Forever My Home (The Aster Lake Series Book 1)

by Unknown

  “Okay,” I said hanging up. I wasn’t sure what we were going to talk about. She knew everyone who lived here so I guess she’ll get some answers for us tomorrow.

  I shut the patio doors and crawled into bed. I was missing my parents again. I wish I knew where they were and hoped they were doing okay without me. I’m doing what my parents asked. They told me to drive for a few weeks before I found a new home. I drove for a month. I switched my car out three times as promised. I’ve never been without my contact and my hair is a different color, all as promised. They suggested I cut my hair, but they didn’t make me promise. I loved my hair and I decided to keep it long.

  They told me to find a job; one that I would love. I don’t really love working a cash register, but I really do like Madi and her parents.

  They told me to live my life and not worry about them. The problem is, I worry all the time. I have no clue where they are. I have no way of contacting them. I promised I would never go home and I never would. I love my parents. I trusted my parents. They were my whole world, my whole life. I’m doing what they asked, and I hope that one day I get to see them again.

  I ended up crying myself to sleep, thinking of my parents and clutching their wedding bands in my hand.

  ***

  I jolted awake and realized I was screaming. I was sweaty and breathing heavily. I must have been having a bad dream. I don’t remember. I thought about it while I went to the bathroom and washed my face. Most people remember their nightmares. Mine was blank.

  I was a little spooked and my adrenalin was high so I wasn’t sure if I would be able to fall back asleep. Then, I heard my door open and my pulse kicked into high gear.

  Did someone just break in?

  Within a few seconds, I saw a shadow at the door.

  “Adalyn,” Rudd called out.

  I jumped. “You scared the shit out of me!” I yelled and then walked to the light switch and flipped it on.

  “Why were you screaming?” he asked.

  “You heard me?”

  He was only wearing a pair of boxers. I could still faintly smell the scent of fresh cut wood. I wonder what he would do if I reached out and touched him.

  “Adalyn.”

  I slowly lifted my head up to meet his eyes.

  “You ok?” he asked.

  It felt nice knowing he was concerned about me.

  “Sure?” I lied. I was nervous and scared, and I couldn’t be sure if it was from the nightmare or from him. He was still very close to me.

  “You’re shaking,” he informed me.

  “Huh?”

  “You scared?” he asked.

  “A little,” I confessed, my voice just above a whisper.

  “Grab a robe,” he said.

  “Robe?”

  “Yes. It’s a little chilly tonight.”

  “Huh?” I asked, clearly not following what he was trying to tell me.

  “Where’s it at?”

  He took a step closer and put both his hands on my cheeks. His face went soft, and his eyes were warm. “Adalyn, do you own a robe?” he asked slowly.

  I nodded.

  “Where’s it at?” he asked.

  “Why?”

  “Come downstairs with me.” That wasn’t a question, more of a demand.

  I shook my head no.

  “You’re still shaking. I’ve upset-”

  “I’m fine.” I took a step back. “Please leave.”

  He studied me for a minute and switched the subject. “I’m sorry about earlier.”

  “It’s okay.”

  “The thing with Bailey, well, she’s my daughter.”

  “She told me.”

  “Right.” He moved to the door. “Well, now isn’t the time. Get some rest, we’ll talk tomorrow.”

  Chapter 6

  “Somethings wrong.”

  “Hmmm,” I hummed while still counting the money from my register.

  “With you.”

  I heard her but said nothing. If she were trying to mess me up, she would accomplish that easily. I was very distracted the last few days. My mind always wandering off, thinking about my parents. I was homesick. It finally set in and I just couldn’t shake it off. I worked or stayed home. No cooking. No reading. No Madi. Nothing. Even when I saw Rudd and Bailey, I ignored them, pretending I hadn’t seen them. Madi caught on the first day, the day after Rudd came to check on me in the middle of the night, but I kept brushing her off. However, I knew it couldn’t last forever.

  I just wasn’t the same and Madi was done being ignored.

  I pushed the drawer towards her and stood up. “I’m tired, Madi. Maybe the flu’s coming back.”

  “You look fine.”

  “I don’t feel fine.” That was the truth. I slipped my vest off and held onto it while I walked out of her office and into the break room where our lockers were.

  “What’s wrong?” she asked while leaning against her locker next to mine. Madi’s locker was easy to pick out; she painted it hot pink. The rest of the lockers were green, a really ugly green if you asked me.

  “Nothing,” I lied.

  “I don’t believe you.”

  I grabbed my purse and looked into her eyes. I hated lying to her. It made me feel sick to my stomach. She’s been so nice to me, and I enjoy her company and her friendship.

  “I need to lie down and rest.”

  “Adalyn,” she grabbed my arm before I could pass her, “please just talk to me.”

  “I can’t.”

  She had expectations that I would want to share more with her, and now she looked like someone kicked her dog. I felt bad for letting her down. “Why not?” she asked softly. “Why won’t you tell me?”

  “It’s complicated.”

  She let go of my arm and I took the opportunity to rifle through my purse until I located my keys. I briskly walked out of the break room, and didn’t look back while I headed towards the front door. I could feel her behind me, her eyes burning through me while she tried to figure me out.

  “I can do complicated,” Madi said next to me. “Try me.”

  “No.”

  “I’m worried about you.”

  “I’m fine, Madi.”

  She turned around and stopped in front of me. “Wait here.”

  “I just want to go home.”

  “Just give me a minute.”

  “Fine.”

  She ran off in her heels and I was tempted to leave. Madi would follow me home though, so that wasn’t the best idea. Eating ice cream in bed and crying myself to sleep, again, sounded like a good night to me. If I could just call my parents and make sure they were okay, then I’d feel better. I just wanted to hear their voice.

  I watched Madi walk towards me and she brought her mom, Carol Buckle. She looked younger than she was, and she and Madi could pass for sisters. She took care of her skin, barely wore make up, and Madi definitely got her curly hair from her mom. She tamed her hair into a bun most days, but I have seen the curls bounce free.

  “Look at her, Mom.”

  “What am I looking at?”

  “Exactly! She’s not sick.”

  Carol stepped close to me. “Is the flu coming back?”

  “No, it’s not,” I said trying to be nice, because I wasn’t mad at her. I saw Madi smiling at me and Carol continued, “I hope not dear.”

  Madi came to stand next to her mom. “She’s in a funk, Mom.”

  “So?”

  I gave Madi sarcastic smile. “Now can I go home?’

  “Nope,” she said popping the P, and her mom raised an eyebrow at Madi.

  “Madi honey, she just wants to go home. Let her.”

  “I know just the solution!” she yelled, grabbing my hand and facing her mom. “I’m taking her to The Can!”

  “Oh,” her mom said with a knowing smile. “Girls night never hurt anyone, but if she wants to go home, then let her.”

  “What’s The Can?” I asked.

  “It a bar.”

>   “I really don’t feel like going to a bar, Madi.”

  “One drink,” she begged her hands folded in prayer. “Please, I promise you won’t regret it.”

  “I don’t think…”

  “I’ll beg! I’ll get down on my knees and beg you.”

  That made both Carol and me chuckle.

  “You girls should go out and have a drink; just let me know when you’re done and I’ll give you a ride home.”

  “See Adalyn, it’s meant to be.” She hooked my arm and spun me around towards the door. “One drink.”

  I’ve never been to a bar before, just a restaurant that had a bar in it. Maybe they had those wine coolers we had the other day.

  “Do they have those wine coolers, the kind from your party?”

  “Nope, but they got Tequila.”

  ***

  Pulling up to an old building on the edge of Main Street, I looked out the passenger window.

  “Front row parking,” Madi said with a grin.

  “I would hope so, it’s only six o’clock.”

  The building looked vacant. I peered at the building and noticed no neon signs like I expected, and I also saw a window boarded up. It wasn’t very welcoming and there is no way I’d enter thought that door alone. I walked through it with Madi.

  “This is The Can.”

  We made our way across the vacant room that separated us from the bar itself. I heard faint music playing in the background, which sounded like country music. There was a small dance floor and small stage off to the left, and a bathroom sign hung on the right side of the room. We seated ourselves in the middle of the bar. The clear bar top was something I’ve never seen before. The tops, bottoms, and sides of cans where the logos were made up the bar top. Tabs from cans lined the edges of the counter. I could just imagine the amount of time it took to make such an intricate bar top: the cutting, the piecing together, the molding and melding of materials to make it a functional part of the bar. I could stare at this for hours and not get bored.

  “Well, well, well, would’ja look at that.”

  I looked up to the voice in front of us. A man, taller than us with short, dirty blonde hair, which was clearly un-styled and stuck up in all different directions, smiled at us. The clean shaven, baby faced man had dark green eyes and a strong jaw, though he still had a gentle look about him.

  He was good looking, but no one compared to Rudd.

  “Rocco, we need tequila. Two shots,” Madi ordered, as we set our purses on the bar.

  “What the fuck Madi, you can’t introduce me?” He grinned at me and leaned on the bar right in front of me. “Hey darlin’, I’m Rocco.”

  Before I could react, Madi reached up and smacked him upside the head. “Back off Rocco and get us the Tequila.”

  He continued to stare at me with that stupid sleazy grin of his. “It’s ok,” he said winking at me, “I know who you are anyway.”

  “Rocco! Get the Tequila. Last chance or I’m heading over to The Other Can.”

  That got his attention but he didn’t move, only turned his head to her and asked, “Why the fuck would you go there?”

  “Glad I have your attention.”

  He wasn’t done. “I thought you liked me, Madi.”

  “Jesus, I crushed on you before I found out you were a pervert.”

  “You can still have me, beautiful.” He stood up and put his arms out wide. “All this could be yours darlin’.”

  “No thanks old man.”

  “Fuck old, Madi. I’m barely thirty. Besides,” he said turning around in a full circle, “I’m in my prime, baby.”

  Madi stood up, her feet standing on the bottom rung of the stool and slapped her hands flat on the bar. ”I swear to God I’m leaving in ten seconds if your perverted ass doesn’t get our Tequila shots!”

  I started laughing and they both looked at me. “The Can. The Other Can.” I laughed some more. “I need to hear all about this.”

  “I’ll tell you while Rocco gets out shots.” She shot a look to him and he finally turned around and grabbed the Tequila, while Madi started talking.

  ”Okay, so Rocco isn’t that bad of a guy. He’s a flirt… big time. He flirts and fucks anything with legs. But, he’s a good man, and takes care of his employees. Anyway, when his parents divorced, they left him the bar. He renamed it, The Can, and his younger brother, Steve, was jealous of Rocco. I think it’s because they are barely a year apart, which causes lots of competition between them. So, instead of helping Rocco out, Steve saved up and opened a bar himself on the outskirts of town. Out of spite and to piss Rocco off, he named it, The Other Can. It’s not that bad of a bar, but I don’t care for Steve. However, I do use it against Rocco sometimes to get what I want. And what I want, and what you need, is Tequila, and lots of it.”

  Just then, two shots were placed in front of us. I learned all about lick, drink, and suck. A few shots later, I realized I liked Tequila.

  “Madi’s in love with me,” Rocco said placing another shot in front of us. This time he poured three shots, including himself in our little party. “She’s just afraid to admit it.”

  “You wish.”

  He pushed our shots forward. “Did she tell you that she kissed me?”

  “I did not!”

  “She even grabbed my ass,” he added.

  I started laughing and Madi went to hit him again, but he stepped back. “You loved it woman, stop fighting me and what we could have. We’d be great together.”

  She turned to me and picked up her shot glass, I did the same. “Don’t listen to him.”

  “Do you like him?”

  She shrugged a shoulder. “Eh.”

  “Ask her how much she likes me,” I heard him say and realized he was now leaning on the bar towards me.

  Madi rolled her eyes and took her shot. After I took mine, I turned around and Rocco was right in my face. He cradled his head in his hands, while I stared into his green smiling eyes.

  “You’re beautiful,” he said softly and I felt like he really meant it.

  I felt my cheek warm and I wasn’t sure if it was from the alcohol or from his compliment. “Thanks.”

  “I like you better than Madi. We should go to a movie.”

  “Back off, Rocco.”

  Rocco grabbed the bottle and poured three more shots while I chuckled to myself. Madi grabbed hers and he put his hand on top of hers, stopping her. “Don’t get jealous honey; you’re the one I want.”

  I wasn’t sure what was going on between the two of them, but he let go of her hand and took his shot first. I watched him walk away and head to the jukebox.

  “Do you feel better?” Madi asked dragging my attention back to her.

  “A little.”

  “Will you tell me now?”

  “I guess I’m just homesick.”

  “Oh.”

  “See…not that big of a deal.” I took my shot, and it burned going down. “I think I better stop.” My eyes started to water and my stomach twisted, I almost thought the Tequila was going to come right back up.

  After she took her shot, she said, “If your homesick why not go home? Like to visit, because you can’t move. You signed a lease.”

  “I can’t go home.”

  “Why not?”

  I looked around the bar and noticed people had walked in at some point and were sitting at the other end of the bar. Rocco had noticed though, because he was pouring them beers and talking to them.

  “There’s nothing there for me.”

  “We could go on a road trip,” Madi suggested, and for a second I thought that would be fun because I would be with her, but we still couldn’t go back to New York.

  “I can’t go back to New York.”

  “My parents would help cover the store.”

  “Madi!” I snapped. “I can’t go back. Never. Just leave it alone.”

  I slid off the bar stool and held onto the counter for balance. It was safe to say I was a little tipsy.


  “Do you want help?” Madi asked sarcastically. I didn’t mean to snap at her, but I didn’t want to talk about it. I could never tell her, even though a part of me itched to tell her everything. What harm could it do? It’s not like she could turn me in to the cops for running away, or call my parents and tell on me. I still don’t even know why or what I’m hiding from.

  I held a hand up over my head. “I’m fine. I just need to pee.”

  Standing up straight, I squared my shoulders and gave myself a pep talk. “I can do this.” I started walking again, slowly, and with more confidence. “See,” I said aloud, “it’s not that hard.”

  I made it to the restroom, did my business, and stared at myself while I washed my hands. The blue eyes and dark hair was growing on me and I liked it more every day. But I missed myself. I missed my easy going, carefree life. I didn’t worry about anything because my parents did that for me. I was happy with my life; I stopped complaining and embraced it years ago.

  Now I have a job, a car, and bills to pay. There was no build-up to my new life, it just hit me in an instant, and my whole world changed.

  I have Madi, who was safe to say was my best friend, even though I was just rude to her. I needed to go out there and apologize to her.

  I slipped my contact out and found myself. One blue. One green. This was me; this is what makes me feel like myself. I couldn’t stand and stare at myself all day, but just knowing I wasn’t wearing a contact made me feel normal. I felt beautiful. I felt unique. I needed to do this more often. Remind myself of who I was.

  I slipped the contact back in and smiled at myself with two blue eyes. I was still beautiful, but this wasn’t me. I needed to fix that. I need to figure out who I was and what I wanted. This might be the only chance I get. My parents could show up any day and take me away. Then what? I’ve barely lived any kind of life. I want to have fun, go do things, and act normal. My parents told me I was brave but I didn’t feel brave.

  “I can do this.” I said to myself in the mirror.

  I could be brave and put myself out there. I ran my fingers though my hair and with the new confidence coursing through my veins and walked back to the bar.

  “I was about ready to call Archer,” Madi said without looking at me, while I slid back on the barstool.