For the Love of Lacey

An Errand for Mom

Dedicating this chapter to Lisa Fry. Thanks for reading!!!

It's just hitting 5PM when I get on the road. It won't be dark for another hour or so, but I wonder what Xavier is up to tonight. My attention is grabbed by the news report about local pets going missing and the broken bodies of some of them being found miles from home. The authorities are looking into the disappearances and suggesting that people keep their pets inside for the time being. There's also a report of a pair of hikers gone missing. They were reported missing by their families this morning, and we're all to be on the lookout for them. Crazy stuff!

When I get home I find a note on the fridge from mom letting us know that she and dad are doing an open house and were then going out to dinner, but that she'd left us a casserole in the oven. They were going to their Friday night bridge game after, and not to wait up.

Lathe walked in as I finish reading and says, "I already started reheating the casserole and it should be ready in 15 minutes. Got plans?"

"No, you?"

"Only if you got Beth's number," he smiles at me.

I give him a pained smile just as the house phone rings. I answer it as I hand him my cell with Beth's number already displayed.

"Hello?" I answer.

"Hey, Lace, I left a folder with some paperwork for Mr. Alexander on my desk in the office. Would you or Lathe mind running it out to him tonight? I want him to look it over so I can get it to the bank by tomorrow morning." My mom says.

"Umm, yeah, mom, I can do it. Lathe may have plans tonight."

"Great! Thanks, sweetie." And she hangs up.

Lathe is in the dining room on his cell with, I assume, Beth. I head into my parents office and check on my mom's desk and see the folder with Xavier Alexander right on top in the middle of her desk. I take it to the kitchen with me as I see Lathe dishing up a plate of food for each of us.

"What's that?" He thrusts his chin at the folder in my hand as he puts our plates on the table. I put the folder on the counter and grab silverware and glasses and head to the table.

"Mom asked if one of us can run this folder out to Xavier. You make plans with Beth?"

He grabs the ice tea from the fridge and we both sit down to eat, "Yeah, we're going to the movies tonight, but I can cancel if you need me to go with you."

"Oh please! And have Beth grill me for an hour on Monday about if you really wanted to go out or not and if she seemed too eager when you called? No thank you! I'm a big girl, I can go all by myself!"

"If you don't mind, I'll take mom's car and you can take the Buick," he suggests.

"Dude, so not fair!" I shoot back.

"Come on, Laces, it's our first date!" He whines, using our childhood nickname for me.

I glare at him, but know I'll give in. I really don't care what car I drive. "Fine! You win, but you owe me and I get to decide when I collect."

He smiles at me. We each clear our plates into the dishwasher when we're done and I wrap up the leftovers and put them away and put my laundry into the dryer. Lathe heads upstairs to shower and change and I grab my bag, and the folder and head out to Xavier's.

It's about 8:00 by now, and I'm buzzing down Old Mill Road, not really paying too much attention to my speed when I see red and blue lights illuminating the inside of my car. I look at my speedometer and see I'm doing 65 MPH, and I should only be doing 55. Crap!! I pull over to the side and roll down my window.