Angered Seasons: The Worst Birthday Ever (Volume One)

by Chester, Mireille

  “Are you awake?” Lane’s voice was just a whisper.

  “Yeah.” I wiggled around so I faced him. “You?”

  He raised an eyebrow at me and I grinned. “I’ve been up for about forty-five minutes. I didn’t want to move in case I woke you up.” He pressed his lips to my forehead.

  “Oops. Sorry.” Pete set two cups of coffee down. “Didn’t mean to interrupt.”

  I sat up and grinned. “You’re not interrupting anything.”

  He grunted. “Alright, then.”

  “Pete! Can you bring me the diaper bag, please? Ashley just puked everywhere. I need some wipes.”

  “Coming!” He turned back to us. “So?”

  I rolled my eyes. “Sorry.”

  Jason pulled his long frame out of the truck and joined us after getting a coffee. “Do we have a plan for today?”

  Lane nodded. “I want to head into town. If the stores are open, we’ll stock up on ammo, water, canned food; that sort of thing.”

  “I’ll come along.” Jason took a bite of his muffin.

  “Me, too.” I met Lane’s eyes and frowned at the shake of his head.

  “No. You stay here. These guys are going to need one of us here.”

  “Pete can handle it.”

  “No. He’s got Marie and Ashley to worry about. He’s got enough on his plate.”

  “Lane, I’m not just going to let you go by yourself!” My heart was starting to pound in my chest.

  “I won’t be by myself. I’ll have Jason.”

  “I’m a better shot than Jason.”

  Jason nodded. “She’s got a point.”

  “Stay out of this, Jason.”

  Jason stood, his hands up in the air. “Let me know what you decide. I’m good to go when you’re ready.”

  I waited until he was in the office with the others before turning back to glare at Lane. “What the hell is your problem?”

  “I don’t have one.”

  “We’ve always done everything together. Equally. What’s with the macho, order the women to stay home, attitude?”

  “That’s not what I’m doing!”

  “So, why don’t you want me to come?”

  “Because someone needs to stay here with the kids!”

  Everyone looked up at his shout and he blushed, running his hands over his face to hide it. If I’d been about to yell something else, it didn’t come out. Lane never yelled. Ever. I looked him over carefully and suddenly, I could see through the calm exterior he’d been putting up the last day.

  “Hey.” I put a hand on his arm. “It’s ok.”

  He took a deep breath and shook his head. “Look. Can you just stay here? Please. I’ll feel better if I don’t have to worry about you out there and someone should really stay with these guys.”

  I gazed into his pleading eyes and nodded. “Ok,” I whispered. “Just… be careful. God, be careful.” My throat tightened and I had to swallow hard. “Lane…”

  He nodded. “I’ll be careful.” He looked over my head to the office windows. “Jason!” He bent, grabbed the ammo backpack, handed me a few boxes of bullets, and took the rest. “You need to keep one of the guns. Just in case.”

  Jason fired up the one ton and I watched as Pete pulled up the overhead door. Lane started to walk away.

  “Lane!” I grabbed his hand. He gave mine a squeeze.

  “I’ll be back. I promise.” He held my face gently. “I promise.”

  I relaxed slightly. How many times had he promised me that? Whether it was after he’d made sure my newest foster family was treating me well, or while he was sneaking out of my bedroom window because I’d called him, crying about something or other; he must have made that promise to me a million times. He’d never lied to me.

  He looked up as Jason honked the horn.

  “Lane! Let’s go!”

  Lane took one step away from me, turned back, and softly pressed his lips to mine. My heart kicked in my chest.

  “I’ll be back.”

  I stared, stunned, as he walked away. I looked around at the others as the door slammed down and Pete put the lock on the chain. Everyone was smiling at me.

  “He, uh… he didn’t mean to call you guys kids. He’s just a little stressed out.” It was the only thing I could think of to say. I wanted to facepalm myself, but managed to show some sort of self-control.

  Pete grinned. “We know you guys give a shit about us, Gabs. We also know what he meant.”

  “I just don’t want you guys to think we think of you as little kids. We just… God!” I ran my hands over my face. “Did that just happen?”

  Marie and Lizzy burst out laughing.

  “It’s about fucking time,” mumbled Max with a shake of his head as he walked past me to the couch with a smile.

  I busied myself folding blankets and checking our supplies. My phone vibrated.

  ‘Got your message. On our way.’

  “Brent and Grant are on their way.” I sent a silent thank you up to God. “Has anyone heard from Johnny?”

  Everyone shook their heads.

  “I tried phoning him this morning. His phone goes straight to voicemail.” Pete didn’t hide any of the worry he felt. At seventeen, John was the youngest on our permanent crew.

  “Have you tried the community service kids?”

  Max nodded. “Albert is already in Manitoba. His parents left town last night thinking it was just in this city. Mason’s not answering his phone, Teddy’s on his grandpa’s farm, and Heather’s mom told me to go fuck myself.”

  “That woman needs a shot to the head,” grumbled Lizzy.

  “What happened? I thought Mrs. Richards liked you two.” Max had been put in charge of picking up Heather, which meant that Lizzy was usually along for the ride. The two had met on the jobsite and were inseparable.

  “She did, but Thursday afternoon, when we got off early, we stopped off at Georgie’s and grabbed a case of beer.” Max stared at the ground and I held my tongue, waiting to hear the rest of the story.

  “She only had one beer, Gabby, I swear!”

  “Max! You know she’s underage! Do you know what would happen to me and Lane if Mrs. Richards decided to report this? We’d be done! We’d get kicked off the community service program!” I took a few deep breaths to calm myself. “It is our job to give these kids a safe working environment so they can learn life skills and people skills.”

  “I know and I’m sorry.” He looked down at me, looking just a horrible as he sounded.

  “I’ll have to talk to Lane about this, but maybe we were wrong in thinking you were ready to take on more responsibility.”

  He seemed to shrink in front of me, and for as bad I felt for him, I already knew what Lane would have to say on the subject.

  “I gave her the beer. I don’t see what the big deal is. It was just one beer.” Lizzy shrugged.

  I turned to Max. “Lizzy gave her the beer?”

  He hesitated before nodding. “But I should have said something. I should have told her no.”

  Lizzy grunted. “It was just one beer!” She looked at me defiantly. “It’s not a big deal.”

  I had a flashback of two years ago when she’d first started on with us. It was that look right there that had given me doubts as to whether or not she’d finish the program. Though she’d completed it and stayed on with us full time, I’d always had a feeling that Max was the main reason she was still around.

  She glared at Pete who was staring at her, his mouth open. “Don’t you stand there and act all better than me! You were worse than me when you started the program!”

  Holy shit, I thought to myself. This is going to get out of hand.

  “I don’t think I’m better than you. I know damn well what I was like when I started here. I also appreciate everything Gabby and Lane have done for me. That’s why it blows my mind that you can sit there and act as though what you did was nothing! I remember what you were like when you started, too, Lizzy. Turning tricks for
a living all cracked out on whatever drug you could get your hands on. You want to tell me you don’t care that Gabs and Lane gave you a chance to get away from it all when no one else gave a damn?”

  Marie put a hand on his arm and I watched as he visibly calmed down at the touch.

  “Whatever, Pete. You’re not my dad. Gabby and Lane, they’re not my parents! You guys all walk around here acting like they’re gods. I’m sick of it.”

  “Really? You’re going to do this today, Lizzy?” I counted to ten to ease the anger away.

  “I’d say today’s the perfect day. We’ll all be dead by tomorrow, so why bother acting like all is fine with the world?”

  I ran my hands over my face and watched as she marched up the stairs.

  “Gabby…” Max took a deep breath. “It was wrong, and I’m sorry, but please… I’ll do anything. Please don’t fire me.” He swallowed hard and I could see he was trying not to cry. “I don’t have anywhere else to go.”

  My heart broke at the sight of a nineteen year old looking more like a ten year old and I couldn’t resist the urge to give him a hug. “We’re not going to fire you, Maxy. We’ll go over the ground rules again and you won’t be able to be in charge of the newbies for a while.” I squeezed him tighter to emphasize my point. He’d been tossed out of every foster home and every school he’d ever been in. To say he was a handful was the understatement of a lifetime, but this was one family he wasn’t going to get thrown out of. “You’re stuck with us for a while yet.”

  He snorted and I felt my shoulder getting damp with his tears. He stayed that way for another minute before straightening and wiping his arms over his face.

  “You guys are too good to us,” he mumbled.

  I smiled. “You guys think too little of yourselves. Everyone makes mistakes, Max; it’s whether or not you learn from them that makes the difference.”

  All of us jumped as the front door rattled in its frame.

  “Gabby! Lane! Come on, you guys! Open up!”

  I rushed to the door, rifle in hand, and let the twins in before slamming it shut and locking it again. They stood in front of me, two of the same. The twenty year old twins were identical. Body structure, height, facial features… everything from the light brown hair and the hazel eyes to their personalities. I couldn’t help but laugh.

  “Don’t shoot!” Brent held his hands up in mock surrender.

  “I’d hold my hands up, but these backpacks are heavy!” Grant shoved one at his brother. “Dude! What did you pack in yours?”

  “Nothing! Just clothes.”

  “And a bowling ball,” muttered Grant.

  “Ok, ok. Enough of that. Are you guys hungry?” I sidestepped to avoid being trampled on as they rushed to the little kitchen.

  Pete smiled. “Some things never change.”

  “What? Just because we’re stuck in some lame ass zombie movie does not mean we have to starve to death.” Brent bit into a muffin and grinned. He looked around the shop. “Where’s Lane?”

  “He went with Jason into town to see if they could gather up more supplies and to see what things were like out there today.” I frowned and looked at the clock. They’d been gone an hour.

  “What about John?”

  I shook my head. “We can’t get a hold of him.”

  Grant choked down the mouthful of muffin he’d been chewing. He flipped his cell phone open and dialed.

  “Johnny, dude, it’s Grant. Let me know when you get this. We’re all hanging at the shop. Get your ass over here.” He put his muffin down, clearly disturbed by the fact that his friend was MIA.

  Brent’s gaze fell on Max. “Where’s your other half?”

  “Upstairs.” Max gestured with his head to where Lizzy had disappeared.

  Brent raised an eyebrow at Max’s tired tone. “Troubles in paradise?”

  Max closed his eyes, took a deep breath and we all watched his lips move as he counted slowly in his head, something he did when he was upset and knew he was reaching a breaking point. While others had crying fits or fell into a depression, Max turned violent. A breakdown on his part usually meant a trashed room and a trip to the first aid station to bandage his hands. He inhaled once more, opened his eyes and nodded a yes to Brent’s question.

  I smiled. “Good job.”

  Grant, Brent, and Pete all rewarded him with a pat on the back and Marie smiled.

  “I made more coffee,” she announced.

  I looked up the stairs as everyone made their way to the coffee pot. Brent took Ashley from Marie and settled on the couch with her.

  “Well, hello, there, baby girl. Have you been a good girl for momma and dadda?”

  I watched as he cooed to her and the rest of them made their way over to stand around the pair. I smiled softly. They were good kids, all of them. All they needed was for someone to believe in them. I glanced at the clock again. An hour and a half.

  Pete came over and gave me a hug. “He promised you he’d be back. He’s never broken a promise in his life.”

  I rolled my eyes. “What makes you think I’m worried?”

  He raised an eyebrow at me.

  Marie nodded. “You have nothing to worry about. Like Pete said, they’ll be back.”

  “Aww, is mommy worried about daddy?”

  Everyone turned to frown at Lizzy.

  “What the fuck is your problem, Lizzy?” Max came to stand between us.

  “See! I knew you’d take her side!”

  “What side? What are you so upset about? I don’t understand!” Max was clenching and unclenching his fists. He looked around wildly and I knew he was looking for something to hit. His eyes met mine. “I have to go.” He pushed past Lizzy and left the shop.

  “Max! Stop!” I ran after him. “You can’t go out there!” I swore, ran back in for my rifle, and sprinted back out. “Lock this thing till I get back!” I yelled over my shoulder. I heard the door slam shut behind me.

  The sound of Max grunting as he punched something with all of his might came from the side of the building. I watched as he hit some old bales we’d set up to use as target practice. Whatever was wrong must have been more than he’d been letting on. Ten minutes later, he finally collapsed to the ground, his knuckles bleeding, tears running down his face. I knelt beside him and let him bury his face in my chest like a child. His sobs raked through him and I swallowed hard to keep from crying along with him. I smoothed his hair until he got himself under control.

  “I haven’t seen you do that for a good six months.” I waited until he looked at me. “What’s going on, Max?”

  He cleared his throat and looked at the ground. “She’s using again.” His voice was just a whisper. “I tried talking to her. I tried getting her to come ask you or Lane for help… she said she doesn’t want to stop. I don’t know what to do, Gabby. I can’t be around it. God! I watch her and I start to miss it. But I don’t want to be there again. I can’t go back to how I was… Jesus, I almost killed a man. I mean, I know I still freak out and I’d gotten into fights before, but that time… I was so out of it I didn’t even realize I was killing him until they told me what had happened when I woke up in a cell the next day.”

  I stayed quiet, waiting for him to start talking again.

  “I love her. I do. I told her I’d stick with her through anything, but this…” He shook his head and ran his hands over his face. “I can’t do this.”

  “Ok. It’s ok. Look, does she have anything on her right now?”

  He shook his head. “She was supposed to meet her dealer today sometime cause she was out.”

  “Alright. Let’s head back inside and when Lane gets back, we’ll sit down the four of us and have a talk, ok?”

  He nodded and gave me a pitiful attempt at a smile.

  As we walked back to the shop, I thought to myself, why? Why today. With everything else that was going on, why were we going to have to deal with something like this? I caught Max’s glance as his eyes darted to our surroundin
gs. He looked scared.

  “Come on. You’ll feel better when we lock the door behind us.”

  “How are you so calm?”

  I snorted. “I’m not.”

  The snapping of a branch behind us made us spin around. My heart pounded in my chest while I scanned the woods, my rifle half raised in case I should need it. Max started to laugh.

  “It’s a rabbit.” He pointed to where he’d spotted it.

  I let my breath out in a huff. “Holy shit… let’s get back to the shop.”

  We jogged the rest of the way to the front door.

  Grant frowned. “Max, dude, you can’t just run out like that.”

  I gave a shake of my head. “It’s not an issue, guys. It’s done and over with. We didn’t see anything out there except for a rabbit.” I glanced up at the clock. Two hours. My phone vibrated and I jumped over the chair to get to it.

  ‘Stop worrying. We’re alright’

  I punched in a happy face. ‘Where are you?’

  ‘I’m at the house checking on Iggy. Be there in fifteen.’

  I sat on the couch, relief making my whole body tingle. I looked up and found the others looking at me expectantly.

  “They’re ok. They’ll be back in about fifteen minutes.”

  My phone vibrated before kicking to my favorite Irish song. All it said was ‘private number’.

  “Gabby here.”

  “Gabby! I need help!” John’s voice cracked.

  “John! Where are you?”

  “Oh, shit.” His voice was a shaky whisper.

  I grabbed the boxes of ammo from the table and looked at my crew. I could see Lizzy looking at us from the railing upstairs.

  “Max, you’re with me.” I didn’t need a situation while I was gone.

  “Gabby, dude, I’m the one with the high speed chases under his belt. I’ll drive.” Brent grabbed the keys form Pete.

  “No. I’ll explain later, but I’m taking Max. The rest of you stay put. You do not open that door for anyone but me or Lane. You do NOT go outside. I don’t care if Jesus himself knocks on the door and tells you it’s safe; you stay inside!”