Page 3 of Always Us

Frank and I are behind them. I look at Frank. “What is with those two and cars? It’s a BMW. Aren’t they all the same?”

“It’s their thing,” Frank says quietly. “They both like cars. It’s something they can bond over. And going for a drive gives them an excuse to spend time together.”

We stop at the white Honda CR-V Frank bought last summer after I gave him some of the money from my trust fund. Ryan puts our suitcase in the back, then comes around and gets in the driver’s seat.

“Why aren’t you driving, Frank?” I slide in the back seat, next to Garret. Frank’s in front of me on the passenger side.

“I didn’t sleep well last night. I don’t like to drive when I’m tired.”

His comment worries me. Frank looks healthy on the outside but I wonder if he’s not feeling well. If he was, I know he wouldn’t tell me. He doesn’t want me to worry, but of course I still do.

“You guys haven’t even complained about the cold.” Ryan turns the heat up. “It’s only 30 degrees. I thought you California people would be freaking out by now.”

“We’ve only lived there a few months.” I look at Garret. “I don’t feel that cold. Do you?”

“Didn’t even notice it.” He aims his cocky grin at Ryan. “I’m not some pretty boy who can’t handle the cold.”

Ryan glances at him in the rear view mirror. “Then maybe we’ll go throw the football around in the back yard. Get some of that cold Midwest air in your lungs. Unless swimmers don’t play football. Might be too rough of a sport.”

Garret knees the back of Ryan’s seat. “I was quarterback in high school.”

“Pretty boys are always quarterback,” Ryan mumbles, loud enough for us to hear.

Garret laughs and shakes his head.

Guys. This is obviously how they bond, insulting each other, challenging each other. I don’t get it, but if that’s their way of becoming friends, it’s fine with me.

We get to the house a half hour later. When Frank said his new house is on the west side of the Des Moines metro, he meant it. It’s really far west. The house is off by itself on a couple acres of land, surrounded by woods. It’s a one-level house with dark tan siding, multicolored stone, black shutters, and a black front door. The house blends in nicely with the wooded setting.

“You did a good job with the colors, Frank.” We’re standing in the driveway, admiring the house.

“I drove around and looked at other houses and copied one that I liked. The property goes way back into the woods. We’ve already seen a lot of wildlife, even out here in the driveway.”

I latch onto Garret. “What kind of wildlife? Like snakes?”

“Snakes, raccoons, fox, deer, coyote.”

Garret laughs as I grip him even tighter. “You shouldn’t have told her that. Now she’ll lock herself in the house the rest of the weekend.”

“You’re afraid of wildlife?” Frank asks me.

“Yes! You know how scared I am of snakes. At least at the old house we didn’t have any, or any other wildlife.”

“What are you talking about?” Ryan takes the suitcase out of the car. “We had snakes at the other house. And raccoons were always getting in the garbage. We even had a bat in the house.”

“A bat?” I shudder. “You never told me that.”

“You were at school when it happened. We got it out before you got home.”

“Where was it? In the living room?”

Ryan looks at Frank, who shrugs and says, “We don’t live there anymore so you might as well tell her.”

“It was in your bedroom.” Ryan starts laughing.

“And you didn’t tell me?” I huff. “It touched all my stuff! It was probably in my clothes. I could’ve got rabies.”

“You can’t get rabies from a bat touching your clothes,” Ryan says. “Besides, we washed everything before you got home. We figured it was better if you didn’t know.”

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