Faltering by Jennifer Lyndon

Author:Jennifer Lyndon [Lyndon, Jennifer]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Platypus Publishing
Published: 2017-11-25T18:30:00+00:00

-CH 7-

December 1975

The sun was setting, and the light was reflecting a slightly pinkish hue in her pale hair. Lara had been uneasy all day as I tried to help her relax. She was staring at the food on her plate, which the waiter placed in front of her at least five minutes earlier, but making no move to eat. I reached across the table to touch her hand, hoping to reassure her. She jerked away from my touch, startled, and then glared at me accusingly.

“What’s wrong?” I asked gently. Her eyes softened.

“We need to leave this place,” she answered.

“You don’t like your food?” I asked, confused. “We could go to the restaurant near…”

“I’m not hungry,” she snapped, interrupting me.

“Oh,” I said as I realized what she meant. She wanted to move on, to leave Santa Fe. “All right. Maybe Talise will finish with me in the next couple of days,” I offered. I was modeling for Talise’s next sculpture. I’d been spending a few hours with her daily over the past couple of weeks, since my belly had become obvious.

“We need to be out of here before Christmas,” was Lara’s reply.

“Lara, I will not walk out on Talise before she finishes.”

“I didn’t plan this far out when we left Chicago. I thought we’d be moving around enough it wouldn’t matter where I went to the bank.” I nodded. “I’m out of money,” she whispered. “I have to have some money wired. Mother will know where we are when I do that.” I took a bite of my burrito and smiled at her.

“Let her know where you are. What does it matter anyway?” She shook her head.

“That depends on what we want, Sylvie,” she said evenly. “Do you want Hattie to know you’re pregnant?”

I swallowed with some difficulty and shook my head. “No.”

“Mother will be on the very next plane, the moment she knows where I am. She won’t wait for me to disappear again,” Lara explained. I nodded. “When she finds us, she’ll see I’m not pregnant. And you must realize, no one would doubt you are pregnant now, honey. If she sees you…” I nodded again.

“How much time do we have?” I asked, sharing her concern.

“I haven’t paid our hotel bill in over a week. I can avoid it for maybe two or three more days, but when I pay, we will be out of money,” she explained. “We have enough for gas to Albuquerque. I’ll have my bank wire the money there. That will throw her off our trail.”

“That’s too close,” I said.

“Don’t you think I know that, Sylvie? I have no choice,” Lara replied.

“No. I have money,” I said quietly. “I was preparing for these months without work. I’ll get what we need.” Lara nodded. “Okay, we leave in three days then,” I said. Lara smiled.

“Are you really okay about leaving?” she asked. I nodded in reply. “I thought maybe you’d grown attached to Talise.” I ignored the veiled question. Lara glanced around the restaurant to make sure no one was watching before reaching her hand across the table to discreetly squeeze mine.

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