Falling - On the Banks of Lake Saint Clare (Falling - Book One) (25 page)

“I just want to know why you feel it’s your mission in life to ruin everything I have worked for.”

“I don’t know what you are talking about.”

“Well, let’s start with my 20 year marriage. Everything is going just fine and then you need to make it crash and burn all in one day. Then there is my baseball team. You know I have worked forever to get a winning team. I finally get one and you make that crash and burn.”

“I didn’t ruin your marriage or your baseball team. You did. If you were a good coach you wouldn’t have to rely on Michael and Derek to win your games for you.”

He started walking toward me, “I took you in and gave you everything you
wanted,
and this is how you speak to me?”

“I don’t recall you ever putting any thought or effort into anything I have ever done. Have you ever once gone to one of my school functions or asked me anything about my life. The only thing you ever know that is going on is what Mom tells you, so don’t come saying you are the
w
orld
’
s
g
reatest
d
ad and try to make me feel guilty for all you have done for me, when I can count on one hand everything in 17 years you have done for me. If you ever said anything to me
,
it
was always
Rachel needs you to do this, don’t bother Rachel,
or
be very quiet Rachel is tired.”

“Maybe Rachel is just easier to like. Maybe I just don’t like you. Have you ever thought of that?”

It felt like he had slapped me in the face again.

“I have never given you a reason to not like me,” I said. “I have always been respectful and you have never had to punish me or put the house on red alert. Oh
,
we thought that was a cute name for it at first
,
but it all ended up being a war zone every time she was home.”

“And that is because of you!” He yelled. “If you weren’t so jealous of Rachel maybe you would see what kind of person she is and you can learn from her!”

“I know what kind of person she is,” I said calmly. He was yelling and so mad, but I did not want to stoop to his level. “She’s the kind of person that will screw a guy she has only dated for two days in public. Be very proud of that, Mr. Dillard. Y
our little ang
el is a whore.”

“I swear you will pay for saying that!”

“
Are y
ou going to
slap
me again?” I asked, moving behind the couch. My heart was pounding and I knew he wanted to kill me. I was scared to death, but was not about to back down. If it took him beating me to a pulp, I was NOT going to back down. “
Now that Michael’s not around are you going to slap me some more
?
Put a handprint on the other side of my face
?”

I heard a door slam and looked out the patio door and saw Michael’s car.

“Well there he is,” I pointed. “Sorry Daddy, you can’t hit me like you want to so badly, because he will show you what its like to be hit by someone twice your size. Kind of like you hitting me last night.”

“You are a worthless piece of trash, and don’t you ever forget it,” he said with so much hate in his eyes it ripped at my heart. He walked toward the door when Michael came storming into the house.

“What are you doing here?” Michael said startling me.

“I’m leaving,” he said, walking past him. Michael grabbed his arm and held him.

Michael looked at me, “You okay?”

I nodded.

Michael squeezed Dad’s arm and looked him in the eyes, “Do not ever speak to her unless I am 2 inches away from you. Got it?”

Dad tried to jerk his arm away but couldn’t.

Michael repeated his warning then let go. My dad looked at me
, “she can be your problem now,” he said
with disgust and walked out the door.

Michael walked over and hugged me, “Are you okay?” He asked again.

“I’m fine,” I sighed.

He raised my chin and looked at me. “That scared me. When I saw his car in the driveway it scared me to death.”

We walked over to the couch. Michael laid down and pulled me on top of him and started running his fingers thr
ough
my hair. I could feel the tears running off my face and my heart was pounding like I had run a marathon. “Oh baby,” he sighed. “I am so sorry.”

“What time is it?” I looked up realizing we had fallen asleep.

“
Noon
,” Michael stretched. “You make a fabulous blanket,” he said, wrapping his arms
around me
and squeezing me.

“Anytime,” I smiled. “I drooled all over you though.”
             
He smiled, “That’s just sick. Ew
w
, grossness.
”

“Stop it,” I laughed, feeling him squeeze me again while yawning.

“Let’s never move,” he whispered. “Just this for
ever. Never leave this couch.”

“
We will have to pee sometime.”

“I can hold it.” He kissed my cheek.

“Ok, never move ever,” I sighed and fell back asleep.

“You ready to wake up?” I whispered, after another hour nap. “I’m sure you can’t be very comfortable me on top of you.”
             
“It’s perfect,” he sighed. “Nothing in life is better.”

“What did the coach say?” I sat up and stretched. “Oh, damn I slept great.”

“We got moved to his team. But we have practice this evening and a game tomorrow night. Your dad’s team.”

“Oh joy,” I sighed. “I guarantee Rachel will be there. Home or away
?
”

“It’s away, so we are at his field. You don’t have to go if you don’t want to.”

“Oh, I have to be there.”

I felt his hand move across my back and gently rub my shoulders.

“He was so mad at me, Michael. I don’t think I have ever seen him that mad. He wanted to kill me. Oh gosh, that feels so good.”

“Maybe instead of basketball I’ll be a masseuse. I think they make about the same income.”

“I’d give you a million bucks if you do this for the next fifteen minutes.”

“I don’t trust you. You’re a grifter. I’m hungry. Are you?”

“
Yep
, starving
.
”
             
We went into the kitchen and started fixing our lunch. “I wonder where Mom and Grandma are. They just said they were going to the store. Should I tell them about Dad coming over here?”

“Why wouldn’t you?” He asked, getting the plates down.

“I don’t want to see Mom hurt anymore. It’s all because of me and I just can’t stand to see her not happy. It’s not normal for her.”

“She’s a grown woman. It
is not your fault all this happened. I don’t know why you even think that. Apparently your father has had zero respect for you or your mom or it would have never gotten to this stage. So stop putting the blame on yourself. It’s ridiculous.”

“Yikes! I didn’t know I was going to get an ass chewing,” I smiled.

He shook his head and rolled his eyes.

“What?” I laughed, “I can’t help it if I’m such a saint. Don’t roll your eyes unless you add the snap.”

He smiled and kissed the top of my head, “I just don’t want to see your face sad again. It tears me up.”

“What time is your practice?”

“Five. You want to go?”

“I do, but I promised the girls I would go to
The Lane
and gossip. They are coming over to lay out and get our tan on. You want to meet me there when you’re done?”

“If you promise you won’t hook me up with Erica’s fine catches.”

“No promises, my boyfriend, no promises.”

“
OMG
what happened to your face?”
Kaitlyn
practically screamed when she walked into the house. “Did Michael hit you?”

“No! No, Michael didn’t hit me. My dad did.”
             
“
OMG
!” S
he gasp
ed
, “What were you doing? Were you having sex and he walked in on you, freaked out and slapped you?”

“Yeah, that’s exactly what happened,” I said sarcastically. “It’s a long story. Wait till the girls get here so I only have to tell it once.”

“Well they better hurry, because this has got to be worth hearing.”

Abbie
and Erica showed up a few minutes later and almost word for word the conversation repeated.

We started walking to the dock to lay out. I spread the towel out and sat down, started to rub sunscreen on my legs.

“Ok,”
Abbie
said impatiently, “
t
ell.”

I la
id
back on the towel and started telling them all the excitement of the past day. After a total of 50 gasps and 14 awes and 10 damns, I had told them just about everything that I could think of to tell.

Kaitlyn
sighed, “I am so jealous of you, Alex.”

“Why?” I asked. “My family is all tore apart and my Dad and sister are plotting a pay for hire murder as we speak.”

“But you have the perfect boyfriend. I wouldn’t be surprised if he road by on a white horse. Just simply your Prince Charming.”

“She exaggerated a bit,” Erica said, reaching for the lotion. “There is no guy that can be that thoughtful.”

I didn’t argue. I knew it was the truth.

“Where is Michael now?”
Kaitlyn
asked.

“He went to play basketball with Derek. Then he has baseball practice this evening. So you girls are stuck with me.”

“I can’t believe we aren’t going to go to the ball park for practice anymore,” Erica sighed. “You know that is what we do. I don’t know about going all the way to
Anderson
for practices.”

“Well I am sorry that you might be inconvenienced. You don’t have to go to
Anderson
, you know. You are still welcome to go to this park. It will just be with out me.”

I couldn’t believe that she was thinking about it; that there was even an option.

“And viola!”
Abbie
smiled, stepping away from me. “Can’t even see your lovely handprint. Oh, I so need to be a makeup artist.”

I looked in the mirror, “
Wow
that
does look good. I
don’t like the freak stares like Michael gets.”

“Oh
,
you are gorgeous with or without a handprint on your face. Where did
Kaitlyn
and Erica go?”

“They went to Erica’s house to get money. We are meeting them there.”

Abbie
sat on the side of my bed, “What about you and Michael? Is it really as magical as you make it sound? Is he really that great?”

“Yeah,” I sighed. “He’s really that great.” I didn’t want to go into all the mushy warm feelings and gushy talk with
Abbie
. I knew she would love to hear it, but I just didn’t have the words to explain how wonderful Michael was to me. There were no words that could describe the way I felt when I was around him. I couldn’t do it justice just trying to explain.

“You are so lucky. I would give anything to fin
d a good guy.”

“I thought you and Lloyd hit it off the other night.”

“Oh so funny,”
Abbie
laughed. “That was a nightmare.
Monty
never has called Erica since. He said he would call her that night, but never did. She doesn’t seem to care. Or at least she acts like it.”

I heard the doorbell ring. I started to get nervous wondering if it was my dad, or the pay to murder me guy I had joked about earlier.

“How brave are you,
Abbie
? You want to answer the door?”
             
She looked puzzled. “I’ll answer it.”

“If he has a gun, duck fast,” I joked, knowing I was being ridiculous. I heard her open the door as I stood in the hallway, still on edge thinking my dad would come back.

“OHHH!” she shrilled, making me almost pee my pants. “
OMG
!
Alex
,
look!”

I glanced around the corner and saw she was holding roses. “Who are they for?” I asked, watching her look at the envelope.

“You! You think your Dad sent them to apologize?”

“No way in hell.”

“Read it, read it, read it,”
Abbie
clapped. I think she was more excited than me.