Chapter Three

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 © Copyright 2012
All work is property of Leah Crichton, any duplication or reproduction of all or part of the work without explicit permission by the author is illegal.

Alexa slept in the following morning. This resulted in a loosely placed ballerina bun on the top of her head, a pair of denim shorts, a plain white t-shirt and some lip gloss. She bolted down the stairs and grabbed an apple from the fruit bowl, barely making it outside as Gabby was starting the engine to her Volkswagen Beetle.

“Lex,” Gabby said. “I wasn’t going to leave without you.”

“I know,” she said. “Just didn't want to be disrespectful of your time.”

Gabby shook her head.

“What?” Alexa queried.

“Would it kill you to be seventeen?”

Alexa scrutinized her. “Obviously it doesn't kill me. Seeing as how I am seventeen. What is that supposed to mean, anyway?”

“C'mon Lex,” Gabby said. “I should be having to drag you out of bed. You should be angry about having to come with me, not ready and willing and the very last thing you should be concerned about is my time. I worry about you sometimes, kiddo.”

“Don't worry!” Alexa said. “Honestly Auntie, I love this.”

Gabby shifted the car into gear. “You must be crazy.”

Alexa stifled a laugh. “Coming from a shrink, not gonna lie, I'm a wee bit offended.”

“Hey,” Gabby said. “Look at the bright side, you didn't even have to pay for the diagnosis.”

She nodded. “Silver lining.”

Paper Planes assisted living facility looked similar to a boarding school with barbed wire. To hear Rachel talk about the boarding schools she'd lived in, maybe Paper Planes was a step up. It was a colossal brick structure that in the darkness of night, could possess an eerie quality.

She'd heard rumors that it was haunted but didn't believe any of them. The patients here were treated like royalty, Aunt Gabby made sure of that. There were gardeners for the grounds, ensuring they were pristine with trimmed shrubs and wildflowers. Alexa hoped to work there one day.

Aunt Gabby pulled into her parking stall which was marked with a distinguished nameplate. Gabby Montgomery, DPM. It must have made her feel important.

She was genuinely glad to be back here, even if it was only to volunteer. She'd met a lot of incredible, although admittedly disturbed people last summer. She'd missed them.

It was like Gabby read her thoughts. “I told Jerry you were coming.”

As soon as she said his name, Alexa felt heat flush to her face and she started to laugh. Jerry suffered from a severe anxiety disorder and preferred life at Paper Planes more than he did at home. His parents obliged and footed the bill for his permanent stay. He was also certain that Alexa was his future bride to be and the very source of his destiny. She'd spent a good deal of time last summer, politely denying his advances. Jerry was harmless though and as sweet as they came.

“Oh you did, did you? What did Jerry make of that?”

Gabby reached for her purse. “He's spent the last week writing poetry and grooming himself.”

Alexa stepped out of the car. “Can't wait.”

“Don't say things...”

“You don't mean,” Alexa finished for her.

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