Forgiveness Creek: The Creek Series (13 page)

I stood at the corner of wood and stone and looked out over the green hills of pasture, listening to the sounds of nature. Cows mooing, birds singing, and the sound of rushing water from the creek welcomed me to our place.

It was no longer
our
dwelling. I was alone in the world. I didn’t see it as a welcoming place anymore, yet for some reason, I didn’t want to leave and go back to Denton. My heart was torn from what was and what could be.

I’d read once that when you’re torn in a decision, the best choice is not to make one at all, so that was exactly what I intended to do.

I left Karina a voicemail saying Mom had passed, and I wasn’t sure when I would be home. I asked her to inform the school. The next call I made was to Darlie.

“I thought you would be in China. What the hell happened?”

“Turns out Dane has secrets. I’m not sure what all happened, but he basically dissed me, so I came home instead. I’m glad I did because my mom died of a heart attack. I’d like to get into it more, but I’m drained. Could you let Edgar know I’ve called and I’ll check in soon? I just don’t know when I’ll be back to work.”

“I’ll do that, but I wish you’d let me come to where you are.”

“Thank you, I appreciate that, but I’m in a tiny town in the middle of nowhere. I’m fine, and I’ve got you if I need anything. I’ll call soon.”

No goodbyes, it was better that way.

The days passed, and I spent the week going through the house and just cleaning up. Mom was more of a packrat than I was. I boxed things up and took them to town to the shelter, except for items I wanted for safekeeping.

I woke up throwing up early one morning, and it didn’t get any better for two solid days. I knew it wasn’t food poisoning because I hadn’t been eating—my appetite simply wasn’t there. After a few more days of sickness in the morning and then late in the evening, I had a panic attack.

No freakin way. Life could not be that cruel.

I drove into town to our convenience store and sat in the parking lot. Since it was Sunday, it was the only thing open. It was such a small town that the last thing I needed was to be the subject of town gossip, so I drove over an hour just to be able to shop in private.

I made my purchase and threw the boxes in the car. Unable to get the idea out of my mind, I put a box in my purse and pulled into the closest McDonald’s, where I ordered a Diet Coke and sat there until I had the urge to pee. With my test hidden in my purse, I went into the bathroom and hid out in the small stall until I had my answer.

Pregnant. How in the hell could that have happened?

Sex was how that happened, but I was careful and never missed a pill. I thought about it for a while, and I realized I didn’t have to miss a pill because I’d taken medications that would affect the effectiveness of birth control pills. A victim of my own stupidity.

I was angry with God. Angry with the world and felt I’d let myself and all my dreams down. I was very grateful Mom wasn’t around to witness my ignorant acts. She would’ve been so disappointed in me.

I charged my phone long enough to make a few calls. The first one was to Edgar explaining I was an emotional wreck and unable to return to work and hoped he understood. I also asked that my employment records be protected. I didn’t want to be contacted by anyone.

I phoned Darlie and left a message that I would not be returning to Denton. The losses I’d suffered were physically daunting, and I wasn’t ready to leave my home place empty.

I finally was able to reach Karina.

“You can’t stay there. You need to come home.”

“This is my home.”

“You can finish school. Just go to classes and do your rotations and at least finish school.”

“I don’t know. Whatever you do, you are not to say a word to Dane or his family or tell them where I am. Understood?”

“Don’t worry about me. I’m not saying a word to that creep.”

I went to the bench and stared out at the water. Then I looked down at the phone. I knew as the father he had a right to know, but he didn’t want me, and he certainly didn’t want a baby. The longer I sat there, the more furious I became with Dane and the world. Without thinking it through, I reared my arm back and threw the phone as far as I could into the creek.

So long, old life.

Justin joined me for dinner. “Your Mom would want you to go back and finish school.”

“But who’s gonna—”

He put his fork down and stared at me. “It’s what…not even two months left?” He spread his right arm out. “This place will be just like you left it.”

“But you’re already seeing to Stephan’s cabin. I can’t ask you to do that.”

“You’re not asking. I’m offering.”

He left and I laid on the couch and moped. I thought about what he’d said.

Mom would want me to finish school; he was right. There was no reason I couldn’t. It would be a challenge, but I could hide from Dane and his family if I was careful.

I threw my clothes into a suitcase and called Justin.

He was actually quite proud of himself for convincing me to do the right thing and promised to take care of everything until I came back. “You need to take the Taurus. Your car is leaking oil, I noticed. Leave your keys on the table, and I’ll take a look at it.”

“So you know the engine’s in the back, right?”

“Yes, smartass. Did they teach you that in school?” He laughed out loud, something he rarely did.

“Now who’s being the smartass? Thank you for everything.”

“You bet.”

“Oh, and I don’t have a phone. I got mad and threw mine in the creek today. I’ll get one tomorrow and call you with my new number.”

“You’re an idiot.”

“I know.”

I got the garage door opener out of my car and some of my school papers and quickly got on the road. At the earliest, I wouldn’t get back until two o’clock in the morning.

At least Mom’s car had a decent radio. It wasn’t new when she’d bought it, but it had been owned by a little old lady in town. It’d barely had any miles on it, and Mom hadn’t put a whole lot more on it the seven years she’d owned it. It needed new tires, and I would do that as soon as I got out of class.

When I opened the door to the kitchen from the garage, Karina stared at me with a baseball bat in position for a hard swing. “What in the fuck are you doing?”

“I decided you and Justin were right. I needed to get back and finish class if they will let me. I’m not going back to work, though. That would be asking for trouble.” I scooted past her and unloaded my arms on the table.

“You’ve got trouble all right. He’s been here, his private investigator has been here, and it’s been crazy. There’s no way you can hide from him. Just call him and tell him to fuck off.”

“I can’t.”

“Why not?”

“I threw my phone in the creek. I don’t know his number.”

“You’re an idiot,” she said, returning the bat to its parking spot in the laundry room.

“So I’ve been told. Look, I think I know a way to hide from him just until school is finished. Then I’m going back to Arkansas.”

We went to bed, and within a few hours, I was back up getting ready for school. I laid down in the backseat of Karina’s car, and then she opened the garage door and pulled out. She made sure she wasn’t followed and drove us to class.

“I still think this is stupid. You need to tell Darlie you’re back. She’s been calling me. She was pissed you left her a message and didn’t return her calls.”

“I turned the phone off, so I didn’t have to speak with Dane.”

“You know, all you had to do was hit ‘ignore’ to his calls and talk to the rest of us.”

“Damn thing rang constantly. I couldn’t think, much less resist the urge.”

“That’s because you care about him whether you want to admit it or not.”

When class was over, I dropped Karina at work, and I went to get a new phone. I called Justin and let him know I was fine.

He assured me everything at home would be okay for the next two months while I finished school. “Just focus on getting through one day at a time, Wrenn,” he said.

“How’d you get to be so smart?”

“By watching people.”

I knew there was something to what he said. He didn’t talk much, but he didn’t miss anything either. Justin always seemed to have his finger on the pulse. A hard worker and a quiet man, he was always busy tinkering with something, keeping his hands busy, but I often wondered where his mind drifted to.

Then I went to the cancer center to see Darlie. I parked at the front of the hospital and walked through the back way until I could sneak into her office.

“Where the hell have you been?” she all but yelled at me.

“Shhh. Only my instructors and Karina know I’m back. I’m pregnant, Darlie. I got knocked up by an idiot who’s a cheater and a liar.”

“He’s been raising all kinds of hell around here, wanting to know where you’re hiding. In fact, he and his grandfather just left.”

“Shit.”

“Care to talk about what happened?”

I sat down in the chair across from her desk and gave her the cliff note version. I explained that less than twenty-four hours before I was certain I was never coming back. But there I was, honoring my mother’s wishes and trying to finish the commitment of what I’d started.

“All you have to do is tell him it’s over. Hiding is just stupid.”

“Oh, yeah? And then he finds out I’m pregnant and starts throwing his money around for a custody battle or tries to take my baby away and remains a thorn in my side forever. He and his family will think I did this on purpose.”

“I see your point. How far along are you?”

“A few weeks.”

“So, you won’t be showing until after school is out. If anything, it would be just a little like you’ve gained a few pounds.”

“Right.”

She opened her purse and removed a business card. “This is my brother’s card. Carson does family law. I’ll call him and fill him in. Why don’t you send Dane an email stating you have no desire to see or speak to him and cc Carson on the email? Put in there that it is to serve as written warning. That’s documentation. He will leave you alone after that, trust me.”

“I don’t have his email.”

“I do. He left it here along with his cell number in case I saw you.”