Buried (Bailey Roberts Trilogy #1) Editing

02: Home [3rd draft]

"Well, come on, let's get our stuff inside. I had everything furnished ahead of time so we should have everything we need. I even got you that new pillow top bed you've been asking about, Bails."

Dad paid for it was Bailey's first thought, but she squashed it down and let herself gasp with pleasure. He wasn't going to ruin this and besides she'd been the one to tell him to get a second lottery ticket in the first place. She even specifically told him to have the machine randomize the numbers for that ticket. The winning ticket. So technically, it should be her money. Maybe, if she ever spoke to her father again, she could throw that in his face.

Bailey clasped her hands together, attempting to contain her excitement. "You didn't!" When Gale nodded, Bailey decided things weren't going to be completely bad here in Haven.

Leaping out of the seat, she followed Gale around to the trunk of the car, hauled out her red and black rolling suitcase, and purposely let Matt's fall out. His bag had been on top of hers and she simply couldn't resist.

"Hey!" He cried in outrage, scrambling to try and catch it.

"Bailey, after we're finished unloading everything remind me to call Mrs. Stone. She was nice enough to offer her daughter's uniform for you."

Bailey slipped her arms through the straps of her book bag and hauled it up. "Uniform?"

"I can't carry this! It's too heavy." Matt grunted with exertion as he tried to lift one of his heavier bags from the trunk.  

Heaving a sigh, Bailey snatched up his second bag, grunting with surprise at the added weight of the bag. It was probably the only one that didn't have rollers and it happened to be the one that weighed a ton. "What's in here? Bricks?"

Matt shook his head, giving her generous flash of white teeth. "Comics, some books and movies too."

Bailey sneered at him, but followed Gale towards the house. "Uniforms?" Bailey prompted again, still waiting for a response from Gale.

"Oh-um-Haven Prep, you have to wear a uniform. It was the last thing on my mind when I was speaking to her about the house. Thankfully, she seems to be a well rounded realtor and thought of it for me. However, we'll have to eventually get you sized for one," Gale said as she set her bag against the side of the house and jostled around her purse searching for something.

It took the glinting of metal from the key her mom pulled out for Bailey to register what she'd said. The bags in her hands and the book bag on her back dropped simultaneously. "Hand me downs from Amanda is one thing, but from an unknown person is just unacceptable!"

Gale rolled her eyes. "I'm sure they've washed it," she said, pushing the key into the door.

"That is entirely beside the point." Bailey started, but the argument lost its way as she tilted her head to peek inside when the door creaked fully open. It was completely dark.

Gale muttered a curse as Bailey heard a light switch flickering on and off. "No power. I'll have to call and let them know we're here a day early. Let's just put our bags on the porch for now."

Bags forgotten, Bailey took a step backwards and rubbed the goose bumps from her arms. It was pretty cold for them to not have power for the night. Bailey seriously hoped this small town was quick in getting things done because she didn't know if any of them could handle another hotel. It was fun at first, but after the second week it all seemed monotonous. 

Matt darted off the porch with a boisterous shout of glee and circled the large oak tree in the middle of the yard before heading towards the car to grab another bag. Gale and Bailey followed, less enthusiastic about actually having to do work. Gale continued to the car, but curiosity got the better of Bailey. Taking a detour, she walked through the crunching grass towards the side of the house, peeking to see that the woods surrounding the front of the house went all the way around. She inhaled sharply. The smell of nature wasn't always so refreshing.