Chapter 4

Four

            Amy opened the front door wide and ushered in Kylie, Sydney, and Bailee, looking springy in a pink flowery sundress. “Hey, girls!” Amy welcomed as she pushed the door shut. “Glad you were able to come too, Kylie.”

            “Yeah, I ended up being off in time.”

            Bailee peered around the wall dividing the entry way from the family room. “So, who else is here?”

            Amy led the way to the kitchen, where the three sisters deposited food and drinks that they had brought along. “Oh, not too many people. Blake’s here again, and Hailey and Audrey Myers are here too.”

            Bailee smiled as they made their way out to the family room. She kind of wondered why Amy and Austin were having a get together so soon after the last one. It had only been two weeks, and they were so busy Bailee hadn’t expected one for a long time. Not that she minded. She would’ve found a way to hang out with Amy at some point anyway.

            “Hi, Audrey and Hailey. Good to see you all again.” Bailee plopped down on the couch next to the two petite girls. Bailee wasn’t big, but compared to them she felt giant.

            Both blonds looked at her and smiled, returning her greeting.  Everyone found a seat to sit in around the room, and the chattering from several different conversations at once started to get very loud and obnoxious.

            Bailee cringed. She had a headache. She hadn’t even planned to come tonight except for the fact that Amy had literally begged her on the phone. If she had been with her in person, Bailee was sure that she would have been on her knees.

            Finally, after sitting sunk into the couch cushions listening to the jibber-jabber, she turned to the Myer sisters. “How’s your brother, Logan?” She asked.

            Hailey replied, since Audrey was in some sort of debate about politics with Blake and Austin. “He’s great. He was gonna come tonight, but he was busy.” Hailey’s eyes sparkled, and Bailee had a pretty good idea what she meant by “busy”.

            “He should’ve brought Megan here,” Bailee said, “I haven’t seen her in forever.”

            Hailey rolled her eyes. “Oh, you know how he is. Wanting to be alone. Hates crowds. It’s actually a good thing, ‘cause Megan prefers it too.”

            Bailee smiled. “Yeah, I know. So are they engaged yet?”

            “Engaged? Are you kidding me? Logan won’t even talk about that.”

            Bailee looked at her in surprise. “They’ve been together for two years.”

            “I know, but he’s got cold feet all of a sudden and won’t discuss getting married with anybody. I-”

            The doorbell ringing interrupted her sentence but she never bothered to finish it. Austin sent a quick glance Amy’s way and she hopped up to get the door.

            Bailee was curious as to who would still be coming, but she didn’t wonder long, for he soon made his appearance: Riley.

            Bailee looked towards Amy, but she only gave her a little grin and nudged Riley into the room. He looks nice, Amy mouthed behind him.

            Bailee ground her teeth together. Kylie was bad enough; she didn’t need Amy in on it too. How many times did she have to tell those girls that she didn’t need a man, didn’t even want him, no matter how good-looking he was. But she did have to admit Riley looked good. She’d never seen the casual outfit of jeans and a dark blue button-up look so good on someone before.

            He smiled at her. “Hey, Bailee. Nice to see you again.” His dark hair didn’t look like it had been put in any semblance of order. Just tousled about, however it fell.

            Bailee smiled back and leaned forward a little out of the squishy couch, trying not be sunk entirely in its folds. “Hi, Riley.”

            She saw Riley and Austin share a conspiratorial glance as Riley said hi to him and Blake. Amy raised her eyebrows at the two as she walked past and disappeared in the kitchen with a slight smile on her face.

            Austin pointed at Hailey and Audrey, causing Riley’s attention to shift to them. “This is Hailey and Audrey Myers.” Riley shook their hands, his big tan one dwarfing their tiny ones. Riley then sat down in the only available chair, the one next to Bailee’s end of the couch. He smiled at her, and Bailee had no choice but to give her attention as he asked, “What’s been keeping you busy lately?”

            “Work. That about sums it up.”

            Riley raised his eyebrows a fraction. “Just work?”

            Bailee shrugged. “Pretty much. How’s your grandpa’s barn going?”

            Riley sat back in his chair and crossed his arms. “Well, we have about a fourth of it done, maybe. It takes a while, but we’re getting there.”

            Austin turned towards the TV at that moment and flipped it on, scanning the channels and finally settling on some sports game that was on. Soon most conversation had dwindled as Blake, Hailey, Kylie and Audrey joined Austin. Sydney left and joined Amy in the kitchen.

            Bailee closed her eyes and subconsciously rubbed her temples with her index fingers.

            “Headache?”

            Bailee opened her eyes with a start; she hadn’t even realized what she was doing, but Riley was looking at her with concern.

            “Yeah.” She stood. “This game’s not helping, either. Maybe I should go in the kitchen and see if they need help.”

            Riley uncrossed his arms and rose too. “You wanna go for a walk? That might help it.”

            “Aren’t you interested in that?” Bailee indicated  the television.

            “Nah. Come on, it’ll be fun.” There was pleading sparkling in his bright blue eyes.

            Bailee looked at him. She really shouldn’t, but then, what could it hurt? It wasn’t like he was asking for a date. Simply a walk and she had to admit she liked walks. Only walks with men she hardly knew were worth the worry. And Riley was definitely someone she didn’t know so well…

            Finally she nodded, regretting the decision as soon as she made it. “Ok.” After she quickly informed Kylie of where she was going—who barely spared her a glance—Bailee slipped on her shoes, grabbed her sweatshirt and went out with Riley, hoping she hadn’t made a mistake. They walked around the neighborhood, side by side, their arms occasionally bumping.

            “Are you seeing anyone presently, Bailee?” It was a casually spoken question.

            Bailee looked up at Riley, but it was too dark to see his face. “No. You?” She wasn’t really interested in whether he was or not, she was simply making conversation. She rubbed her arms and then pushed her hand deeper into her sweater’s pocket. The sharp wind billowed around them as the dark sky filled with clouds, obscuring the moon from view.

            Riley shook his head, his brown hair lifting in the wind. “Nope.”

            Several more minutes of slightly awkward silence.

            “Do you have family? Brothers, sisters?” Bailee attempted at keeping the conversation going, wishing every moment that she hadn’t agreed to walk.

            “One sister. Bethanie. She’s married and lives in Illinois.”

            “You’re parents live in Kentucky?”

            “Yep. Well, actually, I think my mom recently moved in with Bethanie and her husband.” He glanced at her. “They’re separated.” He spoke with a no-big-deal attitude as he shoved his hands in his pockets.

            “Oh. I’m sorry.”

            “Well, they’re not officially divorced and they only separated recently, so there’s still hope.”

            Bailee smiled bitter sweetly. Hope. Yes, there was still hope for his parents. Unlike hers. Dead. Prison. There was no hope for hers now. Not ever.

            “What about your parents and siblings?”

            Bailee should’ve supposed it would come to that. She swallowed hard, refusing to tell him who her dad was. “I have another sister, Ava, who’s married and has a little girl named Phoebe.” She walked two steps. “Um, my parents are also separated.” She lied. Well, they are separated. Just not in the way he thinks.

            He looked at her then, his feature brightening momentarily as they passed under a streetlamp, then plunging back into darkness, making them unreadable. His gaze was disconcerting, his eyes dark. Liar, liar, his stare seemed to say, although she figured it was her imagination. There was no way he would know the truth. Was there? Had Amy and Austin possibly shared something? They wouldn’t have… would they? They were dear and devoted friends, but from what she could see Riley was too.

            She looked away, not willing to play his staring game.  “Can we go back now?”

They turned around and The rest of the way was walked in an eerie silence, the neighborhood quietly preparing for night.

            It was not long after that they reached the Burk’s house, and Bailee felt a measure of relief. This walk had heightened, if anything, the pain in her head, and she could only hope that her sisters would be ready to leave soon. She wasn’t sure how much more she could handle, especially with Riley there interested in her personal life. A life she was not willing to share. With anyone, but especially with him. She knew people like him; the ones that would look at you with extreme sympathy. Bailee didn’t want that. She didn’t want sympathy.

Bailee wiped a hand across her forehead as she jogged up the sloped sidewalk. It had changed from chilly to warm with almost a night and day difference. Yesterday, the get together at the Burgs, had been chilly and cloudy. Today was sunny and warm, even at 7:30 in the morning.

Pausing, she picked a new album on her iPod and then stuck it back into her pocket, continuing her jog.

After she got home she had a whole day free… to herself! The thought sounded so deliciously wonderful that she picked up the pace a little. Once she got back to the apartment she would do some cleaning up since the place was a pigpen, then she would do some grocery shopping—ok, not so fun— then she might go and visit Gail Hatchet, the ninety-year-old woman that was practically like an aunt to the Steven sisters. Even when everyone else had forsaken them because of the “unpardonable act” of their father, Gail Hatchet had stayed strong beside them, showing them real friendship.

Reaching home she immediately got a shower, threw on a summery outfit, cleaned up the apartment, and headed to the grocery store. Picking up all the food supplies they needed, she took them home. She would just make something to take to Gail… perhaps a casserole of sorts? Maybe her famous cheese and meat one that everyone liked so much. After putting together the casserole and sticking it in the oven she sat down and picked up a book that she had been trying to read for almost two weeks. Just because it was her day off didn’t mean she had to stay busy doing the things usually neglected. She had gotten no more than three pages further into the book when her phone rang. Locating the sound, she picked it up off the counter. “Hello?”

“Hey, beautiful.” The same voice. Like an over-practiced fake Southern accent.

She sighed heavily. “Andrew, I thought--”

“Just wait a second, hon’, and listen to me. You don’t even know what I’m going to say and you go crazy. Now calm down.”

Bailee paced the kitchen, waiting for him to speak. Finally she said, “I’m calm.”

“Ok, then,” Bailee could tell he was smiling. “I was hopin’ I could catch you home. This must be your day off?”

“Yes?”

“Ok, well I was wantin’ to come over. I want to talk to you about, you know, the other night.”

The other night? The night like three weeks ago? “Um, isn’t it a little late?”

“I’ve been busy. Real busy.” He drew out real like she was missing out on his life and it was a secret that she couldn’t know about.

She suppressed her frustration. That last thing she wanted was Fake-Accent Andrew coming over and ruining her wonderful day off. And she had no desire to rehash the other night, especially not if Andrew hoped to start things again. “Sorry, Andrew. I don’t see how it’ll work. I’m getting ready to go.” As if to prove her point the timer on the stove buzzed, announcing the finishing of the casserole.

“Great, sweetheart. I’ll be over in about five minutes. I’m right up that way. See ya in a bit.” The line went dead. Bailee snapped her phone shut and slammed it to the counter, then snatched it back up again to make sure she hadn’t damaged it. Finding it unharmed she set it down more gently and groaned. She’d as good as said no, and the aggravating man was still coming! This is why she had broken up with him… among other things. As she pulled the casserole out of the stove she considered leaving anyway and letting him come to an empty home, but knowing Andrew, he’d probably just wait for her. No, better get it over with as soon as possible.

Bailee turned off the oven and stuck the casserole inside, leaving the door open just a crack. Just then there was a knock at that door. If nothing else, Andrew was at least punctual. She opened the door with a less than enthused expression and Andrew pushed past her into the room, settling himself on the couch.

“Come here, Bailee. We need to talk.”

Bailee sighed, pushed the apartment door shut, and sat down on the edge of the couch as far away from as possible.

“I know you had, well, other impressions the other night about us, but I figured by now you were willing to rethink your decision.”

Bailee was shaking her head before his sentence was halfway finished. “No, Andrew. I know exactly what I said. Same thing I’m still saying. You’re not right for me. You’ve never been right for me. And the biggest thing, I am not interested. In anybody.” She rose, hoping Andrew would see that this was the end of their discussion and leave. All he did was lean forward, resting his hands on his knees. “Bailee, what did I ever do to you? What made you turn away from me? Is there someone else?” He stood up and came close to her. “There’s someone else, isn’t there?” His gaze and tone had a touch of possessive angriness.

Bailee started to shake and backed up. He followed. She backed away faster, running into a stool at the counter. Losing her balance, she grasped at the counter edge but missed, and would have fallen backwards over the stool had Andrew not caught her. He grabbed her and pulled her close. “See? You need me.”

She pushed on his chest, panic seizing. “Please, Andrew! You’re making me uncomfortable… I’m…”

He let go of her suddenly and she stumbled backwards. “Who is it, Bailee? Who?” The look in his eyes scared her.

Bailee couldn’t stop shaking. “There’s no one, Andrew. I have no one.” She walked to the door on legs that felt like jelly, pulled it open, and waited for him to exit. He stared hard at her for a long moment and then stalked through the door without a word. Bailee shut the door and leaned against it, the panic in her real and frightening. Her legs felt like they couldn’t hold her and she sank down to the floor holding her face in her hands. What had made him act like that? Yes, they’d gone out on several dates, they’d had fun—well, some—she’d been friendly, but he hadn’t had her long enough to feel so possessive. He had scared her. Really scared her.

Andrew’s engine revved to life and then his Corvette roared off. Bailee waited till she could no longer hear it, then rose, gathered the casserole dish—which was cooled considerably—and left the house, heading for Gail Hatchet’s home.

The drive over only took ten minutes, and on her way up to the elderly lady’s door she waved to Fred Newman, Gail’s neighbor, who was sitting on his porch. She liked to think of him as Mr. Says, because he seemed to have a saying for every occasion or problem there was.

“Gail!” Bailee called through the screen door. She opened it and went to the kitchen, setting the casserole on the counter. “Gail I’m here.”

Gail ambled around the corner and smiled when she saw Bailee, her eyes crinkling to mere slits. “Hello, dear. What’d you bring me this time?” She reached out a wrinkled old hand and squeezed Bailee’s shoulder with surprising strength for a ninety-year-old woman.

“I brought you a casserole. The one I make best.” Bailee smiled and put the dish in the oven, then made her way to the kitchen table, holding a chair out for Gail.

“So how’s Tabitha?” Bailee set the teapot on to boil, then sat down across from Gail.

“Oh, same as ever, she is. Got into my garbage can out back last night and swallowed a chicken bone. Had me scared for a while with her choking, but then she threw it up . Fred took one look at her and said ‘Curiosity killed the cat!’ then went back into his house as if he had just given a great prophecy.” Gail laughed and Bailee joined her. It had been too long since she had visited her. Bailee needed it as much as Gail.

“What about Sydney and Kylie? And of course Ava?”

“Well,” the teapot interrupted her sentence, and she got up to turn it off, pouring the steaming water over teabags in mugs. “They’re doing fine. Nothing new has happened with us.” She set a mug in front of Gail and then sat down again.

Gail looked at her. “How about you, dear? Have someone special in your life?”

Bailee looked at the old woman’s eyes, then looked away. “No.” She could hardly count Andrew. She wouldn’t have counted him when they were still “together”, much less now.

They chatted for a long while. Bailee helped her clean her house, gave her a hug and kiss, and then left.

On her way out, Bailee noticed that Mr. Says was still sitting on his porch. She waved to him as she unlocked her car.

“Looks like you got a broken mirror.” He called.

Why does everyone keep telling me what’s so obvious? Do they think I can’t see it? “Yeah. I do.”

            “I know someone who could fix it for you real cheap.”

            Bailee walked closer to the man’s porch so they wouldn’t be shouting across the whole neighborhood. “You do?”

            “Yep. Hold on a sec. I’ll get you the number.” 

            “Thanks.” She waited while he went inside.

            “Here you are, girlie. Like I always say, it never hurts to have lots o’ connections.”

            Bailee smiled and held up the scrap of paper. “Thanks for this. Goodbye, Mr. Sa—uh, Newman.” As she walked back to Janie she hoped Fred didn’t notice her blunder. That would not be good. She needed to get out of the habit of calling him that. On her way home she remembered that she had forgotten to grab an item from the grocery store when she had stopped earlier, so she pulled into the parking lot and ran in.

            A commotion at the end of an aisle caught her eye as she was walking through the store. She couldn’t help pausing as a child cried loudly in a shopping cart.

            “Stop it!” A woman hissed angrily at her. Bailee guessed it was her mother.

            The little girl didn’t stop, just cried louder. The woman turned away from her and surveyed the items on the shelf. Bailee watched her face turn redder and redder and finally she whirled around and slapped the child’s cheek. “I said stop it, you brat. You’re not getting any treats today, and if you don’t shut up, you’ll never get any treats again!” The girl sank as far back into the cart as she could and whimpered with a big poochie lip, rubbing her red cheek.

            Bailee walked away, not able to see anymore. She was disgusted and angry with the mother, sorry for the child… What she wanted most to do was go up to the woman and give her the same treatment she had given her daughter. Bailee had a hard time dealing with people hitting their children. There was a fine line between disciplining and abuse. Maybe that was part of the reason she wasn’t getting married. Because if she got married she’d want to have kids, and she was afraid to discipline them. 

            She left the store with what she needed and drove home, sorely missing the mirror lacking on her jeep.