Page 51 of Hyde

Joe – just running an errand or two. Don’t be stubborn, ask your parents for help with anything you need. XO, L

I’m actually not the stubborn one in this relationship, I think to myself as I slowly push up into a sitting position. At this point, I’m certain that it’s the days that Leslee convinced me to stay in bed that have made me feel stiffer than I should, but I suppose that’s a trade off to also having a concussion.

Reaching for my phone, I shoot off a quick text to my Ol’ Lady, trying to figure out where she is before I stand up.

A few minutes later, I’m following the smell of Mom’s cooking out to the kitchen and nod in response to her smile as I focus on the coffee machine.

Thankfully, or maybe because of it, none of the three of us are talkers in the morning. I take my mug out to join Flint at the table, again, just nodding when he grunts at me.

When Mom comes out a couple of minutes later, she sets down a platter full of cheesy eggs and bacon. Flint dishes up a bowl forher, then himself and I reach over, just taking the serving dish for myself.

“You don’t happen to know where my Ol’ Lady is, do you?” I ask, once I’ve nearly finished my meal.

Mom narrows her eyes at Flint when he just chuckles.

“When I caught her sneaking out of here, she said she was going to run some errands and to let you sleep a little longer,” Flint answers me.

“Can I borrow your truck?” I ask Mom.

“You’re not cleared to drive.” Her voice is more authoritative than her usual tone.

“Do you think you could…”

“We’ll hear if she goes to the motel,” Flint interrupts me, holding a hand up. “I asked Finn and Aiden out to keep an eye on her. Just in case.”

I look at Mom in question when she laughs under her breath.

“They still have a crush on her,” she explains with an eyeroll, and I vaguely remember Royce’s sons always following Leslee around at get togethers. “Leslee won’t be surprised to see either of them in her rear-view mirror.”

“Are neither of you worried about Leslee going after Trinity?” I ask, thoroughly frustrated when I check my phone again although I know she hasn’t responded yet.

I jump when I hear a phone vibrate.

“Are you going to check that?” I prod Flint.

It seems like he’s moving in slow motion when he shifts to the left to retrieve his phone from his right back pocket. Next he pulls on his reading glasses before unlocking the device with a code, since he hates the idea of facial recognition.

Putting it down beside his empty plate, he exchanges a look with his wife.

“Well, at least I got to have breakfast first,” he drawls out the words, before looking at me. “Wanna go for a ride?”

Since I can’t drive, and the keys to their vehicles are suspiciously not on the hooks near the door, I have to wait for Flint to slowly make his way to his SUV. I suppose I should just be thankful that he’s not making me ride bitch on his trike.

“Was that the twins texting you?” I ask as he’s pulling out of his driveway.

“No. It was Royce,” he answers, and I can see him struggle to keep a straight face. “It seems the boys had their phones taken away from them.”

“Can you drive faster please?” I plead with him, my patience wearing thin at this point.

Leslee

Trinity doesn’t need three days. That’s the first thought I have when I wake up the morning after I spoke with my parents.

It has always made me shake my head when I hear people refer to this as thenew motel. It looks like every other single-story motel, littered along the interstates all through this country. They could be a year old or forty, you stay in them out of necessity and not because of the low thread count sheets or algae green pool that sits next to the parking area.

First thing this morning, I checked the bus schedule and fares before putting my plan together. It was when I stopped at the ATM on the way over that I caught sight of one of the twins, hanging back but definitely following me.

Instead of using the drive thru lane, I got out and waved him down. I’m not sure which one it was, but he looked absolutely downtrodden at having been spotted—which confirmed my suspicion that Flint had called him and his brother as soon as I was out the door.

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