Miles from Ordinary by Carol Lynch Williams

Author:Carol Lynch Williams
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: St. Martin's Publishing Group

IX

“She was…” Alfred stumbled around for words. “… she was pretty upset.”

“I see,” I said. “I see. Okay then.” But it wasn’t okay. It wasn’t at all.

I wanted to shout at Alfred. I wanted to holler at him. To say, “You should have stopped her. You should have kept her here. Kept her safe.” Wasn’t that his duty? To make sure his employees were happy and stayed at their jobs and …

But even as the thoughts tumbled in my head I knew they were wrong. Why, I couldn’t keep Momma home and safe. And I knew her.

My bottom lip trembled a little. If I wasn’t careful I might just scream. It was like I could feel a scream wanting to come out.

“Use the service phone,” Alfred said. “Call home and see if she went on without you.” Then he said, “I’m real sorry. She seemed awful distraught, that one.”

I nodded, though I knew it was useless. It took me three failed tries before Aaron dialed home for me. And then the phone just rang. On and on. Thirty times I let the phone ring. Then I hung up.

“She’s not there,” I told Aaron. My voice was half a whisper.

Now he patted my elbow. His touch was awkward. But it gave me a bit of courage.

I could do this.

You can’t.

I could! I always did it.

I ran up and down that little shopping strip, looking through every store over and over for I don’t know how long. Then Aaron and I stood in front of the Winn-Dixie, neither one of us saying a word. In the distance, storm clouds piled up high. White on the top, and dark gray at the bottom. The air was heavy and still and smelled of cars and summer heat.

“Okay,” I said. “Okay.” My backpack rested on the ground beside me, leaning against my leg. I twisted my hands till they hurt. Bit my nails till one bled. “Now it’s possible that she went home.”

Aaron cleared his throat and I looked over at him, though he never took his eyes off the clouds building in the east.

“Lacey,” he said. “If my mom went home, it’d be no big deal. I mean, she goes home all the time without me.”

“Yes, yes, I understand.” Though I didn’t really. A momma who went home on her own?

“Maybe you’re worrying about your mom a little too much. Maybe she’s fine.”

I couldn’t speak at first. Anger boiled up into my brain. What did Aaron know? Nothing. Nothing at all!

That’s right, a calmer me thought. Nothing at all. How could he know my momma?

“She doesn’t think so good sometimes,” I said after moment. “I kinda have to take care of her.”

He gave a half nod. Standing right there next to me, Aaron was a good three inches taller than I was. Something Momma would have been proud of. She always says to me when we’re sitting in my bedroom, the curtains pulled over the windows to keep out the light, “A boy oughta be taller than you, Lacey.

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