Buried (Bailey Roberts Trilogy #1) Editing

03B: Dream On [3rd draft]

"I want to call Dad." Matt informed them when they'd finally gotten the last bag onto the porch.

Except for that phone call a few hours ago none of them had spoken to him in the past two weeks. To Bailey's knowledge Gale hadn't even told him that she was taking them and leaving.

Served him right really. He'd not only cheated, but lied to their faces too. Two weeks after winning that money and his nights at work had become so long that Gale had worried he was working too hard. She'd decided to bring him a home cooked meal, but ended up finding him banging his secretary in his rolling chair. At least that was the general spiel Bailey had gotten from Amanda. When Bailey went to go ask him how he felt diddling the help, he simply pretended he didn't understand.

Later that night the screaming and crying had gotten so bad that Matt had to come into Bailey's room where he ended up sleeping the rest of the night. The following two weeks were nothing but accusing stares and silent anger, until one day after school Bailey found all of her stuff packed into the back of Gale's brand new red car.

"It's time for a change, my loves," was all Gale had said when Bailey had gotten into the car that day.

"Why do you still want to talk to him, Mattie?" Bailey asked angrily.

Gale intervened. "Bailey, he's still your father. Mattie, you can call him as much as you want, but let's wait until everything's inside, okay?"

Gritting her teeth, Bailey tossed her hair behind her shoulder and turned her attention towards the white van coming up the drive.

"Oh good, we'll get the lights on sooner than I thought," Gale said, heaving a relieved sigh.

"I'm going in," Bailey said, feeling slightly guilty when her tone came out snappier than she intended.

"It's pitch black." Matt informed her. "You'll fall on your face."

"I won't. I have the eyes and reflexes of a cat," Bailey mumbled as she avoided her mother's searching eyes.

"Puh-lease," Matt said, rolling his eyes.

"Bailey..."

Bailey shook her head, ignoring her mother's tired sigh, and glared at the ground before pushing past Gale. Grabbing the two closest bags she, none-to-gently, kicked the front door open. She did stumble, almost immediately, but she quickly plastered herself to the wall, and let her eyes adjust to the darkness. It really wasn't totally pitch black. She could make out outlines and once she glanced to the left she saw the stair case leading up to the second floor. If she wanted that balcony room though, she'd have to get to the third floor.

She calmly walked forward and, just as she was about to get to the stairs, the lights flickered on. Blinking rapidly she glanced down and then rubbed her eyes, hoping the light spots went away sooner rather than later. That electrician was a magician; super-fast.

"It's breathtaking!" Gale called from the doorway.

Out of the corner of her eye, Bailey did a quick once over. The walls were a red rustic color and in the middle of the wall in the living room to the right, there was a fireplace surrounded by matching red and brown bricks. The carpet was a soft dark tan color and the kitchen, or at least what she could see from here, had black leather round stools, an island, and what looked to be terracotta tiles.

The place was definitely something to look at.

"Mom, where's your cell phone?" Matt called.

The moment for appreciating such a beautiful, probably very expensive, house fled as she shook her head and stomped up the stairs.