“Whoa, whoa, it’s okay.” Rod lowered Andrew’s arms as the intruder entered.
It was a young man, about Mia’s age. He had shaggy blond hair and an overly prominent nose. He was maybe six feet tall but had a strong build. He was dressed in jeans and a yellow T-shirt with the sleeves rolled up, showing tanned skin. His smile was beautiful. His white teeth glistened in a perfect line as he walked toward them holding a white bag.
“These the new guys? Hi, I’m Roderick Carter Rowe, but you can call me Carter.” He stuck his hand out toward Andrew, who didn’t respond. Mia made no effort to reveal herself to the new young man.
“Okay then. Not the friendliest, I get it. What about you?” Carter leaned over, looking at Mia. Andrew moved his body to block Carter’s view.
“It’s fine, no need to worry; this is my son, Carter.” Rod put his arm around the teen and grabbed the white bag. “I sent him for dinner; figured you two would be starving and I’m not much of a chef.”
Andrew didn’t back down, even after Rod tried to reassure him. Mia didn’t think they were making the best impression on their new hosts.
“Sorry.” She walked out from behind Andrew. “We’ve just had a rough trip so far. People were hunting us.”
“Were?” Carter asked with a raised eyebrow.
“He died,” Mia said. “Remember, Andrew?”
Mia hoped he would start talking.
“How could I forget? It was just yesterday,” Andrew said. He lifted his hand and shook Carter’s. Mia could tell he was uncomfortable.
“I should have mentioned my son earlier, but it’s just the two of us. No more surprises. Now, let’s sit and eat.”
Rod tossed some paper plates down on the table.
“How many cars do you have?” Mia asked, trying to ease the tension. “I mean, I saw the two in the garage, and if your son was out . . .”
“Carter. If Carter was out.” The young blond man gave her a huge smile.
“If Carter was out.”
“You’re observant,” Rod said. “That’s good. The Hummer I picked you up in, the sports car, and a dirty old pickup truck. The two in the garage are my special-occasion vehicles.”
Nobody continued the conversation. Mia felt overwhelmed by the testosterone.
“Where is your wife?” Mia asked, noticing Rod’s wedding band.
“Don’t have one,” he said.
Mia was surprised a man like Rod wasn’t married and wondered why he wore a ring. It wasn’t any less surprising than hearing he had a son. She had a million questions, but before she could begin asking, Andrew spoke up.
“When will we be going across the border?”
“We’ll get to that all in good time; just for now let’s have a nice meal together, get to know each other,” Rod said.
It surprised Mia that Andrew had used the word “we,” but now wasn’t the time to ask. She was tired and the food smelled good. She pulled out a chair and sat. Andrew chose the seat to her right and Carter sat straight across from her. She looked up. Carter was staring at her. Each eye was a different color, one brown, one green. She hadn’t noticed at first, but she found him handsome. She broke into a smile, which he returned with a wink. She was looking forward to a conversation that didn’t involve her runaway adventures or problems.
Chapter 50
It is the responsibility of the man to work hard and provide for, feed, and shelter his family. It is the wife’s duty to follow her husband’s wishes. Without the support of a woman, a man will not be able to fully complete his tasks.
—The Registry Guide for Girls
The dinner was greasy chicken. Mia gulped it down hungrily and Andrew ate like he’d been starved. She didn’t think the quality compared to the chickens she was used to on the farm or the recipe was as good as the one she could prepare, but she still appreciated the hot food.
“One time, I had to install a slide in place of stairs!” Rod was telling a story involving crazy work requests. “Now, what use would that do anyone?”
“I’m sure I would’ve loved it when I was five.” Carter grinned at his father.
“There were a lot of things you would’ve enjoyed at five. You remember when you were sure you wanted to grow up and be a tap dancer? You danced around the whole place! Wore out the floors!” Rod said before breaking out in laughter.
Mia joined them in laughing. She found their dynamic fun and welcoming. Even crabby Andrew managed to smile once or twice. It was nice to see such a close relationship. She wondered what it felt like for the two of them, father and son. They loved each other without a single thought of money; the Rowes were worth more to each other than any price. She smiled at the idea.
After dinner Rod decided it was time for the tour. He opened the door to the basement and Carter flipped on the light, leading the way down. Mia was led into a giant open room, much like the first floor but twice as large. The entire area was painted white, with a black checkered floor. There was a bar, a pool table, a dartboard, and two couches. The walls were decorated with music posters and Americana. Mia understood why the upstairs looked un-lived-in; this was where Rod and Carter spent the majority of their time.
“This was my little project. I finished it up last year.” Rod didn’t try to hide the pride in his voice.
“I helped too,” Carter said in Mia’s ear as he walked by.
She could feel herself blush. Nobody else noticed. Rod continued on, telling them about the different types of tools he used and asking Andrew if he knew any of the games.
“My father had them. But I wasn’t allowed to play,” Mia said before Andrew could speak.
“Well, miss, we might have to change that. A girl can be a shark,” Rod said.
“I’m sure I could give you lessons; I’m pretty good,” Carter said.
The corners of Mia’s lips began to curl up. She noticed a scowl cross over Andrew’s face. She wasn’t sure if it was meant for her or Carter.
“You too, Andrew,” Carter said.
Rod ignored the teens and walked over to the corner, where a giant machine hummed. He pressed a button and a can of soda fell out. Mia was amazed.
“Come here,” Rod said. He pushed another button, the one for grape soda. “Nobody likes grape.”
With the push of the button the machine popped away from the wall. Rod gave it a tug and pulled it forward. It was in front of a door. A little room was behind the wall. It was big enough for the twin bed and dresser that were already inside. A flashlight lantern sat on top of the dresser and a gray blanket adorned the bed.
“Andrew, this room is for you,” Rod said.
Andrew looked impressed, though his expression was trying to change. For a moment Mia thought she saw tears forming, but his features returned to stone. Mia was desperate to know what he was feeling and thinking. It caused a pang in her heart.
“Wait till you see your room,” Carter said. He was standing right behind her, and his voice shook her concentration.
“Did you help build that too?” she asked.
“Some of my best work, just for you.”
“Liar, you didn’t even know I would be coming,” Mia said.
“I had a dream you would come here and I needed that room for you,” Carter said. He laughed at his joke.
Mia smirked back at him as he signaled for her to follow him to the other side of the basement. She glanced back at Andrew, who was unloading his bag into the drawers, refolding clothes with care. She didn’t see the point in unpacking, they wouldn’t be here long, but he seemed content so she didn’t try to stop him. She hurried to catch up to Carter.
They walked to the corner of the basement opposite Andrew’s room. In the rectangular basement the two of them were as far apart as possible, which made Mia uncomfortable.
Carter snapped his fingers and brought her attention back to him. He pushed up both his sleeves in a dramatic fashion, turning his arms over and back again to show Mia there was nothing hidden there. She giggled
at his display. He held up his fingers and did a short countdown. When all his fingers were down he reached up on a shelf and pulled on a small trophy; the wall below it came forward.
The craftsmanship amazed Mia. She had not even noticed a crease in the smooth wall, let alone a door. Carter did not swing this wall open, but slid it toward him. There were no hinges, making the break in the wall harder to see. Mia looked at her new room. It was double the size of Andrew’s. Two twin beds were made up with pink comforters on them. They took up the majority of the space. There was also a large, beautiful dark wood wardrobe with intricate carvings, located against the wall opposite the ends of the beds. Mia had a strong urge to run her hand over the carved designs.
Carter shouldered in front of her and slid the two beds together and against the far wall. Mia followed him inside.
“Now you can just keep them together, have one big bed.”
Whitney popped back into her mind. It was sad to see the two beds, but Mia needed to keep going; Whitney couldn’t have died for nothing.
She wasn’t interested in her sleeping accommodations at this point. She pulled open the panel on the wardrobe. The doors swung out, almost hitting the end of the bed. To her surprise the whole thing was filled with women’s clothes, shoes, hairbrushes, and makeup. She looked at Carter with confusion. It would have been difficult for Rod to buy these things without drawing attention to himself.
“They’re my mother’s. She was about your size, a little taller, but I’m sure they’ll fit.” Carter brushed past Mia and went back out to the main basement.
She assumed Rod’s wife had died at some point; it all came together now. He’d not remarried, he’d kept his son, he wore his ring, and he helped runaways. He must have been lucky and found true love. Mia sighed, fantasizing about a romantic love story. She wondered if he’d gotten her from the Registry. She must have been fortunate to end up with someone who held women in such high esteem. Mia pulled out a piece of clothing. The style was unlike anything she was used to; it must have been older.
“Ahem.” Rod cleared his throat. Mia dropped the clothes and walked out to the main basement.
“All the lights are wired together. There are two switches, one at the top of the stairs and one at the bottom. Either will work just fine. You each have a lantern to use in your room at night. Bathroom right here; we try to conserve water, so don’t flush everything, and you can shower every other day, navy style. If you can stretch it out longer it’s appreciated, but don’t stink up the house.”
Every other day? Mia raised an eyebrow. She had assumed they wouldn’t be here longer than a few days.
“When are we going to leave?” Mia asked. She glanced toward Andrew, who stared at Rod, expressionless.
“Hard to say; my guess is a month.”
“A month?” Mia said. “That’s too long.”
“Well, it’s summer. During the days it’s about a hundred and ten degrees, and it is even hotter across the border. If you try to travel in this heat you won’t make it far.”
Mia wanted to protest, but Andrew cut her off.
“What’s your plan?”
“You two are all business, huh? Again, I have to think about it for a day or two, hammer some things out.” Rod turned his attention to Mia. “There is no way you are going to pass for a boy. I think I’ll take you across the border as my new wife, going on a honeymoon. Get my hands on some fake papers.”
Mia looked to Andrew, who nodded, backing the plan.
“It’s getting late. Andrew, tomorrow you’ll be joining Carter and me at work,” Rod said. “Mia, you have to stay here and stay downstairs. It’s too dangerous with the windows upstairs. I’ll leave some food down here and some stuff to occupy your time.”
Rod and Carter shook Andrew’s hand again. Rod walked over to Mia, bent down, and gave her a huge hug. Mia imagined he was thinking of his wife. Mia was sure she was proud of him, wherever she was.
Carter came over next.
“Good night, princess.” He winked at her again with a devilish smile. This time she didn’t look away but smirked back at him. She remembered when Andrew had called her “the Royal” back in the Midwest.
“I’m no princess.”
“Angel, then.”
Mia shook her head as Carter backed away. He didn’t turn around till he got to the stairs.
“I’m going to kill the lights,” Rod called from the top of the stairs.
She broke eye contact with Carter and allowed the blood to rush to her cheeks. Andrew didn’t notice. He was already back in his room. Mia hoped to talk to him before he went to bed. She quickly grabbed her lantern and walked over to his area.
“Wait, are you okay?” she asked. “You looked upset earlier.”
Part of her wanted to hear Andrew say he’d noticed the way Carter was looking at her and didn’t like it. She wanted to feel Andrew’s hands on her body, even though she was certain it would never happen. Instead he just looked up at her from his bed. She reminded herself to focus back on the getaway, on freedom. Not on making Andrew jealous.
“I’ve never had my own room before,” he said.
The traces of tears were still visible in his eyes. He leaned back in his bed and turned on his lantern moments before the basement flooded with darkness.
Sometimes Mia forgot how hard Andrew’s life had been. There was a tug in her heart for the boy who was so moved by having a small space all his own. She might have been doomed to the life of a prisoner, but she’d had lots of luxuries. She gave a half smile and said good night. Andrew nodded. The lantern light spilled across his face and she felt another pang for him. He was the toughest man she’d ever met, and yet he still had a sensitive soul. Mia was sure the moment she left him his tears would flow freely.
Chapter 51
Husbands often ask their wives to escort them to social events. It is up to a wife to dress appropriately, but the standard attire is a grand gown designed and created according to her husband’s expectations. If a young girl hones her sewing skills she will be able to fully demonstrate them as a bride.
—The Registry Guide for Girls
The last of Mia’s dreams dissolved, and she woke up with a large stretch. She had slept in a white T-shirt and a pair of comfy shorts. She doubted they belonged to the late Mrs. Rowe. There had been no dreams of Whitney last night; Mia had hoped she would visit her again but knew it was over. The image from her sleep on the train still burned in her mind; she would always remember her friend that way, happy and free.
Instead, her dreams were filled with Andrew. The two of them walking hand in hand, not saying a word. He looked at her and smiled; it took up his whole face. She went up on her tiptoes to kiss him, but their lips never met; they were constantly moving toward each other but never reaching. It was bittersweet.
Her body was stiff and sore. Then she remembered flying up and down over the train tracks. She had put quite a strain on it.
Even though her body ached, Mia knew that was the best sleep she’d had in months. It felt like she had slept for days.
Pushing open the door to her room, she realized that without windows it was impossible to tell the time. On top of the bar was a lunch box with a handwritten note.
Mia shook her head as she crumpled up the note. A stack of books, a case of darts, and a computer were set out next to the lunch box. Mia snatched the computer. The first time she had used one was for Lisa. She sat at a bar stool and lifted the lid. The machine hummed to life. A notification popped up; this computer had Internet access. Mia couldn’t wait to roam the Web, and she clapped her hands, feeling giddy.
It took her a while to get used to the device, but once she got the hang of it she did fine. She recognized the globe icon her father had used and clicked it a couple of times, bringing up the browser.
She was sure it would have been painful to watch how slowly she typed and was happy nobody was around to notice. She imagined Carter typed as fast as the government workers fr
om Saint Louis. A page popped up with the option to type a phrase. She typed “Mexico.” She was excited to read about her future home, but was disappointed with the results. The information was about the different types of aid America gave Mexico and the drug wars. The climate, economy, or anything useful was not touched on.
She noticed links to other countries at the bottom of the page and opened a few. Each country was the same. A section about how much the people loved America, how much better life in America was, and how America had helped them. She was starting to have her doubts about how informative the Internet was.
She went up to the search bar again and typed in “news.” A page popped up with the headline AMERICAN TROOPS SAVE CHILDREN, WAR OVER. Other articles included AMERICAN GOVERNMENT BROKERS PEACE BETWEEN NORTH AND SOUTH KOREA and AMERICA WINS WORLD PEACE AWARD. This was not what she had expected to find.
She typed her own name into the search bar. Her wedding announcement popped up, along with a story about the truck driver kidnapping her. There was a small article about her “husband,” and she decided to type his name in. Lots of information came flooding back, most of it about his job, but the one piece that didn’t pop up was a notice of his death. This worried Mia.
“Most of the websites are lies.”
The voice scared Mia so much she almost fell off the bar stool. She spun around to see Carter leaning against a post. He looked a little sweaty, in cargo shorts and a tight white tank top. His tan muscles made him look like a sculpture.
“We don’t have open Internet here; the government censors it. The Internet in Mexico looks different,” Carter said. He picked up a book. “You’ll get more accurate information from these.”
“What are you doing here?”
Mia crossed her arms, feeling exposed. She found herself caring about her appearance for the first time in weeks.
“Silly me. In my rush this morning I forgot some of my tools, had to come back for them.”
The Registry Page 20
