by Casey Peeler
“Daddy, this is Walker. He’s in my biology class, and you know Jimmy and James.”
“It’s nice to meet you. I’m Mike Jackson.” He turns to her. “I’m about to start my first set. Make sure you get home by ten.”
“Okay, Daddy,” she says as she stands and hugs him. I eye her long legs as her shorts ride north when she wraps her arms around his neck. As he turns to leave, she takes her seat.
“Your dad was awesome Friday night,” I say.
“Thanks.”
“But you were amazing,” I finish, and a blush creeps up her face.
“It’s what I do,” she replies. “Y’all want anything else?” she asks as she stands and takes the trays. I help her carry the trays back to the bar. Darren is behind the bar and throws his head back to say hey as we approach.
Her dad’s band begins to play some classic rock, and after another round of pool, Jimmy and James are ready to go. I hate the fact I have to leave, but then it’s as if she can read my mind when she says, “I can drop you off on my way home if you wanna stay, Walker.” Thinking about where she’s going to have to take me, I’m leery, but the desire to learn more about her wins the battle.
“Are you sure?” I question.
“Sure. As long as you don’t live too far and I’m home by ten. Daddy would kill me.”
“Nah, only about five minutes from here,” I say. She can take me home, but there’s no way in hell she’s ever stepping foot in that house. Jimmy and James leave, and I finally have Chauna Jackson’s full attention.
Chapter 8
Chauna
After Jimmy and James leave, we settle in at the bar near Paige and Darren. They both stop by, and I learn that Darren had met him last Friday. As Daddy plays “Turn the Page,” I want to sing and dance. Taking Walker by the hand, I lead him to the dance floor, wrap my arms around him, and sing as loudly as possible. When the last note is played, I let my arms fall from Walker’s neck and to my sides.
“Well, I didn’t see that coming. Who knew you’d be a classic rock girl?” he says with a smile.
“It runs in the family,” I say with a wink, as we take a seat at the bar again. Glancing at the clock, I know I’ve got to get ready to go, but I’m trying to wait for Daddy to have a break. I need to let him know I’m dropping Walker off.
Just as I’m about to let Paige know instead, they wrap up their set. Excusing myself, I walk toward him.
“Hey, Daddy, I’m getting ready to go, but I’m going to drop Walker off at his house.” Daddy stiffens. “Jimmy and James left, and he doesn’t have his bike.”
“I don’t like this one bit. You don’t even know this kid. You can take him home, but you better call Boondocks as soon as you get home. Do you understand me?” he says sternly.
“Yes, Daddy. I promise,” I say as I hug him and turn back to Walker who is standing with one arm propped up against the bar counter.
“You ready?” I question.
“If you are,” he says, and we tell Paige and Darren goodbye. Walker hurries ahead of me to open the door. I reply with a thanks and point out my truck.
The entire way to Walker’s house, tension fills the air. I’m not sure if it’s because we are alone or if there’s something he’s afraid to tell me. As he gives me directions to the house, I know I’m going toward the old mill. My heart hurts as I drive past the abandoned mill. I think about my grandparents and others who used to live near it and work there. It was once a thriving, happy place when I went to visit often after Mama died, but now it’s run-down and sad.
After a few moments of awkward silence, I decide to tell him a little about me. “I’ve been to the mill a gazillion times.”
“Really?” he asks in shock.
“Yeah, I mean, not now because it’s closed, but when I was little that’s where my grandparents worked. My daddy used to take me to visit them during their lunch break when I was a kid. Everyone in town worked there, even my parents did at some point in their lives. Then one big shot decides he needs more money in his pocket and shuts it down to take it overseas.”
“What did the people here do?” he questions.
“They paid people off. What’s it called… oh, a severance package? Some found new jobs in another town, and if you could retire you did. That’s what my grandparents did.”
“That sucks. I mean, retirement is supposed to be because you want it, right?” I nod my head yeah. “So, what’s your mom do while your dad’s at Boondocks?” Walker asks, and I feel my chest tighten.
“Um, she’s passed,” I say quietly because I don’t know what else to say.
“I’m so sorry, Chauna. If I’d known, I wouldn’t have said anything,” he says.
“I know, but it’s okay. She passed away when I was four. She was sick. She needed a lung transplant and didn’t get one in time.”
Walker sits quietly for a moment then places his hand on my leg innocently. “I’m so sorry, Chauna.” In that moment, I think he can hear my heart beating out of my chest. He’s genuine, caring, and it’s been a long time since someone made me feel anything.
After passing Ivan’s Imports, we turn right, and he points out his house on the next corner. My heart breaks as I look at the small house that would look abandoned except for the light peeking from one room.
“You can just let me out here. I’ll walk the rest of the way,” he says.
“Nah, I can’t do that to ya,” I say.
“Fine, but don’t get out of the truck, okay?” I nod because there’s no way I would at night. As I pull the truck up to his house, he places his hand on the handle then pauses. “Thanks for bringing me home. I had a good time. Still good for tomorrow?”
“Of course!” I say.
“The only places I’ve seen are the shop where my dad works, school, Boondocks, and the lake.”
With a laugh, I say, “There isn’t much else to see, but when do you want to meet?”
“How about we just meet right after school?” he suggests.
“Works for me,” I say. As he opens the door, I call his name. “Walker, I had fun tonight.”
“Me, too,” he replies with a smile as he shuts the passenger door and looks in before walking toward his front door.
Walker
The moment she says those words, I know I have to make it out of this hellhole. Something about this girl gives me hope that I can make it out of here. I just have to make it until I’m eighteen and pray the runs are smooth and infrequent.
Climbing the steps, I quietly make my way inside. My parents are passed out on the couch. Walking to the kitchen, I grab a cup and turn on the faucet for a drink of water before going to bed.
Lying in my old bed, thoughts of Chauna fill my mind until I finally drift off to sleep. My phone buzzing on my nightstand awakens me. Crap.
“Hello,” I say in a rough voice.
“It’s time, Walker. Meet at the shop in an hour.”
I stir from my bed, take a quick shower, and head downstairs to meet my dad. Without a word, we exit the house, fire up our bikes, and make our way to the shop.
Ivan, Jimmy, and James are there to greet us when we arrive.
“Glad you could make it,” Ivan says to me as I acknowledge him with a nod.
“Jimmy’s got the car ready. Walker, you’re going to meet your old man at the pick-up location in an hour. Here’s the address,” he says as he hands me a small piece of paper. “Once it’s loaded, you will be the lookout for him. You need to run about a mile ahead and be on the lookout for any pigs you see.”
“Yes, sir.”
“Troy, the run should go smoothly. You’ll load it in the hidden compartment in the trunk,” he says as he walks to the back of the old car and shows us where it is. “Walker, go ahead and get ready to go. It will be daylight when you return.” Really? They are that bold? “I know what you’re thinking, but it’s genius running in the daylight ’cause no one will expect it. I’ve got to get this out to the distributors before t
onight.”
Without another word, I motion toward Dad and get on my bike. Revving the engine, I peel out of Ivan’s Imports and drive west. I would never have thought that running moonshine would be paying the bills.
Taking the winding road, I finally arrive at the address. My nerves are on end as I pull up to an old house with a single-wide trailer attached to it. Everything is quiet, and it looks like it’s abandoned. I begin to think I’m at the wrong address, but when I kill the engine, I see an old guy open the door and walk toward me. I just hope I don’t hear banjo music, because if I do, I’m outta here.
“Son, can I help you?” he asks.
“Ivan sent me.”
“Ah, nice bike there. Bet it was a pretty penny. How’s a kid like you have money for that?”
“It wasn’t in this shape when I got her. I had to rebuild her and give her a new paint job as well.”
“Come on in while we wait. Let me show you what I’ve got for y’all,” he says as he begins to walk toward the shack. I silently follow.
As I step inside, I’m amazed at how much nicer it is than the outside. It doesn’t look as run- down, and I realize it must be a cover for their operation. Opening a door, we walk down steps into a basement, and I wonder if I’m about to die. Isn’t this how all horror movies start? As he pulls the chain to turn on the light, I’m speechless at the amount of bottles lining the shelves. Holy crap! I’ve never seen that much shine in my life! At this point, I realize this is more serious than I had thought.
“Son, close your mouth. All of this isn’t being transported today, but it does belong to Ivan, so get ready for more runs. We’ve got white, peach, pineapple, apple pie, and blackberry for starters. Wanna try it?”
“Nah, I’m good, but thanks.”
At the sound of another vehicle, we make our way back upstairs, and he peeks out to see it’s my dad. We load the shine in the hidden compartment. This operation is bigger than I imagined, and I pray we don’t get caught. The sun is on the rise, and as Dad closes the trunk, he gives me directions and passes me a walkie-talkie. If there is any sign of the police or anything out of the ordinary, I’m to radio him. I leave five minutes before him and return to Barber. Luckily for me, if I get stopped, I’m clean, but Dad, not so much.
With the sun high in the sky, my mind wanders to Chauna, and it hits me… She’s supposed to show me around today. Once I’m done with this, I’m going to school. No way am I missing an afternoon with her.
Chapter 9
Chauna
At the sound of my alarm clock, my eyes fly open. It’s Friday, which means not only is it almost the weekend, but it’s also the day I show Walker around town. My mind begins to race as I make a mental list of where to take him.
Tossing the covers off my body, I jump into the shower and get ready for the day. I take a little extra time to get ready today and even add a little lipstick. Popping my lips, I put everything away and grab breakfast before I leave. The aroma of fresh brewed coffee fills the air. Daddy’s awake. As I enter the kitchen, I’m caught off guard when I see Daddy fixing a plate of eggs, bacon, and toast.
“Mornin’, Daddy,” I say.
“Mornin’,” he replies with a smile.
“Any reason for all this today?”
“Nah, just wanted time with my sweet girl before you went to school and make sure everything was okay last night.”
“Yeah, everything was fine. Darren told you I called, right?” I ask with a mouth full of toast.
“He did.” We both sit and eat quietly. “I’m just going to put this out there. We’ve always been open with each other. There’s something about that guy that I can’t put my finger on.”
“But, Daddy, what about giving everyone a chance?” He stops me before I can continue.
“I believe everyone should have a fair chance, which is why I’m telling you to just be careful. Where does he live?”
“Down past the old mill,” I reply. His eyes widen as he spews his coffee onto the table.
“What? You went there after dark?”
“Daddy, I didn’t know where he lived until we started driving,” I say honestly because I had no clue.
“That’s what I’m talking about, Chauna. You have to be careful around a boy like that. Did you not see that shiner he had?”
“Dad, he got it workin’ on a car,” I state.
“Ummhummm… I bet,” Dad says, not believing a word of it.
“Daddy, you really don’t think he’s tellin’ the truth?”
“Not a kid like that. I’ve seen his people in the bar. I wouldn’t put it past them to do something like that to him.” My heart hurts thinking about how anyone could harm another human being, especially your own flesh and blood. Dad must read what I’m thinking and changes the subject back to me. “You really should have asked before you left, and I would have had someone ride out with you.”
“Well, he wouldn’t let me get out of the truck, and I kept the doors locked.”
“From this point on, I don’t want you going to that part of town after dark. It’s not like it was when your grandparents lived there. Beth’s dad is always telling me about the things that go on there. If he ever needs a ride home after dark, you let me know. Do you understand me?”
“Yes, sir.”
“Now, what have you got going on today?”
“Well, I’m supposed to take Walker on a tour of the town. Is that still okay?”
Daddy pauses before answering. “Yes. Just be careful. I hate to judge a book by its cover, but I don’t like the group of bikers that rode into town with him. They haven’t done anything yet, but I’m keeping my eyes on them at Boondocks. Make sure you are home by supper and call me if something comes up.”
“Yes, sir,” I say as I give him a hug and tell him I love him.
When I get to school, there is no sign of Walker. As I make my way to biology, I hope that the uneasy feeling I have is wrong. When the tardy bell rings and there’s still no sign of him, I start to worry. I hope and pray nothing happened at home, especially after seeing him with that bruise. I try to focus on Mr. Wall and attempt to take notes, but my thoughts drift to Walker. Wonder where he is? I hope he’s okay. Maybe he’ll still show up after school. As the bell rings for the end of the day, I slide my notebook into my backpack and walk to my truck.
I talk to Ally, Beth, and Logan about our plans for Boondocks tonight and the lake party tomorrow. One by one they go home, and when it’s only Logan and me, I realize I’ve been stood up. My eyes start to water, and Logan puts his arm around my shoulders.
“Chauna, he’s not worth it,” he says, trying to comfort me.
“How can you say that? Did you not see that bruise he had? What if something bad happened?”
“I’m sure he’s okay. I’m sure it’s not the first time,” Logan states like it’s an everyday occurrence.
“How dare you be that judgmental? You don’t even know him,” I fire back.
“And you do?” he counters.
“Well, just because he wears a leather jacket and rides a motorcycle, y’all think you know what he’s like. How would you like to start a new school at the end of the year? I’m sure that if he isn’t here he has a good reason. At least I’m giving him a fair shot, and you should, too.” I slam the door and leave Logan standing in the parking lot.
Walker
The ride to Barber is uneventful and almost too easy. It doesn’t take long for me to realize that my day isn’t going to be normal. Not only do we have to stock Ivan’s secret room, I have to let his customers know the shipment has arrived. When I realize I’m not going to school today, I’m disappointed that I won’t get to see Chauna or go on the tour, and I have no way of letting her know. She’s going to think I stood her up.
I hide my disappointment and keep moving bottle after bottle. When we’re finished, Dad goes into Ivan’s office, and Jimmy calls me over to help him change the oil in a Camry. About a half hour later, Ivan opens the
door to his office and calls me in.
“Walker, we have a new distributor in town, and I need you to make sure it gets there safely. This could be a major account for us and make us all a lot of money. So let’s do this quickly and unnoticed. I need you to take what’s left to Darren at Boondocks.” With those last few words, my heart hits the floor. Boondocks is involved in this? “You need to get it there before they open, so get what’s in that old piece and put it in Jimmy’s Tahoe and head out. He goes there a lot, so it won’t look suspicious. You’re in charge of this. If you do a good job, there may be a little extra in it for you. Now, I need to talk to Troy a little while longer. You call me when you’re done.”
“Yes, sir.” Jimmy tosses me the keys and goes back to work. I always wanted my own money, but not like this. I feel like there is a lot my dad isn’t telling me, and I’m afraid to ask. I crank up the Tahoe and say a little prayer as I drive to Boondocks.
Pulling into the parking lot, I see two cars and can only assume that it’s Darren and the other bartender. I pull around back and knock on the door. Darren looks confused when he sees me.
“Ivan sent me,” I state. Darren opens the door wider, and just like that, my world changes. Boondocks is no longer an innocent refuge where I can get away from my father and spend time with Chauna. It now holds a piece of my present that could destroy Chauna’s future.
Chapter 10
Chauna
The entire ride home, I wonder what might have happened to Walker and why he wasn’t at school today. He could have at least called or something. Oh, wait. Does he even have my number? All of these questions and scenarios race through my brain, and as I pull in my driveway, I know that I’m not going to get them answered.
I notice Daddy’s truck isn’t here. As I walk into the kitchen, I see a note saying he’s gone to Boondocks early. Now that I have a little time to myself, I watch CMT before getting ready for Boondocks.
Pulling into my usual spot, I quickly check my makeup and hurry inside. As I walk through the front door, I feel at home. This is where I belong. It’s where I see myself singing on the weekends and working here when I turn eighteen. Some girls dream about living in a castle with a prince. I dream of a stage, country music, and doing what I love each and every day. I can see myself ten years from now, running orders behind the bar by night and keeping the business up and running from the office by day.
