Dirty Secrets

Part 76

Following an endless night of fighting off sleep, terrified of the nightmares waiting for her in the darkest recesses of her consciousness, Lyla indulged in a therapeutic hot shower. She slipped into her favorite pajamas then curled up in front of the TV with a bowl of Froot-Loops. She had just finished chasing a trio of soggy loops around the edge of the bowl with her spoon when her dad came through the front door wearing a stern expression.

"I didn't know where you were," she said.

"I was out back," he replied.

A distressing thought gripped her.

Oh, crap! He found the rocksalt and gas can in the shed.

He approached from the entryway giving her a hard stare. "I need to ask you something and I want you to be straight with me."

She scooped the remaining cereal into her mouth.

"What were you burning on the grill?" he asked.

"What?"

"The lid was open and there was some, I don't even know what it was. Some piece of burnt cloth, I think."

She looked into her bowl.

"What's that about?" he asked.

"I don't know."

"You don't know?" 

She continued focusing on the bowl, her mind churning for a plausible explanation.

He exhaled a frustrated sigh. "I'm okay with your salt ritual or whatever you call it. But you can't be burning stuff. Is this some kind of voodoo ceremony or something?"

She didn't answer.

"Have you talked to your doctors about this?"

"No." She shook her head.

"I think maybe you should. I mean with that freakin' crazy woman attacking you, no wonder." His face was flushed. "I mean anybody would have a hard time dealing with all that."

She couldn't make eye contact.

"I'm worried about you," he said, his tone softening. "You know?"

She nodded.

"You can't go around lighting things on fire. It's dangerous. You hear me?"

"Yeah."

"Plus you didn't shut off the tank," he said. "Now I gotta go get some more propane."

"Sorry."

"Promise me you're not going to start any fires or anything like that, okay?"

"Okay."

"And promise me you'll talk to your doctors about... whatever is going on."

She sat like a statue.

"I don't know what to do to help you," he said, his voice trailing off.

The doorbell rang. Ryan peeked out the window then opened the door.

She heard Darcy's voice. "Hi, Mr. Perry. Is Lyla here?"

He gestured toward the couch. Seemingly relieved that his daughter had company he said, "I'm gonna pick up a few things from the grocery store. I'll deal with the propane later." He grabbed his keys and exited.

"Okay," Lyla muttered.

"Bye," said Darcy.

Lyla set down her bowl on the coffee table.

"So, in case you were wondering," Darcy plopped down onto the couch. "I got multiple compliments on the dress."

"Great," Lyla said flatly, her attention on the TV.

Clearly annoyed that her friend wasn't chiming in, Darcy said, "So, Darcy, tell me all about last night. Okay. It. Was. Awesome."

"If it was sooooo awesome, what're you doing up so early?"

"Early? It's almost three."

Three o'clock? Can't be.

"You want some cereal?" Lyla asked.

Darcy looked at the bowl. "I'm gonna pass on the cereal. I'll take a Pop-Tart if you have one."

Lyla grabbed her bowl and went to the kitchen, Darcy following. At the sink, she watched her dad's car back out of the driveway.

"So, yeah," Darcy gushed. "Turns out Julian is a lot funnier than I thought and an amazing kisser."

Lyla opened the cabinet door and found a box of Pop-Tarts. "Lucky for you, there's one pack left." 

"So, yay," Darcy said sarcastically. 

"Hope my dad remembers to buy more," said Lyla.

"Anyway...you heard what I just said? Not about Pop-Tarts?"

"Do I want to hear this story?" said Lyla.

"Well, you're gonna hear it whether you want to or not. It was intense and intimate at the same time. I mean..."

"Better than unicorns and glitter," Lyla said caustically, ripping open the foil wrapper.

"Speaking of glitter," said Darcy with attitude. "Of course, Carissa, Nicole, and Emily showed up dressed like strippers. Half-dressed, I should say. Carissa pulled it off, of course."

"Of course."

"But those other two ho's." Darcy stuck her finger in her mouth. "Taking selfies all night to post on their slut pages."

"But you were too busy with your hot makeout sesh to really notice."

"It was kind of a nervous situation at first but then things just started to happen."

"Things?" said Lyla as the Pop-Tarts jumped up from the toaster slots.

"I don't want to get into a whole thing here but let's just say we're definitely compatible."

"So when's the wedding?"

Darcy bit into her toaster pastry. "Got any milk?" she asked.

Lyla opened the refrigerator. "Julian is funny?" she said in disbelief.

"I know, right?" Darcy took another bite. "I would've settled for a hot guy with a rockin' bod. But bonus, he's funny, too. He has that used-to-be-fat-kid sense of humor."

"Is that a thing?"

"Oh, for sure. It's definitely a thing."

Lyla shrugged, taking the milk out of the fridge.

"Oh, yeah," said Darcy. "Anyway, so you wanna hear something creepy?"

"Creepier than Carissa, Emily, and Nicole?" Lyla asked, setting the milk carton on the counter while looking for a glass.

"In the parking lot when we're leaving," Darcy continued. "There was this dude just staring at me. Kinda freaked me out. He totally looked like Keenan."

Lyla couldn't speak. She was numbed by the brutal sensation of decapitation by a chainsaw while her body was filling with molten lava.