Dad thought that big promotion meant he needed to have a house to match it. His car rumbled over some ugly cracks in the asphalt, but that didn’t jolt him out of his brooding. And the ‘best value’ was down here. Then the economy tanked and they let him go six months in.
He rolled up the driveway, coming to a stop just in front of the tall wooden fence, and turned off the Atlanta classic rock station. He checked his watch. 6:45 p.m. Even though the used bookstore downtown near the courthouse kept her busy, Mom always wanted them to eat dinner together. At least the economy hadn’t cost his family that comfort.
The smell of ground beef browning on the gas stove filled his nose as he walked into the kitchen from the garage. They must be having spaghetti. Saliva began gathering around his tongue. It had been awhile.
“Hey honey,” Mom said, stepping away from the stove. She hugged him, her brown hair tickling him his nose. “How was work today?”
James shrugged. “Fine.” He looked at the doorway between the kitchen and the family room, where Dad usually had his laptop set up. “Dad home?”
She nodded, her bright blue eyes worried. “He got in a few minutes ago. He had that interview in Atlanta today and got caught in traffic coming back.”
Atlanta traffic. That was one of the few improvements moving to Edington had brought. Fayetteville Boulevard and even Fairmont Street could get crowded sometimes, but it was nothing like 400.
“Did he say how it went?”
She shook her head. “I imagine we’ll be hearing that at dinner.” She stepped away and returned to the stove. “Could you get the glasses out? I need to drain this and put the tomato sauce in.”
“Sure.”
James set the glasses out on the table, then laid out the napkins and silverware. He was deciding whether to get out the plates as well when a radio suddenly blared in the driveway. A car door slammed shut, cutting the music off abruptly.
“Hey Karen,” he said as his younger sister breezed in. She had her long hair—blonde, unlike his light brown—tied in a ponytail this time rather than wearing it loose. She set her own backpack down on the gray marble—or at least a convincing imitation thereof—counter nearest the door.
“Hey,” she said as she breezed past.
“You were almost late for dinner,” Mom chided. “What kept you?”
“Oh, I was just studying with Abby and a couple of her friends down at the Coffee Roasters.” Shockingly enough, Edington didn’t have a Starbucks, but she’d found the next best thing, as well as replacements for the musician and theatre friends she’d left behind. Pity Edington High—unlike North Atlanta High School—wouldn’t be able to send her to Broadway to see how professional theater actually worked.
“Studying, eh?” James interjected. “Studying that Billy fellow, I imagine.”
Karen rolled her brown eyes. “Yeah right. He has a girlfriend anyway. I’m not sure what he sees in her, but—”
James tuned out the sophomore gossip. He stepped around his sister to get the plates out of the white cabinets. He laid them out on the pseudo-granite counter beside the sink before going up the back stairs to his room. He dropped his backpack with the textbooks from his last two classes on the hardwood floor and flopped down on the bed. His feet had been hurting from standing up all afternoon and the drive home had only been a temporary respite.
He brought up his Gmail on his black smartphone. No news from those scholarships he’d applied for in the hope that he could cover books and student fees and put away money to transfer to UNC. Damn it. He’d gotten into Georgia State and he could pay his way through thanks to HOPE and the money from Best Buy he got to keep, but he wasn’t going to let something like Dad losing his job get in the way of his dreams.
He flopped back onto his pillows. Georgia State wasn’t a bad school. The area surrounding the school was a little too ghetto for his taste, but it wasn’t like he didn’t know how to handle himself in the city. But Chapel Hill was so much better than the area around Five Points. It was the best college town in the country. Everybody there would be his own age, and there’d definitely be lots of hot girls.
It wasn’t long until Mom called the family down to dinner. Dad had emerged from the living room, the remnants of a gloomy expression clinging to his thin face, and sat at his customary position at the head of the table. Everyone sat down and, after a perfunctory blessing, set to eating.
Dad was the first to speak. “So James,” he said, putting his fork down on the fabric placemat in a way that would no doubt aggravate Mom. “How was work today?”
“Just fine. Heard you had a job interview.”
Dad nodded, brown eyes dropping to his plate. Not good. “It’s a big firm. A lot of lawyers, mostly younger ones they work hard. Not quite where I envisioned myself working at this point in my career, but they help out a lot of local governments.”
“Hopefully you’ll get this,” Mom said. “Government work’s your bread and butter.”
Dad smiled. “Thanks, hon. I wrote them a thank-you note as soon as I got back. There’s another firm in Atlanta I’m looking at—”
“Any openings farther south?” James asked. “Fayetteville? Or maybe Peachtree City? All those Delta people need lawyers too.” Even if Dad didn’t get a job closer to Edington, at least he wouldn’t spend so much driving to Atlanta. Some of that gas money would go to paying the mortgage, leaving more of James’ paycheck for his college fund.
Dad sighed. “James, we’ve been through this. There’s no future in small-town practice. Atlanta is where it is.” He resumed eating, ending his part of the conversation.
Maybe no future, but it’ll at least be steadier work than the freelance stuff you’re doing now. James frowned. He returned to his own spaghetti. This wouldn’t be the last time the issue came up.
Karen took that was an opportunity to jump in. “You know,” she said. “It was Amber who dropped me off at the house today. She asked how you were doing.”
James groaned. Amber Webb was part of the local artsy crowd his sister hung out with, although he didn’t think they were close. Amber was tall and had dirty blonde hair that hung to her collarbone and eyes a mixture of gray and blue he’d never seen before. And her accent was less syrupy than he expected. James had AP Government with her last semester, and his dear sister had been doing her best to hook them up ever since.
“And what did you tell her?”
“Well, I mentioned you’d gotten accepted into the University of Chapel Hill as well as Georgia State. She’s going to Valdosta…”
It wasn’t like Amber wasn’t pretty or wasn’t smart. She was one of the locals who took AP classes, after all. But there was Chapel Hill, and Georgia State before that. Plenty of more suitable people there. Valdosta was so far away anyway.
“She’s going to be in Once Upon A Mattress this summer too,” Karen continued. “She’s playing Princess Winifred the Woebegone. I’ve seen her rehearsing. She’s so lively…”
James would admit to that. Amber certainly wasn’t boring to hang around. But there’d be lively girls at Chapel Hill and Georgia State. “And you’re Lady Larken, right?” James interrupted.
“Of course. Thought you knew.”
James really wasn’t interested in community theater, or theater in general for that matter. Film allowed one to do so much one couldn’t do on a stage. He doubted one could do Braveheart as a play, not if one wanted to do it justice. It’d come off looking like Monty Python, complete with coconuts.
“How’re Maad and Katie doing?” Mom asked.
“Just fine so far. I don’t think anybody’s bothering them.” Maad – Maadhav Kar – and Katie Wallace had moved down to Edington a year or two before his family did. Local tongues had started wagging when they’d gone to junior prom together and kept going when it was clear they were actually dating. Nothing worse than gossip had happened so far, but knowing some of the locals, Mom was right to worry.
“That’s good to know.”
“What’s that?”
Both Mom and Dad looked out the window. Only Karen ignored him, picking at her spaghetti and idly toying with her hair.
“What’s what?” Dad asked.
“I could swear I saw something move out there.”
“Must be a deer,” Mom said. “Lot of woods in this county. Just the other day, I saw a couple deer.”
There weren’t any green deer that James knew of. James didn’t know where the property line was, but he’d bet it was some of the local rednecks using the woods as their personal hunting ground. While his parents returned to their dinner, he watched the trees pressing up against his family’s yard for a long moment before turning away.
Amber came to the intersection with Fayetteville Boulevard just in time to hit the last of the Atlanta commuters making their way home. Luckily the light was in her favor and the cars hadn’t completely blocked the intersection. She swerved around a car much newer and nicer than hers jutting out into the intersection to get into the farthest of the three southbound lanes. She’d need to get over in order to eventually turn left onto Fairmont Street and head home, but that was over a mile away.
As the traffic inched its way toward the main drag and some annoying pop song prattled on the radio, Amber had time to think. And think.
James. James with his wit that was actually funny instead of just lame and brains that didn’t come with being a know-it-all, unlike annoying Walter. James with his bright blue eyes and freckles. His many, many freckles. She’d driven his sister home that night, but she never saw him. His car was in the driveway, so he had to be home. But he didn’t come out to say hello.
She snorted. Maybe he actually had something important to do, like study for the last finals. Or something with college. Perhaps he was getting a start ordering the things he needed online, where he could find more at lower prices than anywhere Edington could offer. Someone like him would have things going on, things more important than her.
Face it. He’s just not into you.
She still wondered why. From what Karen told her he’d never dated anybody in Edington. He’d even skipped senior prom. The only thing Karen ever said about his personal life in Atlanta was a girl he’d dated briefly a year before. He wasn’t like some of the boys in Edington who just wanted one thing and then dropped girls like hot potatoes when they’d had their fun.
Could he be gay? She shook her head. Although those so inclined in Edington weren’t too obvious about it if they knew what was good for them, she could tell. And James gave off none of the signals.
Maybe he thought himself too good for girls from Edington. Girls like her. Someone from Buckhead probably reckoned Edington folk were all dumb hicks. She tried to resent him for that. But it didn’t last. He didn’t seem mean either. Of course, he wouldn’t openly disdain his classmates, not if he were smart. But she could tell if someone was phony. She wasn’t a stupid sophomore anymore.
Or maybe it was her cheekbones. She looked at herself in the rear-view mirror. Did they stick out too much? Or was it her nose? It was always a little bit wide. She shook her head. James couldn’t possibly be that shallow. It couldn’t be that.
The thought of asking Karen more about what made him tick rose into her mind. Her fair skin reddened slightly, even though nobody else was in the car to see her. Was she really thinking to conspire with his sister? Well, more than what she was doing already…
She shook her head. Girl, you’re overthinking it. Just be cool.
Guys didn’t like girls who were too eager. She didn’t want him to think she was like that crazy woman from Vanilla Sky. And she had more important things to think about anyway. The first rehearsals for Once Upon A Mattress were coming up soon. She had the lead female part, so she had to know her lines and know them well. Her little sister Claire should be home from soccer practice by the time she finally got through the traffic and back home. Claire could help her rehearse.
She turned her attention back to the traffic. During her brooding, she’d passed by the big Ford dealership and was now inching past the whitewashed Sears shopping plaza and the Wendy’s where she used to work. It wouldn’t be long until she could turn out of the sea of cars onto Fairmont and be on her way.
She smiled. Her brooding was good for taking her mind off the traffic at, least.
Chapter Four
Friday came, and with it the Best Buy schedule for the coming week. For the first time in nearly a month, James had a weekend totally free! And since the mortgage payment wasn’t due until the end of the month, he got to keep most of that week’s paycheck.
That called for a celebration. After he had finished that afternoon’s shift, James texted Maad and Katie. He’d have liked to call Eli too, but he wouldn’t like making the drive to Edington, especially on such short notice. Fortunately Maad’s friend Alex Bello was also up for dinner, so James wouldn’t be a third wheel.
James got to the Zaxby’s north of downtown first. Next came Maad, tall and dark-skinned with a goatee. Alex, lanky and sporting a goatee as well, came on his heels. Last was Katie, shorter than Maad and with easily-sunburned skin and red hair. They clustered in a booth by the door, one of the few unoccupied by families. Maad got chicken fingers that James bet his vegetarian parents wouldn’t like him eating, while James ordered a sandwich with fries.
As James ate, he studied the memorabilia lining the wall above the booth so typical of a Zaxby’s. A golden sign advertising whale-watching in Santa Barbara caught his attention. “That looks interesting.” He pointed. “I’d like to see it, if I ever get the chance to head out there.”
“I’ve done it,” Alex said around a mouthful of the spicy crinkle fries. “It’s awesome. You go out in this little boat and then the whales come. They’re so much bigger than you, but they’re alive, not airplanes or ships. I was thirteen when I went out, but I can still remember it. Clear as a photo.”
That made James want to do it even more. Maybe he should start assembling a “bucket list.” After he graduated from UNC Chapel Hill with that business degree, of course. He’d need a good job to afford to vacation in California.
The restaurant door banged open. Katie jerked her head up. “Boys,” she warned. “Heads up.”
A trio of locals had just arrived. The tallest was brown-haired Tommy McCabe, who James had the misfortune of sharing his honors calculus class with. On his heels came Bill Aiken, who’d been in James’ health class before he dropped out. Trailing him was blonde and bitchy—and pregnant—Sarah Payne.
Great, James thought. I hope they don’t want to sit anywhere near us. He looked around. Unfortunately there was an open booth that’d accommodate four or five people right next to them, and none of the smaller tables he could see were available.
“Hey Maad,” Alex said. “Maybe you and Katie could sit there? James and I, we wouldn’t want to be a third and a fourth wheel interfering with—”
As if Alex couldn’t be more obvious. James shook his head. “Let’s just finish up and get out of here.”
They didn’t finish up quickly enough. The locals got their orders and filled up the big booth. Sarah’s disapproving expression fell on Maad and Katie, as it often did, before it shifted to James. It wasn’t long before the rest of her friends got involved.
“Hey!” Tommy said. “Y’all talking about us?”
“No,” Alex immediately replied. That would mollify them, hopefully. Then he and his friends could get back to their dinner in peace.
Tommy snorted. “Bullsh
it.” He looked from James to Alex. “It might’ve been that one, or might have been you.” He smiled, teeth crooked in his narrow mouth. “Can’t tell. You Atlanta folk all sound alike.”
“They think they’re better than us,” Bill cut in. He pointed an accusing finger at James. Sarah glared at him, but Bill kept on talking. “That one’s dad’s a big-shot lawyer in Atlanta. Except he lost his job. Didn’t he, you carpetbagger?”
Carpetbagger? Carpetbagger? Was he serious? He couldn’t be more of an asshole redneck if he tried. James rolled his eyes. Then the perfect retort sprang into his mind. “Well at least I didn’t knock up my girlfriend and have to drop out of school.”
That certainly struck home. Bill jumped up from his seat. James rose to his feet. Anger raced through him like a forest fire, but an undercurrent of icy fear nipped at its heels. Working on the county road crew had made Bill bigger and stronger. He could take a lot of hits before he went down, but he’d only need one or two before he knocked James on his ass. Then he’d get a taste of those big leather boots Bill wore.
He didn’t want to get his ass kicked, but he’d show the stupid redneck that he wouldn’t be pushed around. It’d been a long time since he’d taken Choi Kwong Do, but it didn’t require a lot of skill to kick another man in the nuts.
Alex jumped up beside James. Tommy’s arm snapped out and grabbed Bill by the arm. Bill jerked back, stopped before he could step away from the booth. “You dumbass,” Tommy snapped. His voice fell to a harsh whisper James could barely hear. “Your dad works at the plant this punk’s dad runs.” He pointed at Alex. “The old man won’t like his son getting his ass kicked. You want your dad to lose his job? You won’t be able to support Sarah and the rest of your folks just working on the road crew.”
“Yeah,” Sarah hissed. “Don’t be a fucking fool.”
James’s gaze wandered over to Alex, who smiled smugly. His father managed the Caterpillar plant in the next town where a lot of locals worked. James bet he’d brag about how he’d saved James from getting a beat-down from some hick for quite a while.
The Thing in the Woods Page 3