Life Happens on the Stairs
Page 19
“For real?”
“Yeah, I keep them in the car.”
I giggled. “Running in Italian leather loafers would suck.”
“Tell me about it.”
After I found a pair of Mark’s basketball shorts, Tyler came out of the bathroom before I realized I needed to change, too.
“Do you want to go to Shiloh?” he asked from the living room.
“We can,” I said, slipping on my jogging shorts. “I already ran here today.”
“Oh, really? When did you do that?”
I grabbed my tennis shoes and walked out of my room. “After I left your house. I needed to jog, or you’d still be looking for me.”
He reached out and pulled me close.
“You’d better not run and hide. I’ll search the ends of the earth for you.”
~ * ~
The evening air felt cool and refreshing as we jogged the paths at Shiloh. Tyler seemed relieved to burn his excessive energy, but it didn’t take long for me to fizzle out after all the running I’d done. When the sun began to move behind the tree line, we turned around and walked back to his car. Instead of going to my house, he drove into Savannah.
He’d better not take me back to that awful house.
“Where are you going?” I asked.
He turned into the first fast-food restaurant on the strip. “I’m hungry.”
“Again?”
He smiled as he slowed next to the intercom, and then he rolled down the window.
“Three double cheeseburger meals,” he said. “Only two drinks. Thanks.”
“That’s insane, Tyler.”
“I have to eat a lot. All I’ve had today is breakfast, then dinner at your house.”
“How much food do you need?”
“I burn over fifteen hundred calories a day. So, I have to eat at least three thousand, or more.” He chuckled. “That’s a lot of food, if you think about it.”
“Yeah, it is.”
The cashier gave him his change, and then two bags of food, and two drinks.
He handed them to me. “Don’t open them.”
“Why?”
“No eating in the car,” he said, as he pulled on the highway.
“Can’t blame you, there. One of my greatest talents is spilling food on car seats.”
He nodded. “Glad you understand.”
When we settled in at my house, he reluctantly offered me one of his sandwiches. We ate, and then he wanted to take a quick shower. I rummaged Mark’s room again and found a pair of sweats and a T-shirt for him. As I waited for him to finish, I watched TV, and then we swapped places. Relieved to wash the sweat off, I rejoined him within ten minutes.
A bit later, we went to my room, snuggled next to each other on top of the covers, and talked for hours. I told him how much I worried about my family, and how hard it would be to get the peppers harvested. Then we joked that I’d probably kill myself trying, and no one would find me for days. He totally got me, even down to my twisted views on life and death.
We’d just concluded that we both didn’t like mayonnaise, when he grabbed my iPod.
“Elsie, look at this thing. It’s ten years old.”
I rolled on my side, propping on my elbow. “Who cares? It works.”
“Yeah well, it holds like three songs.”
I snatched it from him. “I have a hundred songs. See?”
He took it back and started scrolling through my playlist.
“You like weird music. 4 Non Blondes, seriously?”
“That’s a great song.”
We chatted while we listened to What’s Up?
“It’s not that bad,” he said, after it stopped.
Heatbeat by The Frey started. I studied his face as he scrolled through the songs.
“Will you tell me about your accident?” I asked.
“Sure.” He set down my iPod, then rolled on his side to face me. “I was fifteen and here for the end of the summer. Grandpa and I had gone to the country club for dinner. On the way home, he babbled on about some guy who thought he could rip off the stock market. A deer ran out in front of us. The impact snapped Grandpa’s neck and he died instantly.”
“It’s crazy that it didn’t hurt you, but it killed him.”
“Weird, isn’t it? I hit my head, and glass shattered all over me, but like Mom said, I walked away with only cuts and bruises.” He lifted his sleeve. “See, I have scars, too.”
He pointed to his shoulder. Then he rolled on his back, pulled up the bottom of his shirt, and showed me a few more scars on his chest and stomach. I ran my finger over a fine line hiding between his abdominal muscles.
“I do miss him, though,” Tyler said with a heaviness in his voice that I rarely heard.
“You two were close, weren’t you?”
He took my hand and pressed his lips to the back of it. I could feel his pain in his gentle touch. He’d been withholding this side of himself. He didn’t have to hide it. I needed to know he wasn’t a superhero.
“Yeah, we were. He taught me what it means to be a man. Old school, you know? A baby boomer. His integrity was beyond reproach. I don’t know... ” He sighed. “Everything was different when he was alive. Nana wasn’t so bad back then. She’s so damn controlling now.”
“Ugh.” I flopped on my back. “Don’t tell me that’s how Mom will be if Dad dies.”
He laughed. “Maybe.” He leaned down and kissed me. As he pulled away, he spotted my sketchpad between the bed and the wall.
He nodded with a grin. “May I?”
“Mm, I don’t know... You might be surprised at what’s inside.”
“Oh, really?” He raised his eyebrows. “You owe me. My journal, remember?”
Blood rushed my cheeks. Crap.
I gave him a quick nod. He snatched the sketchpad, rolled over, and propped it on his legs. Opening the book, his eyes widened.
“Wow. When did you do this?” he asked. “You nailed me.”
“I keep missing something, though. I can’t figure it out.” I turned to a drawing of him leaning against a spilt-rail fence. “See, something’s missing.”
“Well, that’s easy. It’s you.”
I smiled.
“I’m serious. Especially, standing next to that fence. You still don’t get it, do you? You’re the reason my eyes light up, and for the smile on my face. All the energy you think comes so naturally to me? It’s because I’m with you. I’m just not the same guy unless you’re standing right there.” He tapped the page. “You belong next to me.”
I laid my head on his chest. “I never would’ve thought of that. What a cool idea.”
He kissed the top of my head, and then we looked through the drawings: the river, my brother, the collage of Dad’s expressions, another portrait of Tyler.
“Remember the first day at Shiloh?” he asked.
I nodded. Shiloh would always have a place in my heart. We talked for another hour about all the days we’d met each morning.
After midnight, we put the sketchbook away and turned out the lights. He pulled me close, twisting our legs together, our clothed bodies pressed tight.
I rolled over and kissed him. Shrouded in darkness, he smelled like my vanilla body wash. I smiled on his lips, then pushed a little further with another long kiss. His hands moved through my hair, deepening our embrace. I found the bottom of his shirt and ran my fingertips over his smooth stomach. He pressed his body against mine, our mouths moving in perfect rhythm. After a few moments of pure bliss, he softly moaned and pulled away.
No... don’t stop.
“You know what I’ve always wanted?” he whispered in the dark like he could read my mind. “To marry my girl, and that night, then and only then, will we finally know everything about each other. Can you imagine how incredible that will be?”
“Yes.”
Please, let me be that girl.
Ever the gentleman, he gently kissed me again, then shifted behind me, and held me close thr
ough the night.
The next morning, I woke still wrapped in his arms. Afraid of him leaving, I snuggled deeper in his embrace and dozed back to sleep.
At eleven, he kissed me goodbye on the front step. I watched him drive away, then went inside and sat on the couch. Wedging in the corner, I curled in a ball and cried until hospice arrived at noon.
Chapter 23
At four that afternoon, I returned to the corner of the couch. Mark came out of his room and plopped down in the recliner. He stared out the window, looking like a mad rooster, hair sticking up, arms crossed. Dad coming home like this had us both fighting off demons.
Mark scowled. “Dude, your eye looks like shit. Mom’s gonna freak when she sees you.”
“Don’t remind me.”
My stomach churned. Mom would freak out. The color had faded to yellows and blues, but makeup still couldn’t hide it. And then there was Mrs. Vaughn... Should I tell Mom, or just ride out the storm?
I heard a car door shut, so I walked to the picture window and looked out. Mom was parking the car in the side yard, and a small ambulance was backing into the driveway. Within seconds, she walked inside and set her purse on the coffee table.
“How was the drive?” I asked.
“Easy and quiet.” She pushed the coffee table up against the couch to make room. “How are you two?”
Mark grunted.
My heart pounded. She hadn’t made eye contact yet. Letting out a sigh, she scanned the room, then smiled at me. Her face went blank.
“Elsie, your eye!” She rushed toward me. “What happened?”
Grabbing my chin, she moved my head back and forth.
“It’s okay, Mom.” I pulled away. “I’ll tell you about it later.”
She stared me down, then turned to Mark.
“Don’t tell me you just woke up.”
She had no idea how caustic she sounded. My heart broke for Mark.
Welcome home, Mom.
“Yeah, I was up late last night,” his tone calmer than I expected.
She looked back and forth, sizing us up, then she scanned the house.
“Who had the party?” she asked. “One of you did.”
Mark glared at me. I returned his scowl.
“Is that where she got the black eye?” Mom said to Mark.
Mark slammed his palms on the arms of the chair and stood up. At the same time, the paramedics stepped inside, lifting the gurney into the room.
Mark started toward the kitchen. “No, Mom. You own that one.”
She gave me a questioning look. “We’ll talk in a few minutes.”
“I’m glad you’re home.”
“Me too.” She gave me a quick hug, then turned to lead the men to the bedroom.
Then the scene slowed to a crawl as they pushed Dad, unconscious, through the living room. Emaciated cheeks, dusty gray skin – he looked like a complete stranger. A metal hook extended above him, with a rubber bag swinging back and forth. I stepped aside as they turned the corner to go down the hall.
I rushed out the front door and sucked in a deep breath, fighting the urge to run.
“This is insane!”
“What’s insane?” Mark stepped around the corner of the house.
I jumped. He smirked and took a long drag from a cigarette.
“Mark!” I recoiled. “You’re smoking?”
He disappeared to where he had come from. I followed.
“Did you tell her I had a party?” he asked over his shoulder.
“No. Why would I do that?”
“I don’t know. The place looks fine. It doesn’t make any sense.”
“She just wanted to see how we’d react.”
I sat on the back step and stared at the field of peppers. Nothing would ever be the same.
“He’s gone,” I whispered.
“What do you mean?” Mark snapped back.
“Dad’s never going to be the same.”
He let out a sigh and sat down next to me. “No.”
“Do you think he’ll be like this long?”
He flicked his cigarette. “Well, he isn’t going to get better.”
“How long do you think?”
“I don’t know... It could be any day, I guess.” Resting his elbows on his legs, he ran his fingers into his hair. “Isn’t it great Mom’s home? I never know what I’m going to get from her.”
“She’s stressed.”
“I know, but we aren’t exactly on vacation. She acted like I’d let that happen to you.”
“She doesn’t know.” Compassion for both of them tore me inside. “I have to tell her Mr. Smith did this, and—”
“And what? You’d better not rat me out.”
“I’m not going to say anything about your party.” I shook my head. “It isn’t on my radar. Oh, and by the way, you’re welcome for cleaning the house. I saved your ass.”
“You just did that ’cause Tyler came over.”
“Yeah, well,” I started, and then it dawned on me. “You did know he was here.”
“His car kinda gave him away.” He rolled his eyes. “You’re damn lucky you were both dressed when I looked in your room. I’d hate to beat the pretty boy’s ass.”
“Stop it.” I nudged him with my shoulder. “Anyway, you’re the one who had naked people in your bed. Yuck.”
“Yeah, Misty and Trent. They have no shame.”
“No kidding.”
We sat in silence, staring across the yard. My fears must’ve paled in comparison to his. He’d screwed up his future, thrown away a scholarship, and had wandered in limbo ever since. Dad’s death could affect him for the rest of his life. Hell, it could affect all of us for life.
Mark dug in his shirt pocket and pulled out another cigarette.
“Did you take a load of peppers yesterday?” I asked. “I saw the scoop was empty.”
“Yeah.” He flicked the lighter and took a drag. “We made three hundred dollars.”
“You’re going to give it to Mom, right?”
He chuckled. “If she chills.”
“Let it go, man.”
“I’m joking.” He waved his hand. “Of course, I’m going to give it to her. I’m hoping to get out there this evening and pick for a while. You up for it?”
“Sure. I’d like to see Tyler, but she would totally suspect something.”
“Why don’t you just tell her about him?”
“Um, I plead the Fifth.”
He scrunched his forehead. I shrugged and stood up, then walked through the back door into my bedroom. The less Mark knew the better. I had to protect my private world. My time with Tyler was ticking away fast.
As I walked out of my room, the paramedics were pushing the gurney back through the house. Mom followed, thanking them for their help before she closed the door. I went in the kitchen and waited.
“Now what?” I asked.
She headed to the sink and turned on the water. “We do our best.”
“Can he talk?”
“No. He wakes for a little while sometimes.” She turned around. “Do you want to go see him? I need to show you everything.”
I didn’t know what to say. I wanted to see Dad, but not like that. Somehow, I had to accept that he was dying. I hated being told no, and I felt like that was the answer to my prayers. No. Sorry. Not answering this one.
She looked at me with her kind blue eyes. I’d missed her. I hated what we were going through, but I was beyond thankful for her strength.
“Elsie, it’s going to be hard, but we’ll be okay.” She tilted her head with a loving look. “Will you please tell me how you got that awful-looking eye first?”
“You’re not going to like it.”
“I didn’t figure I would.” She leaned across the counter, reaching out to my face. “It looks terrible. Who would hurt you like that?”
“Um, well... I was a few minutes late to Mr. Smith’s on Thursday—”
“I told you to get there early.”
Gasping, she stood straight. “He tried to kiss you, and then he hit you?”
I gave her some time to absorb the words. She paced in a circle, hands pressing her forehead, and then she looked at me with wet eyes.
“Elizabeth, I’m so sorry. You tried to tell me.”
Tears poured down her scarlet cheeks. She walked around the counter and pulled me into her arms. I buried my face in her shoulder and cried along with her. I wasn’t sure who my tears were for: her, Dad, missing Tyler. But they weren’t for Smith. Tyler had fixed that.
I told her the whole story with the exception of Tyler going back to get my phone. She stood there appalled, gasping every so often.
“That’s why Mark said that,” she whispered. “I would’ve never asked you to go there if I thought Smith would do something like this.”
“It’s okay.” I gave her a weak smile. “Makes me stronger, right?”
“Right... ” Her expression told me this wasn’t how she expected me to grow stronger.
She excused herself and headed down the hallway. I needed to see Dad. As I passed the bathroom, I could hear her crying. I hesitated at the door, needing to give her some comfort. No, let her be.
I slowly stepped the last few feet to the bedroom and peered inside.
Dad lay perfectly still except for the rise and fall of his chest. My body trembled. It felt weird to go in their room without permission. Mark and I were only allowed to enter after Dad bellowed, Come in. How I wished he would wake up and say, “Elsie, go on now, get out of here. We’ll be out in a minute.”
Mom walked to the foot of the bed, beside me.
“They sedated him pretty heavily for the ride home,” she said. “He might not open his eyes for a few hours.”
“I’m sorry about Smith’s.”
“Elsie, you don’t have to apologize for being assaulted. I’m the one who’s sorry.”
“It’s okay. It’s getting better.”
“Really?” she said, deadpan. “I’m glad I didn’t see it earlier then.”
We smiled at each other, then stared at Dad like he was already in a coffin.
I pointed to a bag attached to the side of the bed. “What’s that?”