Turning back around, Georgia began to walk home, her thoughts returning to her father’s warning.
Chapter 20
The Lie
Four Summers Ago
Landon heard the back door slam as Maddox took off into the night. He stood in his dad’s study alone, his feet rooted to the ground as the sirens loomed closer. Although he was relieved that Maddox had escaped, he was paralyzed with fear knowing he would inevitably be caught for Maddox’s crime. He felt numb, as if he were trapped in a horrible nightmare that he couldn’t wake up from.
Landon leaned down and picked up his dad’s pistol, running his hands over the smooth barrel. As he checked to make sure the safety was on, the flash of red and blue lights reflected on the window, catching his attention. Landon watched the lights grow brighter as more police cars arrived. He took a deep breath. He knew he couldn’t run now.
“Put your hands up!” he heard a police officer bellow into the house from the front door.
Setting the gun down gently, Landon put his hands up and waited.
The next few seconds were a blur to Landon as the police stormed his dad’s house and found him in the study. They quickly handcuffed him and led him outside to the front porch. As Landon stood there, handcuffed and surrounded by a number of policemen, he felt as if he were adrift in a dense fog, unknowing as to what his fate would be.
“Landon Young?” a stern voice asked.
Caught off guard, Landon nearly jumped. He looked up to see Sheriff Summer standing in front of him. He was a fearsome sight in his uniform and cowboy hat.
Sheriff Summer squinted at Landon, his dark eyes scrutinizing him. “So, you broke into your dad’s house, huh?” he asked.
Landon paused, closing his eyes briefly. As much as he didn’t want to lie, he knew he had to protect Maddox. He opened his eyes again and nodded.
Sheriff Summer gazed at Landon, puzzlement written all over his face. “Son, why in the hell would you do a thing like this?” He wrinkled his dark brow as he waited for an explanation from Landon.
Landon racked his brain for an answer. He opened his mouth to respond, but was interrupted.
“Landon!” a familiar voice called out.
Landon and Sheriff Summer looked in the direction from where they had heard the voice. Landon could see his dad now, striding across the yard in his dark suit, his expression confused as he took in the sight of the Willow Creek Police Force on his front porch.
“What’s going on?” Dr. Young demanded as he came up the porch steps. He stopped abruptly when he saw his son in handcuffs, surrounded by policemen. “Landon?” he asked disbelievingly, his eyes wide.
Landon hung his head and looked down at his feet, unable to withstand the shame and guilt he felt. He couldn’t bear to look his father in the eyes.
“Got a call from a concerned neighbor, Dr. Young,” Sheriff Summer said. He crossed his arms over his chest. “Said they heard the glass break next door, and when we showed up we found Landon here.” He paused, and then added, “Along with your gun, David.”
Dr. Young shook his head slowly, not wanting to believe his son would do such a thing. His eyes roamed over to the broken windowpanes in the door, and then back to his son. “Is it true, Landon?” he asked quietly. “Did you break into my house?”
Landon continued to stare down at the wooden porch. He finally lifted his head and looked at his dad. The pain and disappointment etched into his dad’s face was excruciating to look at. Landon swallowed the lump in his throat. “Yes,” he lied. “I did.”
Dr. Young put the back of his hand over his mouth and shook his head, closing his eyes for a moment.
Landon felt hot tears prick his eyes as he watched his dad. He had never meant to cause his dad any suffering or pain. He hadn’t meant for any of this to happen.
Sheriff Summer eyed Landon carefully. “So tell us, Landon. Why did you break into your dad’s place tonight?”
Landon’s eyes darted nervously between his dad and Sheriff Summer. What lie would they believe? His mind raced with possible scenarios. “I-I-I…” he stammered. Finally, an answer came to him. “I needed my dad’s gun,” he said slowly.
Sheriff Summer raised his eyebrows, and Dr. Young stared at his son.
“I needed it for the cash,” Landon said quickly. “For my move to Boston…with Emmarie,” he added, glancing at his dad.
“You were going to sell it? For cash?” Sheriff Summer asked. He sounded skeptical.
Landon nodded. He looked over to his dad, who was still staring at him in disbelief.
“And that’s why you broke into my house?” Dr. Young asked, squinting at Landon. “Why didn’t you just ask me for the money?”
“You would have never given it to me, dad,” Landon answered. He clenched his hands against the cuffs, feeling the metal bite into his wrists. He hated himself for what he was about to say next, but he had to paint a more convincing picture if he wanted to protect Maddox. “You made that clear last night when you said you would never endorse my decision to leave with Emmarie.”
Dr. Young’s mouth parted slightly with shock as he gaped at Landon. Landon may as well have stabbed him in the heart.
Sheriff Summer cleared his throat. “Landon, I think you should wait in the car.” He signaled to a police officer, who came over and took Landon’s arm. “Get rid of those, too,” Sheriff Summer said, pointing to the handcuffs.
The officer quickly undid Landon’s handcuffs.
“Are you taking him to the station?” Dr. Young asked. His voice sounded panicked now.
Sheriff Summer didn’t answer Dr. Young. Instead, he nodded to the police officer and the officer tugged at Landon’s arm.
Landon followed the officer down the front walk. As they approached one of the parked police cars, Landon could see all of the neighbors that had come out of their houses along the street to watch the spectacle. The shame and embarrassment he felt for his dad was torturous. Landon looked back over his shoulder again to his dad. Dr. Young was already deep in conversation with Sheriff Summer, throwing his hands up with distress as he spoke.
“Wait here,” the officer said to Landon as he held the car door open for him.
Landon slid into the backseat of the police car, and the officer slammed the door shut. He then turned to look at his dad’s house again through the window, his eyes traveling back to his dad and Sheriff Summer.
They were speaking heatedly on the porch still. Sheriff Summer had his arms crossed against his chest while he listened to Dr. Young. Even from a distance, Landon could see that his dad was visibly distraught as he pleaded with the sheriff, desperately trying to get his son out of this mess. Landon felt his eyes well with tears as he watched his dad. He had never wanted to cause his dad this kind of suffering.
Landon watched them for what felt like hours from the police car. Finally, Sheriff Summer motioned to another officer on the porch and turned to speak with him, dipping his head slightly. The officer nodded and looked towards the police car where Landon was. He then came down the steps, making his way over to the car.
Landon squirmed in his seat, wondering what was about to happen. Were they going to take him in now?
The officer came over to the car and opened the door for Landon. Landon looked up at him questioningly.
“Let’s go,” the officer said gruffly. He cocked his head to the side, motioning for Landon to get out.
Landon scrambled out of the car, wondering what this all meant.
The officer tapped Landon’s arm and began to walk back up to the porch. “Come on now,” he said, gesturing in the direction of the house.
Landon followed him. He could feel both Sheriff Summer and his dad’s eyes boring into him as he walked up to the porch to where they both stood.
“Well, Landon Young. Today’s your lucky day,” Sheriff Summer said. He glanced at Dr. Young before continuing. “Your daddy here told me about your lil’ squabble last night. Sounds like the two of you need to
sort a few things out,” he said, his eyebrows raised.
Landon looked over at his dad, who was watching him carefully. Landon nodded hurriedly in agreement.
“So, I’m letting you off here with a warnin', son. This ‘actin' out’ business has gotta stop. You’re a young man now, not a kid,” he told Landon, his tone admonishing.
“Yes, sir,” Landon said quietly. He looked at his dad, wondering what all he had told Sheriff Summer to explain away his son’s behavior. Did his dad really believe that he was ‘acting out’ to get attention?
“You’re sure lucky I know your daddy here real well, son.” Sheriff Summer looked at Dr. Young. The two men had been friends for decades now, and had seen each other through thick and thin. They had raised their children together, with Sheriff Summer’s daughter, Virginia, being in the same graduating class as Landon.
Dr. Young gazed back at the sheriff. As the resident doctor, Dr. Young had taken care of everyone that mattered most to Sheriff Summer, including his wife when she had battled cancer. He had even helped to deliver Sheriff Summer's twin grandbabies mere days ago.
Sheriff Summer turned back to Landon. “I expect you to clean up your act, Landon. If not for your own sake, than at least for your dad's."
Landon nodded. “Yes, sir. I understand.”
It was silent for several moments as the three men looked at each other.
“Well, I best get goin’,” Sheriff Summer said, adjusting his hat. “David,” he said, extending his hand out.
Dr. Young took it and clasped it firmly. “Thank you, Steve,” he said quietly.
They withdrew their hands and Sheriff Summer took a step back, nodding towards Landon. “Landon,” he said curtly. He then turned and left, along with the two remaining officers.
The police cars drove away, and the neighbors slowly wandered back into their homes. As the street became quiet once more, the silence that filled the space between Landon and his father was insufferable. Landon looked down at his worn tennis shoes, his eyes roaming over the broken shards of glass that were still scattered across the porch. He felt beyond ashamed and guilty for causing his dad such anguish. He waited for his dad to say something, but the seconds turned into minutes as they both stood in front of each other.
“I’m sorry, dad,” Landon finally said. Though he knew he was not responsible for the break-in tonight, he couldn’t help but feel completely at fault for causing his dad this agony. Landon looked up at his dad, meeting his eyes.
Dr. Young didn’t say anything. He gazed at Landon, his eyes full of silent disappointment and sadness.
Landon waited for him to get angry, to yell at him, but nothing happened.
Instead, Dr. Young sighed, his eyes falling back down to the ground. Then, putting his hands into his pockets, he went inside, leaving Landon alone on the porch.
Chapter 21
A Surprise Visitor
Georgia heard Millie bark on the other side of the front door as she came up the porch steps. She grabbed the spare key and unlocked the door, letting Millie out. Georgia rubbed her forehead, lost in thought as she watched Millie sniff around the yard, taking her sweet time.
Time. If only she had more of it with Landon. Georgia sighed. In less than a week’s time he would be on a plane back to Afghanistan. And here she was, caught in her own war with her father, the county sheriff, who had forbidden her from seeing Landon.
Georgia sat down on the porch swing. Gently pushing off from the cement, she let the swing glide back and forth. She continued to watch Millie, who absentmindedly sniffed along the flowerbeds, following an unseen trail. Georgia pulled her hair off the nape of her neck, her skin moist from the humidity. It was going to be another scorching summer day. She could barely stand the heat already and it wasn’t even noon.
She stood up from the swing as Millie came up the steps. They both went into the house, thankful for the cool air conditioning that offered them respite from the steamy air outside. Georgia followed Millie into the kitchen, but the blinking red light from the answering machine caught her attention. Georgia looked at it and saw there was one new message that had been left just a few minutes ago. She pushed the ‘PLAY’ button and listened.
“Hey, Georg. It’s me,” it began.
She recognized her dad’s voice. Thankfully he sounded less volatile than he did earlier in the diner.
“Just wanted to let you know that I’ll be home later after dinner, probably around seven or eight tonight.” He paused. “You’re probably still at the diner workin,’ but just wanted to let you know so you wouldn’t worry. Anyways, I’ll see you later. Love you.”
As the recording ended, Georgia felt a rush of guilt for rejecting his cautionary words earlier, knowing her dad had acted out of love and concern towards her. But, still resolved in her feelings about Landon, she just didn’t agree with her dad. She couldn’t. She knew Landon differently.
Standing in the doorway of the kitchen, she held her arms overhead and stretched, her mouth opening wide as she let go of a satisfying yawn that made the muscles in her diaphragm stretch and release. In an attempt to distract herself, Georgia looked through the fridge. She found some leftovers that she reheated in the microwave for lunch.
After she finished eating, Georgia headed up the stairs. She wanted nothing more than to lose herself in a good book and forget about her own reality while she delved into another. In her room, she took the pepper spray out of her pocket and set it on her bureau. Then, flopping onto her bed, she opened up another favorite this time, “Pride and Prejudice.” Turning to the first page, she began to read about her beloved characters of Mr. Darcy and Elizabeth Bennet, aching for her own version of courtship that both enchanted and tormented her.
After about an hour of reading in her room, Georgia’s eyelids began to droop, heavy with fatigue from the first half of her day. She set the book down beside her on her nightstand, and almost instantly fell fast asleep.
✽✽✽
It was hours later when Georgia awoke to the sound of the doorbell. It sounded strange to her sleepy ears, more like a beep than a bell. As she came to and sat up, she realized that it wasn’t a beeping noise, but rather someone at the front door.
The doorbell sounded again. My, they’re impatient, Georgia thought to herself. She smoothed her hair back and pulled it up into a ponytail before grabbing an elastic tie on her way out of her room. At the top of the stairs, she could see a large, fuzzy figure through the blurred sidelights standing on the other side of the front door.
Georgia hesitated as she wondered who it could be. The figure was too large to be Virginia, and it wouldn’t be her dad, otherwise he would have just let himself in. She came down the stairs, trying to get a better look. Opening the front door finally, she nearly fainted when she saw who it was.
It was Landon, standing there on her front porch again. He looked at her, the corners of his mouth just barely lifting as he fought back a smile, and his eyebrows raised with amusement at her slumbersome appearance.
“Oh!” Georgia exclaimed, feeling immediately self-conscious as she tucked several flyaways behind her ears and straightened her shirt.
“Did I wake you?” His voice bordered on the edge of laughter.
“No! I mean, maybe. I was just…dozing." Georgia stammered, although she knew her sleepy, swollen eyes were a dead giveaway.
“So you were?” he asked.
“Were what?” Georgia asked, her sleepiness confusing her.
“Were asleep.” He was smiling now, his steel blue eyes glinting with laughter.
“Yes,” Georgia said, realizing she could have made that exchange easier by just answering his question in the first place. She looked him up and down quickly.
He was wearing copper-colored cargo shorts and a forest green t-shirt that had ‘MARINES’ written in bold lettering across his chest. Georgia’s eyes strayed back to his shorts. She liked the way they hung low off his hips, accentuating his muscles. Realizing she was starin
g, she hastily looked back up at him, meeting his eyes.
Landon was still looking at her. He liked the way her deep blue eyes gazed at him with curiosity. He wondered what was going on behind those eyes, and what she thought of him, or if she had even thought of him since this morning. “I know I said I would walk with you later tonight, but I was wondering if maybe you wanted to go a little earlier?” The smile was gone from his face now as he waited expectantly for her answer, hoping she would say yes.
“Like…now?” She wondered if Landon’s run-in with her dad at the diner this morning had anything to do with his earlier arrival. Perhaps he wanted to avoid a similar, potentially more uncomfortable confrontation with her dad later when he would be home from work. Luckily, he would be home later than usual, Georgia remembered, thinking back to his voice message.
“I can come back later.” Landon took a step back. “I shouldn’t have assumed this would be a good time for you.” He shook his head, lamenting his decision to come over this early.
“No, Landon. This actually works better,” she said, realizing that this way she could actually see Landon without her dad even knowing. She didn’t want Landon showing up on her front porch this evening when her dad was home, especially since her dad had made it clear that she wasn't to see Landon again. Georgia’s eyes strayed from Landon's as she looked over his shoulder, seeing if Mrs. Sullivan was watching them again. “Can you come inside? Just for a moment?” Georgia asked suddenly.
Before Landon could answer, Georgia pulled him over the threshold and into the house.
She shut the door behind him a little more forcefully than necessary. The last thing she wanted was Mrs. Sullivan to report back to her dad that she had an unwelcome visitor over. “I just have to…um...grab something upstairs,” Georgia said quickly. She gestured to the couch. “Would you like something to drink? Water? Iced tea?”
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