A Year of Her Life

Lucky 13

Johnny moved closer to me and hugged me to his chest.  I was so in love with this guy.  We met up every spring when we opened our lake houses and spent all the time we could together.  I didn’t even know he was at the lake this weekend.

I stopped crying after a few minutes and stepped away from Johnny.  How embarrassing.  I wiped the tears from my face with the bottom of my shirt.

“Now are you okay?”

“Yeah, I’m just lost.  I got scared,” I only half lied to Johnny.  “When did you get this bike?”  I asked so as to change the subject.

“I got it last week for my birthday.  I’m not supposed to ride it on the road, but no one ever comes out here so my dad said it would be ok.”

I nodded my head in response.  Let’s see, his birthday was last week.  So, that would make him 13.  I’m almost 11, so he’s still too old for me.

He looked at me like I was strange for a minute before asking, “You want me to take you home?”

I paused, thinking.

“I’ll let you off up the road from your house so your dad won’t get mad.  He still doesn’t like me for kissing you a couple of years ago,” he blushed.

“Yeah, OK,” I said as we walked to his bike.

He got on and motioned for me to get on the back.  I do so, awkwardly.  I had never been on a dirt bike before.

He handed me the helmet.  When I just looked at it instead of taking it, he smiled.  “You wear it.  It’s not far and if I get you hurt the helmet won’t protect me from your dad,” he smiled as he pushed the helmet into my hands.

I put the helmet on and grabbed onto the back of the seat.  Johnny started the bike with a jolt.  He reached his arms behind him and, without looking back, grabbed mine.  He wrapped my arms around his waist for me to hold on.  I smiled and nodded as if he could see me.

Johnny was right, it wasn’t far.  He drove at break neck speeds around the back road to my house.  It was fun and exciting.  The wind tangled my hair behind me, but I didn’t care.  Next time, and there would be a next time, I will tuck my hair into the helmet.

Johnny stopped the bike two houses down from mine to let me off.  I climbed off the back still shaking from the vibration of the bike. 

I gave him his helmet back and thanked him for the ride.  Before I left him, he told me he’d be over at ours in a while to maybe sit on the pier for a while.

I walked back to my house grinning the whole way.  I had forgotten about my worries with Mom and Chris.  The world seemed like a happy place for a while.

That thought shattered as I walked into the driveway to see our van parked and Chris standing in front of it watching me walk.  I hurried past him and into the house.

Mom was in the kitchen and called for me to come in.  I kept walking faster into my room.  I hoped Georgia was in there.

No such luck.  She must not be back from the store yet.  I locked the door and sat on my bed.  I fidgeted for a few minutes.  But, when no one came to my door, I calmed myself down.  I decided not to wait for Georgia to come home.  I’d meet her at the store.

I just had to get out of the house without being stopped by Mom or Chris.  I gathered up all my courage before quietly opening my door. 

I peeked out to see that no one was in the hallway.  I stepped out tip toeing towards the living room and kitchen to see which door would be best to sneak out.  I came up on the kitchen first. 

The door from the kitchen would not be the best to use because Mom may be working in the flowers again and they were right outside the door. 

I peeked into the kitchen and found that it was empty.  Good.  I tip toed into the kitchen and looked out the window to see if Mom was out there. 

She was.  And, so was Chris.  I guess that means he’s not standing by the front door waiting for me.  Mom was laughing like a teenager and Chris smacked her bottom.

Well, that may have been gross to see, but that meant that I could walk right out the front door.  I made a mad dash and ran out the door and down the steps as fast as I could.  I was running so fast that I couldn’t stop before I ran straight into Georgia knocking us both down with a whack to my head.

Georgia got up from the ground, but I laid there for a minute waiting for my vision to clear.  Georgia helped me to sit up, but told me not to stand yet.  She instructed Russ to get some ice for my head. 

Russ ran into the house and came back with some ice wrapped in a towel.  He handed it to Georgia as they both sat beside me, Georgia pressing the ice to my head.

“I think I know why she was running so fast,” Russ said in a low tone.

“Why?”

“Well, your mom and Chris are making out in the back yard pretty heavy.  They didn’t even notice I was in the kitchen, and I tried to make a lot of noise,” was Russ’ response.

“What?  Uh, how am I supposed to believe it will all be fine when I have to leave if we can’t even be fine for one weekend at the lake?”  Georgia began to rant to herself.  She was cut short when Dad’s old truck that he uses for the boat pulled into the driveway.

Dad stepped out and ran over to me.  Russ told him what had happened and I assured him that I was fine.  Georgia was too busy with her own thoughts to join in the conversation.  Dad helped me into the house and sat me on the couch in the living room.

He took the melting ice from my scraped forehead and announced that I had a ‘huge’ bump, but that I’d be alright.  He leaned down and kissed me gently near the bump on my head and kissed the top of my head.  It did actually make it feel better. 

Dad then started to the kitchen to get me some more ice.

Russ tried to take the towel from Dad and get the ice himself.  Georgia and I both looked at each other knowing what he would see just outside the kitchen window. 

Dad told Russ that he’d do it and continued on into the kitchen.

My already queasy stomach threatened to empty and my hands began to sweat.  Who knew what Dad would do if he caught Mom with Chris. 

I closed my eyes and prayed that he didn’t see them.  Georgia held my hand tight as Russ cupped her shoulder comfortingly.