She is so cute when she wears the face of confusion. “I make my lasagna with squash, carrots, mushrooms, and zucchini in place of the meat…and I use ricotta cheese instead of cottage cheese. Trust me, it’ll be good.”
She scrunches her nose while she thinks it over. Shrugging a shoulder, she says, “Okay. I like the sound of your meat alternative, but please skip the mushrooms.” She leans her elbows on the kitchen island and watches me with wild curiosity.
I sift through the contents of the fridge, I will have to go shopping in order to make this for her. Pulling out the basket of strawberries, I set them in front of her. “Snack on these, I have to run to the store for the ingredients. I won’t be long and I’ll start dinner as soon as I return.”
Makayla picks up the carton of strawberries. “Okay.” Picking up a strawberry, she bites the tip and licks the red juice from her lips. “Don’t forget to leave the mushrooms at the store.”
“Yes, ma’am.”
She wrinkles her nose at me. “What? Do I look like a thirty-year-old woman with a librarian’s bun and glasses? I’m not a ma’am.” Taking another bite of her strawberry, she goes to the living room to watch television.
I smile and shake my head as I get back in my car and head to the store.
Chapter Thirty-One
Makayla
Eryc moves about my kitchen like he has lived here his whole life. Which I guess is kind of true, he spent more time here as a kid than he did at his own house. Noodles are boiling in a large pot, homemade sauce is simmering in another, and he is slicing the vegetables. I offered to help but he poured a glass of orange juice, handed it to me, and told me to sit and relax. So that is exactly what I am doing.
The front door opens and closes with a loud bang.
“Sis?” Thaddeus’s heavy boots thud against the hardwood floor as he walks toward the kitchen.
Fear of mom’s health declining has me standing and rushing to meet my brother at the entry to the kitchen.
Thaddeus looks over my shoulder where Eryc is standing at the stove. He raises his brow then turns his ice-blue eyes back to me. “I’m glad you’re here.” Making his way to the dining room table, he sits and rolls his neck.
“Thad, is mom okay?”
In response to my question, Eryc comes to stand beside me. Clutching his arm, I silently beg God for good news. Mom seemed to be doing so much better last night and I just assumed she was on the mend.
Thaddeus looks from me to where I am holding onto Eryc. Seconds pass by like hours and I can feel panic creeping in.
My brother steeples his fingers before meeting my worried gaze. “Yes, mom is fine. I spoke with the doctor in charge of mom’s care, as well as the surgeon. They said she’s recovering faster than they expected. Vitals look good and they will be moving her to rehab in a few days.”
Relief surges through me, releasing the fear and tension from my body. Tremors fill me from the sudden release and I squeeze Eryc’s arm. “Thank God.” My mom is going to be okay. Yes, she will be in rehab until she is strong enough to come home, but she is alive and well.
This is exactly the miracle I prayed for the night of her accident.
Turning, I release Eryc’s arm and wrap my arms around him in a hug. His arms slowly come around me. I know he moves slowly because he is afraid of startling me or setting off memories and causing a panic attack. I’m thankful for that. Without thinking, I stand on my tiptoes and lean forward to kiss his cheek.
Unfortunately, I miss his cheek. I miss because when I pull away from him, he turns to look at me, so when my lips land, they touchdown right smack on his mouth.
That small contact with his soft, warm lips ignite a spark in the pit of my stomach. Unlike the icky feeling I got when Brandt would kiss me, this little mouth-to-mouth contact warms me like a thick comfy blanket in the dead of winter.
Then I remember that Thaddeus is in the room and embarrassment heats my face.
I release Eryc and step back as far as I can with his arms still around me. “I’m so sorry, Eryc. I didn’t mean to—” Casting my gaze downward, I stare at the spot between our feet.
Eryc’s arms loosen around me and his hand comes to rest on my shoulder. Using his other hand, he tips my chin up. “It’s fine, Kay.” A smile appears on his face and his eyes seem to stare into the depths of my soul.
There is something in his brown pools; kindness, compassion, and something else I can’t quite decipher. When Thaddeus coughs, Eryc drops his hands and goes back to cutting vegetables.
Thaddeus stands and crosses his arms, a smirk set on his face. Leaning close to me and lowering his voice, he says, “Something has changed between you two. Serious vibes are coming off you both, in massive waves.” He winks and then walks away.
I rush to follow him down the hallway. “What are you talking about?”
He stops next to the staircase. “What I’m saying, sis, is that it looks as though love is in the air.”
Love? What in the world would make my brother think love is in the air? My accidental kiss with Eryc?
“Oh, my word!” I glace back to make sure Eryc isn’t lurking around in hearing distance. “There is nothing romantic going on between the two of us. Do I love him? Well, yeah, just like I love you and mom and Rene.” There is no way I am going to admit that that accidental kiss warmed me in ways I have never felt with another guy, in ways I look forward to feeling again.
His brow raises. “Mmhmm. Keep telling yourself that.”
“Oh, my word, brother. I think you’ve fallen off your rocker.”
“You know, no one would think differently of you if the two of you did have a thing for each other.” He points toward the kitchen where Eryc is still cooking. “I mean, the two of you have been best friends since kindergarten, right?”
“Longer, but yeah.”
Leaning on the staircase post, Thaddeus crosses his feet. “All I’m saying is that it’s natural that you guys would eventually fall in love.”
“Would you shut up, Thad?” I put my finger to my lips as an illustration for him to zip his lip. “And keep your voice down.” I take a step back and glance down the hallway, toward the kitchen, to make sure Eryc hadn’t overheard.
It doesn’t appear that he had. He is standing at the island layering the lasagna in a casserole dish.
Thaddeus chuckles. “Sure, whatever you say, sis. Mark my words though, I can smell love a brewin’.” Then he releases the post and moseys up the stairs.
He can smell love a brewin’?
What the ever-loving frack?
Has it really only been one week since my mom transferred to the rehab facility? It feels like it has been years. The house isn’t the same without her here. I miss her fresh baked muffins and the weekend movie marathons. Yes, Eryc has spent every minute of his free time here keeping me company, and I will be eternally grateful for that, but sometimes a girl just needs her momma.
Being home alone sucks. Thaddeus practically lives at the rehab center with mom, when he is not drinking himself into a coma that is. Eryc is a gem, he drives me to see mom every day after school.
Instead of attending classes at EC High, our teachers are continuing to email us the power points and assignments. As long as Thaddeus and I turn in all assignments by Friday each week, we are free to complete our classes online.
Mr. Wilson, our principle, even went as far as to find a tutor to stop by the house every evening to help us.
My favorite daytime soap is playing on the television and I glimpse up from my laptop to see the return of my favorite character, Jason Morgan. It’s about time they brought him back on the show. He is the classic bad boy, mobster hitman that everyone loves.
Returning my attention back to my laptop, I type into the search engine. I’m glad no one is home, it gives me time to do my research. Scrolling through my searches, I see what I’m looking for. Women’s RS Clinic. This is the only clinic in Tulsa that performs abortions.
Punching the
phone number into my cell phone, I give them a call.
Ring.
My heartbeat accelerates a notch.
Ring.
A lump grows in my throat and I swallow it down.
Ring.
Sweat coats my hands and I am starting to panic. This is the scariest thing I have ever done.
Ring.
“Women’s RS Clinic, how may I help you?”
I pull the cell phone away from my ear, my finger hovering over the end call button. This is scary business. Before I end the call, I gather my nerve and put the phone back to my ear to answer her. “Hello. I’d like to make an appointment.”
“I’m assuming that since you’re calling this clinic, you’re pregnant and looking to terminate?” The woman’s voice is neither friendly nor hateful, she sounds more unemotional than anything.
“Yes, ma’am.” I wipe my sweaty hands on my jeans. The stickiness on my palms grosses me out.
“Have you been here before?” Her robotic voice causes sweat to coat my hands again.
“No, ma’am.”
I can hear her typing before she speaks. “I have an opening for a consultation in an hour, would you like to schedule that?”
“Yes, please.”
“We’ll see you at two o’clock.” She hangs up before I can say bye.
My half-eaten sandwich is lying on a napkin on the coffee table but I no longer hold an appetite. Fear of the unknown has my nerves on edge and my stomach in knots. Closing my laptop, I set it on the coffee table and gather my sandwich to throw it away. It’s early enough that if I leave now, I will miss Eryc and the lecture he is sure to give me.
The last thing I want to hear is how selfish this makes me, or how I will regret doing it, or how I will be disappointing God.
This is my life and my body. Besides he has no clue how having Brandt’s baby, or babies, rather, would be a living nightmare for me. One I would never be able to escape.
The sound of a car door shutting draws my attention to the window and I pull the curtain back. Eryc is in front of his car, head down and pacing. His lips are moving and I look for a cell phone or a headset but don’t see any. Maybe he is talking to himself. As if he can sense me watching, he lifts his head and looks right at me. A smile curves his lips and he heads toward the front door.
What is he doing here? I was hoping to leave before school got out so I could avoid him and his lecturing. “Well, crap.”
Knock, knock.
Not waiting for me to answer, he opens the door and lets himself in like he owns the place. “Hey, Kay. How are you feeling?” He shuts the door and looks me over from head to toe.
How am I feeling?
Confusion causes me to furrow my brows. “I’m fine. Other than this wretched morning sickness I’m doing all right. Why are you here? Shouldn’t you be in school?”
He raises his hand ever so slowly. His knuckles brush along my cheek and rest on my jaw. “I just felt like you needed me so I left and came straight here. Are you sure you’re okay?”
“You shouldn’t have skipped school to come check on me.” I twirl a lock of hair around my finger, one of my many nervous habits. “I’m fine, Eryc. I promise.”
Now please leave so I can go to this dang appointment without your knowledge.
“I couldn’t stay there with this nagging dread that you needed me.” He rests his forehead against mine.
Being this close to Eryc, I want to stand on my toes and press my lips to his. I want that warm fuzzy feeling that I got last time I accidentally kissed him. He doesn’t know this but all of these small affectionate touches, and him constantly taking care of me, are only deepening my feelings for him.
Thaddeus may have been right about love being in the air, except I doubt Eryc will ever return my love. Who in their right mind would love me after everything that happened with Brandt and now this pregnancy? I am doomed to be lonely for the rest of my life.
Cupping his face in both hands, I lean back, breaking the connection between our foreheads. The temptation to kiss him is strong. Closing my eyes, I inhale a cleansing breath and let it out before speaking softly. “I need to leave.” Avoiding his gaze, I focus on his lips. Of its own accord, my thumb traces his bottom lip. “Promise me that you’ll still be here when I get back.”
“Of course, Kay.” His gaze sweeps over me, studying me. “I’ll be here when you get back.”
During the time that Eryc and I have been rebuilding our friendship, I realize that I am falling in love with this guy. So much so that my heart will never belong to another. “I won’t be long.”
Releasing his face, I turn and leave before I chicken out and stay here with the only man who will ever hold my heart.
The consultation with the nurse was confusing as all could be. I didn’t understand half of what she said. But that is what I have come to understand about nurses and doctors, they speak their own language and forget that the rest of the world has no clue what they are talking about. Before I left the office, we set up an appointment for next week.
The appointment.
Exiting from highway 169 onto 11th street, I stop at Quiktrip to fill my gas tank. The gas pumps are all occupied so I park behind a truck at the last pump. I dig through my purse and discover I have zero cash. My gaslight is on E and I’m not sure I have enough gas in the tank to make it home. It would be my luck to get a block from my house and then my car would die. Reaching over the console, I open the glovebox. Sometimes I will throw cash in there.
As I dig through the contents, I discover a five-dollar bill. “Yes.” This will definitely get me home. Once I pull it free, a knock on the window draws my attention. Looking over, I see a young man standing there with a smile on his face.
I crack my window open, I never open fully for strangers. “Can I help you?”
He shuffles from side to side. “I was wondering if you had a couple bucks to spare? I just need enough gas to make it home.”
“No, I’m sorry.” Thoroughly weirded out, I roll up the window and wait for him to walk away.
The truck in front of me leaves and I pull forward, shut off the engine, and exit the car. I glance up at the number on the pump then go inside to prepay. QuikTrip is busy but the employees are quick and efficient at getting the customers taken care of. On my way to the car, the hairs on the back of my neck stand on end and dread fills me.
Scanning the area, I don’t see anything out of place and that creepy guy is nowhere in sight. Pushing the paranoia down, I twist the cap off the gas tank and fill the car with my measly five dollars’ worth of gas.
It doesn’t take long for the gas to reach the limit and shut off. Capping the tank, I shut the little metal cover and crawl back into my car. As I place the key into the ignition, the passenger door opens and that creepy guy slides into the seat with a gun aimed at my side.
Oh, God, please help me.
“Do what I say and you won’t get hurt. You got me?” Terror overwhelms me and my stomach knots up. The cold metal of the gun presses into my side. “Ya got me?”
Fear for my life has me nodding like a frantic fool. Who would have thought my life could get any worse than it already was?
“Put it in gear and drive normally.”
Doing as I am told, I pull onto 11th street and drive as normally as I can with the gun biting into my side.
“Turn left on Garnett.” Flipping the blinker to signal my turn, I stop at the red light. A cop car stops next to us and he leans back in his seat but keeps the gun pressed into my side. “Don’t even think about getting his attention. I’ll shoot you dead.”
Tears are free flowing down my face but I make no move to gain the attention of the police officer. Silently, I pray for the officer to look over and see the gun, but he doesn’t so much as glance in our direction. The light turns green and I merge onto Garnett with no sign of the police following me.
Fear ripples through me at the thought of this crazy lunatic doing ungodly things to m
y body. As horrid images flick through my mind, a thought occurs to me. I can ram my car into another vehicle. Up ahead is a large diesel truck. Opportunity knocks when the guy beside me turns in his seat to look out the back window.
Pressing down on the accelerator, I ram my car into the back of the truck ahead of me. We hit with a bang and the crazy loon, who is not wearing a seatbelt, flies forward. His head hits my windshield with a crack and I collide with the airbag. Time is ticking, I need to get out here before this guy gathers himself and shoots me.
The airbag takes forever to deflate and moaning meets my ears as Mr. Crazy stirs.
Hurry up, already.
This airbag is taking its sweet time deflating. It isn’t long before my door opens and a baritone voice asks if I’m alright.
“Yes, get me out of here.”
Shoving the now deflated airbag out of the way, the burly man pulls me out of the car and inspects me. “Are you sure you’re alright?”
As I open my mouth to answer and beg him to get me to safety, a loud bang resonates in the air and an object hisses next to my ear. Not understanding what is happening, I clutch my rescuer and urge him away from here.
His eyes meet mine for a brief second and then he collapses. It’s now that I spot the crimson seeping from his chest and staining the pavement. He has been shot. Panic sets in and I jump over the body and run for the truck in front of me.
Just as I reach the rear of the truck, an arm snakes around my waist and cold metal presses against my temple. “I told you to do as I say and you wouldn’t get hurt. Maybe now you’ll listen to what you’re told.” His voice is menacing and fear ripples through me in massive waves. “Say your prayers, brat.”
Closing my eyes, something unexpected happens. The image of my ultrasound photo is crystal clear in my mind’s eye. Those two little peanut size babies stare back at me, seizing my soul. For the first time, I fear for their safety. When this man pulls the trigger, it’s not only my life that will end, theirs will end as well.
For a moment, I wonder what they will look like. Will they have my auburn hair and green eyes, will they have Thaddeus’s blonde hair and blues eyes, or will they look like a good mix of Brandt and me? Are they boys, girls, or one of each?
Pieces of Me Page 15
