by Ann McCune
“My dad said you never know, but we all like it here so far. Hopefully, we will get to stay awhile.”
Shawn and Billy walked out of the front door, looking everywhere but at each other, and neither of them looked happy. I wondered if I was going to have to talk to Billy about staying out of my love life. Billy stomped off to his truck without giving me a backward glance. Shawn hit the unlock button on his key fob and Mary came around to the front passenger side. She almost had the door open when Shawn said in a low angry voice. “Mary, get in the back. Liz is sitting in front. You can have her seat after we drop her off.”
Mary crossed her arms in front of her chest and huffed, but when Shawn leveled a stare at her she stomped to the back door and got in after Jeff. Jo rolled her eyes and got into the backseat.
“Are you okay?”
“I’m fine. Just had words with your boyfriend,” Shawn said, crossing his arms over his chest.
“Who, Billy?” I was going to kill him, Billy was going to be a dead man when I got my hands on him.
“Who else would it be? Or should I ask how many boyfriends you have?” He leaned forward into my personal space.
“Billy is not my boyfriend. I don’t have a boyfriend. I don’t know what he told you, but he is nothing but a friend.”
“I didn’t think so either, but the way he talked, it was like you were already married.”
“What did he say? Billy and I are not involved. He’s my best friend, that’s all.” I crossed my arms over my chest.
“Then why did he tell me to cancel our date and stay away from you?” His eyebrows came together and the frown he was wearing deepened.
“I don’t know, but I will have words with him. He doesn’t get to tell me what I can and can’t do.” I held my hands out to him. “I really want to go out with you tonight, but if you are going to believe what other people say about me without listening to my side, then you are not the person I thought you were.”
“I’m sorry, Billy made me really mad. He knew exactly what to say to make me doubt you. I want to go out with you too.”
“I’m sorry too. I don’t know what has gotten into him lately.”
He relaxed and gave me a small smile. “Okay, let’s get you home so you can get ready for your big date.” He winked at me and opened my door.
“Thanks.” I breathed a sigh of relief and got into the Jeep.
“What was that about?” Jo asked, while Shawn walked around to his side of the car.
“Billy is being an overprotective ass.” I looked at my bruises in the side-view mirror. My first date and I was going to be covered in bruises, great.
Shawn opened his door and jumped in. “Let’s get home.” He started the car and classic rock-and-roll poured out of the stereo.
“You like Guns N’ Roses?” I asked, over Axel singing about his sweet child.
“Yeah, classic eighties band. Don’t tell me you don’t like them?” He gave me a sideways glance as he backed out of the parking spot then put the Jeep into drive.
“They’re great, you just don’t look like the type is all.” I looked down at his automatic transmission and shook my head.
“What’s wrong?” He must have seen me shake my head.
“That’s too bad.” I shook my head again.
“What?” He touched my arm, forcing me to meet his eyes.
“You have an automatic transmission. They’re for babies. I don’t know if I can go out with a guy who doesn’t drive a stick shift.”
“My dad bought it, not me, I didn’t have a choice.” He slapped the steering wheel.
“Hey, can you turn it down? We can’t hear what you guys are saying,” Mary asked, acting like a sweet little girl instead of the hell spawn I first met.
“That’s the point, munchkin,” Shawn said, looking at her through the rearview mirror.
“Don’t call me munchkin,” she yelled.
“Okay, I’ll give you a pass on the transmission this time.” I smiled and winked at him.
“Oh, thank you, princess. How will I ever repay you for giving me a pass?”
“I’m sure you’ll think of something, now shut up and drive,” I said, laughing.
We did not talk on the way to my house other than me giving him directions. The music was too good and too loud to have a conversation. I loved it. The only radio station we had in town was country. I could not even stream music because cell phone service was so spotty. All I had was my digital music library, and I hadn’t updated it in months.
“This is it,” I said, pointing to my driveway. He pulled in and turned the music down.
“Nice house,” he said, bending a bit in his seat to get a better look at it through the windshield.
“Not as nice as yours I’m sure, but I can’t complain.” I got out of the car.
“Can I pick you up around seven?” he asked, staring intently at the gear shift.
“Alright. Are we going to dinner or should I eat before you get here?” I stood in the open door aware of Mary standing behind me waiting to claim her seat.
“We’re going to dinner.” He leaned against the steering wheel to see me better and the horn went off making him jump in his seat.
I laughed and watched as he turned red for a change. “See you around seven then.” I backed away from the door and Mary practically pushed me out of the way to get her seat.
“Nice to meet you, Mary,” I said, as she slammed the door in my face and stuck her tongue out at me.
The music came back up before I reached the door to the house, and I smiled. At least he has good taste in music, I thought pulling my keys out and unlocking the door
I went into the kitchen and grabbed the cordless phone, since I lost my phone in the accident, and dialed Billy’s number. If he was at Tommy’s house, he would have service. The phone rang and rang, but eventually went to voicemail. I hung up and called him again, again it went to voicemail. I dialed one more time, if he didn’t answer I was going to leave him one hell of a message.
“What?” he barked into the phone.
“Don’t you ever tell anyone to stay away from me unless I give you permission,” I yelled into the phone.
“He told you I talked to him?” Billy sounded mad. “Dick move.”
“He gave me a ride home, what did you think was going to happen?” I started pacing around the room.
“I thought he would be a man and do as I asked.”
“What gives you the right to tell me who I can and can’t date?”
“Liz, I care about your wellbeing.” He hesitated for a second. “Nobody knows this guy.”
“There’s only one way to change that.” I stomped around the room.
“I agree but going out on a date with him by yourself is not the way to get to know him.”
“I’ve had enough of you. You have no say in what I do with my life. Mind your own business.” I hung up the phone and continued my pacing. I didn’t understand what his problem was. He needed to grow up. I wasn’t his to boss around.
I looked at the clock, I had a few hours before Shawn was coming over to pick me up and at least a half-hour before my mom got home from work. My dad’s hours varied depending on how busy the clinic was. I still had to ask them if I could go, but I didn’t see why they wouldn’t let me. Billy’s actions were making me think everyone hated Shawn just because he was new in town.
I went up to my room and unloaded my backpack on my desk. Normally, if I wasn’t doing anything with Billy I would get my homework done so I could hang out the rest of the weekend, but my mind was buzzing.
I lay down on my bed and stared at the ceiling hardly believing I had a real date. Wait, I had a date, what was I supposed to wear on a date? Panicked, I jumped up and ran to my closet. I started going through every piece of clothing I had. Hoodie, hoodie, hoodie, T-shirt, T-shirt, T-shirt, jeans with little holes, jeans with big holes, jeans with oil stains, comfy jeans three sizes too big, I had nothing even kind of date worthy. I
went to my dresser and did the same thing. I had nothing to wear. What was I going to do? I didn’t have a car to run to Spruce and visit the one women’s boutique within a hundred miles. I had no idea what I was going to do.
A knock at my door startled me. “Come in,” I went back to my closet and stared at my boring wardrobe.
“Are you alright?” Mom asked, coming into my room, and looking at the clothes I scattered all over the floor.
“No,” I said, as a tear leaked out. I crossed my arms over my chest.
“Sweetheart, what’s wrong?” She moved toward me to give me a hug.
“I have a date tonight and I have nothing to wear.” I ran my finger under my eye to wipe away the tears.
Mom gave me a confused look. “I’m sure Billy won’t care what you have on.”
“Billy? What I wear on my date with Shawn is none of Billy’s business.”
“I’m lost, Liz. You are going on a date with a boy named Shawn?”
“Sorry, it’s been a long day.” I turned to her. “Shawn Ericson lives in the mansion. He asked me out today and I said yes. Then Billy told him to stay away from me. I yelled at Billy to mind his own business. Anyway, I’m mad at him and all I have in my closet are T-shirts and hoodies. Aren’t you supposed to dress up for a date?” I was rambling but hopefully she understood what I was saying. I didn’t want to go through it again.
“First, were you going ask us if you could go out tonight?” Mom’s voice was tight. I didn’t know if she was mad or trying not to laugh at me.
“Yes, but then I realized I needed something to wear and here I am freaking out.” I let my arms fall and balled my hands into fists.
“Good, just making sure. Now let’s think about this, where do you think he will take you?” Mom took my hand forced my fingers to relax.
“He said dinner, I don’t know after that.” I squeezed her hand.
“You’ve eaten at all the restaurants in Twisted Pine, what do most people wear to dinner?” She pried my hand out of hers and shook it to get the feeling back.
“I don’t know, nothing special I guess. I’m sorry, I’m really nervous.” I shook my hand again.
“If you don’t want to wear a hoodie, I’m sure I have something you can borrow. Why don’t we go into my room and see if we can find a sweater to go with your jeans?”
CHAPTER 11
We went into my parents’ bedroom and went through Mom’s closet. When my dad got home I was dressed in my favorite pair of jeans, a formfitting, bright blue, V-neck sweater of my mom’s, and her low-heeled bootees. She tried to get me to put some makeup on, but I didn’t see the point, the bruises were almost gone, and Shawn already knew I had them. I did take the braid out of my hair and let my soft, blond waves fall almost to my waist.
When I was done getting ready, Mom and I went back downstairs to find Dad sitting in front of the television watching hockey with a beer in his hand.
“Liz, what are you wearing?” He looked up from the television with a shocked look on his face.
“Burt,” Mom said sharply. “Liz is going on her first date tonight.” She sat on the armrest of the recliner and put her arm around him.
“Billy finally asked you out?” he asked, with a knowing smile.
“Why does everyone assume its Billy? I would never go on a date with Billy. It would be like going on a date with your sister, Dad.” I threw my arms up in the air. “I’m going out with Shawn Ericson, he is one of the new kids who started this week.”
Dad’s face went from a sly grin to a tight-lipped frown. “Did you think about asking us before you accepted?”
“I asked Mom when she got home. What’s the big deal?”
“We don’t know this boy. He could be bad news. We just want to make sure you’re safe,” Mom said, before Dad could open his mouth.
“What time is he coming?” Dad asked, getting up from his chair and finishing his beer.
“He’s kind of shy, I’m supposed to meet him at the end of the street.” I was torturing my parents, but they were making way too big of a deal over this.
“What?” my dad yelled. “Over my dead body, are you going out with this boy.”
“Dad calm down, I’m kidding, he will be here around seven.” I laughed, and Mom gave me a dirty look.
“I don’t know, we don’t know anything about this boy, Sandy. I need a beer.” He started toward the kitchen and I rolled my eyes at Mom. She shrugged in response and we followed him into the kitchen.
“Dad, I know how to take care of myself and he’s going to come in and meet you and Mom.” I followed behind him.
“Burt, this is her first date. She’s seventeen, it’s time,” Mom said from behind me.
“Didn’t we say she wasn’t allowed to date until she was twenty-one?” Dad opened the refrigerator and stared at the contents.
“You said that the day she was born. You know we can’t stop this.” Mom went behind him and put her hand on his back and rubbed it in circles. “If we let her go now we won’t have to worry about her sneaking around to see this boy.” I heard her whisper.
“Fine, but if I don’t like him when he comes to pick her up she isn’t going.” He grabbed another beer from the fridge and closed the door.
“Thanks, Dad,” I went up to him and kissed his cheek.
“You promise not to get pregnant?” He went to a drawer and took out a bottle opener.
“Why does everyone keep asking me that?” I ran my fingers through my hair, took a handful and pulled it in frustration. “I just met the guy. I’m not going to go there with him.”
“Who else asked you?” Mom asked, at the same time Dad asked, “Is that a promise?”
“Yes, I will not get pregnant tonight and Billy.” I sat on one of the kitchen stools and lay my head on the table.
“It will be okay, sweetheart,” Mom said, putting her hand on my back this time, and rubbing it.
Dad put his beer on the bar and walked away. “Where are you going?” I asked. I had a bad feeling about this.
“I just remembered, I forgot to clean my gun after elk season. Now seems like a good time.”
“You’ve got to be kidding me.” I sat up and looked at my mom. “Please, stop him.”
“Honey, there are a few things in this world no wife can stop from happening. Your father being overprotective is one of those things.” She gave me an, I’m sorry but there is nothing I can do smile and got up to start making dinner.
Dad came back a few minutes later with his gun case and the cleaning kit. I looked at the clock it was six forty-five. There was no way he was going to finish before Shawn showed up.
I wandered around the house, giddy with excitement and nervousness. I checked my hair too many times for me to be comfortable with and kept looking in the full-length mirror to make sure nothing was out of place. At seven o’clock I camped out on the stairs and stared at the front door.
“Liz, can you please come in here?” my dad called.
I went into the dining room to find newspaper spread over the table, and Dad’s rifle completely taken apart. The barrel was pointed at the wall and he was rubbing solvent on the bolt. “What’s up, Dad?”
“Sit down. Watch and learn.” He put the bolt down and took the rod from the cleaning kit. He threaded a small square piece of cotton through the metal loop on the end then he covered it in the solution and stuck it down the barrel of the gun.
“I know how to clean a gun, Dad. You taught me before I got my hunter’s safety card.” I rested my elbows on the table and rested my head in my hand.
“I’m not talking about cleaning a gun. I’m talking about waiting for your date.” He pulled the rod back out of the barrel, the square was still white.
“Did you even get a shot off last season? I can’t remember,” I said, raising my eyebrows.
“There is a freezer full of meat that says I did and you can never be too sure.” He winked at me and ran the rod back down the barrel. The doorbell ran
g, and I shot to my feet ready to run to the door. “Sit your butt back down, your mom can answer the door. Always make a boy wait a minute, dear,” Dad said, sounding unconcerned.
I grunted and slouched down in my chair, this was almost as bad as Billy telling Shawn to stay away from me. I heard Mom answer the door, then an exchange of muffled words. I made myself sit up as footsteps came our way.
Mom came in with Shawn behind her. “Liz, your date is here,” she practically sang, and I felt my face heat. I stood and went to Shawn. He was wearing an unzipped forest-green down coat. Under that he had a cream button-down shirt tucked into dark blue jeans that weren’t too tight, but not too loose. His short, dark blond hair was combed to the side, and the smile on his face made me want to drool.
“Mom, Dad this is Shawn Ericson. Shawn, these are my parents Sandy and Burt Lawson,” I said, praying my dad would not embarrass me by saying something stupid like, don’t get my daughter pregnant.
“Nice to meet you Mr. & Mrs. Lawson.” Shawn extended his hand to my dad, saw the gun on the table, almost pulled his hand back, but thought better of it and kept it out waiting for my dad to take it.
“It’s actually Dr. Lawson, and I would shake your hand, but I’m covered in cleaning solution.” Dad indicated the small bottle sitting on the table.
“Okay,” Shawn mumbled and put his hands in his pockets. I didn’t think any of us knew what to do next, we all just stood there silently for a second. My parents had never had a boy pick up their daughter for a date and they were clueless about what we were supposed to do.
“Sandy, why don’t you get Shawn a beer?” Dad asked, folding his arms across his chest.
What was he doing? I thought to myself. Shawn’s eye widened and took a step back.
“No thank you, sir. I would never drink before getting in a car.” Shawn blew out a breath and looked at me like he was rethinking asking me out.
“Right answer.” Dad started to put the rifle back together without looking up. “Where are you two going tonight?”