On The Run: Part Two

Chapter Twenty-Two - "Jellybeans And Macarons"

Chloe

 

I lay back on the couch, wondering if I’d ever get that feeling of home again. Would I always feel the urge to sit just right?

Kayla walked out of her room and twirled in her short green dress. It hid her ever-expanding bump beneath the waterfall feature of the dress. Minimally.

I sat up, smiling, “That’s the one.”

“You sure? It’s not too showy?”

For me, it would be. But Kayla’s definition of showy was far from mine, so I shook my head, “It has sleeves, and it almost gets to your knees. I promise you, you look like you’re going to church.”

It was what she always said to me.

She grinned and nodded, “Okay. I’m doing this.”

This was dating. She’d had an epiphany; as much as she wanted to raise a child on her own without the intrusive opinion of another person, she was lonely. So, she’d decided one afternoon to go out and date people – any people, it seemed. Today, it was the guy who delivered meat at Daisey’s.

But I said nothing, because everyone’s allowed to make their own mistakes. Besides, I really liked getting along with Kayla. And if there was one thing I knew, it was that Kayla did not want to hear my opinion when it came to her love life. It would always be a terribly sore topic.

I looked at my watch. Twenty-one minutes to go.

Ricky walked in right then, looking as miserable as he always did. Having your brother in jail for a crime you committed would do that to a person.

“Hey Chloe,” he said, with a forced smile, “We missed you at the trial.”

I smiled, “I got held up,” I lied.

I wasn’t sure if they knew about the breakup or not. I wasn’t going to be the one to tell them.

Before he could add anything – I really didn’t want to talk about Fitch – Trey walked in.

“Hey!” he said, surprise in his eyes.

I smiled, “Hi.” I’d barely spoken to him either, since my break-up. I don’t know why; maybe I was embarrassed. It had been about a month since it happened, but I still felt a sharp pang every time I even thought about it; I couldn’t imagine what talking about it would do to me.

The last time Trey had been in town, a few weeks earlier, he’d stopped by at Sarah’s and dragged me to see a movie. I was depressed, and of course, he assumed it was about Fitch being in jail. And I was hoping to keep it that way.

He took my hands and pulled me up and into a hug, and I just felt guilty. Like I’d been lying.

“How are you?” he asked, stepping back.

I smiled a little forcefully, “Good.”

“Hi to you too, Trey,” Kayla muttered, walking off and into her room. I didn’t even realize when Ricky left. He still occasionally got to spend time at the apartment – despite the whole foster care thing, but I’d seen less and less of him than I used to.

I sat back down, wishing I had just let Sarah come and get me, like she suggested.

Fifteen minutes to go.

“You weren’t at the trial,” he said.

I sighed, “I wasn’t.”

He raised his brow, “Why not?”