Page 101 of Dizzy

I close my eyes and force the panic back. I will figure it out. I’m not locked in a box. I’m comin’ out of this, too.

“Dinner’s gettin’ cold!” Brick bellows.

I go to join them. Brick’s already bellied up to the table, halfway through his slice. Dawn’s fussing at the counter.

There’s a plate for me, a steaming slice of lasagna, broccoli, bread in a basket, and a huge glass of tea. I slide into a chair.

Cheese drips from the sides. I swirl my fork in it, blow to cool it off. The world might be shit, but this is gonna be amazing.

“Sit, will you, woman?” Brick barks at Dawn. She swats him with her dish towel.

“If I don’t soak it now, are you gonna scrub it later?”

Brick ignores her, points his fork at me. “Good, ain’t it?” He grins.

I mumble agreement. I can’t reply ‘cause my mouth is filled with pure heaven.

“I think she likes it.” Brick chuckles. Dawn steps over, cups his chin, and smacks a kiss on his lips as he chews.

“We’ll put her in Becca’s room,” Dawn decrees as she dries a casserole dish.

Brick grunts, an uneasy look, like guilt, crossing his face. “Don’t get attached. I’m givin’ her a ride to Spank the Devil tomorrow.”

“Young hearts, run free.” Dawn smiles at me and finally sits down at the table with her plate. Brick is sopping up the last of the tomato sauce with a slice of white bread.

After dinner, Brick disappears into the living room with a beer, and Dawn pours us both a tumbler of Irish Cream. She regales me with stories and opinions, and at one point, recipes.

She gives herself the time it takes to nurse two fingers of Bailey’s, and then she says, “Well, it’s been a long day. Come on.”

She leads me to a small room at the end of the hall. There’s more wood paneling, a twin bed, and a matching white desk and dresser. Except for a framed cross-stitch of a cat with a ball of yarn and a dozen marching band trophies, the room is empty.

Dawn smooths the quilt, plumps the pillows, and then plops down on the bed.

“Becca’s in Spain now with her partner Leah. They’re traveling the world.” Dawn chipper smile fades. “She says she might make it back for Christmas this year. Or New Year’s maybe.”

She pats my knee. “She couldn’t wait to get out of this town.”

“Is she your only?”

Dawn nods. “I only ever wanted one, and the Lord blessed me with the best, sweetest, smartest girl.”

She stands and shuffles to the door, stopping to blow imaginary dust off the trophies. “She’s happy now.” She sighs. “Maybe I’ll buy a ticket and fly over there myself. Brick says I’m nuts. I don’t even speak Spanish. I tell him I got the internet. You type a word in, and it tells you what it means. Easy-peasy.” She rolls her eyes. “That man.He’snuts.”

She rearranges a trophy, moves it to the front. “I’d offer you a shower, but I started the dishwasher without thinking. I’m sure you’ve had a long day. You can get one in the morning.”

She lingers at the door, uncertain. I draw a breath to thank her, but she speaks in a rush, cutting me off, fingers worrying the hem of her sweatshirt. “My Brick’s a good man. But that man Jed. His brothers. The other Raiders.” She narrows her eyes. “They’re no good. Once you get where Brick is takin’ you,keep going.”

She exhales in a rush and hustles off toward the kitchen, shutting the door behind her.

I bolt over, ease it open. Then I breathe again. There’s no lock on the outside of the door, only a push button inside.

I go back and perch on the edge of the bed, toeing off my sneakers. The house is an old rancher with paper-thin walls. I can hear Brick flipping the channels and Dawn rattling around in the kitchen.

The sun’s gone down, and the overhead light’s missing a bulb. I quietly pad to the dresser and ease open the drawers. They’re empty. So is the desk. Becca didn’t leave anything. Girlfriend got the hell out of Dodge. Except for those trophies.

There’s a beige phone from the 90s on the nightstand, the kind with a curly cord. I pull up my hood and lie on my side.

What is Brick’s plan? Is he really gonna take me to Spank the Devil? Or are the Raiders gonna come and grab me in the night?

---