Stormy nodded her agreement. Trudy had spent a good portion of the day sticking pink and red heart decals all over the plate glass windows in preparation for Valentine’s Day.
Trudy finished up her display and glanced around the store. “Looks like things have slowed down a bit. Why don’t you go and sit for a while and give that ankle a rest.”
Trudy had been fussing over her like a mother hen from day one.
“I’m fine, Trudy. It’s not even that sore anymore.”
“Well, I’m going to put on some coffee anyway. I think we deserve a break. And some girl talk. Don’t you?” Trudy cocked a hip and winked at her. She had that twinkle in her eyes that said she had some good gossip to share. It was pretty obvious that she wouldn’t be taking no for an answer.
“Okay. Sounds good.”
As she disappeared to the back, Stormy made herself comfy in one of the plush, orangey chairs, the ones she’d fallen in love with the first time she saw them.
Stormy rubbed the soft fabric of the chair and smiled to herself. She couldn’t imagine a better job...or a better boss. She loved it there. And she and Trudy had become fast friends.
After her injury she’d been scared to death that she’d lost the job before she even had it, but Trudy had been more than sympathetic: “Now don’t you worry about it one bit,” she’d said, “You just get yourself well. I’ve been without help for two months so another week or two won’t matter much.”
Stormy leaned into the velvety fabric of the chair and closed her eyes. She was so tired. Two weeks of Mama and Bill’s partying had been the stuff of nightmares. Stormy hadn’t managed a decent night’s sleep ever since Bill, Mama’s neanderthal, moved in. When the two of them weren’t arguing over who drank the last beer, or staying up all night playing horrible, screeching, heavy metal music, they were in Mama’s bedroom making noises that made her want to cut her ears off and soak them in disinfectant. Just the thought of it made her shudder.
“Somebody step on your grave?” Trudy shot her a look of curiosity while setting two lime-colored, steaming cups on the table.
Stormy waved dismissively. “No, I just got a little chill is all.” She didn’t want to delve into a conversation about how screwed up things were at home. It was too heavy of a topic, and she preferred to keep things light.
The two of them sat and watched the passersby through the big, plate-glass window. Trudy had the scoop on every one of them—where they worked, which one dated whom, who was getting divorced…. It really wasn’t that surprising that Trudy knew so much though. She exuded so much warmth, optimism, and compassion…. People were drawn to her like kids to an ice-cream truck.
“So,” Trudy reached for a cup. “How are things on the boyfriend front? Do you have a date for Valentine’s?”
Stormy cringed. “Ugh. That holiday is so overrated. And no, I don’t have a date. I probably wouldn’t go even if somebody did ask me,” she lied. Trudy’s big green eyes got even bigger. “Oh, you must be kidding. I bet you have guys lined up for a mile to take you out. Why would you want to just sit at home on the most romantic night of the year?”
Stormy ignored the cliché. “It’s just not my thing…romance all of that.” She made a stinky face to punctuate her statement. “It’s a holiday for suckers. I prefer to live in the real world.”
The truth was, she didn’t want to date any of the boys her own age. Sure, she’d been asked out by a few people, including Nozz, but she had turned them all down. Most of the guys were too immature, not her type, too tall, too short…her bogus excuses were plentiful. If she was really being honest with herself, there was only one person that she’d be willing to give her heart to, and he was off limits.
Brylan Knight had gotten deep under her skin. She knew it was stupid. After all, she’d heard what he said to Lily and he’d made it plain that he had no intention of pursuing her. The situation was messed up beyond measure, but that didn’t make it any easier to let him go. For the past two weeks he’d been tormenting her thoughts, consuming them completely.
“Ask him out,” Trudy chirped, reading Stormy’s mind.
“What? Who?”
“Whoever’s got your heart all tied up in knots,” she said gently.
Instinctively, Stormy wanted to deny it, tell her that she had it all wrong. But there was no way to lie to Trudy. She’d see right through her.
“Okay, there is this guy. But he’s just not interested in me.” It was a half-truth.
Trudy had her elbow propped up on the arm of the chair and her chin rested in her hand. She tapped a freshly manicured nail against her bottom lip as if something was puzzling her. The shop had gone quiet, except for the tinny sound of the small FM radio playing country music from across the store. Stormy squirmed in her chair, wishing Trudy would change the subject.
After a couple of awkward moments, Trudy brought her hands down and placed both of them in her lap while a small smile tugged the corners of her mouth. “You like Brylan.”
Wow, she was spooky sometimes.
Stormy’s eyes widened, the confirmation written all over her face. The moment Trudy had mentioned his name, Stormy’s cheeks flushed and her breath caught in her throat. Trying to deny it would be futile. Not knowing how to respond, Stormy put her head in her hands and stared at the swirly pattern in the purple rug. She was suddenly regretting having told Trudy about her accident, and how Brylan had taken such good care of her during her injury. Come to think of it, she’d told Trudy everything that pertained to Brylan, including the night he’d invited her over to have pizza with River and Lily. Now she was wishing she hadn’t opened her big mouth quite so much.
A silent movie began playing in Stormy’s head of Brylan and River, stacking up wooden blocks as high as they would go, and then Brylan laughing like a madman when River knocked them down on purpose. And there was Lily. She had been so sweet and easy to talk to. For just one night, Stormy felt like she was part of a family.
“Yep. Makes perfect sense,” Trudy said, knocking her out of her trance. “He’s the only guy you’ve ever mentioned, besides Nozz. He rescued you when you were in trouble. Was nice to you. Was concerned about your well being. Cooked for you.”
She paused briefly, and then added, “Then throw in the fact that he’s hot enough to make butter melt…. Hell, you’d be crazy if you didn’t fall for him.”
Stormy’s eyebrows shot up in surprise. “You know him?”
“I’ve seen him around town. Seen women fanning themselves while they gushed about how good looking he is... He’s fresh meat. Everybody knows about the new bachelor in town.”
Stormy leaned back in the fuzzy chair, exasperated. She was an open book. And she hated it. “I can’t get him out of my head, Trudy. Is it possible that I misread things? Am I just some stupid girl that he took pity on?”
“Oh, Honey. I doubt that’s all he saw in you. You’re gorgeous, and smart, and you have a good sense of humor….”
“I know he’s hung up on the whole teacher-student thing, but he knows I’m about to graduate. Is it really that big of a deal? He’s not much older than me….”
“I know, sweetie. Ordinarily it wouldn’t be such a big deal…the age difference…but around here.…”
Trudy let out a sigh and took a sip of her coffee. Stormy could see the wheels turning in her head. “It’s all coming together now.”
“What is?” Stormy’s eyebrows gathered in confusion.
“Well, did Brylan tell you anything about why he started teaching half-way through the school year?”
Stormy shook her head. She knew Brylan was new at the high school, but she’d never given it any real thought. She tugged the collar of her tee-shirt, nervously. Somehow the air in the shop felt heavy all of a sudden.
Trudy took a sip of her coffee and then set it back down. “There was this big scandal at the high school a few months back,” she began. “The head football coach… good looking guy, but dumb as a post… got caught romanc
ing a couple of the students. They were young girls, fifteen and sixteen. Anyway, your principal, Arliss Flint, was quick to throw that S.O.B right out on his ass when he found out about it. There were charges filed and parents threatening to sue…. It was a great big mess. And if I know Arliss, and I do know Arliss…”
Of course she did. Trudy knew everybody.
“…he put the fear of God into Brylan Knight and told him he’d better mind his p’s and q’s, or else.” She sliced a hand across her throat for emphasis.
Stormy sat stunned while the information rolled around in her head. She didn’t blink. She didn’t move. She just kept hearing the words “charges filed” and “sue.” No wonder Brylan was conflicted. Trudy’s revelation cemented what Stormy had been sensing all along. She and Brylan liked each other, but there wasn’t a damned thing they could do about it.
The cowbell on the door clanked to announce the arrival of another customer. “I’ll get it,” Trudy said softly. She stood up to go greet the group of giggly girls that walked in and gave Stormy’s shoulder a light squeeze as she passed by. “I’ll give you a minute or two to wrap your mind around things.”
****
Stormy took her time driving home. She wasn’t in any hurry to deal with Mama and Bill’s shenanigans. Plus, she needed time to clear her head. She needed to evict all thoughts of Brylan from it.
She turned off of the main drag and cruised through one of Yaupon’s more prestigious neighborhoods. A couple of kids rode down the sidewalk on their bikes. They smiled and waved without a care in the world. She wondered which one of the big, stately homes they lived in as she smiled back at them. All of the houses were surrounded by large lots of perfectly manicured lawn, each one impressive in its own right. The modern houses with their whitewashed stone and massive expanses of glass were nice, but the older, historic homes were absolutely breathtaking. Large, wrap-around porches with matching balconies, colorful shutters, and large, white columns flanking grand entryways….
A middle-aged couple caught her attention as they strolled down the sidewalk hand in hand. She smiled as the man bent down and whispered something in the woman’s ear, making them both laugh, and then he wrapped an arm around her lovingly.
Stormy wanted that.
Before Brylan, she’d convinced herself that she didn’t need any of that. Told herself she was better off without it. But then he’d stepped into the picture and turned her whole world on its head. Damn him and his generosity… and his charm…and his good looks. Confusion was having its way with her mind. Things would have been so much easier if she and Brylan had never met. She’d been fine before. Now her emotions were a mess.
Maybe she should move to Alaska and become a hermit like those guys on TV. No human contact. No expectations. Just her and a few bears. And mountain lions. And lots and lots of snow.
No. Nix that idea. She liked indoor plumbing. And being at the top of the food chain.
She rolled down her window for some much needed fresh air. Her mood was dark and she knew it was clouding her thinking. The pity party she was throwing herself wasn’t doing her any good. She reminded herself that she was young and had the world at her feet if she wanted it. It was something that Jimmy, her ex-stepfather, used to drill into her—building her up when Mama tried to tear her down. He could always make her feel better, and she wished he were there with her now.
Thinking about Jimmy brought some clarity to her mind. She didn’t need Brylan. She just needed to focus on the future. Things would get better with time. They just had to.
When she rolled up in the driveway, after wrapping up her little pep talk with herself, she was breathing a little easier. Bill’s jeep was absent, so maybe she’d have the house to herself for a change. She desperately needed the day to end on an even note.
****
The empty Jim Beam bottle stared at her mockingly. It was the first thing she saw when she’d opened the door. Mama and hard liquor were a bad combination. Stormy surveyed the mess in the living room and spotted a cigarette still smoldering in the ashtray. She’s home! Stormy needed to get out of there. Go anywhere. And not come back until it was safe. She turned around and headed back toward the door with her heart hammering in her chest. Her hand was on the doorknob when she heard her mother’s raspy voice.
“Just where in the shit do you think you’re going?” Marni hissed.
Too late.
Stormy squeezed her eyes shut. She needed a second to compose herself before turning around to face the monster in the living room. “I uh…forgot to lock my truck doors,” she lied.
Mama scoffed at her. “Pfft. What? You think somebody’s gonna steal that rusty piece of crap?”
It was pretty bold coming from someone whose car stayed broken down more than it ran, but Stormy kept the thought to herself, knowing full well that it was not the time to engage in an argument.
Marni stumbled around the living room, and for a second, Stormy thought she was going to fall, but she managed to steady herself by grabbing the back of the recliner.
“Mama. Maybe you should go to bed.” It was the best thing Stormy could hope for at that moment.
She ignored her while she fumbled her pack of cigarettes out of her jeans pocket and clumsily took one out of the pack. She was even more out of it than usual, and Stormy wondered if there was more than booze in her system. Then she watched as Marni stuck the wrong end of the cigarette in her mouth and lit the filter on fire.
Stormy stood there and waited for her mother to notice the small flame that burned mere inches from her fingers, but she never did. Stormy bravely walked over and took it from her and snuffed it out in the ashtray before the woman burned the whole place to the ground.
“What the hell are you doing?” she slurred.
Stormy fibbed again, “I’m just putting it out for you…. You finished it already.”
“Oh.”
Marni stood there staring at the ashtray, looking lost. Empty.
Stormy stared at her mother’s features. Her face was gaunt and her eyes were bloodshot. The black tank top she was wearing did nothing to conceal her almost skeletal frame.
What had Bill gotten her mother into?
Bill. It suddenly struck her that he wasn’t there. Not that she cared in the least about the man’s whereabouts. He could drop off the face of the earth for all she cared. But she needed to know if he’d be showing up anytime soon. “Mama, where’s Bill?”
Marni shook another cigarette loose from the pack and lit it…the right way. “You mean that sorry no-good piece of shit? He’s gone.” Her face contorted and tears started pooling in her eyes.
“Is he coming back? I see his stuff is still here.” She didn’t want to push the subject, but it was important information. For her peace of mind.
Marni recoiled as if something stung her. “Hell no, he’s not coming back! And I hope his ass rots in jail!”
Uh, oh. That couldn’t be good. Stormy was afraid to ask the next question, but her curiosity was getting the best of her. “What did he do?”
Marni let out a sardonic snort. “More like who did he do? Got caught feeling up a sixteen year-old girl over at the city park.”
Her admission made Stormy’s blood run cold. All those creepy, lust-filled stares flooded her memory. And then another thought hit her.
The park.
How many times had she gone there since he’d moved in? She couldn’t help but wonder if he’d ever followed her there…watched her. A shiver ran up her spine. She had the sudden urge to take a shower and wash away the filthiness of it all.
Without another word, Marni stumbled across the room and headed down the hallway. The best possible scenario would be for Mama to pass out in her bed. If that happened, then Stormy could bank on a few hours of sleep. But the odds were stacked against her. Marni was in the bathroom giving up the contents of her stomach. It was going to be a long night.
Part of Stormy wanted to run. She probably should have gotten in h
er truck and left for good. Left her mama to wallow in her own misery. But she couldn’t. She had enough sense to know that her mother wasn’t born that way. Something haunted Marni Black. Something that she couldn’t escape. And, rational or not, Stormy’s heart ached for her. She was the only person on the whole planet that gave a damn about the woman.
Besides, where would she go if she left? She barely had two nickels to rub together. Well, she had a little bit saved, but she wasn’t naïve enough to think that a few hundred bucks would be enough to survive on her own. She was still months away from having enough to make her get away. She needed more time, because she’s be damned if she ever ended up on the streets. She’d seen what that looked like…and she swore she’d never end up like that.
Weathering Stormy Page 8
