LOTF: Before and After

Laurie Langley

Benjamin and Diana were both disappointed in the kids, although it was difficult considering they didn't know which kid they were supposed to be disappointed in. Ben started bringing his wallet into the master bedroom with him at night, assuming that was when the thief was most likely to strike. But whoever it was, they were sneaky, and they somehow managed to get in and out during the night undetected.

The mystery was never solved, at least not for a couple months. And when it first was solved, it wasn't by Benjamin or Diana.

Fourteen-year-old Laurie crept downstairs in the night, quiet as a mouse down the creaky stairs. She tip-toed into the kitchen, and practically jumped out of her skin when she saw someone hovering over the counter.

"Jack?" she whispered as loudly as she could without breaking her voice from the whisper.

Her brother too jumped out of his skin at the sound of her voice. She watched him shove a piece of paper into the pocket of his pajama bottoms in an attempt to prevent her from seeing it, even though it was too dark for her to see much anyway.

"What the hell, Laur!" he whispered harshly.

"Sorry" she shrugged as she took a couple hesitant steps towards him. "I didn't know anyone was down here."

"Go back to bed" Jackson demanded as he turned away from her, his hand deep in his pocket as he crinkled the paper between his fingers.

"What's in your—" she began to ask, but stopped herself abruptly as it clicked in her brain. "It's you" she finally said, wide-eyed, "you're the one who's been stealing from daddy?"

"Where'd you get that idea?" her brother asked defensively, his composure slipping through his fingertips.

"Show me" Laurie demanded, placing her hands confidently on her hips.

"Show you what?" Jackson continued to play dumb, scoffing dismissively at her.

"You know what" Laurie's anger was starting to come through in her voice a little. "I'm not stupid. Show me what's in your pocket or I'll scream for Dad right now."

"You wouldn't" he whispered harshly, taking an intimidating step towards his little sister.

"Show me or I will. I don't lie, you know how much Mom hates lying" Laurie reminded him, "and you lied to them about the money. I'll tell them unless you show me."

"You've got nothing" Jackson scoffed, "I'm not stupid either, Laurie, and you have no proof. Besides, I have no reason to believe you won't tell them whether I show you what I have or not."

"No, you don't" Laurie agreed slowly, "but you do have my word. And like I said, I don't lie."

Jackson sighed heavily, pulling the $20 and $50 bills from his pocket and slamming them down on the counter in defeat. Laurie took a step toward him and studied the crumpled bills.

"Why?" she finally asked.

"I'm just in a tight situation, alright?" he vaguely explained. "I owe somebody."

"Who?" Laurie asked forcefully.

"A friend. It doesn't matter, okay? It has nothing to do with you, or Mom and Dad. Just stay out of it" Jackson begged her.

"You're stealing from them" Laurie pointed out, "you know how wrong that is, don't you?"

"Course I do" he sighed, "you really think I'd be doing it if I had any other choice?"

"How much do you owe anyway?" Laurie asked curiously, tilting her head to catch a glimpse of her brother from another angle.

"Doesn't matter" Jackson dismissed her again. "You said I have your word you won't tell."