Page 15 of Outlawed Treat
Chapter Eight
Reckless
I’VE FORCED MYSELFout of the clubhouse today.With Halloween getting so close, we need all hands on deck at the haunted house to get every last detail ready for a few nights before Halloween.Some of us are actually going to open before the night Darren loved so much.We’ll allow people to walk through the haunted house for three days leading up to Halloween night and then it will close when everything closes down in town that night.Since this is in memory of Darren, we need to make every aspect of the house perfect.I want it to match completely from the one he did in our junior year.The paint on the walls, monsters filling the place, all of the props, each costume, and everything else he carefully planned out with such excitement and love of the holiday.Kreed and I are the only two who would know what everything is supposed to look like since we were there.Cali never stepped foot inside so she wouldn’t be able to help out with anything here.I don’t even want her near the haunted house because I know it will do nothing but bring up memories of Darren and the time we had with him before I messed everything up.
Walking through the second floor with Manic and Master, I point out what needs to be changed.Even if it’s something as small as the location of a prop in each section of the floor, I point it out to be corrected to how Darren would have set it up.They take down notes and let me know it will be taken care of as my phone starts vibrating in my pocket.Pulling it out, I see Kreed’s name on my screen.
“What’s goin’ on?How did Cali’s doctor appointment go?”I answer my phone while pointing to a chainsaw left on a table that needs to be moved.
“I have no clue.I’m headin’ there now.Tiffany should be with her but she’s not answerin’ her phone.Cali called me and all I heard was her sayin’ ‘help me’ before the phone crashed into somethin’ and went dead.It won’t ring through now so I’ve been tryin’ to call Tiffany.I’m almost five minutes out.If she’s havin’ a panic attack, you’re gonna need to be there, Caleb.You’re the only one who can help her when she’s like this.Nothin’ has changed,” Kreed states, his words rushed so much it’s hard to understand what he’s saying for a minute until everything starts to sink in.
“Fuck!I’m on my way.Keep tryin’ to call Tiffany.Got a bad feelin’ about this shit, Kreed,” I tell him, rushing to the stairs and out of the haunted house toward my bike.I rode here today instead of driving my truck even though I knew I’d be going to Cali’s the second I was done.Kreed would have his SUV so I felt confident in my decision to ride.
Hanging up my phone, I straddle my bike and pull away from the parking area in front of the haunted house.My helmet isn’t strapped as I race through town and make my way to Cali’s house.The only thought on my mind is getting to her and making sure she’s okay.Nothing else matters but her and the kids.As long as they’re okay, I’m good.If something has happened to them, I’ll lose my shit on anyone involved in hurting Cali and the kids.No one touches them for any reason.
Pulling up to Cali’s house, I don’t see her SUV in the driveway.Confusion fills me as I park my bike haphazardly in the road and shut the engine off before racing up to the door.Using my code to unlock the door, I rush inside.Bryce is playing in the living room with Rory in her car seat.I don’t see Cali anywhere near them and she never leaves them alone like this unless she has to go to the bathroom.
“Cali!”I call out, walking up to Bryce and kneeling down next to him.“Where’s Mommy, Little Man?”
“Kitchen.Something wrong,” he answers me, looking up to show me the tears sliding down his face.“I’m with Sissy because Mama wouldn’t want me away from her.Mama won’t wake up.”
“Dammit!I’ll take care of Mommy.Uncle Kreed will be here any minute.You stay with him, yeah?”I ask Bryce as I stand from him and prepare to go in search of Cali.
“Okay.Something is wrong with the house.Look,” Bryce informs me, as I follow where he’s pointing to the football on the shelves.It’s been moved.
I don’t take time to look around and see if anything else has been changed or moved around in the living room.Instead, I rush over to the kitchen and look for Cali.Walking by the garbage can, I spot beer bottles on the top.It’s Darren’s exact brand.A brand we’ve kept stocked in the clubhouse but no one ever touches.Cali doesn’t keep it in the house.She doesn’t drink very often, but when she does it’s never beer.She’s never been able to stand the taste of it.Especially Darren’s brand.My heart starts to beat faster in my chest as I finally spot Cali curled up on the floor of the kitchen.She’s in the fetal position and I know this panic attack is one of the horrible ones she doesn’t have very often.
“Cali,” I whisper, dropping down to my knees next to her.
Pulling her into my lap, I press our chests together so she can feel my breath fanning across her neck and the weight of my arms around her body.Holding her tighter than ever before, I tilt Cali’s head back so she can see me when her vision comes back.
“Cali, come on, Reina.You have to open those beautiful eyes and look at me.I know it’s hard, but we gotta get you out of this shit.You can do it, Cali.Be brave and strong for me.Come on, Cali!”I talk to her as if she can hear me.
Cali once told me she felt as if I were her anchor and when she gets like this, she can hear me.So, I always talk to her and try to pull her out of the worst so she can finish breaking free on her own.
“Take a deep breath with me, Reina,” I order her, taking a deep breath and holding it for a few seconds.“Now slowly release it to a count of ten.”
For several minutes I simply take a deep breath in and hold it before slowly releasing it to a count of ten.The entire time, I continue talking to her and counting so she knows what to do.If Cali can hear me, she’s proving it to me right now.Cali’s breathing slowly comes back to normal as I keep her close to my body.I pay attention to her heartbeat as it also starts to slow down.She’ll be back to us in a few minutes.
“I’m here!”Kreed yells out as I hear the security system start beeping because I didn’t think to reset it once I entered the house.“You got your girl?”
“I’m with her in the kitchen.Kreed, need you in here for a second,” I return, not taking my eyes from Cali.
“The kids okay?”Kreed asks, walking in the kitchen and looking down at Cali with a mixture of sadness and rage filling his eyes as he takes in her limp body.
