* + ✯ + *
It was late at night and I was sitting at the diner's bar with my head in my hands. Besides me, there were only a couple other people still here. Even during day hours, there was never many people in here anyways. That's how it was in a small town.
"See ya'll tomorrow." Sherry said, as the last people left.
Sherry was the owner of the diner, who was standing behind the counter I was seated at. Her parents owned this place in the 60's and now runs it with her daughter, Carrie. Many decades later, and the designs are all still the same, and everything still has that 60's charm.
"It's about time I close up now, Eileen. You can come back tomorrow." She smiled, though I couldn't see her face with my head down.
It felt like I physically couldn't move my body. When I didn't respond, she studied me a moment.
"Why the long face, honey? It's your birthday!"
I was never open to anybody about anything. But Sherry, she was very understanding. And I could use someone like that right now. I've known her all my life and I trusted her.
I shrugged and looked up at her. "I have no where to go."
"What do you mean?"
There was a beat of silence.
"My parents died a few hours ago. The fuzz wants me out of the house, says I'm not old enough to live on my own. I ran here before they could do anything."
Sherry knew my family real well, and was stunned by the information. Either more shocked of what happened to my parents, or that she was unknowingly hiding me here from the cops.
"Oh, honey, are you okay?" She put a hand on my shoulder.
"I am. Thanks."
I didn't know if that was true or not. I really wasn't sure how I was feeling. My parents were something.
I lived in a small two bedroom house with my mother in this little town, Paxico, Kansas. There were hardly any people and most of them were old. A population of 210. We didn't have many buildings and only had one stoplight.
As for my parents, my father was always in jail. Never really home. Once he got out of jail, he always ended up right back in by the next day. Because of that, I didn't really know him.
Did I hate him for that, not really. I hated the decisions he made to spend his entire life in jail. Addiction might do that sometimes. But I wanted so badly to get along with him, especially as a kid. This might be because being around my mother was like suffocating. Addiction might do that too.
She worked hard at multiple jobs when she was able to, to keep our house. And I admired that. At least she was able to do that. I helped her a lot too.
Even then, we still didn't have much. But we got by. The only thing this town gave me was the burning passion to get out of it. I was seventeen now. I knew it was going to happen. I've been wishing on the day since I was old enough to know it.
Sherry turned on the radio that was sitting on the counter. She turned the knobs to the local news station, and a report of Mary and James Weston's deaths played through the speakers.
The reporter gives details about the auto wreck that had killed them. What wasn't mentioned of course, was that my mother was on her way to pick up my dad from jail, despite the fact he would've ended up there again tomorrow.
My dad was slammed and drunk, and probably picked a fight with my mother, causing her to wreck. They were the only people killed. The ones in the car she wrecked into were only injured, thankfully. Nothing worse.
This morning, when I found out my dad was getting out of jail today, the day of my birthday, I felt sort of ecstatic. He would finally be home for one of my birthdays. But what I didn't know was what would happen before he even got home, and that this was the way I would spend tonight.
A lot can happen from the time you wake up in the morning to the time you go to bed again.
I was at the house when I found out. A couple policemen came to the door to tell me the news. Everybody in town knew everybody, so I found out quick.
They told me I was too young to stay there on my own since I was under 21, and asked if I had anyone to call, or somewhere else to stay. Obviously I don't, so I ran all the way to the diner, in my red cowboy boots I'd had since I was fourteen.
Sherry let me stay a while longer while she closed up the place for the night. She even got me a left over slice of bread to eat. While she did dishes, I offered to wipe down the tables and sweep the floor, hoping it would distract me for a while.
Though, I needed to figure out what to do. Tonight. As I cleaned, I was deep in thought and very focused on making a plan.
I have been saving some money from work, hoping it would help me someday. Today must be that day.
I could use it to buy a train ticket. But this was stupid, where would I go?
I thought, it doesn't matter where I go. As long as I'm out of here.
I didn't care I didn't have an entire plan. Once it hit me that I really am getting out of here, today of all days, all on my own with the money I worked for, waves of passion crashed over me.
"I appreciate your help closing up, Eileen, but the police will find you eventually. They're going to help you, honey." Sherry stated.
"I know. But I'm not ending up in a home until I'm eighteen when I can get out of this town right now."
I thanked Sherry for everything and ran out of the diner towards home to get my few things.
I ran as fast as my red boots would carry me with a huge smile on my face. It didn't take me long to reach my house, but once I was standing across the street from it, the smile faded off my face quick. There were two police cars parked out front and two officers standing at the door.
I'd hoped they didn't see me and wanted to turn around and run again but it was too late.
* + ✯ + *
I sat waiting in the police station office as two of the men talked outside the door. I stared blankly at the floor and wished I was smarter about what I had done. I wished none of this ever happened in the first place. I knew better than that.
After what felt like a long time, the two men came back into the office. Officer Johnny, who I knew already, sat down on the chair in front of me with a desk separating us, while the other stood with his arms crossed in the corner behind me.
I knew Officer Johnny from past situations. It's easy to get bored in a dead beat town like this. So I did what would any kid my age would do. Caused some problems for kicks. Johnny was always the one who had to stop me, or take me into the station sometimes. You could say I'm the reason for most of the grey hair on his head.
"Alright. We've looked into your files and your emergency list. Your parents wrote the names, 'Dahlia and Randy Burton.' Just to clarify, you know these people?"
The names weren't familiar at first. But then the memories slowly came to me.
Dahlia and Randy were my parents closest friends. Before Mary and James ruined themselves anyways. They had all went to college together. And their daughter, Este, was a year older than me. Me and her were best friends. But by the time I was seven, I never saw her again.
I hadn't seen them for a decade. But both our parents always said, "If anything ever happened to us, I'd want my daughter to be with you."
Though I wouldn't know what they think of that now. They definitely wouldn't want their daughter with my parents nowadays. I just hoped they didn't think badly of me because of them. If they even remember me.
"Kid?" The cop called.
His voice snapped me out of thought.
"You know them?" He asked again. I nodded my head.
"We have to send you there. Unless you would rather be put in somewhere."
The obvious answer was to go to the Burtons. They lived in Florida and were pretty wealthy from what I remember. But I hesitated because after a decade of no communication, I wasn't sure they would welcome me.
"Um . . . the Burtons?" I finally answered.
"Okay then. We'll need to make a few phone calls first."
And with that, they both left the room again and left me alone.
I thought about old memories with Este. My memory is bad, so I couldn't recall much. But I did know we did everything we could together. She had bright blonde hair and loved the ocean. You couldn't separate the two of us. We were so close. I started to miss it a little as I thought about it.
After another long while, the policemen came back again.
"Everything's settled. Mr. Burton got you a flight to Florida in the morning from the airport out of town. Officer Dan here will give you a ride so you'll make it in time. You have tonight to get your things together." Johnny explained.
I was stunned with the news, there was a lot to take in. I was actually getting out of here. And this plan involved somewhere to go. Florida, I would've never thought. A small grin appeared on my face.
I started to walk out when Officer Johnny stopped me.
"And Kid. I'm sorry about the rough night you had. Good luck in Florida." He smiled. "I'll miss your shenanigans."
"My shenanigans were only fun because you were always there trying to stop me. Luckily for me, that never worked." I teased. He laughed, and I fully walked out.
* + ✯ + *
That night, I go around my bedroom and decide what things to bring with me. I got essentials, and my nicest clothes, which weren't very nice and actually worn and faded. All of this fit into a backpack.
I felt embarrassed to show up to a nice family with no belongings. Especially because they know exactly what I'm coming from.
But I was nervous to see them again. Mostly Este. To see how she's changed, and who she is now. And what she would think of me.
While rummaging through my room, I found an old photograph of my parents when they were young. They looked happy and like they had their life together. It was weird to see them before they got messed up. The photo was faded and a little torn, and I also had no idea how this ended up in my room. It seemed a little convenient, so I put it in my backpacks pocket.
Finally, I had everything I needed together. I lay my backpack which now had my entire life in it by my bedroom door. It was very late in the night by now. With how early I have to leave, I won't even get that much sleep. The night was almost over by now. But I will manage.
I got into bed and turned off my lights. As I stared out the window at the night sky, I began to think about the accident, naturally.
I didn't even cry. Not when I found out, and not now. My eyes were dry as a bone. I felt a little guilty and selfish because of this. It wasn't because I didn't care. I do care. I decided it to be because of my situation.
I never cried. I have always been a closed off and secretive person. I've only cried twice in my life. I couldn't remember what it felt like now. But I realized maybe it will hit me later.
I prepared myself for tomorrow.
* + ✯ + *
I didn't sleep well that night. I tossed and turned a lot. Eventually I gave up and stared out the window waiting for the sun to rise. Once it finally did, I got up and got dressed, then slipped my red boots on.
I searched around the rest of the house for anything else I could take. I looked in cabinet drawers, between the couch cushions, and hidden places for money. I ended up finding seven dollars and a few cents. More than I thought I'd find.
Finally, I grabbed my pocket knife and my lighter. I had no idea what Florida was like, but I never went anywhere without these things around here.
Looking in the last cabinet drawer, I found a more recent photograph of my parents. This one wasn't like the old one I found. In this one, you can see in their face how troubled they were.
In this picture, my Mother was visiting my Father in prison. Seemed to be taken last year. My Mother seemed sad like she didn't want to be there. Or maybe she didn't know she was there. And my Father just looked like he needed a lot of help.
I held the picture up, took my lighter and lit the corner of the photograph on fire. I watched as it spread across the picture and burned.
Then there was a heavy knock on the door.
"Eileen Weston. It's officer Dan. Time to go." A voice from outside called.
Damn.
I blew out the small fire that was left and dropped the remains of the picture.
I don't have time to do anything else.
I quickly grabbed my bag and met the officer outside.
"Ready, kid?" He asked.
I looked behind me for the last time and realized no one was seeing me leave. I'm ready.
"Yeah." I grinned. then followed him to his police car.
I've waited my whole life to leave Paxico, Kansas.