home because Dad told me that if I left to become a model, I would be dead to him and to never come back.”

  Dusty stared intently at the toes of his shiny dress boots so he couldn’t read how she was feeling from her expression. He looked up. “Well now,” he paused, “This is getting confusing. You see, your mom and dad are always talking you up to me and showing me all the magazine clippings from your photo shoots. They seem awfully proud of you.” He rubbed his temples again.

  “Mom must have been doing all the talking. Do you have a headache, Dusty? I can get you some Tylenol if you want.” She asked, hoping to divert his attention away from the subject.

  “Yes and yes, please. That banging is getting the best of me. Do you party like this often?”

  “No. This one is an unusual occurrence. I rarely have parties. I’m celebrating my retirement from modeling and the return of the owner of my apartment. You see it’s a sublet. I will be moving into another apartment next week.” She grimaced.

  “Now that’s what I call convenient. No loose ends to tie up. You’re not working, and you’re moving too. It’s time to come home, Lilly.” He nodded as if to agree with himself as he pushed away from the wall.

  “You just don’t get it, do you? Dusty, I can’t go home.”

  Dusty turned toward her backing her against the wall. “No. You don’t get it. Your mother is dying, and she wants to see you and your dad reconciled. Can’t you let go of your stupid, stubborn pride long enough to hear me? What are you afraid of Lilly?”

  She brought herself up to her full height inadvertently pressing her body against his and snorted, “I’m not afraid of anything?”

  “Are you afraid your father will reject you again?” He whispered in her hair next to her ear.

  Lilly inched away from him and found herself against the wall again. “I told you, I’m not afraid of anything. My father has rejected me my whole life. I’m sure he will continue to do so. Why should I subject myself to unnecessary pain?”

  “Your mother needs a bone marrow transplant. You are her only hope.” Dusty leaned toward her pressing his perceived advantage.

  “I’m her only hope?” She lifted one perfectly sculpted eyebrow.

  “Her only hope.”

  Lilly rallied. “What about Erik, Jep or Aunt Lorene? Have my cousins Eli, Jimmy, Brett, Maddie and Lucy been tested?”

  “Everyone has been tested but you,” he lied. “Quit trying to find an excuse. Get packed. Your mother needs you, Lilly, and I am going to make sure you get there, understand?”

  “Yep, I’m her last choice.”

  He spun away from her and took a step. He turned back to her just as quickly. Pinning her to the wall with his nearness, he said, “It’s not like that, and you know it. Miss Addie has pined for you ever since you left home. Now tell me, are you going to let her die without even trying to help her?”

  Lilly stared at the floor. Her mother was dying. Surely she could try to make amends with her father. She could try. For Mama. Then again, who knew? She and her dad might reconcile. She sighed and looked into Dusty’s gray eyes. “Okay, okay, don’t get any more worked up. I’ll go with you. But where will I stay when we get there?”

  “Don’t worry about it. We’ll work something out. If you can’t stay at the house, there’s Miss Hazel’s. If that doesn’t work out, you can always stay with me.”

  Lilly favored him with a dubious look. “How long do I have to get ready to go?”

  He bent and kissed her on the cheek. “Can you be ready by eight in the morning? I have tickets for a return flight at ten thirty out of La Guardia.”

  Her quick temper flashed, but she didn’t get a chance to respond. The apartment door swung open, and the head of a party guest popped out. “I’m sorry to interrupt, Lilly. Where do you keep the mop?”

  “Come on, Dusty. It’s time to send everyone home.” She muttered whirling away from him before he could decide whether her pique was for him or her guests. “Where are you staying tonight, by the way?”

  “I don’t know yet. I left my bag with the doorman. I figured I would find a place nearby after I talked to you. Are there any hotels nearby that you
would recommend?” Dusty replied noncommittally.

  “You can stay here. It will be more convenient in the morning and don’t worry about how it looks. No one in New York cares. Besides, it’s not like we have never slept in the same house before.” She grinned mischievously over her shoulder as she walked into the apartment.

  “Is there room?” He shouted over the din.

  She nodded. “Wait until I get these people out of here, okay?”

  “Sure.” Dusty made his way over to the buffet table and poured himself a glass of punch. While he leaned against the wall, Lilly worked her way toward the stereo on the opposite end of the room.

  It took Lilly several minutes to wend her way through the crush of bodies with everyone stopping her from talking to her. When she finally reached it, she switched off the stereo. Silence suddenly replaced the groans of disappointment. “Aw! Lilly, it’s early yet,” cried the nameless young man who had opened the door earlier for Dusty.

  “I’m sorry, everyone. I have just received news from home, and it’s really bad. I am leaving in the morning to go home. I’m going to ask you all to pray for my mother—she’s in the hospital and not expected to live much longer. You all know me and my faith. All I ask is that you pray for my mom or send out good thoughts into the universe, Trudy. So,” she sighed, “Having said all that, I’m asking you all to have a safe trip home or to your next destination. I’ve enjoyed knowing you. I hope and pray that each of you has great success in all your endeavors.”

  The group spontaneously broke into a chorus of “Jolly Good Fellow.” Then they started to crowd around Lilly to offer her comfort and wishes for a safe journey. Nameless shouted, “Party’s moving to Celina’s, number 406—downstairs, guys.”

  Once the last person walked out the door, Dusty said, “So, that’s how you manage to have such loud parties without the neighbors complaining.”

  Lilly chuckled, “Yep. Invite everyone on the floors above and below as well as on this one. They can’t complain if they don’t come—they were invited.”