Page 42 of Summer Shivers
Not that we were everthatclose. But I think it would be important to Harrison that I maintain a relationship with them. So, I will.
We ride in silence for a few more minutes. Which I start to find bothersome. I mean, if they didn’t want to talk, why reach out at all?
“How’s your mom?” I ask, trying to get them to open up to me.
“Mom hasn’t really said anything,” Curious says. “She’s just quiet most of the time.”
I think about Sarah’s interaction with Ty at the Lake Oswego house and wonder how she’s handling it. The two were married for about fifteen years and their divorce was bitter. But they seemed to grow more amicable over the years as the girls grew older. I’m sure she’s sad about it. He’s still the father of her children.
We pull into the dirt lot where people park for the festival and head in to the fairgrounds. In addition to rides and a food court, there’s also various vendor exhibits and presentations. I pay for our admission and buy a bunch of ride tickets for the girls. I don’t plan to go on any rides, but I’m sure they’ll want to.
“Let’s hit theSummer ShiversFun House first,” Curious says. I agree. It’s not a ride, it’s the main reason we’re here, and I’m sure the girls are anxious to have the reminder of their dad. The closer we get, the more nervous I feel. But I can’t put my finger on why.
The girls have friends in line already. Despite my protests, the girls cut in to join them. So, I do too. I hand some of the people behind us ride tickets as an apology.
Eerie nudges her friend and jerks her chin toward me, rolling her eyes.
What’s that about?
I’m just trying to be nice.
The line moves forward a few steps, I go to follow when something jerks me back. The collar of my dress rides up my chest, making it press at my windpipe.
Hard.
I can’t breathe.
My hands fly to my throat in a panic, pulling at the neckline trying to loosen it. It just grows tighter. I can’t seem to move, caught too off guard.
I try to slap at Curious to get her attention.
“What?” She spins to face me, her tone vicious. Then seeing me claw at my neck, she looks behind me and says, “Derek, dude, get off mystepmom’sdress. You’re choking her.” I turn to see a boy pick his foot off the back hem of my dress. My breathing returns to normal.
What the hell?
He looks over his shoulder at us. “My bad. Sorry.” Then turns back to his conversation like it was nothing. I rub at my neck, sure there’s a line there now from the thin, cotton edging around the neck of my dress. I know it was an accident, but I still feel weird about it.
Like something odd is going on.
Why did Eerie roll her eyes at me? And Curious have that tone?
I feel like they’re upset and I’m not sure I feel comfortable with them. I wish I had my cell phone with me. I could call Ty and ask him to come get me.
Ha, if I thought the girls had an issue with me now, just wait until they see Ty picking me up. That won’t go over well at all.
“Hey, girls, I think I’m going to sit this one out,” I say as we climb the steps toward the entrance to the ‘ride.’
“No way, Genevieve.” Eerie grabs my arm and pulls me along with her. “We are doing this together. As afamily.”
I go along. Because, really, what else can I do? She said family. I’ll feel like a jerk if I don’t participate. The girls must be upset over their dad’s death and acting out a bit. I can’t blame them for that. They are barely out of their teens at a year shy of twenty.
We’re herded into a narrow, darkened corridor just past the entrance of the Fun House. The bodies of the girls and their friends tighten around me. Jostling me back and forth.
Hard.
It’s like I don’t have control over where I go and am just being forced along by the small crowd surrounding me. It’s an unsettling feeling.
“Can we spread out a bit?” I ask.
