Page 26 of Jeremy
Jeremylooks up at me, and god help me, I’m staring at the sight of the fork slidingout of his mouth. Those lips. Ugh. It’s got to be pregnancy hormones making mewant to plant my boobs in his face.
“Nope,it was the kid,” he argues.
“You’recrazy! He’s ten! How did he get the body buried?”
“Thekid stabbed him to protect the mother and the mother helped cover it up byburying the body.”
“Noway. The guy abused him, so the mother killed him to protect her kid.”
Amusementglows on his face as he asks, “Want to bet?”
“Betwhat?”
Hesits back, resting his ankle on his knee. “If I’m right, you let me finish thework around your place without an argument.”
“Andif I win?”
“Nameit,” he dares.
Oh,he isn’t going to like this.
Ipoint to the flyer hanging on my fridge that advertises a class at the localcommunity center. “You have to attend weekly birthing and baby care classeswith me. I’d like to go, but they say to bring a partner, so I don’t want to goalone and look like a loser.”
Hisface hardens. “Being pregnant and unattached doesn’t make you a loser.” Hesighs, and his gaze locks on mine. “It makes the absent father a loser. It’s abet.”
Wefall into silence as the show resumes. A few minutes later, a grin breaksacross his face as the narrator lays out how the kid killed his stepfather.“I’ll be damned. You can smile,” I remark, the words escaping before I have achance to think about them.
“Don’tchange the subject. I win. I’ll get the tiles tomorrow.”
Asnort of laughter jumps from me. “Yeah, I’m getting my roof fixed for free. Youreally showed me.”
Shakinghis head, he gets to his feet. “Not free. I like your cooking. One roof for abig pot of this chili.”
“Ithink I can manage that.”
Hetucks his baseball cap down over his head, subtracting five years from his age.“See you later.” With that, he’s out my back door.
AllI can do is stare after him. He’s got to be the most confusing, but utterlylickable man I’ve ever come into contact with. I need a shower and a fewminutes with my battery operated boyfriend.
#
I’vebeen feeling bored and cooped up lately, so I decide to head a few towns awayto a mall, where I can do some shopping. If I’m going to make another pot ofchili for Jeremy, I also need to stop at a grocery store. I’ve heard that musicsoothes a savage beast, but in his case, food seems to be the best option.
Itoccurs to me that the mall is kind of close to the True Life complex, but I’mnot worried. Time and distance have given me perspective. They don’t have anycontrol that I don’t give them, and I’m not dumb or desperate enough to hand itover like last time.
Itfeels good to stretch my legs, and I duck into a few of the shops, buying somecute baby outfits I can’t resist. If only I knew the sex, I’d have a betteridea of what to get. I haven’t started on the nursery yet, but I plan to soon.Since I already scanned most of what I’ll need for it, it’s just a matter ofwarming up my credit card and taking the leap.
Aslight pang of loneliness shoots through me at the sight of the couple walkingin front of me. He slings his arm around her neck, whispering something in herear that makes her giggle. Will I ever have that with anyone? Or am I destinedto go from a single mom to an old spinster? I can’t imagine dating anyone onceI have a kid. What if I chose the wrong person and they hurt my baby? Maybealone is the better choice.
Tryingto shake off the gloom that’s trying to pull me down—I suspect those peskyhormones are responsible—I pack my new purchases into my trunk. Just as I openmy car door, she catches my eye. It’s the blonde hair, blowing in the wind, andthe way she carries herself, her small frame slightly bent as she waves theflyers at people who ignore her on their walk past.
I’mfrozen in place, torn between what I want and what is probably best for me. Ican’t just leave without trying. She’s my sister. Once she sees I made it onthe outside, maybe she’ll listen. She could come home with me now.
Shedoesn’t see me until I’m right behind her. My voice cracks as I utter her namefor the first time since the night I begged her to go with me.
“Kelly.”
Hereyes swell and nearly fall to the ground before she drops her stack of papersand throws her arms around me. She’s sobbing so hard, I can barely make out herwords.
