Authors: Christina Leigh Pritchard
He didn’t listen. His hands traveled inside my shorts, and then my underpants. He brushed his fingers on my bottom, then my hips and finally my inner thighs. I closed my eyes, spreading my legs, hoping he’d explore there next.
Alex stopped.
“What?”
“You plan on leaving me. Why would I want to make love to someone who doesn’t want me? Goodnight, Lisa. I love you.”
“You have got to be kidding me.” I snapped. He wrapped his arms around me and spooned me right there on the wood floor. “Won’t you even just kiss me?”
“Nope,” he answered. “You don’t deserve it.”
Twenty Four
Tough Decisions
Someone pounded on Alex’s door. I woke, on the floor still in his arms. “Lisa, some lady and man are here. They say you’re their daughter.” I couldn’t make out the voice. Maybe it was Reginald? I rubbed my eyes and opened the door. It
was
Reginald. He was alone. Where had his groupies gone?
When I got near the lobby I spotted Amber and Jimmy. They were there! I jumped down two steps at a time and landed on the wooden floor with a thud. “Mom! Dad!” I shouted, racing for them. Jimmy opened his arms and I collapsed into him. He twirled me around and we laughed. “Did you tell her about the rape?” I whispered in his ear. He shook his head and I smiled. “Good, it’s better to never tell her.”
My mom had cut her hair short and had permed it. She wore make-up and a long, classic sundress. Had they gone to the beach?
“So you’re my daughter,” Amber said. I watched her lips tremble. “I can’t believe I had amnesia and forgot all about you. Jimmy explained I was coming to get you but when I hit my head because of a violent storm, I didn’t remember you anymore and just left you. What a horrible mother I am!”
“No, mom, it isn’t your fault. I knew you’d come back.”
“Come here and give me a hug. You’d think I’d remember my own daughter no matter how hard I hit my head.”
I carefully placed my arms around her but she squeezed me tight, bursting into tears. “I love you, mom.”
“I love you too, sweetie.”
I jerked back, my heart pounding, she loved me! I knew she had, but my black eyes and the history of my conception blocked her from telling me so. That barrier was gone. I had my mother, finally, after all these years!
Amber hugged me tight, not daring to let go. She stared into my eyes and didn’t look away. She didn’t feel pain when she looked into my eyes! What a difference. “How do you like your new job?”
“Oh, Lisa, I love it! Jimmy wants me to go back to Florida with him, though. I have a cute one bedroom apartment here but he says he’s going to try to take our house out of foreclosure. That would be nice. Then, we could be a family again.”
“Lisa, why don’t we go into town for some breakfast so that we can talk,” Jimmy suggested, motioning for me to follow him out the door. “In Salem, they have this great buffet that I want you to try.”
I stopped in between the doors. I couldn’t go to Florida with them! I couldn’t even go to breakfast! How do you tell the people you love that? The only way I could see them is if they stayed in the original Lynn district or if they visited me.
“Jimmy? Look, it’s my twin brother Jimmy!” Millie Brown exclaimed, creeping up behind him. “It’s been years how have you been?”
“I’m good, sis. How about you? I never knew you had cancer. That was quite a shock to me. I would’ve come up to be by your side.”
“It’s okay; Alex saved my life.”
“Alex!? Where is that guy? He’s my hero. When I fell in love with Amber he told me he wished one day he could love someone as much I loved her. As a wedding present he gave me enough money to buy our house in Florida and then, he turned his cheek so that he didn’t see me touch Pig.”
Jimmy had been one of the warehouse kids but apparently not for long. He’d given it up for my mom. More people snuck out of their rooms, finally realizing it was their old friend Jimmy. Donna’s eyes widened, Pete and Marie greeted him and Reginald’s groupies hugged him and also my mom.
“It’s good to see you.” Reginald smiled. “I thought I recognized you but you got so old, man!”
Jimmy laughed. “Yeah, it happens past the Lynn border.”
“You look so happy.” Marie smiled. “Do you regret your decision?”
“Not for one second.” Jimmy beamed with pride. “Amber is the best thing that’s ever happened to me. There’s nothing better than being with the one you love through thick and thin.”
I swallowed. All I could think of was Alex. Was I supposed to stay with him? Was he the one for me?
“Hi Jimmy,” Alex climbed down the stairs. “It’s been a long time since I’ve seen you.”
“Alex, I was hoping you’d come on out. I wanted to thank you for helping my family; for saving Millie from terminal cancer and also my wife.”
“Did you want to stay here at the school for a while?”
Jimmy thought hard, glancing at me. “No, I think my family and I should get moving.”
“Very well,” Alex sighed. His eyes set on me. “Are you going with them?”
“Yes, I’m leaving. Goodbye, Alex.”
“Farewell, Lisa.” Alex frowned. He turned away and disappeared through the “mathematics” door.
Amber, Jimmy and I left through the double doors and stood outside next to their rental car. “As I was saying, there is a great buffet in Salem.” He turned around, serious now. “Can you even go to Salem, Lisa?”
“Does mom know?” I questioned. He nodded.
“I told her on the way here. She met everyone before you were ever born and I didn’t want her to be shocked.”
“Dad, I tried to leave, but I’m physically unable.”
“You were directly struck, then. People who are physically hit by the lightning cannot leave Lynn.”
“What should I do? Touch Pig?”
“Touching Pig won’t work for you. You were directly hit. He has no power over you; only the warehouse kids.”
“So I’m stuck here, then, in Lynn forever?”
“I’ll talk to your mom and see about us just permanently moving into Lynn. I’ll tell her what’s happened. She’s very understanding and I know she won’t want to leave her daughter.”
“Are we going to breakfast or not?” Amber shouted from inside the rental.
“No, I can’t.” I gave them both a big hug.
My mom frowned. “We’ll come back this weekend. Maybe you can spend weekends with us.” She suggested. “We have to start our relationship over. It’ll be fun, don’t you think?”
“Yes, mom, I do. I can’t wait. I’m happy you and dad are together again, too.”
“You aren’t the only one.” Jimmy smiled. He started the car and grinned from ear to ear. “Lisa, just because you aren’t my biological daughter doesn’t mean you aren’t
my
daughter. I have always loved you and wouldn’t trade you for the world.”
“Thanks, dad. I’ve always loved you, too.”
I watched from the road as they drove away. They were happy. For the first time, I saw them smile and they were genuine smiles, too.
“You didn’t go.” Alex stood behind me. I leaned back into his arms. “I was certain you’d try at least.”
“I did, last night but I wasn’t able to.”
“I’m happy you couldn’t,” Alex said. “I was pretty certain that you were like Ally and I. We were directly hit and can’t leave.”
“So, you were never going to kill Ally were you?” I smiled. He smirked.
“No, of course not, I just wanted to scare her a little bit.”
“Why did you have me come up here? You risked being caught and exposed.”
“Jimmy was my friend and when your mom said they were divorced I knew something horrible must’ve happened to break them apart. He gave up everything for her. I just thought maybe I could help him get back his life.”
“I was wrong about you. I thought you were a serial killer.”
“That would be too easy.” Alex guided me back towards the school. “I’m sorry I was so closed up to you it’s just when you’re isolated and alone for so many years it’s hard to be normal. I’m trying to change; I really am.”
“So what should I call you? Alex or Mathew?”
He laughed, kissing me on the cheek. “Whatever your little heart desires.”
“For some strange reason, Alex Moody, I like you. But, just so you know, if I figure out a way to leave Lynn, I’ll do it.”
“Then I’ll just have to leave, too.”
“You’d risk everything for me, Alex?”
“Living forever means nothing if you’re not a part of it.”
He meant it. Pig and Rat stood on the bottom step of the school. I leaned down and grabbed Pig. He yelped with fear in his eyes. “You can’t hurt me, Pig. From now on you’re going to be hugged, held, kissed and loved for as long as we live. You’re my dog, now.”
Pig’s little tail wagged, and he kissed my face enthusiastically. He finally was able to be loved. No dog wanted to be in fear of hurting people. He wanted their affection and approval. “You never have to worry about being loved ever again. I love you, Pig.”
“You like me but love the dog; how wonderful.” Alex teased, guiding me into the school. I turned around and spotted Rat.
“Rat, aren’t you going to come?” His head perked up and the Himalayan cat raced inside ahead of us purring. Out of the corner of my eye I saw Ally. She stood alone a few feet ahead with her face pointed towards the sky.
“Ally! Hurry on home,” I shouted. She smiled and took slow steps towards the school.
Alex, Pig, Rat and I climbed the spiral staircase and entered his tiny bedroom. We sat on the bed. I lay on top of Alex, Pig leaned against me, snoring happily and Rat, well he rubbed my leg, purring.
“Will you ever love me?” Alex questioned, brushing his fingers through my hair. “I cannot imagine life without you, now.”
“Alex, I was yours way back in the henhouse, the day you murdered the chicken. Remember when you brushed against me?”
“Oh, yes, I remember. I hadn’t felt so much pain in all my life. It wasn’t when I fell in love with you, though.”
“When, then?”
“Remember that first day of your arrival when you asked me if we were cousins? You rambled on and on. From that night forward, I couldn’t stop dreaming about you, thinking of you during the day, waking up with thoughts of you, falling asleep wondering what you were doing…”
“I thought you were crazy, but then again, I have always picked the worse type of guys.”
“Hey, now, I’m not all that bad. I know I have a lot to work on, but I mean well. I really do.”
“Alex, I think I just might love you for getting my parents back together.”
“Good, that’s a start. I want you to love me more than anyone else in the world.”
“We shall see, won’t we?” I teased, listening to Rat purr. I’d never seen these animals so content before. There was so much still left unanswered. Like, Ally and her mysterious relationship with Pete. Also, before Alex ever spoke to Michael he told me that I didn’t have to worry about Michael caring anymore. What did he mean exactly? What was Reginald’s story? How did he end up with three groupies? Where was Aunt Millie always going? How come Alex’s eyes and hair darkened when I touched him but mine lightened? There was also Alex’s famous “you were meant to come to Lynn” comment too. I wondered about Jimmy, how he met my mom, why he fell in love with her and why he gave up a long life. I laughed, kissing Alex on the lips.
I finally had a way to learn all I ever wanted. No one could tell me half truths anymore. Forgotten stories belonged to
me
now. And I knew the perfect pair to begin with.